Gioberti Ristorante - Wanstead

9:55am Friday 7th September 2007

'AUTHENTIC' restaurants that try too hard to reflect a nation's culture often turn my stomach.

Gioberti Ristorante, in Wanstead's bustling High Street, uses gimmicks but the effect feels tongue-in-cheek.

So there are pictures of Al Pacino, the Godfather and the Rat Pack on the walls, as well as racks and racks of wine bottles.

In Gioberti, these decorations come across as ironic, nice touches, rather than a self-conscious attempt to proclaim Italianess.

Signs saying "mafia parking only" add to the light-hearted feel of the place, as do the smiles from the friendly, but not overbearing, serving staff.

The narrow restaurant is full of atmosphere, which is not even ruined by the cheesy, annoying pop music that is piped in among the diners.

For starters I plumped for the unhealthy-sounding option of Zucchini Fritti (£3.65), deep-fried courgette chips served with a tartare dip. It did not seem to be too-fatty however and whetted my tastebuds sufficiently for the main course.

My partner chose a main course of Spaghetti Al Pomodoro (£6.95), a simple dish of spaghetti, basil and parmesan. It was fairly plain but that is the type of meal it is, and this is made clear on the menu.

What Gioberti really excels at is pizza. I tried the Gusti Del Bosco (£7.95), which includes toppings of mozzarella, tomato, roasted vegetables and rocket pesto.

Delicious and perfectly-cooked, the Gusti was not too greasy and contained the right balance of tomato, cheese and other toppings.

As well as pizza, Gioberti serves a wide range of salads, pasta, fish dishes and other specials.

It also has a home delivery service, which can deliver almost all of the same dishes on the restaurant menu, but at slightly cheaper prices.

The home delivery service has a minimum order of £15 and is only available on Saturdays (5pm to 10pm) and Sundays (12pm to 9pm).

There is a limited delivery area, so it is worth checking with the restaurant whether it can deliver to your home before ordering.

Gioberti is a friendly, comfortable, well-run establishment that is perfect for a meal with your loved ones. The service is excellent, and the food is perfect for those who like a good pizza, Some may find the narrowness of the restaurant claustrophobic, but I personally thought this was one of its strengths, it feels warm and homely, unlike a lot of brighter, blander chain restaurants.

Gioberti is open Monday to Saturday from 5pm to 10pm and on Sunday 12noon to 9pm.

117b High Street,
Wanstead,
E11 2RL
Tel: 020 8989 9989.