Gloria - Shoreditch, London

At 4pm on a Thursday afternoon Gloria's lunch service is still firing on all cylinders: there are very few if any free tables and servers are hustling to make sure everyone is looked after. The restaurant was the first international outing by the Big Mamma Group, a Parisian restaurant chain that focuses on sourcing the very best Italian produce and delivering exceptional classic Italian cuisine at a very reasonable price point. Gloria very much follows this formula, as we found out over a few visits. 

The dining room is unabashedly extra and has become sought-after for parties with top fashion labels and magazines. There's a brightness permeating the dining room, spanning from the rattan chairs and screens to the whitewashed walls to the Amalfi crockery. Outsider, an abundance of foliage beckons you in. Inside, it's very much the same. Behind the bar in the back you'll find a darkwood room with wine display and in the basement there's a lounge area which throws a great party. 

The food is straightforward and excellent. Starters don't mess about: there's a menu of big 250g burratas to choose from, alternatively opt for the smoked stracciatella, deep-fried courgette flowers with cheesy anchovy salsa or a crisp pizza fritta with burned tomato sauce and anchovies. The pizzas are reportedly excellent but we always gravitated towards the pasta. Hand-made ravioli filled with rabbit ragu, candied garlic and celery sprouts is a must, as is a classic carbonara, but our hearts belong to the excellent Mafalda pasta with black Molise truffle, mascarpone and button mushrooms was one of the best truffle dishes in the city. Wrap it up with an outsized selection from the dessert menu: the tiramisu, profiteroles or giant lemon meringue pie are all excellent.

French restaurateurs don't always make a splash in the Big Smoke but the Big Mamma Group certainly has. Gloria is super fun and well-worth a visit. 

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