Mr Bond

Mr Bond is removed from the hustle and bustle of Chapel Street with a large, sunny courtyard. It’s the ideal destination to escape, relax and enjoy some regional Italian food.

Owner Gino Forlano (who also runs Thirty Eight Chairs next door) embraces the Southern tradition of la cucina povera (“the poor kitchen”), or making do with what you have.

The result is an ever-changing menu of fresh creations made with whichever ingredients are at hand. You can count on a handful of seafood dishes being available, such as semolina-dusted calamari or mussels in lemon and pepper, plus heartier choices such as meatballs or lasagne.

For the takeaway crowd, there’s a vibrant display of salads and paninis, made fresh each morning. Cannoli, sfogliatelle and other sweets are also made in-house. They’re best accompanied by a smooth medium-roast Niccolo coffee.

For those leisurely courtyard lunches, choose from four wines on tap or Birra Moretti.

Inside is small but full of character. Hundred-year-old tiles rescued from a house in Spain add a tapas-bar feel. Forlano wanted to reflect the social aspect of Italian lifestyle; an idea continued with the communal tables and the menu’s many share plates.

For your pantry, there’s a selection of imports that Forlano and the team grew up with, such as a Golia, a traditional liquorice lolly.