North London Food & Culture

A Tenner Or Less: red ravioli at La Dolce Vita

This corner spot in N7 has been quiet on both our visits but it's worth tracking it down for a superior midday meal

Red ravioli, filled with spicy amatriciana sauce
Red ravioli, filled with spicy amatriciana sauce. Photo: LDV

Where? A tricky corner site in N7 that’s variously been a Michelin-starred restaurant, all-day French brasserie Assiette Anglaise – and now a spanking new traditional Italian.

What? Homemade red ravioli, filled with spicy amatriciana sauce (cured pork cheek to you or me), cheese, and tomato, on a creamy moat of Pecorino. Not only is it a steal at £8.50 (lunchtimes only, mind) they’ll throw in a glass of house white or red to boot.

Why? It’s worth supporting a problematic spot that has never seemed to work: perhaps it’s because it’s caught between Caledonian and Holloway Roads. We’ve eaten here a couple of times and each has been outstanding: seared tuna – red-rare, with heritage tomatoes and green beans in tow – was equally impressive, but at £12 falls just outside this column’s remit.

Notes: It’s dog-friendly, and there’s also a sheltered decked terrace overlooking St Mary Magdalene’s leafy churchyard, which makes a contemplative spot during the day. Inside, the decor is slightly eighties.


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Don’t: Expect a hip modern Italian diner; this is as old-school as if you were in a small-town idyll somewhere deep within the contours of the boot itself.

Find La Dolce Vita at 489 Liverpool Road N7, open daily 10am to 1030pm

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