Sicilian NQ

Located in the Northern Quarter, this friendly neighbourhood bistro and bar is the place to avanti if it’s a taste of traditional Sicily you fancy – from authentic street food snacks through to big plates of pasta to desserts and holiday memory gelato, eat in or take away.

Start with a Mr Mount Etna arancini – a volcano shaped rice ball filled with a melting lava of slow cooked ragu topped with parmesan. Or go for the vegan version filled with options such as spinach or porcini mushroom, each with its own sauce. 

There’s plenty, in fact, for the vegetarian and vegan palate, including a plant-based gnocchi arrabiatta and the brilliantly named Montelbano Ate Your Heart, a Sicilian speciality of homemade pasta filled with sheep’s ricotta and served with a pistachio pesto. 

Meat-wise, think classics like tagliatelle ragu siciliano (a special homemade recipe). Seafood fans will enjoy the spaghetti vongole with clams, chili flakes, parsley and splash of Etna bianco white.

Head there on a Tuesday night for three courses and bottomless wine for £49pp, or if you prefer to sip on the sparkling stuff, you can pre-arrange a Friday or Saturday daytime brunch with bottomless prosecco, Aperol Spritz or homemade limoncello (or a heady combination of the three). This is available on request by calling the restaurant.

The menu changes regularly to reflect the seasons, and the same goes for the sweet treats, although you can bank on getting your mitts on a cannolo or two – Sicily’s celebrated pastry tube, here stuffed with fillings the likes of sweet ricotta or chocolate and hazelnut gianduia paste.

You’ll also find a beautiful selection of the island’s speciality cakes, including setteveli pistachio cake (setteveli translates as seven layers), and towering brioche creations filled with gelato, fresh fruits and custard. Their Sicilian version of an afternoon tea showcases some of their most popular creations. Cakes are also available to order on their website and make a gorgeous centrepiece for a celebration.

Of course, a Sicilian feast wouldn’t be the same without something to wash it down – and there are various Italian tipples on offer, including beer, wine and sun-drenched limoncello.