We try the lunch deal at a Bristol neighbourhood restaurant attracting diners from all over the city

The pub may still be the hub for many areas of Bristol but let’s not forget the importance of local restaurants.

And when it comes to friendly neighbourhood eateries where locals can meet up, The Italian Kitchen in Hanham is a fine example.

A deceptively spacious premises on the High Street, this informal and relaxed Italian covers all bases when it comes to offering locals exactly what they want.

On Tuesdays, there is a steak night (two sirloins, a half litre of house wine, two sides of either chips and salad or sautéed potatoes and roasted vegetables for £40), a two-hour bottomless brunch on Saturdays (any pizza or pasta with prosecco or gin and a traditional Sunday roast.

The rest of the week, The Italian Kitchen offers an extensive range of pizzas, pasta dishes, risottos, meat and fish main courses.

And then there’s the lunch and early evening deal (Tuesday to Friday 12noon-2.30pm and 5pm-6pm, and Saturdays from 12noon-5pm) where any pizza or pasta dish is £9.95 or £14 for two courses on selected dishes.

On the Friday lunchtime we visited, locals were pouring through the door of The Italian Kitchen. There were families with young children and small groups of friends meeting for a catch-up over a pocket-friendly lunch.

The greeting from staff was as warm and welcoming as the room with its low ceiling, wood panels and original stone walls.

When staff weren’t welcoming diners and taking orders, they were answering the phone and writing Christmas bookings into a huge desk diary the size of a doorstep. 

Taking advantage of the £14 for two course deal, I kicked off with bruschetta (normally £6.50) which was better than most versions I’ve had, the bread piled high with ripe tomatoes, basil, chopped garlic, sliced red onion, rocket and plenty of good quality olive oil.

I followed it with the linguini casa (normally £14.50), a generous dish of pasta with a rich and robust ragu, three tennis ball-sized meatballs with a herby and spicy punch and a liberal dusting of grated Parmesan.

As part of the deal, there was a £7 saving on the two dishes, which represented remarkable value and generosity.

Hanham locals are lucky to have such a high quality, affordable restaurant on their High Street but with deals like that, it’s no surprise that people from all over the area are now travelling there to eat. We need more places like it.

The Italian Kitchen, 7 High Street, Hanham, Bristol, BS15 3DQ.