Tiella by Dara Klein

A 175-year-old former Victorian pub on east London's Columbia Road is the intimate setting for chef Dara Klein's debut restaurant. Klein, who previously operated Tiella as a kitchen residency, has brought the spirit of the unpretentious, no frills Italian trattorias to the capital alongside her childhood friend, restaurateur Ry Jessup.

Tiella is one of a number of more rustic Italian restaurants to have opened in the capital in the past 18 months or so, but what makes it stand out, and indeed almost impossible to get a table at, is Klein's thoughtful approach. Tiella is in many ways very simple, serving regional, homestyle ('casarecce') Italian cooking, influenced by Klein's Pugliese heritage and her childhood spent in the in Emilia-Romagna town of San Giovanni in Persiceto. The cooking is homely and portions are generous, with dishes on the menu that could include orecchiette with cime di rapa and pangrattato; delica pumpkin, radicchio agrodolce and taleggio fonduta; and chicken Milanese with green apple, celery, fennel, creme fraiche and fresh herbs.

Drinks wise, the wine list has been created in partnership with Klein's father at Artigiano Imports, with a focus on winemakers who follow holistic principles. Two Italian house wines from Uncharted Wines are available on tap, either by the glass or carafe, alongside three beers.

All this considered, it's no surprise that it's become quite a challenge to get a table in the 30-cover dining room, but Tiella does take walk-ins at its 15-seater bar and there is a 20-cover terrace at the front of the restaurant, so it doesn't hurt to try your luck.