Neil Littman visits La Caverna, an Enfield institution since the late 1970s

What’s a neighbourhood restaurant like after 48 years of service?

Originally on my list of pizza restaurants, from the February issue, I decided to visit La Caverna partly because of their longevity and also because their menu offers both Italian and Spanish dishes.

The explanation for this unique mix of Mediterranean cuisines is that the owners are a couple from both Spain (Galicia) and southern Italy. For drinks you will find sangria alongside wines from Montepulciano.

La Caverna claims to be the oldest pizzeria in North London. The restaurant’s website says: “It was 1977, the year punk and disco shared the airwaves, yet the food landscape was a far cry from what it is today. In December of that year, just days before Star Wars opened in cinemas across the country, La Caverna opened its doors to serve fresh, homemade pizza and Italian comfort food to North London. Over 40 years later, our aim (and traditional family recipes) remains the same.”

The giant wood pepper grinders of old might have been replaced with electric ones, but La Caverna is still delivering quality food and value for money in a family-run atmosphere. The interior is, for want of a better description, ‘traditional trattoria’ – white walls decorated with travel posters and a stucco vaulted ceiling.

I visited them twice recently, in midweek, and both times it was very busy. It was also good to see so many people enjoying themselves. The location in Chase Side (near Holtwhites Hill) is in the middle of a residential area. The owner walks around the room greeting regulars and new customers, including myself, which is a nice touch.

On my first (solo) visit, from their antipasti I ordered their ‘classic’ seafood salad (£9.50) as a starter which included marinaded octopus and prawns with mixed salad leaves and was served with garlic bread. For my main course, I ordered linguine casalinga (£13.50) with mushrooms, garlic and anchovies, a perfect example of how a few good ingredients combine to give great flavours.

My second visit was with a friend who was very enthusiastic on arrival, simply because of the atmosphere. We ordered ‘classic’ prawn cocktail which included a very generous serving of prawns on top of a smaller layer of shredded lettuce (the correct way round!) with a well-flavoured marie rose sauce and a portion of uova primavera from the Spanish selection – baked eggs with courgette and tomato sauce – plus two glasses of Montepulciano.

This was followed by seafood linguine and linguine ionche (made with smoked salmon in a white wine and cream sauce). My friend commented that this was a very good example of a dish that was just right and not too rich. Portions are good, and garlic bread appears on the side of almost everything we ordered.

The bill came to about £30-£40 per head for two courses, including a drink.

Although I didn’t try them, there are 20 pizzas on the menu, with a steady stream leaving La Caverna as takeaways while I was there. There are also main course meat and fish dishes, including king prawns in garlic and champagne plus chicken, lamb, steak, and veal served several ways either with sauces or simply grilled, and all including vegetables. The Spanish dishes are mainly variations of baked eggs with different accompaniments and available as starter or main course portions.

It was a good sign that on my second visit I recognised several of the same faces in the room as on my previous visit. My friend agreed that if he had a restaurant round the corner like this near where he lives, he would be there all the time.

For more information about La Caverna Restaurant including opening times:
Visit lacavernapizzeria.com

Do you have any suggestions for restaurants in Enfield to review or feedback on the places Neil has already reviewed? He would love to hear from Dispatch readers:
Email [email protected]

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