Neil Littman visits the new Winchmore Hill branch of a local institution

Winchmore Hill has a new Italian restaurant – from the same team who run L’Arte in Cockfosters, which I previously reviewed in June 2024.

I thought it worth trying the new branch as the menu has been expanded to include their speciality seafood offerings and, conveniently, it’s in my local area!

Located on the site formerly occupied by the very popular Giovanni’s, which fed pasta and pizza to the neighbourhood for 35 years, L’Arte have given the place a classy makeover and added a mezzanine floor above the main dining area. The basement kitchen is also on show. One drawback, however, is the noise level which can get distracting when the place is full.

I paid a visit with a friend just before Christmas, one month after they opened. It was almost full and, after some negotiation, we were given the only table left overlooking the open-plan kitchen with a ringside view of the dishes being prepared.

Complimentary bread (ciabatta and seeded sourdough) arrived quickly with Nocellara and Greek-style black pitted olives plus dipping oil with balsamic vinegar.

With 14 starters on the menu including five vegetarian and six seafood options, plus two sharing dishes of either Italian cured meats or a seafood platter, there is a lot of choice. I ordered the grilled octopus with courgette, buffalo mozzarella, and edible flowers, which reminded me of a dish I ate on holiday in Madeira a few years ago.

It was very good, and I was impressed with the ingredients, particularly the octopus which takes some skill to get right, although I was less fussed about the flowers. We also ordered melanzana alla parmigiana, a classic combination of baked aubergine with mozzarella in tomato sauce.

I’ve noticed that the price of starters is creeping up to almost the same level as some of the main courses, as restaurants are impacted by increasing costs, but gladly the portion sizes seem to have also increased.
L’Arte’s main course menu offers 13 pasta dishes (including five with seafood) plus meat and seafood dishes including classics such as chicken escalope with spaghetti, steaks and salads. We ordered two pasta dishes; spaghetti vongole with clams and tortellini “cacio e pepe”– pasta parcels stuffed with honey and pecorino cheese (which is naturally salty-tasting) with a creamy peppery sauce.

However, by the time we finished our mains, the noise level in the restaurant had got to the point where we could barely hear each other’s conversation!

During a second visit in early January, when it was much quieter, I managed to contribute some excitement to the atmosphere while reading the wine list. The waiter suddenly sprinted across the room, grabbed the list from my hand and ran back to the bar looking somewhat panic-stricken. He came back a few moments later and explained he had seen smoke coming from the table where I had held the menu near one of the decorative tea lights. I apologised for the pyrotechnics, but he said it wasn’t the first time it had happened. Thankfully, I was allowed to stay.

From an unscorched wine list, I ordered a glass of dolcetto from Piedmonte, described as “cherry, almond, soft” (£9.30) followed by “Alberto’s pasta” – homemade mafalde pasta paired with prawns and crab, chillis, garlic with spinach and cherry tomatoes (£23). For dessert, I enjoyed their home-made tiramisu with a portion of ice cream served, uniquely, in a cafetière.

I think L’Arte is a good addition to the area and reasonably good value. They stand out from other Italian restaurants in Enfield with their distinctive dishes, good cooking and presentation, although improving the acoustics wouldn’t go amiss.

As an addendum to this review, Miguel, the owner a Spanish restaurant in Southgate, got in touch to say that after 30 years serving the community they are closing down and want to thank their loyal customers. La Paella was one of the first restaurants I reviewed for the Dispatch – I also enjoyed many good meals and family celebrations there and will miss them very much.

For more information and opening times for L’Arte:
Visit larterestaurant.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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