Legare is the first solo restaurant from Jay Patel, the former General Manager of Barrafina Adelaide Street and Koya City, together with Matt Beardmore, previously senior sous-chef at Trullo, Taking its name from the Italian word meaning 'to bind', the restaurant is just a stone's throw from Tower Bridge on a cobbled pedestrianised street at the base of Cardamon Building, a converted Victorian spice warehouse. An intimate space with a pared back décor featuring an open kitchen, it has plain painted pastel coloured walls lined with a few vivid abstract prints.

The kitchen works with just a few trusted suppliers who supply them with first-class seasonal produce. The concise menu focuses on regularly changing antipasti, with fresh pasta made in-house daily, the star of the show. Among the delights on offer you could opt for gilt head bream with citrus dressing and espelette pepper or from the antipasti option, baby gem with gorgonzola dolce, pickled shallots and hazelnut pangrattato. There's a choice of four pasta dishes along the lines of stracci with crab, chilli, garlic, saffron and pangrattato or orecchiette with fennel sausage and cavolo nero ragu. Desserts bring on board pistachio cake paired with crème fraiche or chocolate cremeux with hazelnut brittle.

The wine list has been curated by Cameron Dewar the sommelier at Elystan Street, emphasising natural and low intervention wines largely sourced from independent Italian producers. There's also the option of buying wine to take home, alongside other Mediterranean produce such as olives.

Rate this Restaurant

Italian

Matt Beardmore

Lunch: 12.00 - 3.00pm Mon-Sat
Dinner: 5.30 - 10.00pm Mon-Sat

Visa, Master Card

• 35 covers

Nearest tube station: London Bridge