To find Il Pagliaccio, look for the statue of a mythic warrior clad only in a gaudy tie and a loincloth fashioned from a stained table napkin. A fixture of the Fulham scene since 1992, it deals in
down-home trattoria favourites with the emphasis on pizzas and pasta dishes (spaghetti with meatballs or linguine with seafood, parsley, olive oil and a splash of Pinot Grigio). Alternatively, make
a meal of it by ordering some mixed antipasti or scallops with pancetta and beetroot followed by grilled organic baby chicken with char-grilled vegetables, veal milanese or baked cod wrapped in
bacon with green beans and grilled radicchio. Desserts are old-fashioned ‘dolci’, and the wine list is suitably patriotic too. Weddings, private bashes and special events are a feature of the
place, with anything from opera nights to Elvis tribute acts on the bill.