Claiming the honour of ‘Balham’s first wood-fired pizza oven’ (burning kiln-dried hardwood from sustainable British woodlands), this chatty, family-run Italian is all minimalist wood-toned
interiors, with bare tables, hanging lamps and seats at the bar. Rapidly cooked pizzas with thin, crispy bases and a range of familiar toppings are the mainstays of the menu, supplemented by a
deli-fest of antipasti, freshly made salads and the odd trattoria standby from the oven, such as lasagne al forno or aubergine parmigiana. Desserts change every day, ice cream is the proper Italian
stuff and the drinks list includes a handy mix of affordable wines, beers and fruity soft drinks. The Honest Italian also does takeaways.