There are many ways to make a pizza, and with more and more gourmet pizza venues opening up, it’s never that difficult to come by one. While I do enjoy some of the local offerings, they’ve never quite compared to the delicious simplicity and crispness of European pizzas. That is, until I went to Bicicletta.

The restaurant, nestled off the courtyard at New Acton, opened earlier this year and offers a traditional Italian cuisine. The menus are changed seasonally, with the new Autumn menu now available, featuring a delicious range of wholesome and hearty meals to take you into the cooler months.

When my dining partner and I visit, it’s a Monday evening and the restaurant is abuzz with guests. While during the day Bicicletta has a more laidback feel, perfect for lunch, at night it’s cosy and inviting.

For entrée, we selected the calamari and arancini. The calamari, served with tartare sauce, was delightfully crispy and light. The arancini – deep fried mushrooms and mozzarella rice balls – were crispy on the outside, rich and creamy on the inside and, quite simply, delicious.

For mains, we decided to try something from both the pizza and pasta menu. The prosciutto pizza was simply presented, with splashes of red, pink and green, but once you take a bite, the flavour is anything but simple. The base is light and crisp, lovingly prepared on site by Bicicletta’s Italian pizza chef and baked in a stone oven. The combination of mozzarella and tomato formed the perfect base, with the prosciutto and rocket adding just the right amount of flavour.

The gnocci caught our eye as a really interesting combination of flavours, and it did not disappoint. When you first put a piece of the handmade gnocci into your mouth, it melts on your tongue, leaving an initial trace of beetroot. Next the brocolli and smoked provola add a warm, complementary flavour, followed finally by a kick of chilli.

To perfectly accompany the meals, Bicicletta has a carefully selected wine list, including drops from Italy. The friendly staff suggested I try the Kris Pinot Grigio (2009) from Veneto, Italy and the fuller-bodied white was the perfect accompaniment to all of the courses.

No trip to Bicicletta is complete without delving into the dessert menu, and we chose two to share. The Tartelletta is a warm chocolate and pear tarte served with crème anglaise, and is for the true chocoholic. And while it was delicious, nothing compared to what awaited us on the second dessert plate. The Mascarpone Semifreddo, served with amarene cherry and mix nut praline, is a new addition to the Autumn menu, and is totally and utterly to die for, with no adjective adequately able to do it justice.

So if a full-fledged trip to Italy is out of the question, run – don’t walk – to Bicicletta.

…visit Bicicletta

Photography by Chris Whitfield.