Eat Out: Spuntino

By REBECCA CHRISTOU

IF you visit Spuntino’s website, you are greeted with only opening times and a short statement – ‘No telephone, no reservations.’

This quite easily sums up the entire spirit of the restaurant; rustic, and discreet.

Spuntino is nestled in the heart of Soho, but step inside and you are whisked away into New York’s Lower East Side.

It is the brainchild of Russell Norman and Richard Beatty, who are also the people behind the successful nearby Polpo and Polpetto restaurants.

However, unlike their other eateries, Spuntino isn’t a homage to Italian cuisine. The menu is built around sharing plates (‘Spuntino’ means ‘snack’ in Italian).

A quick Google search will present you with a plethora of reviews, waxing lyrical about their sliders (starter-sized burgers), mac and cheese and truffled egg toast.

Spuntino is the place to go for comfort food – there’s nothing like a boiled egg and soldiers or a ‘peanut butter and jelly sandwich’ dessert to transport yourself back into childhood.

Another great reason to brave the no reservation wait is for the cocktails.

Included on the menu is Sazerac, which is America’s oldest, and is served by the tattooed staff from behind the counter.

Sometimes, you just need to believe the hype – Spuntino is a gem, and definitely worth the queue outside for a seat.