Italian Food in London

In my opinion there are two main things that go into making a excellent Italian restaurant - food and atmosphere. I go to Italy quite a lot and Italians believe in La Dolce Vita, the good life. This means good food, good wine and good people. Italian restaurants reflect a way of life and are not afraid of celebrating this way of life and having eaten in few I find they show a great respect for their traditional style of cooking. The perfect Italian restaurant usually buzzes with life, stepping into one should be like stepping into another country where you leave your cares at the door and sit down to a good meal with the people you love
A large part of the atmosphere is down to the staff. Controversial as this may be, I believe that a really good Italian restaurant is staffed with Italians and that is a compliment because they probably get at least one meal whilst on duty. It should feel like you have visited a good friend's house and they are taking pleasure in feeding you the best food you have ever tasted. Italians are so enthusiastic about food that they feel genuine joy in others sharing in the food they have prepared and share a love for. The staff should show an enthusiasm for the food that they are offering and be able to recommend dishes with genuine knowledge arising from having eaten there.
The food of course plays a huge part in making an Italian restaurant great. Fresh produce should be used as far as possible with specialist ingredients imported or genuine Italian products sourced from domestic suppliers. No compromise can be made here, it really is that important.

A proper Italian restaurant pays attention to detail, they handmake their pasta rather than buying it. They buy liquers that are traditional to the area of Italy whose style they cook in because if they use alternatives or substitutes it may radically alter the taste of the dish. The vegetables provided with meat dishes are cooked the Italian way with flavoursome seasoning rather than simply boiled. These may seem like small things but they make the world of difference and set a restaurant apart from the competition because the simple touches will turn a boring vegetable into a divine dish.
Anyone who has been to Italy and experienced real Italian cuisine will understand the difference between an average Italian restaurant and an authentic one and an excellent one. These elements that I have mentioned are just examples of a package that makes a restaurant a supreme one.