Ostuni Italian restaurant, Highgate Village

Highgate Village, surprisingly for such an upmarket area of London, has always suffered when it comes to good restaurants. Thankfully, this may well now be at an end thanks to the advent of Ostuni, opening a second branch after its much-acclaimed restaurant in Queen's Park. Comparisons have been made with the River Cafe, and one hopes that it'll live up to them – at a rather kinder price point.

The menu features a range of dishes from the heel of Italy's boot, Puglia, so expect hearty peasant food, done with panache, rather than Mayfair-style fine dining. Particularly intriguing is the 'bombette', a kind of Italian pork kebab made out of meat and cheese and served with a choice of toppings, such as sundried tomatoes or mushrooms. For those with more traditional appetites, the pasta and fish dishes look stunning, and mostly at a sub-£20 price point for main courses, too.

While we can't guarantee that you'll see famous Highgate residents such as Kate Moss or Clive Owen, this promises to establish itself as one of the best places in North London before very long.