Ciro's Pomodoro Pizza Place / Restaurant

Mayfair / Knightsbridge, London –

With locations all over the world and a proprietor who seems to have met every Hollywood actor on the planet, Ciro’s Pomodoro is a little slice of Italy that attracts a diverse clientele in need of a carbo-heavy bite before hitting the town.

Loyal regulars and tourists who visit the venue’s outpost in the chic Knightsbridge neighborhood descend a long, steep stairway into a dim basement dining room, where the tables are crammed into every available space and every item on the menu highlights a celebrity favorite (Sean Connery was apparently a big fan of the seafood pizza).

Walls covered in photos of the owner posing with famous patrons from Mickey Rourke to Michael Bolton – and even one of Dolph Lundgren singing karaoke with Jerry Springer – offer fodder for conversation, while a modest stage hosts bands, singers, and solo musicians and the wait staff often grooves to “That’s Amore” as they serve the lively patrons.

New guests shouldn’t be surprised to find themselves drawn into a group of older Italian expats swapping stories or sharing rounds of beer with university students pre-clubbing in the West End.

And then there’s the Elvis impersonator who stops in periodically...doing Elvis stuff.

Such is the variety at Ciro’s, where everyone feels like they’re a part of the family. Prego!