Anima e Cuore

Anima e Cuore at 129 Kentish Town Road in NW5 is a Kentish Town Italian that has achieved cult status over more than a decade. The Calabrian-born, Moroccan-heritage chef Mustapha Mouflih runs modest premises at very good prices, with bills held in check by brilliant BYOB with no corkage charge. Hardens' 2025 review confirms it has "mostly great" Italian cooking. The restaurant name means soul and heart in Italian, and the cooking reflects both: deeply personal Italian food from a chef whose background combines the bold flavours of Calabria''s southern Italian tradition with Moroccan sensibility. Anima e Cuore occupies a rare position: a neighbourhood Italian with genuine critical standing, beloved by those who discover it.

Available for dine-in at 129 Kentish Town Road, Kentish Town NW5. BYOB, no corkage. Book ahead.