A RELATIVELY new addition to the culinary scene in Ledbury – All’angelo Restaurant, the family-owned authentic Italian in The Homend – has certainly got off to a great start.

On a sleepy weekday afternoon it was great to see plenty of diners enjoying the lunchtime menu, and with three home-made, freshly made courses available for just £11.95, we were quick to see why.

Greeted by a very friendly waiter we were seated straight away in the modern yet comfortable dining area – cosy enough to feel like we were in a small, independent restaurant yet big enough to have some privacy and we quickly got to browsing the lunchtime menu.

With such a reasonable price-point just a couple of options at best would have been forgiven, but the choice of seven different starters and 10 different mains kept us debating long enough to enjoy a chat with the waiter and time to scout out some of the meals coming out of the clearly busy kitchen.

In the end we opted to go straight for mains; Tagliatelle alla Toscana and Chicken Alla Caccia.

The meals arrived and again, based on the price were met with surprise. Both meals were presented impeccably; smart and modern but not too minimal to feel stingy.

The tagliatelle was absolutely superb; rich, creamy and full of flavour, with two skinny bread sticks that while on first look appeared little more than decoration were delicious.

The chicken was well cooked and seasoned while the lemon and garlic sauce was delicious and not at all overpowering, served with a fresh and tasty salad.

Both main meals were excellent and equally as filling. So much so it took some persuading to order a dessert – we opted to share an affogato; a traditional Italian pudding of vanilla ice cream and a tumbler of hot coffee poured over and very, very tasty.

The service was friendly and attentive throughout, and by the sounds of the tables around us, we weren’t the only two enjoying their lunch.

While the building is light with plenty of room between tables, it’s intimate enough for a romantic meal while also being completely at ease accommodating large parties.

On leaving All’angelo after a thoroughly enjoyable lunch, we had a good look at the evening/dinner menu outside, which looks even more appealing with a host of options from traditional favourites to regional specials.

There are also plenty of vegan and gluten-free options which is great to see. We will certainly be paying All’angelo another visit and would strongly recommend it for anyone who enjoys modern and most of all tasty Italian food which won’t cost the earth, served with genuine warmth and some serious quality.