El Murrino

Family-run to its core, El Murrino brings the spirit of an Italian trattoria to Bournemouth. In the heart of the city, the team cooks with a simple belief: good food should be honest, authentic and made with care. Slow-rising dough is prepared daily, hand-stretched to order and fired at around 450°C, the heat blistering a crisp base with an airy crumb. Many ingredients arrive direct from Italy, including D.O.P. staples, for clear, true flavours.

That ethos runs through the menu: a classic margherita with basil-scented simplicity, a fiery arrabbiata or silky carbonara, and comforting risotto, from seafood to garden-fresh vegetables. There is golden calamari fritti to nibble, followed by tiramisu or a playful pizza alla nutella. Drinks range from a bracing espresso to beach-bright sips like a strawberry daiquiri or passionfruit martini, with Pina No-Lada and Peach Please for the no-alcohol crowd, plus an easygoing roll-call of wines and local brews.

Relaxed, lively and unpretentious, El Murrino is made for lingering with friends, whether at the city tables or beside the breakers at East Cliff. Converted shipping containers and a pizza trailer set the scene for private parties and long, sunlit afternoons. Come hungry, stay awhile, and let the waves - and the wood-fire - do the talking.