Tosca’s is ‘the’ place to come for a gorgeous array of pizza, pasta, steak and seafood dishes. Situated near the Mayflower Theatre in Southampton’s centre, this Italian boasts a suitably theatrical menu whether you’re after a quick pre-show bite or a full three-course dinner. There are intimate booths ideal for meetings, and Wi-Fi is available.

The modern and newly refurbished eatery forgoes pretension, instead offering diners a warm welcome and a friendly atmosphere in which to enjoy some truly sumptuous Italian cuisine. Once we were settled at a cosy, uncluttered table by the window with a bottle of chilled Frascati, we got around to the business of choosing from the wonderfully extensive menu, bursting with the finest flavours the Mediterranean has to offer. I started with a seafood salad, the crisp leaves heavily laden with smoked salmon, crab and king prawns and studded with sweet scarlet tomatoes. Meanwhile, my companion dived into a selection of Italian salami, avocado and mozzarella. We also ordered some garlic and rosemary pizza bread – although when we saw the size of our starters, over- orderer’s guilt kicked in.

There’s a huge selection of pizza and pasta on offer (pasta can be enjoyed as a starter or main) and you’ll find interesting ingredients used in addition to the classics, such as queen scallops, lobster, crab and crayfish. Tempted as I was by the pasta, I couldn’t resist a rib-eye steak Vilinese with a brandy, onion, mushroom and mustard sauce. As I cut into the juicy meat and tasted the silky sauce, I didn’t regret my choice – the combination was sublime. My companion decided to try something really different and ordered the medallions of ostrich fillet, served on a bed of spring onion mash with a wild berry sauce. It really was a tasty choice and proved that Tosca’s delivers much more than meets the eye. In true Italian style we finished with steaming, aromatic coffees and reflected on a superb meal – it won’t be long before we return for another charming slice of Italy.