It was a Friday night in London, we were hungry and had no reservations when we saw the corner restaurant, O’ver Italian restaurant. ‘O ver means truth in the Neapolitan dialect according to their website.  It was packed inside and out so I was prepared for a long wait or to go elsewhere.  To my surprise, we were told we could sit outside (we declined as it was cold despite the heat lamps) or to the basement bar if we were open to that.  Basement Bar it is!  The hostess really undersold the basement bar.

We followed her through the main dining room, past the open wood fired pizza kitchen to the stairs which led to the basement and the toilets (almost all London restaurants have toilets in the basement so be prepared for stairs).  We walked further past the main kitchen, down a few stairs and were surprised by a room full of people, couches, nooks and the bar.  We took our two seats between an older couple and young girlfriends.  The bartender immediately welcomed us and we could tell would be fun and entertaining.  The bar seats weren’t comfy but weren’t awful either.  My friend and I are tall so our legs were a bit smushed.

Food & Drink – ‘O ver Italian Restaurant Bankside

The menu was quite varied in its offerings from pizza and pasta to main entrees like porterhouse steak and fish options.  We looked to the right and to the left to survey what others were eating.  We asked the girls about their appetizers and set out to order the appetizer sampler.  The sampler of fried yumminess would include one of each of their appetizers and two fried cheese balls. My friend and I split each to try and found our favorites among the choices of Neapolitan street foods.

My friend ordered a pizza which was freshly made upstairs and fired in the pizza oven.  She chose the white pizza with sausage. I stayed in familiar territory with my gnocchi sorrentina because I can never say no to freshly made balls of potato pasta in a red sauce.

While we waited for the foods to arrive, the bartender let me try three different red wines when I asked which was better (they were the only red wines by the glass in the variety of interest).  I can’t say no to free wine tastings – can you?  I picked my large glass of wine.

For entertainment, we got to watch the variety of cocktails being made with laser precision and a few tweezer like instruments to place garnishments just so. The frosty pink drinks were of interest as there were three made and had so many ingredients, steps and included straining of fruit we were all intrigued including the older couple next to us. It was really a show from beginning to end.  Then when the server said he made an error, the bartender gave the couple and my friend the drinks he made.  Everyone enjoyed the error – I still had my wine.  But that’s the fun of sitting at the bar – wine tastings and error drinks. Similar to sitting at the kitchen bar when the chefs give you a taste of this, that and everything and you are full before your food arrives.

When our food arrived, we really enjoyed it.  It was fresh and hot and spiced just right.

As I took a break from the pasta, I surveyed the room to see couples in the nooks, a table of ten women out for the night, a family of six in the couch and stools behind us and a group in the corner.  It was a good mix of people for a Friday night in London’s Bankside neighborhood. When the older couple left, a single guy replaced them and ordered a hearty steak dinner while I had to finish my meal with dessert.  Of course I did, so I ordered the local vanilla gelato.

I had walked past this restaurant many times in the past few years staying on Bankside (at SeaContainers London and The Hilton Bankside) in Southwark neighborhood because as a solo diner, I never saw a table with just one person so I didn’t think it was solo friendly but now I know about the lovely basement bar and also the friendly service.  I would definitely go back here for lunch, drinks/appetizers and dinner.

There are two locations – one in Southwark (‘O ver Borough) which is open for lunch service then closes and re-opens for dinner. The St. James’s location is opened for continual service from lunch time onward. They offer delivery via Supper food delivery service in London. Our dinner cost £69.19 for two people – appetizer sampler (£12), gnocchi (£16), pizza (£18), large glass of wine (£8.50)  and dessert (£7) with service (£7.69).