Lorenzo's Crystal Palace

So, Foxtons has arrived at the Crystal Palace triangle and I really hope that this does not spell the beginning of the end the small village feel of the area, with it's independent shops, bars and restaurants. One of my favourite lunch time venues on a Saturday is Lorenzo's in Crystal Palace. I don't think that you can get such a fabulous sit down Italian meal for less than £5 anywhere else. The prices have recently gone up slightly, but the food is worth every penny.

Lorenzo's is a family run Italian restaurant, which also has a fantastic selection of specials on a regular basis. These are advertised on the chalkboard. Today they included a variety of moules and involtini di melanzane (rolled aubergines stuffed with goats cheese and baked in a tomato sauce). You can really imagine the mama mia behind the scenes here giving instructions and tapping away intruding hands from her sauce with the back of a wooden spoon.

 

The decor is also fairly simple, with the walls lined with fabulous pictures of the amalfi coast from the seventies.

We went straight in for the £4.95 lunch options. Mine was the delicious crespoline vegetariana, which is pancakes filled with spinach, ricotta and mushrooms, baked in a tangy tomato sauce, then served with fresh parmesan. Gipsy Spread had the Capriciosa pizza which included ham, onions, peppers and artichoke hearts. Not bad for a fiver!

The lunch set menu is available Monday-Saturday until 5pm. It is a real treat and can be supplemented with a side of garlic bread or salad for an extra £1.

Lorenzo's is a fantastic local gem and I wanted to mention it on my blog as the first of my favourite eateries around the triangle. Long may it continue to do business.