A story of food, hope and how a dream became a restaurant on London’s unlikeliest road

A recipe-filled memoir of food, love, family and running a small neighbourhood restaurant that has survived recession and lockdowns to become an internationally-renowned haven of Italian home cooking.

In 2007, Simonetta and her husband made the quixotic decision to open a restaurant.

Without any relevant experience IT engineer Avi and novelist Simonetta put aside their careers to throw themselves (and their three young children) into their dream.

This is the story of Ida, a tiny resilient restaurant situated on an unlovely arterial road between Kilburn and Kensal Rise, a barren thoroughfare with few shops and zero passing trade.

This is a book for anyone who has ever fantasised about painting a name over a door and creating a refuge of delight for their neighbourhood. And it’s for anyone who sees the beauty in serving the food you have prepared with love for the people you love – as well as the beauty in eating it.