I’d visited Locanda Marina in its previous incarnation as Cafe Marina, last year, but since then it has undergone a facelift and a shift in emphasis, towards an all-day and evening place.

The menu remains quite similar, but there’s a greater elegance to the place. It retains a good, informal feel, but it’s all just a little more polished.

As with last time, I ordered the stracciatella to start, as it’s a real favourite of mine, and it’s still a little rare to see it on menus. It was as good as ever, and nicely packed with egg threads and fregola.

Their popular meatball dish had sold out, as I was lunching rather late in the afternoon, so I opted for a wedge of their frittata, instead. It was served with a simple but deliciously fresh leaf salad, and good fresh pesto. I enjoyed it very much.

So Locanda Marina has retained all the aspects I liked about the previous place, and polished those bits that needed some work. It’s now a great little spot for a quick bite, in smart premises. I’d be happy to recommend it to you, and look forward to visiting again.

Scores
Blythe scores Locanda Marina
3.5/5 for food
3.5/5 for presentation
3.5/5 for setting
4/5 for service
giving an overall 14.5/20

I ate: stracciatella, frittata with salad

I drank: water

I wore: tweeds

Total bill: £13.20