Obica restaurant, St Pauls ★★★★★

In a nutshell: Famous in its home country of Italy, this specialist mozzarella bar has been attracting acclaim on the London food scene and now gets a St Paul's offshoot – famed for importing some of the best from around the world, we can guarantee you haven't tried mozzarella like this. For a nice alternative to tapas, we'd recommend popping in for a casual after-work bite of mozzarella and a glass of wine, rather than a full dinner.

The welcome: A vast, 120 cover restaurant, you'd be surprised at how relaxed Obicà's atmosphere is (booking is definitely not essential – potentially because of its highly specialist theme) Obicà offers welcome respite from the surrounding St Paul's financier buzz. Friendly and staff are attentive but not pushy, and there is an authentic air of Italian hospitality. It's safe to say you'll feel in competent hands.

The room: Obicà's vast space is scattered with casual tables, a central stand-alone bar and open kitchen. It's a far cry from the surrounding faux-Italian chains; despite its size and the fact that it is one of many, nothing about Obicà feels generic or sterile. With Italian marble sits aside oak, blackened steel and leather upholstery. The interiors have been well conceived with an attention to detail that echoes the quality of the food and presentation.

The food: The selling point at Obicà is obviously the mozzarella – trust an Italian restaurant to dedicate an entire cluster of restaurants to ostensibly the simplest of cheeses. The Bufala is as creamy as it comes, but we'd recommend opting for the "Mozzarella experience", which invites you to try a large selection of different ones with an attention to detail in the presentation that makes you feel as enthusiastic about mozzarella as the restauranteurs. Their selection of salumi, too, is worth a try – with air-aged San Daniele and Parma Prosciutto, as well as smoked Speck from Alto Adige and a light, herb-infused foccacia. Artichokes in olive oil are simple but expertly done. The sea bass carpaccio was subtly seasoned but unbelievably fresh, and the pizzas are, unsurprisingly, delicious. But whilst the rest of the menu feels competent and authentically Italian, it's the cheese you'll remember long after you head out on to Paternoster Square.

Would we go again? We've had our fill of mozzarella for a while, but give us a few months and we'll definitely be back.