Ida At My Table: A story of food, hope and how a dream became a restaurant on London's unlikeliest road

by Simonetta Wenkert

'Simonetta invites you to the table, with a menu of intimate stories and confidently unfussy recipes. This book is heartfelt and captivating' Yotam Ottolenghi

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. A restaurant that survived (only just) the 2008 economic crash and the pandemic lockdown to become an internationally renowned haven of Italian home cooking. But this is much more than the rise, fall and phoenix-like resurrection of the unlikely restaurant. Avi and Simonetta's vision was formed by generations before them, spanning countries from Israel to Austria and Greece, with Britain providing the home for Ida's regional Italian menu. Those cultures have informed their own family and identity as much as that of the restaurant. 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. In her crystalline novelist's prose, Simonetta has written a recipe-filled memoir that will delight fans of Stanley Tucci, Mary Contini, and Rachel Roddy.

Genres: Food, Memoir

336 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 29, 2024

Reviews

[Michaela Zadow]

Enjoyed reading this memoir meets recipe book - my favourite local restaurant.

[Alessia Filippetti · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are people who walk into a shop, or a restaurant, thinking they can walk in and out in a second as if nothing happened. Then along comes Simonetta, whose overwhelming passion for her restaurant turns everything upside down. Have you ever wondered what is inside the head of a person who opens a business? Who reinvents their life by putting body and soul into it every day?
In this book there is history, laughter, sacrifices but above all a lot of love. It is the book you do not expect to find, the book that makes you think, the book that enchanted you and makes you daydream. Some people think that recipes are boring and standard, Simonetta gets you inside the soul of those recipes giving them an added value, telling their stories and their changes over time. It feels like you can feel the heat of those cookers on your skin! A wonderful book! Revolutionary! Written in such a cosy way that you feel part of the story itself!
Can't wait to hear the podcast!

[Bianca · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a foodie and a naturally curious person, I was drawn to Ida at My Table, expecting a rich blend of culinary tradition and personal storytelling. The premise is appealing: a memoir intertwined with recipes inspired by the author’s mother-in-law and Italian heritage. In many ways, it delivers — but not always evenly.

I especially enjoyed the recipes. They venture beyond the usual “greatest hits” of Italian cuisine and explore more rustic, traditional fare — including gizzards, nettles, and other ingredients that feel authentic and refreshingly off the beaten path. For anyone interested in regional or old-world Italian cooking, this is where the book really shines. The food feels grounded in memory and place, and that aspect was genuinely compelling.

The memoir portion, however, didn’t resonate with me as strongly. While I appreciated hearing the story behind the restaurant and the family history that shaped it, much of the narrative leaned toward the sombre and, at times, felt emotionally heavy without enough warmth to balance it. I found myself more eager to get to the recipes than to continue with the personal reflections.

I also listened to the Audible version, which is well-narrated and easy to follow. However, I was disappointed that it doesn’t include a companion PDF of the recipes, as many other Audible titles do. Without it, actually cooking from the book becomes inconvenient — you either have to stop and transcribe recipes by hand or purchase a physical copy. And of course, there are no photos, which feels like a missed opportunity for a food-centred book.

Overall, I think the book might have been stronger had it fully committed to either being a memoir or a cookbook. As a hybrid, it doesn’t quite strike the perfect balance. Still, for adventurous home cooks and those interested in lesser-known Italian dishes, there is enough here to enjoy.

A solid 3-star read for me — worthwhile for the recipes, even if the memoir didn’t fully capture my interest.

[Giuliana Leoncino · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ida was one of my favourite restaurants even before I moved into the area and it became my local. I bought this book expecting it to be another recipe book to keep in my kitchen - little did I know it was more memoir than recipes. The author does a great job of telling different stories and switching between times, tales and recipes.

After reading this, I feel like I’m personally invested in Ida, and lowkey want to become best friends with them all. Not to mention - the recipes are traditional Italian ones, food that I have grown up with (I am from southern Italy) that made me long for my home in Italy. Guess I will have to cure my homesickness by booking my next visit to the Ida restaurant!

[A J HOOPER · Rating 3 out of 5]

My eldest son and I used to eat at Ida's so I was keen to hear more about it. Ida turns out to be Avi's mother rather than the owner of the restaurant. And is the reason why the restaurant is deliberately designed to serve traditional Italian dishes. This hasn't stopped a ton of experimentation and the book wisely includes many of the authors recipes.

[Jamad]

Requested this because of the Ottolenghi endorsement and also thinking about Imad’s Kitchen which was recipes plus a story. This book was more story plus a few recipes. Unfortunately I didn’t find the recipes particularly compelling and nor was the story.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

[Tanya]

Had to read this after trying some of the best Italian food in London