Mario Expresso, Hiroshima-Shi

You can smell Mario Espresso before you see it - the scent of garlic, oregano and all things Italian wafts out of this delightful 3-storied wooden building into the street for blocks. The decor is shabby-chic with nautical touches and faded, ragged blue paint and wooden furniture. The staff are unstintingly efficient and cheerful, with bottles of water and shibori placed on the table when you are seated. A nice touch, I think. The food is casual Italian with the emphasis on pasta and pizza dishes. Mario's usually has a weekend lunchtime special which is very good value and tasty to boot. The ground floor is more of a cafe with your choice of excellent cakes and desserts and top-notch coffee - great for a break from the shopping malls in the surrounding areas. The place is always packed to bursting and seems always to be serving food, no matter what time of the day. Definately worth a visit.