Ciao Bella

It's always the way on a Bank Holiday Monday...the majority of restaurants decide to close...or do some light decorating work...after walking around the various chains in Covent Garden...we decided to walk to Bloomsbury.

We've been here before and it was OK...just.

We were given a table outside.This is one of the main reasons to eat here.We ordered the bruschetta as a starter and the bread was so hard one feared for our teeth.Not good.

The main course of spaghetti vongola was too salty.

The bottle of white wine(Laguna) was excellent.

This place will continue to thrive...the service is rushed...almost rude at times...but their location on Lamb's Conduit St is ideal...and it's not expensive.

People go for the pleasure of dining with friends outside as the food alone isn't enough.
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5 Overall rating
Food 4 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 6
Tuesday, August 31, 2010

I work nearby to Ciao Bella and have dropped in pretty regularly over the years. It's an authentic Italian Tratt, in a big city sort of way (think Rome or Naples rather than Florence or Milan).

The food is very average. I like their ludicrously heavy, creamy, massive carbonara. But the quality of their ingredients is quite low, presentation is non-existent. So stick to big and bold.

The staff are often off-hand, sometimes rude, but always brisk.

The wine is usually good (not the house wine though...).

I agree that this place is best enjoyed sitting out on the pavement.

Go to enjoy the company of friends, where the food is fuel and an excuse for another bottle of wine rather than the main event.

This place is always rammed (not sure why really). Someone's making a mint here.
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Kwev
5 Overall rating
Food 4 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 5
Tuesday, July 06, 2010

My wife and I live nearby and have been here several times. The food has been very good, the prices reasonable and the service generally good...in an Italian restaurant sort of way.

A tip - if you arrive after 6:00pm they have olives, cheese and bread at your table at no extra charge. Many restaurants place this on your table it and you see a charge on your bill when you get it, but not here. Also don't arrieve too late as they get crowded as it is a very popular local place. Around 6:30-7:00pm would be best.
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Don
9 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Tuesday, June 01, 2010

We went to this restaurant yesterday as it had been recommended. I had tried making same day reservations on previous occasions but this place gets full quickly, in a sense this only raised my expectations. We were really disappointed, this is an appalling restaurant for a number of reasons. The food is at best indifferent , the bread accompanying our starters was stale, my pasta overly salted and resembling something quick and cheap I used to cook as a student. My friends "Tagliatelle a caio bella" was cloyingly cheesy and had the texture of thick porridge. The portions are big but this just exacerbates the misery. The waiters are surly bordering on rude although you may not be able to hear them grumble as this place get noisy. For the life of me I cant understand why people eat here.
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kanwal
0 Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 1
Saturday, May 22, 2010