Ciao Bella

I love love LOVE this restaurant. From the moment you walk in you feel welcomed by the friendly (and authentically Italian) staff, the parmesan and olives when you first sit down are delicious and so is everything else on the menu. The spaghetti with clams is incredible and the pizzas are HUGE and amazingly tasty. They also do meat and fish dishes if you don’t fancy pizza or pasta - the liver is particularly good.
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nina
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Sunday, September 03, 2006

read the reviews on the website but was not overly impressed. food was good and cheap just wasnt what i was expecting. staff didnt have time to converse with us
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Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 6
Monday, August 21, 2006

This Restaurant is a precious jewel. The food is fantastic, the ambiance magnificent, and the service is impeccable. The owner is an Italian British Citizen, and you can actually taste the difference. It's truly authentic Italian food, not a fusion between British or American and Italian.

If you like seafood the pasta cooked in the greaseproof bag is amazing. All the flavours are kept inside the greaseproof bag and then when they take it off, you can really taste the difference.

The restaurant also boasts a grand piano and an enthusiastic pianist. Overall I would rate this my favourite restaurant and it's not expensive at all.
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Earl Krieger
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Tuesday, August 15, 2006

Not recommended for vegetarians, I'm afraid (although the parmesan and olives are a nice touch).

I've been to some nice neighbourhood restaurants in Italy where there were plenty of veggie choices, an experience I keep hoping to replicate over here! But virtually all the pasta dishes at Ciao Bella involve meat or fish, apart from about three or four options none of which sound very exciting.

Partner had the Ciao Bella pizza - ok, cheap and filling. I had spinach and ricotta cannelloni and could only eat half, it was so oily and tasteless. We accompanied this with a green salad that looked like it had come out of a Tesco bag. Hmmm.

On the bright side it's nice to sit out on an almost traffic-free street, although the tables are so close you'd better hope you're not sat next to someone with a loud voice (as we were...)
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Rachel
Overall rating
Food 4 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 5
Monday, August 14, 2006

Absolute classic!

I had the meatballs and they were the best (and biggest) I've had. My friends agreed that it's probably the best Italian food we had eaten.

Great setting, atmosphere, food, wine and little touches, like the chunks of Parmesan and Olives when you first arive (great with a glass of Red)

Whether you're a couple or a large group you'll feel welcome and comfortable
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Matt Pope
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Thursday, July 20, 2006

Good basic Italian Food - nothing over fussy and not gourmet but they excel at Pasta (fantastic Vongole) and Pizza, Good specials, phenomenal garlic Bread, drinks cheap, love the parmesan chunks and olives when you sit down, quick and friendly service and cheap as chips. Open all day and its always busy.
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JK
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Monday, June 26, 2006

I have been going to Ciao Bella's for nearly 10 years and it has to be one of the busiest restaurants in London!

The food is always fresh and if you ever are tempted to try the specials I think it serves the best calves liver!

For value you can't knock it and the staff are lovely and I know that they do a lot for Gt Ormond St hospital - no doubt feeding all the nurses and doctors and also you often see the kids who have been allowed out eating there - Ciao Bella coping brilliantly with all their disabilities and making everyone feel so welcome.

This restaurant deserves to be properly loved and revered ... as you can tell I am a huge fan!

Ciao Bella !
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Sarah-Jane Heany
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Thursday, June 01, 2006

This has got to be the best Italian restaurant in London. I have not found a more authentic and modestly priced Italian restaurant to date. The service is great and the food is out of this world. The aroma and Italian kitchen style decor together with the uncanny feel that you are actually in Italy make this place an absolute must!
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Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 10
Friday, May 26, 2006

I use the restaurant often for lunches with contacts and colleagues and am always impressed by the professionalism and friendliness of the staff. We are always satisfied with the food, both with regard to quality and quantity. One reviewer says tha food is nothing special, maybe not, but it is always good.
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Alan
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 7
Friday, May 05, 2006

absolutely superb!
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yannick hudson
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 6
Thursday, April 13, 2006