Mariette El-Soury Massabni (Les DĂ©lices De Mariette)
+4
Authentic and beautiful, this restaurant offers great Italian food. The pizza is amazing and the four cheese pasta great. The garlic bread yummy.The ambiance is very nice with the piano and the old Italian songs. Recommended đź‘Ťđź‘Ťđź‘Ť
This is a little cafe nested in the heart of the city. I love the gnocchi and will recommend it to every Italian and cheese lover.
The star - their complimentary cheese and olives.
The place is usually crowded so better to reserve a table.
The staff is usually prompt but lack politeness.
No frills. Great atmosphere particularly outdoor area. Attentive and fast service. Very reasonably priced. The food is good but not spectacular
Every time I fly to a new city and walk through streets looking for grub, I try to find a full place. It's always a great measure of how good and fresh the food at it will be - unless, it's a fast food joint.
And so on this breezy London night, I walked past Italian restaurant after another, all empty until a choice walk through Lamb's Conduit Street brought me upon Ciao Bella. The place was brim full with patrons. And I sauntered right in.
And 5 mins later, over a glass of house white and a delicious serving of Penne began my first night back in the blighty.
Do come here for great service, naughty banter with the Italian staff and hot spicy Italian food done how it should be.
We had a basic discrete lunch at these Italian Restaurant in central London, the food was good and also the service was no to complain about.
Great authentic Italian. It's always busy and is a firm favourite with locals. A lot of Italian people eat there too which must be a good size. The food is great and portions are generous to say the least. Very reasonably priced and a great atmosphere with a resident pianist (who seems a little drunk). A great restaurant to meet friends or family and have a good meal. You might even see the odd celebrity. I would recommend booking it's always busy!!
Ciao Bella is a hugely popular spot which seems to always be full of families and business men and women alike. The setting is warm and inviting and the restaurant provides the kind of inviting service that is unique to family run restaurants.
The food here is perfect Italian fare. Chunks of coarse and delicious parmesan and olives are charmingly provided on each table to nibble on as you peruse the delicious menu. For starter I usually have the tuna nicoise salad which is fresh and light, and they also serve more extravagant options such as sardines. For main the pasta dishes are delicious and beautifully flavoured. The spaghetti al Cartoccio is my favourite as the steaming seafood is enclosed in brown paper keeping the flavour locked in.
Thoroughly recommended.
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Ciao Bella is a firm favourite amongst my friends and family, ensuring countless return visits. This gem is located on the very trendy Lambs Conduit Street and is a short walk from Russell Square station. Be sure to book a table in advance on the weekends, as it's always very busy.
Part of Ciao Bella's charm lies in it's warm and authentic Italian atmosphere. The walls are decorated with Fellini posters, paintings of legendary Italian stars such as Sophia Loren and jazz instruments and the windows are lined with rows and rows of wine bottles which you may select for your meal. All the waiters speak Italian with a brilliant knowledge of Italian cuisine so if you have any questions about the menu do not hesitate to ask. A lively and charismatic piano player also plays (and occasionally sings) in the main room on weekends, adding even more of an unique and authentic feel to your dining experience. Tables are packed quite closely together, and the restaurants popularity means that it is constantly bustling. One of Ciao Bella's only down sides has to be the slightly claustrophobic downstairs seating, that lacks the same atmosphere as upstairs. This is why it's best to book in advance to secure the perfect table for your party, preferably near the piano. There are also several tables outside which are nice for a relaxed summer evening but can seem considerably less inviting in the winter months.
If you arrive hungry but have to wait for other guests you needn't suffer. Each table is offered complimentary olives, Parmesan chunks and bread sticks, a rarity in most central London restaurants in which you are often charged for bread with your meal. The menu is extensive but mainly consists of traditional Italian dishes, so if you are a pizza or pasta lover you are definitely in the right place! The Spaghetti al Cartoccio seems to be one of the restaurants most popular dishes, a mouth watering seafood spaghetti that is served in a grease proof paper bag straight onto your plate. I attempt to be more creative with my choice each time I dine but the Cartoccio or Calzone pizza often win. The desert options are also mainly but not exclusively traditional Italian dishes such as Tiramisu or Panna Cotta and are always fun to enjoy with a shot or two of limoncello if you are celebrating.
This is a terrific place to have a relaxing week day dinner. The atmosphere is very unique in that it can be busy yet at the same time because of the music and the candlelit rooms and the kind waiters taking your coat, it forces a feeling of serenity. My favorite thing to order is the Pasta and Fagioli soup which literally translates to pasta and beans. I know it sounds very average but I promise it isn't. It's a wonderful hardy soup with bits of veggies, beans, and pasta in a tomato soup base. It's a bit like an Italian chili.
Very busy authentic Italian restaurant, great 'old school' staff who know what service is. Food excellent, great ambience with hundreds of fine Italian wines decorating the window seats. The lobster spaghetti is to die for. A little claustrophobic downstairs but fine for larger groups. Outside seating with heating to watch the world go bar. Probably need to book most evenings as very popular. The owner always on hand to look after diners.
I ate here quite regularly when I was a patient at Queen's Square Hospital around the corner. Well priced with ridiculously huge portions. I love the pizza bread (Pizza All 'Aglio) which is a steal at £3.50 for a whole pizza with olive oil, fresh tomato sauce and garlic, but minus the cheese. Another dish I have fond memories of is the spaghetti with broccoli and anchovy. They serve a melon flavored limoncello which is spectacularly good.
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Food: start off with a complementary plate of olives and parmeggiano cubes. This is the ultimate Italian place. The food is so good and true to Italian cuisine. Unlike most places the mozzarella actually has flavour so start off with that...the pasta perfectly al dente, I recommend the seafood one, the meat dishes are great, they do a good veal and chicken ... I can go on and on it's all delicious. As for deserts, the lemon sorbet lives up to the Italian gelato standards and the tiramisu is very unique (in a good way) so try it all out! Oh, and good wine selection for those who like a good drink.
And most of all, enjoy!
Atmosphere/seating: The service is perfecto! Everyone is italian and speaks italian giving a nice vibe to the whole experience. I usually sit outside its quite nice, inside is fun, occasionally heard someone playing the piano.(beware, the place can get really busy!)
Location: at one end of the one and only Lamb's Conduit Street. Walking distance from Russell Square tube stop and Holborn tube stop.
Bon Appetit!
It's a slippery slope to content when a pot of olives and hunks (HUNKS) of Parmesan greet you at your table to nibble on as you peruse the extensive menu.
The seafood spaghetti that comes cooked in a paper bag is almost impossible to resist, the pizzas larger than your entire parties’ faces put together and the Calzone would is about 4 times your recommended calorie intake for the day laden as it is in quality meats, cheeses and freshly baked bread.
The staff are a mixed bag – veering between the older portly gentlemen who call you Bella and exhort you to have the dessert versus some others who just want you out. But regardless, this is a warm, buzzy place that hugs you and encourages you to order that additional bottle of wine. And keep on eating that cheese.
Absolutely adored Ciao Bella. It was like being in Italy...the staff were lovely and the food was fantastic! We ended up staying for several rounds of drinks and coffees and were shocked by how cheap the bill was!
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Ciao Bella was an interesting experience. I was giving my all too wary East Londoner friend a tour of Bloomsbury to give her reasons to come back for more. Living a street off Russell Square means that Marchmont Street (with all its incredible restaurants and pubs) was around the corner, but we were intimidated by the buzz around the area and decided to explore food options a little further away. A casual walk by mid evening light found us opposite Ciao Bella. There's no denying its charm: candlelight and a low outdoor sunroof, tables closely placed to one another and a sense of intimacy that was immediately inviting.
It was very romantic and seemed like the perfect place for a lengthy catchup and a decent meal to go with it, since Italian was on our agenda. That being said, the moment we walked in, we met a stiff, tight-lipped manager who handed us the menus and then took them away a moment later without any explanation. We were puzzled and were seated by someone entirely else, but our guards were already up. Essentially, the staff are exactly as described in the review below: a mixture of sheer loveliness and abrupt rudeness depending on who is serving you.
We were quite excited for the food which was served reasonably fast (it took them longer to take the actual order), but my dish was a little too heavy on the flavouring and difficult to finish. My friend's dish was excellent though: generous quantities and just the right amounts of everything. Basically, I think Ciao Bella has a sweetness to it that is disarming, but takes the risk of being a "hit or miss" depending on the day, time, hour, person. Good atmosphere though. :)
This authentic no frills Italian is hard not to love, it's very basic and can be quite difficult to get a table especially on Friday & saturday nights. The menu is quite extensive, with starter, pizza pasta and meat & fish sections, all with several options. That kitchen is going to be busy!
They are all classic italian dishes, no modern cuisine here. I went for the carbonara (ÂŁ8), it was deliciously rich with parmesan and bacon. Even one of our italian colleagues was pleasantly delighted. It's a large portion as well, you don't really need a starter here.
It's great value, and with a few glasses of a fairly limited selection of wines and good company it's a good place to unwind after work
Absolutely gorgeous little Italian gem. Food is amazing - we had pizza and a salad but would be back to try the pasta. The deserts were delicious, too.
Great service and authentic atmosphere.
Definitely recommend.
A classic London Italian restaurant. If you can get a seat (it gets busy at peak times) the pasta is worth every penny. Absolutely delicious! Very generous portions, a very authentic old school Italian restaurant experience. Easily one of the best in London!
The interior is quite nice; I like that it's not laid out as densely as some other, comparable places are.
Even though it was rather busy when I visited, all the staff were still very friendly and attentive.
For the main course, I got the Lasagna a la Bolognese, and while there might be a little room for improvement when it comes to the ingredients, it was still well-prepared and enjoyable.
The panna cotta I had for dessert was a little pricey, if you ask me, but tasted excellent.
The bathrooms are a little tiny, but they were clean.
Overall, I really enjoyed my time here and can recommend dining here :)
Been here many times over the years. Food is always really good and cooked perfectly.
The atmosphere is amazing and the staff are always so friendly.
Can never go wrong with a lunch stop or evening out here!
I'd booked in advance based on other reviews, and it was the right advice - it does get busy. Service was quick and excellent, despite this. The staff moved as a unit, and never left anyone waiting. It was quite impressive and refreshing to see really. I've had worse service in places with twice the staff and half the customers! Atmosphere was friendly and bustling. The food was excellent, probably the best seafood pasta I've had. Recommended.
Food was great and homely. Vibes were immaculate, the veranda was a really nice spot to dine at. Thank you to the owner for the great hospitality!
We reserved late and got seated in the basement which was not ideal. Had the lamb ragu pasta, the carbonara and a pizza with cooked egg in the middle. The service was prompt. The food was agreeable but not memorable.
Enjoyed a late lunch meal with friends - have visited a good few times over the years and the food has always been good - today no exception. Location is great being just off the main tourist areas. Prices in line with Central London so ÂŁ6 for a bottle of beer is the norm.
Our waiter was 'brusk' to say the least - don't know if he is a 'character' of the restaurant but his style could be seen as 'rude' - in taking our order he told us to be 'quick' shouting ' presto - presto'.
Overall a good meal with friends in a lovely setting - and as for the waiter - well it was all part of the memory !
Had an excellent lunch with five others. Friendly efficient service, great atmosphere, terrific food. Loved my vongole. All dishes enjoyed. Pizzas were huge. Will definitely return.
Delicious food and fantastic service! Everything was delicious apart from carbonara which was 3/5. Huge portions of tiramisu, pasta with mussels was super tasty.
Delicious Italian never disappoints me. Highly recommend their risotto de mare
Maria Vasileva - Grinfeld
+4
A lovely little place, great prices and very welcoming atmosphere! They have a great wine selection. Also, really good for large groups socials, especially when everyone doesn’t have the same budget. My only concern was too much cheese on my pasta. I’d definitely go easier on it!
Great place, food was superb, best Italian food I have had outside of Italy. The service was good even though the restaurant was busy. Great atmosphere. Good value for money. Grand kids loved the pizza and ice-cream.
We visited at lunchtime with a four month-old and were really pleased by how warm, accommodating and friendly the staff were towards both us and the baby. In addition, the food is reasonably priced, delicious and with generous portion sizes. I would happily eat here again.
We were super glad they found a tabke for us. Crowdy evening but the pizza was made so fast, delicious and the chilli oil was amazing. White vino de la casa also very tasty.
Recommended to go here from one of our London friends. Well worth it. High quality food and very generous portions. We tried two pasta dishes, bruschetta and garlic pizza as recommended to us and enjoyed it all. We would try the seafood spaghetti next time!
Wine and coffee to finish were a nice addition.
Great time overall at Ciao Bella, interior has the most welcoming Italian vibe to it. Fed us well and made us happy.
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