Marinara (V)
Il Gusto

Il Gusto

11 Craven Rd, London, W23BP, W2 3BP, United Kingdom

Bars • Pizza • Pasta • Italian


"We were a group of friends meeting up after 45 years of being Facebook friends and simply chose Il Gusto bc of its proximity to Paddington station. Online reviews seemed okay but boy, how wrong we were to book a reservation in this restaurant! Normally Italian restaurants are known for their friendliness and good service. Not here. I was the first to arrive, 20 minutes early bc my trains only run hourly. It was pouring with rain and so I was surprised that the waiter told me that I should return in 20 minutes. He was standing in a nearly empty restaurant with a few people already tucking into their lunch. I suggested I waited on the booked table, he said no table had been allocated. So I ordered a glass of wine and olives while I waited for my friends. To be fair there was a waitress who was friendly and seemed embarrassed by her colleagues offhandedness. When my friends arrived the service did not improve. Really, trying to take away plates when we’re still eating is the height of rudeness. The restaurant wasn’t busy, there were other people eating but the staff weren’t rushed off their feet. My family work in hospitality so I know a group of well mannered friends are normally welcomed, not least bc it’s very easy to upsell to a happy group. The starters were fine, but the mains were disappointing. Not awful just nothing to distinguish them. A further point- are the staff trained to deal with nut allergy sufferers? I’ve never has such a disinterested response from a waiter for years, even when I took out my epipen to empathise my point. So, in summary staff training is needed bc if it wasn’t for the fact we’d planned this meeting for some time we would have walked out to find another more welcoming restaurant. By the way I was so shocked by the trashed toilet door I took a photo."

Mamma Concetta Bedford

Mamma Concetta Bedford

35-37 Harpur Street, Bedford, MK401LA, MK40 1LA, United Kingdom

Pizza • Cafés • Seafood • Asiatic


"Reminiscing about the great time we had at this place last night! We spent the weekend in Bedford visiting relatives and decided to book this place, because we’re big pizza fiends and the reviews meant it made sense! Have not stopped thinking about the food all day! If you’re lucky enough to know what a proper Neapolitan pizza tastes like and have been chasing the dream of tasting it again… look no further! If you haven’t been to Naples before, then this place takes you there and back in one evening! This is hands down the best pizza outside of Naples! In fact I would go as far as to say that it could easily hold its own amongst the 100s of pizzerias in its birth City! The restaurant itself is casually quirky… named after the owner’s mother, with photos to couple that offer a little glimpse into the owners background with Italian memorabilia for days… including a real vesper hanging on a shelf from the ceiling, you’re hit with the scent of the wood fired oven as soon as you walk through the doors letting you know instantly that you’re in for a treat… the real deal! The relaxed, but upbeat vibe coupled with the warm and attentive welcome and service from the owner and the staff meant it was only fair to start with a round of Aperol Spritzes, which was followed by a number of bottles of delicious Primitivo throughout the meal that ultimately led to some singing and dancing at the end of our meal! We allowed the owner to recommend lots of things off the menu to share and boy did he not disappoint! Everything from pizzas, to pizza rolls to bruschetta meant that we were all able to try the classic Neapolitan pizza base with various different flavours! Highly recommend trying the Pizza Tartufo if you like truffle! I’m Italian and visit Naples most years and the pizza base is up there with the best I’ve tried! Hats off to the pizzaiolas as mastering this culinary delight is not easy! The pork meatballs in tomato sauce and oven roasted cracked pepper and salty ribs were delicious! But aside from the extremely high quality of the pizzas it was a bowl full of cheese and charcuterie that stole the show! Imagine a huge ball of creamy burrata that when cut open released loads of tiny balls of morzarella! It was truly next level! I have never seen or tasted anything quite like it! We finished with a round of espressos and some traditional Italian pastries, which were out of this world! We had such a lovely evening from the food to the wine, service to the vibe it really was exceptional! The only thing I wasn’t happy about was leaving, knowing that this restaurant isn’t on my doorstep! The only saving grace is the avoided damage it would do to my waistline if it was, as I would be here every weekend! Cannot wait to go back!"