Al Forno - Wimbledon in Merton

Always has been great food, atmosphere and friendly helpful staff, been going 20 years.

Every visit to this restaurant has been amazing! We've had a wonderful time each time, enjoying the delicious, high-quality food in such a warm and friendly atmosphere. I highly recommend this place to anyone looking for a memorable dining experience🌹🌹🌹🌹

Service was very quick and was very attentive. The food tasted very fresh and was lovely.

Very attractive restaurant, beautiful balcony level upstairs, atmospheric lighting and ambience but this is slightly ruined by music being piped in that is way too loud and not really appropriate for the setting (very dancy). Due to the size of the venue and music this means the level of noise, as people try to talk over the music and eachother, gets uncomfortable. The menu looks amazing but when actually served isn't as flavoursome or as interesting as you would think. It also wasn't particularly well presented on the plate. That said it was pleasant enough but I left thinking I could have cooked something more interesting and tasty as home. The front of house gentleman that greeted us upon arrival wasn't very friendly or welcoming but all other staff were very pleasant, efficient, helpful and seemed good at their job. When we left there was a lady downstairs who seemed to be front of house at that point who was beautifullly smiley and friendly and thanked us for our custom so mostly staff were great and maybe the other person was having an off day, but if not, that is something that needs addressing as a warm welcome sets the tone. All in all it's a good place to pop into for dinner but for me it wouldn't be somewhere I'd go to for a special occasion. Oh and talking of special occasions, at one point during our visit it was another diners birthday and they played "Happy Birthday" over the speakers at a deafening volume - it was really blaring. This sort of thing makes you feel like you are either in a holiday camp or children's ball pit play area and isn't conducive to a relaxing evening - so it's unlikely I'll return. All in all I think this restaurant is beautiful on the eye (in a rustic way) but is maybe too big to feel calm and in my opinion has a few issues it could correct to improve things. If you like more noise and maybe if you are visiting with children, it's likely more suitable for you. Oh something else - if you order fish it isn't filleted but the menu doesn't say so - so if that's something that bothers you, please check first.

Nice restaurant with lovely interior. The staff is very friendly and the food selection on the menu is just fine. My friends had pizzas, and apparently, they were quite OK. My chefs speciality was very mediocre, though. The duck was eadable but overcooked, and the sauce was quite starchy.

The service was very good. The food was delicious.

My favourite Italian in London - perfect mix of authenticity, lively atmosphere, friendly staff and delicious food. This isn’t just a meal out, it’s an experience & one which is great value for money!

Authentic little pasta and pizza place 😋😋

florentina and 4 cheese pizza were phenomenon...

Great atmosphere in this bustling Italian restaurant, It was a very busy Friday evening, hadn’t booked, but, they still accommodated us & we only had to wait a small amount of time to be seated. The waiter’s & waitresses were very friendly & attentive & the food was delicious

The best Italian in London they’re so welcoming they treat you like family. The garlic bread and chocolate cake are the best

No flavour at all. As an Italian, this is an embarrassment. Ordered carbonara and it was made with egg whites and cream, total opposite to what it is, had phlegmy blotches of egg throughout. Stopped eating halfway through and sent back, had to add some of the red onion from my girlfriends meal to give it some sort of flavour. Stuffed aubergine bland and salty, how can something with that many ingredients have so little taste. The girl serving was lovely, the only saving grace of the whole establishment.

It's part of a chain, and it doesn't okay job of not appearing to be a chain. But ultimately, pretty average. And the drinks, especially the beer, were overpriced. I get that some central London pubs are trying to get away with seven quid for a pint, but in Wimbledon? Pizza, which I didn't try, looked decent, if not special. Pasta, which I did try (penne with salmon) was under seasoned and the salmon was a bit overcooked and too scarce in the dish. It's okay as a family spot, with correspondingly low expectations for the food, but with Central London pricing, I expect better.

Good vibe. Friendly staff. Do not recommend the food for picky Italian food lovers.

Visited this restaurant for the second time this evening as a visitor from Yorkshire. On both visits, my family and I have enjoyed a beautiful meal served by attentive and friendly staff. Would recommend Al Forno without hesitation 👌

They cater for very large groups, and it's just too chaotic. The staff are rushed off of their feet. It's so packed. My fish was burnt. The starters are expensive for not a lot, It's not for me. But they are busy. So ?

Food was very good, beer on tap very mediocre. Enjoyable none the less

We got our food to go which may have been part of the problem but this was top five worst Italian food I’ve had. The sauces were so watery the food tasted like nothing. We got Arrabbiata which had absolutely no spice because it was so watery and flavorless. Of an appetizer and two pasta mains, the only thing we liked was the side salad which is sad at £45.

If you refer this place to people you clearly haven't been in genuine Italian restaurant. Pizza dry like frozen from Tesco, pasta overcooked sauce in it like from the tin. Very nice service and olive oil was decent.

Very good but more cheery in evening and a bit rushed in afternoon perhaps. Food a 'bit saucy' as Larry David would say.

We always visit every year during the Wimbledon fortnight. The service is always ace. Can’t fault the food. It always hits the spot. The staff are fantastic. Special thanks to Monica for looking after us. Well done you smashed it again 🎾🙌

Pleasant staff Wimbledon,that's where it ends. Can't believe what was served to us & the cheek of overpriced service charge was laughable for what we got. A tiny plate of runny tasteless spaghetti Carbonara(had to get up & ask for salt & no parmesan offered) My Calzone undercooked & pretty empty contents inside & also tasteless. Couldn't get out of there quick enough. We'll stick to Verona in Morden in the future. Shocking place Al Forno.

It’s summer 2024; despite Wimbledon being in full swing, it’s raining and I’ve got a cold. All I want is to be on holiday but we’re in a cost of living crisis. The next best thing: Al Forno. As soon as I step in I’m transported back to Tuscany to my non-existent Italian grandma’s kitchen. The staff are like cousins, greeting you as if they’ve known you your whole life and this isn’t a job for them. Everyone is relaxed and enjoying themselves, and so they should with the incredible food that’s served. I had the garlic bread with mozzarella, spaghetti bolognaise and apple crumble, all of which pasta-d the test. Truly a unique and wonderful place to go; Al Forno, you have a pizza my heart

Very pleasant, reasonable and tasty Italian with nice outdoor seating area. Quick service too.

Recommended to book. A friendly welcome, prompt service with a smile and helpful staff. We sat in the outdoor area on a warm summer's evening on a Thursday. A very pleasant area, relaxing in the shade of the early evening sun. Not cramped. The service was very good. Our meals arrived together. Price-wise on par with most Italian restaurants. Not expensive. The food was very good. We just had mains accompanied y a small basket of bread. Busy and very popular.

Amazing, food, staff and atmosphere. I love it

Delicious food, nice and friendly staff and a great atmosphere. What else can you ask for.

Food good undercooked fish 🐟, excellent meat 🥩

Excellent food and service. The big pizza was delicious and very light. Nice place and atmosphere... definitely we will be back!

Thanks guys everything was amazing 👏 ❤️ . We are coming back soon.

Great family italian restaurant. Really friendly genuine service.

Excellent food, fun decor, good atmosphere. BUT any restaurant adding 12.5% to every bill without making this clear at time of booking and not indicating it's optional does not deserve a high ranking. Service was friendly and quick. Would have been nice not to squeeze our party of 6 onto a small table so that customers and staff knocked my chair all the time. Worth a visit for the food which is excellent...

Excellent pizza and very good value for money.

I visited Al Forno this evening for dinner. On previous occasions I had tasted a take out pizza from this restaurant and it was really nice so I really wanted to eat at the restaurant. When I had tried before to book I couldn’t get a table as it was too busy. I was grateful when I called on a Saturday afternoon and managed to get a table for 6 the same evening. The person who answered was really accommodating and polite. The atmosphere at Al Forno was really vibrant and busy. We ordered a number of dishes including pizzas, pasta and risotto. Service was quite poor. We asked for some tap water a few times and didn’t receive any. Finally we ordered some fizzy water and that came. Also we wanted to order food and the gentleman knew we were waiting and he dismissed us and didn’t come back. I didn’t feel very welcome or looked after but I appreciate it was a busy Saturday evening. Food did come very quickly which was good as we were all hungry. At the end of the evening I walked away from my table and wanted to lay discreetly and there was some big issue with their computer systems so it took ages for them to be able to give me the bill and pay which made it a little embarrassing. The food was really tasty, in particular the pizza. I would definitely go back for the food. Just wish the service was a little more attentive and easier to get their attention .

The food is great and everything is cooked well. Service is slow, however, but that's OK as they are always busy. Some Waiters need to reminder that they sat people down but don't give menus until 10 minutes later apart from that it's all good and well, if you have a lot of people going and y'all need a table for 10 then call a week ish in advance. If they don't have room then there is a pub next door for you to drink your sadness away.

Our family loves coming to this restaurant. The service is great and everyone is very hospitable. We love the food and beverages as well.

Tiramisu and cheesecake were obviously homemade and lovely Staff was super nice and great atmosphere

It was the best restaurant I ever went.

Traditional Italian eatery-waiters with big peppercorn grinders and grated Parmesan👌

Alforno Restaurant is an exceptional Italian dining experience. Highlights include fresh pasta, rich sauces, and perfectly baked pizzas

Amazing service and food, whilst being incredibly busy. Super nice staff - Sara served our table and was lovely, so big thank you x

Great place with great pizza 💥 I recommend it

Very traditional often do specials on the day has a decent wine list as well

Service was fantastic, great recommendations. All our food was superb. I had veal , pan fried then the tiramisu.

This place was nice and very busy on a Saturday night to be expected. You are crammed in as others have reviewed but this was ok for us but wouldn't suit everyone. Service was friendly and efficient. Food was tasty only two things that could be improved on, 1. No vegan cheese for pizzas. Really simple but really disappointing as I really wanted a pizza it is readily available everywhere. The bread basket was very cheap at £3.95 but it was only 5 small pieces of thin bread. I would be happy to pay more for some proper nice crusty bread better quality. All in all a nice evening good food and the portion sizes were great just a few simple tweaks and it would be even better!

The food is amazing, the service was also very good. Definitely worth checking out if your love Italian food.

Ordered on Deliveroo twice consecutive days. Food absolutely amazing both times. My girlfriend loves Linguine Allo Scoglio. The best part very knowledgeable team on allergens and very friendly.

We have visited Alforno a few times, and it has never disappointed. The food is incredible , staff are always so welcoming and friendly, a waitress recommended delicious foods with a concern of allergies. The homemade dessert banoffee pie is an all time fave, following with the tatufo nocciola. The atmosphere overall is amazing for a late night evening. Great experience. We’ll be returning very soon.

Great place to dine in, the service is immaculate, staff is really kind & very helpful in recommending delicious dishes like the special we have had today; cannelloni and linguine scoligio, also the home made dessert banofie pie was amazing, we will definitely be visiting again!

Had a great time last night, food and service was excellent. I had the cannelloni (the special for the week) recommended by one of the waitresses, it was delicious! Will definitely be back soon.

We came to Alforno tonight with my family for a birthday, we met Monika and Saeed, the managers, who welcomed us like a family. Also the girls who work with them made us feel very special. We could see that they were very busy but they looked after us like we were the only customers in the restaurant. Thank you so much for making our evening so lovely. We will definitely come back here soon and will also recommend your place to our friends and family. Thank you so much for being there for us.

Awful, service dreadful, i had the spaghetti meat balls, which were recommended by the waiter, the meat balls tasted like they were cooked a week ago. We also arrived at 2pm and were told after ordering drink the kitchen closed in an hour. My friends desert arrive while two of us were still eating mains. Then ushered from the restaurant 20mins later. I will not be returning

Just ordered two lasagna from here via Uber eats it arrived on time but was stone cold and small portions. Poor tasting food, not a patch on Bella Italia in Morden and twice the price. Would not eat here again £40 not well spent😡

Wonderful Sunday afternoon lunch. Visited with my wife, no reservation was made, but we were able to get a table. Went for the special, on the recommendation of the waiter and it was so good. I love the atmosphere, I just returned from 2 weeks from Greece and this was a perfect way to reminisce. In my opinion, a good selection of starters, pastas, meat, and fish courses. Just off Wimbledon Broadway (high street). Will definitely visit again.

Great vibes, fantastic food, very efficient and friendly staff, they all worked as a team. Had a great night out and will definitely go back next time we visit. Would thoroughly recommend this restaurant, thank you

Attended large family event, nothing what the host has arranged was prepared and on too of that the staff were arguing that because of manager attended the wedding they have not been told anything. Instead of straight away put wine on a table and antipasto and water they were basically arguing for 30 minutes. The layout was not what the host agreed, took 20 minutes to change layout. There was 17 of us and all pre booked we were told we don’t have to sit squeezed if we leave by 7pm. They have not delegated a waiter to the table, we needed to ask for water, clean cutlery etc. Really bad experience, do not recommend

Booked for a birthday dinner two months ahead. Orgnised everything with Arthur who introduced himself as a manager…. later on the day of the booking we were told he is just a head waiter! We wanted to have wine, water and antipasti ready on the table when we arrive. When we arrived the table was empty , nothing, they wanted to squeeze us in to serve more tables that evening . I said to another waiter who was very rude that we wanted one long table at the back , and they prepared a table where we couldn’t even move to see other person sitting next to you. After a long discussion they have changed it. We pre ordered antipasti with Arthur they had no idea which , he was off on that day and took the notes with him ! The same with wine choice! Terrible experience! If I could I would take the 17 guests somewhere else that evening but they all we traveling from abroad and were pretty tired. Anyway overall very bad experience, waiting staff rude and the whole experience awful. Never again!

Nice busy Italian opposite theatre . Good Aperol spritz ! Lots of choice of pasta & pizza . Friendly service . We had between us garlic bread starters & different pastas as main courses . Always busy pre theatre & on a Saturday!

I’ve been here multiple times with my partner and we are never disappointed. That being said, we always have the same food when we come - the fillet steak is the best I’ve ever had, even better than some of the highly rated top restaurants in London. Whenever we crave steak, we always come here now. I always wonder “is it really as good as I remember or will I be disappointed this time?” I never end up disappointed! Service is always great, too. And the atmosphere in the evenings never fails! We will definitely be back soon for another steak ;)

Great place to eat, food was exceptional as we're the staff

100% worth a visit. Authentic home-cooked Italian food, catering to any requests or preferences. Excellent value for money. Very attentive waiters.

Astoundingly dreadful experience. The restaurant was only 1/4 full with plenty of empty tables. The table we were directed to was literally one foot away from the next table after one of the diners of that table moved their baby buggy to enable a clearance of two feet. Packed in like sardines when there was plenty of space elsewhere. When we said the location was just too cramped we were not offered an alternative, rather it was accept this or bugger off. This experience proves the staff have zero respect for their clientele, are lazy and have no motivation to make money for the restaurant owner . Never will we go back. The previous visit back in 2019 was dismal, food was mediocre (not authentic Italian) but thought we would see if things had improved however they have only become worse.

We had a nice family meal at Al Fornos. I had the penne arribatta which was very good. My partner had the lasagne. There are limited options for dairy free / vegetarians. I had a side salad with mine which was good.

Very busy, so staff struggled to remember some of our order and it was fairly noisy. The food was very tasty though

Our fav local Italian super star lasagna and amazing chicken Milanese

Food was good, tasty but not amazing compared to some italian places. carbonara was very cheesy like mac n cheese and not much egg sauce. starters were good. pizza prices a bit steep. nice interior. price on the upper and too which didn’t match. overall not bad.

Unfortunately our experience fell well below expectations. We were seated in a draughty lean-to on a slope. The service was disappointingly poor and we even had to ask for someone to take our food orders as they were taking so long. Despite the generous portions the food was decidedly average. Soggy pizza and a somewhat bland seafood tagliatelle. It seems from reading other reviews that we caught them on a bad night.

Last minute decision with the family, very accommodating, really enjoyed the calm atmosphere food was lovely and fresh.

Quite a nice and popular Italian restaurant in the heart of Wimbledon. Delicious pastas, pizzas, and other Italian dishes. It's nicely decorated, which gives you a feeling of being on a holiday.

Not withstanding that the order was ice-cold, which ultimately is not the restaurants fault as it was a delivery.. the pizza was completely incorrect and missing its key ingredient… essentially becoming a very expensive, soggy cheese pizza. Very disappointing as this restaurant normally makes extremely tasty 🍕

After desert they asked us to leave, as they needed the table. There was lots of other free tables in the restaurant!! Really disappointed as we booked for 70th birthday celebration for 10 people. It ruined our evening ☹️

Good Italian, with proper pizza.

Always great service from the staff, buzzy atmosphere and can't go wrong ordering a pizza

Overpriced and waiter was very miserable would not go again food not great

Family reunion 10 of us. Great food and atmosphere. Very busy on a Saturday night

Easy going family spot with a large selection of Italian dishes. The pizza and chicken main were both great and would be ordered again. Would recommend and go back!

We had a lovely time, the food was delicious as usual. The only thing was that the service was slow, we only got our drinks after our mains arrived.

Service is patchy and slow but no wonder. I’d be un-motivated too to serve food like that. Pasta is mushy like baby food. If you call that an Italian restaurant in Italy there will be a protesting mob outside. But it’s always busy and I’m grumbling but it’s convenient to meet local friends so use it once in a while. Well that’s Wimbledon for you.

I booked a table for 3 friends and myself, prior to going to the theatre last night for my birthday. It was so close to hand and the restaurant was described as being cosy and friendly. We arrived just before 6pm, we had to queue and there was no one to greet us at the door. Eventually, we were shown to a side covering area, which was absolutely crammed full of diners. We could hardly get into our seats as it was so squashed. The tables and chairs were so stacked up against each other. The radiator was on full blast and one friend and I were really burning up. The noise was dreadful, with so many people talking really loudly. We had difficulty hearing what we were saying. It was a very unpleasant experience, probably the worst I've ever had. We were packed in like sardines! We were so glad to get out of the place and get some air. It took half the play at the theatre to recover from the awful experience.

Family feel, good food, local and busy. Will go back. Update: went back, just as good, found space for a biggish table with no booking. Thank you!

Quick service. Pizza was lovely but the lasagna had too much cheese so I didn’t finish it. Would definitely come back for the pizza. Reasonably priced and lots of tables available.

Food was great but otherwise a pretty miserable experience. They couldn’t wait for us to vacate the table from the moment we arrived. And we booked.

Been here many times and always have a great experience. Pizzas are amazing as are the deserts. Quick service, good prices, and good atmosphere. The best place to eat in Wimbledon

Went on a Thursday night, managed to find possibly the only free table and that's without having booked. The service was great and in good time. Pizza's and sides all delicious. Not sure if 4 pizzas could fit on one table!! Good value for money in that respect. Definitely would go back

Relaxed atmosphere and good food. What prawns!

Wonderful traditional Italian food, although the tables are very close together. The lamb shank was perfectly cooked and I did ask for my meal to be made hotter and the vegetables to be cooked a bit more and they were extremely hard. Once this was done the meal was perfect, even the unusual gravy, as I had never had gravy quite like this before. I make my own gravy from scratch all the time as I was brought up on homemade gravy and meals which has made me a good cook.

Average. Hardly any seasoning. Prawns not cleaned (basics of serving prawns). Dirty glasses. Arabiata was bland.

My friend and I were having a meal before going to the theatre across the road. We ordered a medium pizza to share and had two glasses of wine each - the bill was a staggering £75. I will not be going there again and have just warned off a friend who was planning to go there tonight before the theatre. I will say the staff were friendly and attentive and the pizza was ok.

Known by all who live around Wimbledon for their really large sharing pizza's, recently ate there again and could not fault the quality of food and service. Would definitely recommend and return in the future!

Despite living in Wimbledon for many years I only ate here for the first time last night. Very good quality food and very large portions. Staff helpful with recommendations and very pleasant.

Comimos allí por la cena de fin de año. Buen servicio, buena comida buena atención, buen ambiente. Hubo un rato de música y pista para bailar, luego fuegos pirotécnicos.

Lovely warm atmosphere very friendly staff, food is perfect everytime would recommend the banoffee pie so delish!

My daughter has suffered sickness and dizzyness after eating at Al Forno’s Wimbledon! She attended a friends party and ordered gluten free pasta. When she got home she complained of feeling dizzy, sick and suffering from stomach cramps! We contacted the manager at Al Forno’s who investigated and confirmed the pasta served was NOT gluten free pasta! We do not understand how in this day and age with so many intolerances and allergies this could have happened! The Waiter denied my daughter ordered the GF pasta which is completely untrue! My daughter said he didn’t even bother to check for any allergies and didn’t read back the order! The noise was loud in the restaurant, she believes he didn’t hear her ask for GF pasta! When complaining the manager did admit fault and apologise. The management at Al Forno’s Wimbledon seriously need to better train and educate their staff about allergies and the serious consequences! Otherwise one day something serious will happen!

Very good experience. Certainly go back.

I have been going here for nearly two decades and the food, service and friendliness of this place has never disappointed!!

Have been to this restaurant a few times before, it has a great atmosphere, the service is consistently good and there has never been a complaint from anyone in the large parties we sit in when it comes to the food. In the summer, the windows upstairs retract open which is a nice touch!

Good food, but we had slow service on a quiet lunchtime (one about half the takes in use)

Al Forno offered a good selection of Italian favorites. It was a hard to choose among pasta, pizza, risotto and other main dishes. I settled with a cheese stuff chicken, other went for a salmon dish and custom made pizza for our mains. Calamari was a nice starter

Al Forno offered a good selection of Italian favorites. It was a hard to choose among pasta, pizza, risotto and other main dishes. I settled with a cheese stuff chicken, other went for a salmon dish and custom made pizza for our mains. Calamari was a nice starter

2.5 stars. Not sure why the place is popular in the area. Nothing too terrible but all dishes we tried were quite tasteless and price is as high as Central London restaurants. Must say their banoffee pie was AMAZING and I would add an one star just for that.