Bella Maria Capitol in South Ribble

We visited this restaurant for the first time before we went to the cinema next door. We both had garlic bread, one plain and one with tomato. Mine with tomato was lovely except the middle was a bit undercooked. My partner had the chicken and chorizo paella which he said was just OK. I had the spaghetti bolognese which was tasteless and bland; really disappointing. Strangely we had to pay by bank transfer to a personal account which felt a bit dodgy to be honest. And the manager sits in a corner with his beady eye on everyone. Don't expect we will visit again.

Everything was fine and food was pleasant until it came to paying the bill. We were just given a piece of paper with bank details on and a bill (with a service charge added). Very dodgy which we didn’t feel comfortable with. When we questioned it we were told the card machine wasn’t working (even though the owner was sat in the corner doing some sort of work on the card machine?) one of my friends went over and questioned the bank account which also wasn’t verifying when we was entering the details as it was a personal account and not a business account. We didn’t feel comfortable sending money for a bill of 6 people to an unverified account. The owner was telling us to pay by cash if we didn’t want to bank transfer (there are no close cash machines and we were out with friends which would mean all 6 of us would have to do cash machine trips) it then got even worse when the owner started accusing us of lying saying we had been told it was cash only to which the young rude waitresses started shouting over the bar that they told us it was cash only. From looking at previous reviews, this ‘card machine’ looks like it’s been broken since January. Never in my life have I experienced such rudeness and dodgy going on’s. Would avoid this place at all costs

I wish I could explain how awful our experience has just been. To be looked at like dirt from staff and be called liars, all because we questioned why they asked us to pay via bank transfer as there card machine is broken, yet we never got told about this and they called us liars saying they did yet they didn’t. THEN for us to go onto banking and it’s not even down as a business account it’s a personal account for the manager to say it’s his personal account. When I said I didn’t feel safe doing this he said either get cash or he will call the police. I said I wouldn’t be returning to which he said he is glad that we won’t be even though we was just questioning why it’s into a personal account. I have never gone to a restaurant and been asked to transfer to a personal account. The staff and manager were rude and I am disgusted, I wouldn’t waste your money.

Website said open from 12 noon. Attended and all in darkness not a soul in site

Card machine seems to always be broken, and they request bank transfer to a personal account as they have no business account? Strange. If you question a bit the card machine seems to work again. Add service charge to the bill so look out for that.

wrong pizza. and pasta was awful, meant to be a cream sauce and sundries tomatoes. no sauce apart from oil and had 2 normal tomatoes not sundried

i would have liked the atmosphere if the boss wasn’t sat in the corner watching over the whole time , it was an uncomfortable visit and the waitresses were frankly far too young to be running a restaurant never mind serving customers! i won’t be returning due to these factors however the food was good , just poorly cooked as it wasn’t exactly warm .

Food is good. However, the service and atmosphere were terrible. We were greeted at the door and shown to a table in the empty restaurant. However, as on our previous visit, we were shown to a booth which is unsuitable as I'm a wheelchair user and it's easier to get under a table than sit at the end of a booth that my chair won't go underneath. Ordering was straightforward. However, I am capable to slice my own pizza and didn't appreciate the waitress, without washing her hands, slicing it for me before bringing it over. After that, the two young, blonde girls on were too busy chatting to check on us and then take our plates. When one of the girls finally took our plates and asked if we wanted desserts, she left the table having only taken an order off one of us and we had to call her back for the other person to order. The waitresses, again without washing their hands, then prepared the desserts. Lots of banging ensured before the desserts were brought over. Finally, I didn't feel like the waitresses deserved the tip that comes added on to the bill but equally, after such a poor experience, I just wanted to leave. Therefore I made the bank transfer (the restaurant don't accept card payment!) and left. As you will see, this place is not value for money as it cost almost £50 for two of us!

Pizzas are amazing ! Food delivered quickly and food was warm

Visited with my daughter and when we arrive we gave are drinks order which was a Coke and coffee . They then took our food order which actually came before our drinks which is shocking We was also charged a service charge which we didn’t know about and the has to transfer to a personal account Absolutely disgusting

I seen a lot of good reviews so decided to try the place out before the cinema, I'm so shocked at all the good reviews. I ordered the carbonara and garlic bread and my partner had a few tapas pieces, everything was bland and disappointing, I couldn't even eat the carbonara, it tasted like overmicrowaved cheap carbonara you can buy from asda, the garlic bread was bland, the patatas bravos was the most bland potatoes I've ever had, the chicken and chorizo was actually chicken and pepperoni in a bland sauce, the best thing about our experience was the strawberry daiquiris. Also a bit odd that they can only accept bank transfers and cash.

10% service charge automatically added to bill this isn't America. We refused service charge and tipped the waitress directly.

Good is absolutely beautiful. Can't fault it. Apart from last two times we have been we haven't been able to pay by card, only cash or bank transfer. Not a problem, just seems weird. Definitely be back tho!!

I came in on Saturday after the cinema, and was surprised that this restaurant was completely full. Despite being full, the service was perfect with only having 3 young girls and the manager working. We had starters, and mains they were delicious and came very fast. I would definitely recommend the calamari and carbonara. I will definitely be back again.

Called in randomly after shopping after work on Friday. Read some reviews and looked at menu online before we went in, most were positive but a couple of negative. Lovely restaurant inside. Staff all really nice and friendly, including the owner/manager. Ordered a pizza and 3 large tapas to share and it was soooo much food. All of it really, really lovely. We eat out once a week, most weeks and this is now on our list of revisit restaurants, which is not that long as my husband invariably finds something he's not happy with! Even he couldn't fault this place. It wasn't mega busy but it's tucked away in the corner and not obvious that it's there / open.

Came to the restaurant on 13th July 24 and were the only customers, but thought we'd give it a try. Only one draught beer available and only cash or bank transfer for payment. We should have left at this point. We ordered a tomato garlic bread, which was very nice. This was followed by a carbonara and a tortellini, both of which were bland, despite us adding pepper, parmesan etc etc . We were polite, left the carbonara, made payment, and on walking out we see the owner/manager handing over supermarkets own cheap spaghetti and pre made tortellini over the counter to the kitchen staff. Not really the authentic Italian it was made out to be, but explains the very bland taste. Nice for garlic bread, but otherwise supermarkets cheap own brands at restaurant prices!!

Had seen pictures of the tapas online and thought we’d give it a go. We had a garlic bread first which was lovely, however the tapas were not nice at all and looked nothing like the pictures. The patas bravas were large roast potatoes drowned in cheap sweet chilli sauce and sprinkled with paprika. The souvlaki was okay and the chicken in a mushroom sauce was pretty grim, the chicken was chewy and rubbery. Would stick to the Italian menu and our young blonde waitress was lovely!

i’ve been here couple times now it’s very family friendly, amazing staff, the food was lovely and i would totally recommend if you love some authentic italian and mediterranean food.

the rice was hard and sticky… the muscles was full of shells and no muscles apart from about 2…

Rather quiet when we went. Probably different in the evening. Food was excellent with efficient and friendly service. Good wine selection. Family friendly.

The pizzas and pasta were delicious, very glad we tried here. We will definitely order from here again

Fabulous food in a classy surrounding. Recommend to all

Absolutely gorgeous food, friendly staff and a delightful owner. Happy to welcome us a large party of six later in the evening. This is definitely going to be my go to steak place in Preston mouthwatering perfection! Our guests enjoyed the pastas and garlic breads. Next time we will go a little earlier and make the most of the bar. Thank you for a lovely evening ❤️

First time visitors and we really enjoyed it. Food was really good and mid week when we went was quiet but nice. Looking forward to going back soon.

Brilliant experience from the restaurant staff absolutely Devine food couldn’t fault

Fabulous food this was my first visit. The staff were really lovely and not at all overbearing as some can be. I can imagine it would be busy especially once the cinema has finished but it was lovely and quiet this afternoon. I will definitely be back. I can particularly recommend the pollo picante really yummy.

Like the calm pictures on the tvs abd the food was AMAZING

Amazing food. The staff were lovely and attentive, the lunch deal is good value for money and i would highly recommend. Will definitely be coming back.

Good food and good price. The waitress were very polite and helpful

Excellent service and fantastic food! Will definitely be returning 😊

After lunch we asked for a bill, waitress brought bill and said its cash or direct bank transfer due to issues with banking system, gave us details which was confirmed by my bank that it’s personal banking details, we immediately asked to speak with manager then waitress immediately brought card machine and did contactless.

The service was great, even when we complained about a dish they were accommodating and changed it but that's all I can say really. We were a party of four, my wife got a carbonara which she had to return because there was massive chunks of onion it (who puts onion in a carbonara!?) they made another without the onion. Me and a friend had the tortellini which was a tiny portion swimming in a tasteless double cream. The fourth of our party got a tomato pasta dish which he described as "alright". The cheesy garlic bread though was 👌 It's also very expensive, four mains, a garlic bread and a bottle of wine was £90!!

Absolutely brilliant, went for our sons 21st birthday, everyone enjoyed it, lovely service, brilliant atmosphere, they couldn't do enough for us to make sure it was an evening to remember, thank you, will be going back.

First time trying Bella Maria since the takeover. Very tasty food (the potatoes weren't very hot though). All arrived quite quickly as it wasn't busy. They added a service charge on to the bill and didn't tell us. I was about to leave a tip when my partner noticed. We should have been told. Overall a pleasant surprise and we'd dine here again.

Unfortunately, the food is not freshly made. We had no sooner placed the order, the food was on the table.

Bella Maria at Capital Centre, Preston / Ambiance: Bella Maria at Capital Centre in Preston offers an intimate and inviting atmosphere, perfect for a cozy dining experience with friends or loved ones. Food: The culinary offerings at Bella Maria are outstanding, showcasing a blend of traditional and contemporary Italian flavors. Each dish is meticulously prepared with fresh, high-quality ingredients and presented beautifully, pleasing both the eyes and the palate. Service: While the service team at Bella Maria is attentive and professional, there was a slight inconvenience during our visit due to the card machines not working. Despite this, the staff handled the situation gracefully, ensuring our overall experience was not compromised. Overall Experience: Bella Maria at Capital Centre provides a delightful dining experience with exceptional food and service. While there was a minor issue with card payment, it did not overshadow the restaurant's many merits. I highly recommend Bella Maria for a memorable Italian dining experience in Preston. Rating: 4/5 (Service deducted one star due to the issue with card payment)

Lovely place for lunch with family.

All in all a great place a tad overpriced though

2 lovely meal deliveries so fat. Yummy

We visited for a family meal, the plates were red hot but the food was only warm at best. Although there were a lot of waitresses (6 or 7 young girls) the service was poor, our drinks took an age to arrive yet our food was prompt. We were asked twice during our meal if we had finished and at one point a waitress started to clear our side plates, while we were eating. When the bill arrived a service charge of 18% was added with no option to reject or amend. At this point we were informed its cash payment or Bank Transfer into a personal account 🤔. That the first time ever I’ve had to pay a restaurant bill by bank transfer. All in All not an experience we want to have again anytime soon 😢

Assistant Manager Ruby gave excellent service, the patatas alioli were to die for. Must come again for sure!

Very disappointing and won’t return. Service was ok, but food arrived before drinks and was literally thrown on the table by a chap I presume to be the owner / manager, even though one of the two young ladies working was wearing a badge saying manager, the other saying assistant manager. The whole atmosphere was strange, with this older gentleman clearly keeping the girls on their toes and it appeared keeping them on edge - horrendous to watch. Menu said the lunch deal was with any soft drink, we were then told it’s only with certain soft drinks. Menus themselves were as tired as the furnishings and in desperate need of renewal. My food (Greek chicken) was bland at best and the mushroom stroganoff tasted like the whole jar of mustard had been poured into it. Wine was ok, Pepsi max came flat. Asked to pay by bank transfer once the bill appeared which is very strange and smacks of tax evasion - and this place will need all the money it can get if it wants to stay open considering the lack of quality. Feel exceptionally sorry for the staff. Most definitely won’t return.

We ordered 3 starters, 1 dessert and 2 soft drinks and the bill came to just under £50 which seemed a lot to just get a starter each. It was just a pre dinner snack. We were asked to transfer money via bank transfer. They said it’s because the card machine wasn’t working but I had this same scenario a few months back when nipping in with a friend. This was to a personal account - not a business. It made me feel very strange as I recognised this wasn’t simply an error as I had thought last time. There seems to be an abundance of young waitresses and it’s really not necessary. 8+ waitresses for that size of restaurant seems a lot and whilst you could tell they were trying their best, the training is questionable. We kept getting asked by one young girl if we had finished our dinner when we were still eating/ had food on our plate. The first time she asked was 10 minutes into our food arriving, which actually arrived a good 20 minutes before our drinks. Our drinks were £7 each and yet half full. One starter which was described as being in a red wine came in a thick chip shop style gravy and the fish dish was very questionable. I actually didn’t eat it because it didn’t taste as it should and ordered a dessert instead. When I went to the toilet and left my children chatting, I came back to my half eaten desert being taken away by the young girl who kept asking to take our food away. Half a tiramisu - you’d wait and ask. The manager seems to be trying to keep it together and be friendly etc but it seemed odd to have a middle age man with only teenage girls supporting and so many too. Something is really off. An expensive night for really poor food and service. Sorry but I won’t be returning.

Absolutely amazing lunch here today! Food was delicious and great portion sizing. Service was excellent (special mention for the manager Kelcey) . I would 100 percent recommend 👌 and I will be coming back again soon .

Visited after work for a catch up with a friend and both the food and service were great! Good prices across the menu and the portion sizes are perfect, good value for money. The staff were friendly and the atmosphere was very pleasant. Great place for a casual evening meal. They only offered us card or bank transfer payment at the end though, which was odd.

Absolutely terrible quality/price ratio. Service was not bad. More than 17£ for a supermarket pizza. And they woul only accept cash or bank transfer to a personal bank account.

Really enjoyed our meal, we both had pasta for main and shared a garlic bread. Also had the cheesecake for dessert. All really tasty and generous portions. Lovely friendly service too. Would definitely go again.

I booked a table for 4 to dine at Bella Maria. On entering there were no more than 3 other tables occupied. The waitress was a very polite young lady, with a lovely manner who took our order and delivered our drinks whilst we looked at the menu. When ordering we were told two of our choices were not available ,we then chose another dish and were told only one of those was available. I recommended to the waitress that maybe the chef could write down the unavailable dishes in order for waiting on staff to alert customers before they select their choice. The food was 'ok' . When all were finished we requested the bill . It was then we were informed payment was to be made only by cash or bank transfer, as the card machine was out of order. Three of us were able to make the transfer but were informed by our bank that the account for payment was a personal ,not a business one. We then read previous reviews that clearly state ' when transfers cannot be made ,the card machine miraculously starts to work again '. As one of our party was unable to do either transfer or cash, we requested the card machine be submitted to try. True to form,payment was accepted!!!!!! When the manager finally got of his bar stool , after observing his staff becoming increasingly embarrassed whilst having to deliver his instructions to customers, he stated there was nothing wrong with requesting payment in this way ,after diners had eaten and shouldn't be expected to inform prior to eating. When asked about the card machine ,he stated it takes too long for the transactions to show so therefore he uses cash and transfer. He presented as belligerent and unapologetic for his manner ,not only towards customers but to staff also ! We informed him that had we been informed on entrance of the payment system, we would have chosen to dine elsewhere !!!!!!! Note to self and anyone else considering dining at Bella Maria, consider other local eateries first!!!!!!!!!!!

All food arrived cold disgusting won’t be ordering again

Food was ok, service was not great - garlic bread arrived after the mains. At the end they told us that the card machine was down and we needed to pay cash or bank transfer. When we told them we would not be able to pay that way the card machine magically came back online - apparently the card machine fault is intermittent and if you refuse to pay by cash or transfer money to a personal bank account the machine suddenly works again.

Really nice interior with amazing staff and very friendly. Always happy to help when we needed it and food was amazing and the interior was very well decorated and felt very warm and cozy

My daughter and I had a wonderful experience at Bella Maria. The food was absolutely delicious, and the service was top-notch. We particularly enjoyed the spare rib starter—it was exceptional! The ambiance of the restaurant was cozy and inviting, making it a perfect spot for a meal with family. I would highly recommend Bella Maria to anyone looking for a memorable dining experience

Food was amazing and the restaurant had a really pleasant atmosphere

The food was amazing it came out so quickly and the staff was so friendly. The atmosphere was amazing the was a lovely music playing that really set an enjoyable mood. The booth was so comfy and welcoming this restaurant just has such a welcoming cosy mood and I would definitely come again and tell everyone I know to come . The food was amazing and the portions were just right i loved it.

amazing food, delicious food and the food came so quickly

Had a fantastic evening here for my son's 8th birthday. Food was great, the staff amazing and we had a brilliant night. Would really recommend!

We had an excellent dinner at this restaurant and the atmosphere was nice. We shall be back again.

Despite making an advance booking, we were given a table with rubbish and uncomfortable chairs, right next to another family group. We couldn’t even get in to sit down because the waitress was standing right in the way, while taking the order of the adjacent table! We moved to a booth - this was ridiculously narrow and in no way accommodating for anyone of a larger size. Great way to make customers feel valued (not). We moved for a third time and finally had a satisfactory table. The ladies’ toilets had no soap, which is incredibly unhygienic and unacceptable. Service was not very friendly and staff did not know basic dietary information of the dishes, which was concerning (we asked if a tortellini dish was vegetarian). There were no ‘V’ symbols on the menu which was very odd and behind the times as 99% of restaurants nowadays provide this information in order to give customers clarity regarding vegetarian/vegan dishes - this should be given a high priority and the fact that the restaurant does not value this demonstrates poor judgement and lack of consideration for customers with dietary needs/requirements. The food tasted nice and everyone enjoyed their meals. Pasta portion sizes were too small, therefore not good value for money. Disappointingly, nobody asked how our food was, or offered us dessert menus. We had to wait a long time to get a staff member’s attention to request the bill. It was only at this time that we were informed payment could only be made by cash or bank transfer!! Ridiculous and very underhand for them to deliberately conceal this crucial information beforehand. This caused us a lot of stress, inconvenience and wasted time. There was also a service charge automatically added - there was no way I would have paid this, however other members of my party didn’t want to object and cause any kind of offence. It’s not right for restaurants to expect a tip, especially when they don’t even provide good service or have the common decency to ask if you’d like to pay the suggested service charge. Although the food was very nice, the many negatives which I have outlined impacted my enjoyment and it is doubtful I will provide Bella Maria with any future custom.

After a good meal in any restaurant, we take the pleasure in tipping, but here to have no option with the 10% service charge added on the end of your bill is an insult!!..Certainly overpriced *our first and last visit!.* My dish came out later than the others, disappointed. Everything looked stewed. It was too salty the mushroom sauce looked like yesterday’s leftovers and the chicken tasted like frozen processed meat,..very wet within and stringy!!.the amount of salt in the sauce forced me to use my fellow guests pizza crust plus the ice cream was used to wash away the overpowering taste. Though I’d eaten it, none of my dish looked appetising/freshly made!!..plus we’ve had Italian ice cream in the past this was more like frozen milkshake. We wasn’t asked how our food was but the nicest staff were the waitresses.

Very disappointing. Food average. Drinks - no martini rosso - isn't this an Italian drink? Also asked for a bottle of diet coke. Was served draught as they don't stock bottled. Paying was a bit odd as was told by two staff members that it was cash only or by bank transfer. No explanation. Somehow a card machine was then produced. The bill included a charge of £3.50 for the half pint of diet coke which I didn't have as it wasn't what I ordered. I was then asked if the refund could be in cash. Very odd experience.

HAIR IN FOOD!! Slow service had to ask to order starters then waited ages for them to clear starters and main. It was not busy (I wonder why) only 5 tables were occupied. I then found a long 6 cm ish blonde HAIR in my paella ( our party all has black hair) this is disgusting the hair was tangled in the rice which I pulled and showed the waitress. I did not get a photo as my son was on my phone at the time. No apology from waitress who at first pretended she did not hear me, all she said was that she would change it. I then ordered something different to ensure they wouldn’t just re plate it. Manager then brought the new dish still no apology or acknowledgement on hair that had been found. Poor customer service read previous reviews they clearly do NOT care. avoid this place and go elsewhere. Why have coke in the menu if you do not serve coke and only have Pepsi. We also were not asked if we wanted anymore drinks or offered a dessert menu. To be honest they did not look appetising, I wonder how long they have been sat out in the display fridge for. Seafood spaghetti was full of massive rubbery chewy octopus and only had 2 prawns. you would expect to feel welcomed and treated decently, this was however not the case I would NOT recommend this place.

I popped into this restaurant this afternoon just for a small bite to eat and i wasn’t disappointed! I was welcomed at the door by a friendly waitress who was able to help me decide whether this was the right place for me as i am celiac (gluten free) and she was able to tell me all gluten free options with ease from the top of her head ! I found that nearly the entire menu was able to be or already gluten free, the only downfall is that the pizzas weren’t available to me but after inquiring why, i found that this was due to the preparation of the dough. I was directed as to what side was suitable with my main dish and the food came in only a few minutes and was amazing! such great value for money and a wonderful atmosphere with polite staff, i would definitely recommend to everyone, especially those who are gluten free like myself as i find the majority of restaurants don’t offer many options. I will definitely be returning here ! 10/10 service

HAIR IN FOOD!! Slow service we had to ask to order starters then waited ages for them to clear starters and main. It was not busy (I wonder why) only 5 tables were occupied. I then found a long 6 cm ish blonde HAIR in my paella ( our party all has black hair) this is disgusting the hair was tangled in the rice which I pulled and showed the waitress. I did not get a photo as my son was on my phone at the time. No apology from waitress who at first pretended she did not hear me, all she said was that she would change it. I then ordered something different to ensure they wouldn’t just re plate it. Manager then brought the new dish still no apology or acknowledgement on hair that had been found. Poor customer service read previous reviews they clearly do NOT care. avoid this place and go elsewhere. Why have coke in the menu if you do not serve coke and only have Pepsi. We also were not asked if we wanted anymore drinks or offered a dessert menu. To be honest they did not look appetising, I wonder how long they have been sat out in the display fridge for. Seafood spaghetti was full of massive rubbery chewy octopus and only had 2 prawns. I asked for service charge to be removed as this is unacceptable behaviour/service after spending over £150 you would expect to feel welcomed and treated decently, this was however not the case I would NOT recommend this place. 0 stars!!!

Food was tasty but only just warm…I see that as more a delivery issue than a restaurant or taste issue. I’d order again

Not impressed. Waited ages to order then ordered drinks and food together. After a good 5 weeks mins had to ask where drinks was? Beer was flat when it did arrive. Then when we finally got our starter we was interrupted half way through it by staff asking which one of us ordered steak? When I said me he gave me a steak knife and gave my wife a spoon. (She ordered lasagna) We waited a while for the table to be cleared after starter then had to use napkins to clean table ourselves before main course arrived. Steak pizziiola was poor and lasagna was tough, definitely couldn’t eat it with a spoon so we had to ask for a knife and fork. Didn’t fancy trying dessert at this point. Then when we asked for the bill nothing, so we asked again - nothing. When we asked for a third time someone came over and said here is your bill, just to let you know we are only accepting cash or bank transfer. We had no cash so sent the money by bank transfer to a personal account! Why was this not mentioned when we walked in? God knows who we paid? Then as we was leaving we heard multiple complaints about wait times, service and food. It wasn’t actually that busy and could have been a lot better. We will not be going back.

Well packaged, arrived hot. Delicious food

Very fast delivery , amazing quality food , authentic italian , so delicious and would highly recommend!

2 cocktails for £12 is actually 1 cocktail split into two glasses. Absolutely shocking. Children's meals: meatballs. Literally 3 meatballs nothing else however chicken nuggets comes with chips and Bolognese comes with pasta but meatballs comes with nothing. Waitress: clueless about what drinks they have and if asked a question replies by saying not sure/maybe/ whatever comes out of the tap. Any deals including the lunch meal deal are just cons to make you think you are getting a good deal but in fact they just give you a very small amount of everything. We will not be returning. We had to take the kids for a proper meal straight after this as they were still hungry.

Nice little Italian. Service with a smile. Visited for a quiet drink whilst waiting for our movie at cinema. Friendly staff with great service. Young brunette waitress deserves a promotion, happy and pleasant to serve.

Just got home from lovely pasta and steak meals. Good food and attended to promptly. We will be back. Grazie Mille

I came to this place for a meal with my family and the food and service were amazing. Highly recommend this place , especially the pizzas!

After 50 minutes, we managed to get a half-baked pizza out! They don't even reach the lowest level of Italian cuisine!

Went for lunch today and the food was lovely. Will definitely be going back

Food was average my child loved the meatballs which is why the 2 star, lasagne tasted like a ready meal. Patatas bravas ali oli was cubed potatoes fried with garlic mayo and paprika sprinkled ontop. Would not recommend unless your desperste as we were, plenty of better italians in the area

Had a lovely meal tonight, the food was superb and the table service was impeccable. Would highly recommend and cannot wait to go back.

I thought the pizza was rather doughy and the carbonara was bland, what threw me more than this was they automatically added a service charge to my bill, was not told this would be the case at all, it should be a choice not a given

Went with my friend and had the lunch deal, lovely service, food excellent, would definitely go again

Went for works Christmas meal. There were 12 of us and we all enjoyed the food. A few people were disappointed as they wanted the kebab platter which was not available, which was unfortunate. The staff were lovely and our meals all came out in a timely manner, which is great considering the number in our party. Would definitely go again

Great food, friendly staff and affordable prices. My only negative was that they started to take the plates away when I was still eating at the other end of the table

Two eat and drink for £40. When I saw this I was a little sceptical of the quality of food we would be getting. A bottle of wine and a starter and main each. I was totally mistaken. The wine was beautiful, the food was out of this world. The atmosphere inside is beautiful, and the staff are all so friendly and helpful. For a date night, we couldn't fault it. Will definitely be returning and recommending to others. Lovely evening dining.

Absolutely ridiculous portion size for £13 a meal - ordered a child’s meatball pasta also and came with no pasta? Absolutely mortified

Lovely service and extra helpful staff. Food really good too.

Food was nice and a good selection of drinks, friendly manager and staff.

Food is excellent but service really slow. We waited 10 minutes after being seated for anyone to take our drinks order despite there probably being more staff than customers. Every time we’ve been the food is lovely but I’m also told they will be getting more gluten free and vegan options but it never happens so my choice is very limited. If you don’t have allergies though the food choice and quality is amazing.

Food came on time, the chicken was over cooked on some pieces and pink on other pieces not as described what arrived. Would not be ordering again very disappointed would avoid the chicken dishes.

Pésima calidad. Directamente a la basura.

Came this weekend for our second visit. Got seated fairly quickly and that's where it ended. We sat there for over 25mins and no one even came over to take drinks orders let alone food order. Staff were running around all over the place it seemed with no organisation or designated area/tables to look after. A couple of tables that cane in after us managed to get served. We got up and left, called a place in town who squeeze us in and we were served and eating starters in the time it took from arriving and leaving Bella Maria's.

It started off ok. Then the food was taken away and the next set of cutlery just plonked on the table. After we finished the pasta pescatore which had mussels in their shell in it, we waited for the bowl to wash out hands. When it did not arrive, we were told to go to the toilet to wash our hands. The tiramisu tasted as if it had just come out of the fridge, and it was starting to turn sour. I suppose there is no need to try too hard if a 10% gratuity is automatically taken off " for one or more guests".

I’ve ordered before and always loved the food and how much flavour it has… unfortunately the pasta I had was the opposite and tasted bland.

The people are fantastic, I always enjoy coming here. I haven't eaten, but the food looks great. The best new venue in Preston, highly recommend!

Went on a Sunday afternoon and not many people in. The restaurant is very nice and welcoming,as are the staff. I had mussels to start, wife had mushrooms. Then seafood and meaty pizza. All the food was excellent as was the service.

Me and my wife came in tonight as a treat before the cinema, we both had a pizza each, the inferno and verde. We were both shocked by not only the size but also the quality being the best we have tried since we went to ittaly 4 years ago. We left with happy faces and full bellys. Staff couldnt have been more helpfull and welcoming we will deffinitley be coming back to fill our loyalty cards. I will be highly recomending to friends and family.

The food was outstanding I thoroughly enjoyed the fettuccine al salmone. The service was really good all the waitresses were polite and respectful, would definitely recommend !!!

Very good place to go. It has brilliant food, great atmosphere and great service. Would recommend.

The paella rice for the second time was undercooked. The pizzas are amazing though. Not happy we did not get a refund for the paella

Very fast and good service and lovely food. Brilliant atmosphere and would recommend.

Really lovely restaurant and delicious food.

Chicken diane tastes wonderful, service was brilliant, our waitress kelcey was very polite and positive. great attitude all around from all staff and the atmosphere.

Manager is quite arrogant and customer service not accommodating at all. We were given our menus and not told that anything was unavailable. I tried to order a coke to drink, to be told they had no coke, even though it was on the menu. Two of the party then tried to order greek gyros, again on the menu, to be told there wasn’t any available. You should be told on arrival if the menu is lacking. After another review of the menu we then tried to order pork chops but swap the apparently ‘compulsory’ potatoes for chips. We were told this wasn’t allowed. Despite what we wanted not being available for an unknown reason (the gyros), they could not accommodate by swapping potatoes for chips. Their excuse was that it isn’t about money, it’s because when it’s busy it confuses the kitchen. It wasn’t busy. It was a wednesday evening and their refusal to swap was pure laziness and bad customer service. Not once did anyone come other whilst we were eating to ask if the food was ok or if we wanted more drinks. unfortunately will not be going back as the manager is so unpleasant. used to be a handy place to eat before the cinema but you will definitely get better customer service in mcdonald’s across the road.

awful customer service and not accommodating at all. we were given our menus and not told that anything was unavailable. a tried to order a coke to drink, to be told they had no coke, even though it was on the menu. two of the party then tried to order gyros, again on the menu, to be told there wasn’t any available. after another review of the menu we then tried to order pork chops but swap the ‘compulsory’ potatoes for chips. we were told this wasn’t allowed. despite what we wanted not being available for an unknown reason, they could not accommodate by swapping potatoes for chips. their excuse was that it isn’t about money, it’s because when it’s busy it confuses the kitchen. it wasn’t busy. it was a wednesday even and their refusal to swap was pure laziness and bad customer service. not once did anyone come other whilst we were eating to ask if the food was ok or if we wanted more drinks. unfortunately will not be going back as the manager is so unpleasant. used to be a handy place to eat before the cinema but you will definitely get better customer service in mcdonald’s across the road.