Calici in Camden

A bizarre and disappointing experience with atrocious service and poor wine and food availability. We booked a table for 10 people at 7.30 on a Saturday night. The restaurant was busy. First impressions were good with a bright spacious well designed space. We struggled, however, throughout the meal to get any attention, whatsoever, from waiters and it was after 8 before we had our first glass of wine! We ordered no less than 3 different wines from the cheaper end of the wine list, which turned out to be out of stock. All the wines that we were recomended as alternatives were significantly more expensive than we had initially chosen and the white (Grillo) that we eventually chose was unpleasant (probably corked). We also had problems with food availability with 4 of 5 of us ordering the Veal Milanese disappointed to learn that supplies had run short. When the food arrived it came in a totally random order with some main courses at the same time as starters and some starters after main courses and all guests receiving their plates at different times. The food itself was surprisingly good, but the service remained atrocious with waiters ignoring all of our attempts to chase missing dishes or order more wine. We spoke several times to the manager who acknowledged the slow service and offered to look after us himself if we returned, but I am afraid that is only a very remote possibility!

Delicious food - Truffle ravioli was amazing. Fairly priced, very good service with very comfortable and up market decor.

Avevamo nostalgia di una buona pasta e un amico ci ha Consigliato questo ristorante per mangiare ottima cucina italiana. In effetti è stata una grandissima Sorpresa e Posso dire che ho assaggiato una delle carbonare più buone di sempre. La Scarpetta era obbligatoria. Dopo il recente cambio di gestione, hanno introdotto un menu’ molto interessante con alcuni ingredienti che provenienti direttamente dall’Italia. Per i vini c’era L’imbarazzo della scelta. I drink preparati erano impeccabili. Tutto il personale attento e professionale. L’eleganza dello staff rende il clima ancora più accogliente. Il manager Andrea è stato un vero padrone di casa. Lo consiglio vivamente

I've just read some of the negative reviews here, and so pleased I had not read them before as they would have put me off going to this restaurant. We had a lovely lunch there today, sitting outside in the sun! The food was lovely - we had a selection of small plates and each one was faultless. The prices were high, but I guess that's par for the course these days. We had a small lunch and it was £40 each (including one beer and one deserts shared between the 2 of us).

So disappointed - food was awful. Service was good but food was simply dreadful. Focaccia was dry and stale; veal was swamped in herbs; pasta was overcooked and tasted off; mashed potato was frozen; tuna steak was chewy and a slab. It was too awkward to complain as we were with friends and had emotional matters to discuss.

One more great meal at Calici. New staff, good service , great food. Atmosphere as always fantastic. We definitely coming back.

We’ve been here for the first time during the Coronation day and had a great experience throughout. Service was attentive even if the restaurant was really busy. The food was really tasty and the wine was exceptional. Strongly recommend a visit.

This was the worst dining experience I have experienced in over 40 years! We were welcomed and shown to our table at 7.25. Fine. Then had 15 minutes to wait before we could even order a drink. The wine served was good. Menu took another 10 minutes to arrive We ordered the Italian meat board as starter and three Escallop Milanese fr mains with spinach and mashed potatoes.. After another 10 minutes waiter came back and said only one availabe so order something else. It was 8.10 by then. We asked for the one remaining Milanese and one Taggliatelli and one ribeye steak also spinach and mashed potatoes. The starer arrived afer another ten minutes on a board but without plates. At 8.40 the Milanese was served but not the other dishes. We summoned waiters, and managers who said kitchen was busy sorry! We went to the front deskto complain. No use. Nothing happened until 9.20, when the dishes were eventually served. The potatoes were stone cold. I don't know about the spinach. To wait 1 hour and 55 minutes to be served the main course must be a candidate for the guiness book of records? As a gesture of goodwill the manager offered to waive the cost if the starter -big deal! I still had to pay £94 for a rubbish dinner. I had never been there before but had heard good reports. Too bad I will not be going back. The restaurant is over noisy which was also unpleasant.

The only thing good about this place is probably the location. Apart from that, it’s an awful restaurant with regard to the low quality of the food, the poor service, the unreasonable prices, the excessively loud noise, etc. We couldn’t wait to get out and have no intention to return. If you want to enjoy a night out at a decent restaurant, avoid this place.

I met with a friend for an informal dinner on a weekday. The atmosphere was pleasant and relaxing, the right place for a catch-up. I shared a starter of zucchini tempura which was good then I had a dish of slow cooked veal cheek. The cheek was well presented but the surprise came when I started to cut it, it was a piece of fat with a little bit of meat attached. I surgically dissected it, desperately looking for some meat but I couldn't extract more than a bite or two. I was hungry, I finished the rest of the dish and I left this big lump of fat in the dish. When the waiter come, I gently complained, he replied he would report to the kitchen. He came back after few minutes and we were expecting him to follow up on the negative feedback but we were wrong, he just came to ask if we wanted something else and he brought the bill. I think I should have just returned the dish without eating it, a lesson for the next time...

First beer was off and cloudy so was offered an alternative Craft beer this was very tasty but very small my partner had a tonic water, this came to £11.70 and must be the most expensive two small drinks in London.

Really loved your restraunt and the food. Loved your waitress amy, she was so welcoming and so polite. More than I could have asked for!

What a wonderful restaurant. Such an excellent traditional food and superb service. We visited on the first night after a friends recommendation and had a really wonderful meal. My husband left his sunglasses on the table so we returned on the second night we were in London for another wonderful meal. Clearly a busy restaurant so we waited maybe 20 min for our main courses but it was really nice. Definitely recommend this gem.

Decided to go for a few drinks here before we had late lunch at a different restaurant in Belsize Park. I ordered a non alcoholic watermelon cocktail which basically comprised of a weak watermelon juice laced with a ton of lime juice in a martini glass. All the non alcoholic cocktails were priced at £7 but I was charged £15 for my drink. At least Dick Turpin had the decency to wear a mask. I pointed this error out to the waiter but his nonsensical explanation in his broken poor English was that he had to charge that amount. So well done Calici as on that note you've lost three customers as we are never going to return to your restaurant ever again.

Very small portions, poor quality and expensive The poorest restaurant I have been to for a long time I told them my thoughts and they said they would look into it.

We’ve been a few time before and while it has always been nice, this last time the meals were really, really excellent - a superb sea bass and a delicious pasta with slow cooked lamb. Food was accompanied by friendly service and good drinks. The restaurant has a very pretty interior design and it isn’t too loud. It is often possible to get a table without a reservation. The only surprise was that despite the top quality of everything, they have no gluten free pasta substitution option.

We found the food very average - fine for a local bistro but definitely not a restaurant to travel to. The food is also very expensive when you look at the ingredients and the mark up. The aubergine pasta is very dull, and £17 for...

Food was average it lacked flavour and it was luckwarm we paid and left in the end. Ww wont be coming again

Aubergine starter was tasteless, ox cheek starter was tasteless. The waiter was only interested in up selling. Tried to sell us £120 bottle of wine and £150 turbot! The tagliatelle ragu was very nice. One of us didn’t get their main course until the rest...

Although only living 3 miles away, I had never visited Belsize Village. We planned a Saturday bike ride for lunch and exploring. It was rather uphill but worth it! We loved the chic decor, especially the funky bar stools. The food was fab! We both...

Delicious food and perfect service from Peter . We ordered the Sea bream and he prepared it for us with precision, care and a beautiful smile . I will definitely be back .

An elegant meal presented charmingly. It was a pleasure to eat here and it is like being in Italy. Everything cooked to perfection. I will definitely return

In the heart of belsize park, near belsize Square, a lovely Italian resturant with an amazing detailed selection of wines. Sitting outside the restaurant, on a sunny day, with a lovely glass of wine specially selected for me, it was like I was in a...

Ordered 2 Aperol Spritz for £23 which seemed expensive and the waiter joked Italians charge more . Ok but no alcohol and tasted like a sparking orange with ice . Rip off . Avoid .

We usually love this place but the meal we had tonight was well below par. Beef shin ragu was previously a very different dish to what was presented today. This looked and tastes much more like a traditional bolegnese and I would be very supposed...

Beautiful place where you can a lovely staff specially a cute brunete waitress Adina who helped me and my friends to choose from the menu all what we wanted. Great foods and service. For sure we will return there. Fair prices as well.

This is one of our favourite restaurants to visit. The food is always delicious and the choice of cocktails and wine is superb. Above all the staff are super friendly and knowledgeable on all the menu. A great atmosphere and a lovely setting. Would highly...

The food here did not low my mind at all. Maybe it's what i had, but i felt it was below average and that given the prices it was not worth the money whatsover.

Lovely restaurant we stumbled upon on a Saturday evening. All of the staff were very friendly and attentive, especially Julian who couldn’t have done more for us! The wine was delicious and they have an extensive menu to choose from. We ordered the t bone...

We went for a drink there (overpriced and below average quality). The al-fresco idea is nice, but it's too noisy and hectic to properly enjoy yourself there. Too many kiddos, too many doggos, too many poshos. Also, on the side, Belsize Park it NOT the...

Took my boyfriend to Calici for our anniversary. The whole experience was amazing. This was my first time going to a fancy pants dining restaurant and it was worth every penny. The service was brilliant and the food was delicious. The maître d’ was marvelous...

Went last night with some friends, firstly, they try to get you to order using the QR code system, if you give up, they immediately give the leather bound menu and wine list which looked like they pass the same round to everyone so what...

We went for lunch and wisely chose to eat inside. It was nicely air-conditioned and the layout was great for social distancing. I had the roasted cod in a putanesca sauce which was very good. However my wife had the chicken thighs with girolles, which...

We had have just had a dinner as part of the eat out to help out scheme. We are in the outdoor ‘streatery’ area which was lovely. Our waitress Anne (I think this was her name as it said on the bill) was very friendly...

Just had a lovely lunch with my friends sitting outside Calici. Charred cauliflower to start and crab linguine to follow both excellent. The staff were very on the ball and friendly especially Annie who looked after us beautifully. Well worth a visit

We had Saturday lunches here on multiple occasions, and had a fantastic experience every time. The place is nice and newly refurbished, with a great selection of food and reasonable prices for the quality. We love the atmosphere and will be returning soon!

A busy Saturday night. I have to say that I quite liked this place despite one or two issues. Our main issue was the starters. First they brought the wrong ones. Second, when they brought the right ones we didn’t believe what we were seeing....

Such a wonderful place - only disappointment was that I hadn't been there sooner. I cannot understand any of the negative reviews; we found the food to be delicious. I think it is a great idea to offer small and large portions for the pasta....

I popped in on my way home from the supermarket and wanted to just check out this new restaurant. The menu displayed looked good and the prices were reasonable for the location. The staff made me feel at home and at ease within minutes, so...

We have dined with a couple of friends at Calici yesterday evening (Friday) and I can say that the list of wine was very good but the service was not really pleasant. We complained about the Pasta alle Vongole that contains only shells... not any...

I went to Calici for dinner with a friend and we were pleasantly surprised with the array of wines on offer. It's a kind of a wine bar/restaurant hybrid so the decor is cool and the atmosphere lively and welcoming. We shared the gnocchi gorgonzola...

Had a nice evening at the bar with food. Friendly staff and good service. We used the embargo app for a free beer which nice followed by some nice glasses of wine recommended to me by the barman. Would return in a heart beat

We decided to try the new Italian down the road to celebrate my husbands birthday. We had a lovely time! Staff were really nice and welcoming. Food was great too. I had the calamari and octopus and my partner had the duck which was juicy....

I would give this place top marks for everything, apart from the food, which was terrible. Way too much salt on everything (& I love salt and tend to add more to most food that I eat) & tiny portions. The spaghetti vongole was gross,...

Food is not italian and the place is really noisy. Little customer care and out of price. I didn’t like it

I understand this is a relatively new place and I think they are doing quite well. Was here with my family to celebrate new year's eve, we had a very good dinner, in a nice atmosphere, good food and reasonable prices. Will come here again.

I don’t think it’s exaggerated to say it is indeed the best italian restaurant In north London. Elegant and refined but very friendly and accommodating. We found the menu simple and authentic. The dishes where the expression of the original Italian cuisine ; Fresh ingredient...

Great new restaurant. Fab service. Either sharing plates or normal size are available. StarterwLamb chops were fantastic as was all the food. Mini doughnuts were superb. Highly recommend for everyday or special occasion

I was invited for birthday party and had no clue about this fabulous restaurant. From the outside you immediately see the passion for their wines. Massive bottles of champagne and red wines tell me this is wine bar but as soon as you walk inside...

What a very welcome addition Calici is to Belsize Village. I have eaten there on server all occasions since it opened, including a very successful corporate ‘festive lunch’ last week, and have to say that the food has been consistently excellent. All the staff are...

Met our friends for Sunday lunch at Calici and had drinks at the bar before lunch and shared starters and I had pasta for my main course with thin fried courgettes and it was all perfectly cooked. The atmosphere was bright and welcoming and the...

A friend and I ate at Calici this weekend. We weren't very hungary as we had had a busy day and there were lots of dishes of differing sizes on the menu which made it perfect for us. I had the goats cheese and pear...

This was our second visit here. First time we ordered the duck which, as a previous reviewer has said was excellent. Yummy and juicy. Also the french fries were to die for. (My thirteen year old daughter suggested that they were the best fries she...

Calici is one of the newest good surprises in Belsize Park. A very well decorated place, unique wine list, superb food, and very friendly team

So worth a trip to Belsize Village - outstanding team who look after you the moment you arrive. Food outstanding with drinks and wines that will suit everyone - elegant surroundings and lively atmosphere- a real jewel

The decor is lovely but the menu is very difficult they have tried to be to clever and we found it very hard to find anything normal to eat The Tuna starter was served up on its own not even a tiny piece of lettuce...

I used to eat in XO, previously on this site.... What’s really changed in decor !!!! Not much. Now an Italian... Not sure about it.... Seemed ok but by no means ( Authentic ).. A few to many want to be pretentious patrons for me,...

Form the moment we walked into this new local restaurant i could tell it was going to be a lovely evening. We decided to go straight through our booked table which was comfortable and nicely laid out. The decoration of the interior is stylish muted...

Loved my meal here .Delicious chargrilled squid followed by fish skewers .Pasta dishes looked wonderful and the service was impeccable .Lovely buzzy atmosphere .This will be my Italian restaurant of choice from now .What a great place !

Superb dinner in this new Italian restaurants in Belsize Village. I drove past on Sunday with my family and we’ve noticed this elegant new restaurant with a massive wine ruck behind the slick and warm bar. I thought it looked great and decided to return...

Highly recommend this restaurant! We naively did not book so sat at a table in the bar but we were not disappointed by the menu. We had a selection of cold meats with a lovely cheese and the gnocchi, which was to die for! The...

This addition to Belsize Park has really brightened up the village. The food is incredible and atmosphere is extremely up-lifting. The staff are very caring and have a great attitude!! I’m so happy calici is here and will defiantly be coming back!!

From the welcome at the bar with the amazing “bollicine” Ferrari ❤️to the lovely dinner at the table everything was absolutely perfect! The tuna small plate was fantastic, the liver with onion didn’t need a knife to cut it and the veal chop was stunning!...

Visited a week ago with some friends as we heard the restaurant was new to the area. The staff were incredibly welcoming and gave us a gorgeous table next to the olive tree with a view of the bar and high street. Ordered a range...

Finally found somewhere local ( wihtout having to go to Mayfair and spend an arm and a leg!) where the atmosphere is relaxed with an array of wines, spoilt for choice. Loved the fact that the staff were happy and excited to show off their...

Was excited to try the new local Italian and I can say I was not disappointed. There was a really good atmosphere and lovely food. We ordered two mains I had the spaghetti congole and my partner had the duck which was amazing. Would recommend...

Whilst it is clear that other reviewers have had unfortunate experiences here, I have little doubt that they are nothing more than the teething problems that any new restaurant will face, and will soon be long forgotten. On the other hand, what is unlikely to...

After visiting the bar and having a pleasant evening we decided to return and visit the restaurant. A very bad idea as it turned out. I'd love to be able to review the food, maybe it was excellent, I wouldn't know, ours never arrived. We...

XO, Calici’s Belsize Village predecessor, was the venue for one of my first dates with my wife, some thoroughly enjoyable birthday drinks and a fair few dinners with friends. It was a reliable spot for high quality sushi and reassuringly over-priced edamame. Clearly I’m not...

Just came back from Calici tonight and I had an amazing time there. I went there with a Scottish lady and a Caribbean lady. Clearly the staff didn't find our racial construct very respectable and decided to treat me in an appearing way. I was...

We visited before the official opening but found the service good and we enjoyed our meals. The look and feel of the restaurant is modern but warm. We will go back.

First of all I want to say that this place struggled the first two weeks of their opening so early reviews should be disregarded. I had dinner with friends from Italy this past Sunday evening, 13th October. They loved the food and as most of...

Being very close to my home, I really wanted this newly-opened restaurant to be good. In fact, it was great - I'm just back from my first meal there. After a meal of three 'small plates' aka Italian tapas I was full. Each dish was...

OK, so it's a bit off the beaten track, but this gem of a restaurant takes a bit of smart casual dining but throws in a wine bar or enoteca in for good measure. 70 choices of wine by the glass and the wine list...

Excited to try this new neighbourhood restaurant but left very disappointed. We were a group of 4 and with neither the starters nor the main course did everybody's food arrive at once. The delay bringing two of the main courses was very poor. This is...

Arrived excited to try this new local restaurant with my family. The restaurant was fairly plain looking but we were only looking for a simple plate of pasta. The service was extremely slow, bread took about 15 minutes to arrive. However, the mains were super...

We were looking forward to this new Italian Restaurant opening in Belsize Village, but were very disappointed. Good Bar and Ambience, but mediocre Food, and incompetent Service. It needs to improve a lot, before we will go back.