Calzone Essential Pizza in Dacorum

Sheer perfection! Arrived at 9pm on a Friday night after a 2.5 hour travel. Welcomed with open arms but told the kitchen was closing at 9.30 - not a problem. We were still given plenty of time to choose from the (amazing) menu and drinks were brought over swiftly. The food (meat feast calzone and Mediterranean Mezze) was to die for! Beautifully presented and SO much! We did regret ordering fries and mozzarella sticks too but only due to the amount of food we ate. Two mains, two sides and 4 drinks less than £65. I described to the waitress that it felt like being on holiday. Now all we need is a reason to return. Thank you so much to all the team.

Fantastic food, friendly and nice staff, amazing place to dine out. Highly recommend!

Had a nice night with my husband ' friendly staff .

What an amazing find! Food was incredibly tasty and authentic. Service was great and staff were exceptional. I had pizza garlic bread for starters - I could have easily had this for my main course. It was so delicious and appetising. This was followed by Arrabbiata for mains and to top it off, the Tiramisu was to die for. Would highly recommend this little gem and will be returning very soon.

Right size portions, reasonable prices.

Lovely food and fantastic owners

Given we just came back from Rome a few months ago, we didn’t think we could find a restaurant that could compare. Funnily enough, this blows everything we tried out the water. Absolutely phenomenal, HIGHLY recommend, the service is the best I’ve ever received and the food is to die for ❤️

Fantastic service. Delicious pizza! Highly recommend.

Excellent service and lovely pizza! Thank you it was great service too What a nice desert

As a family we have been going to Calzone Apsley for a number of years and todate have had no complaints at all with the service or the food. It has changed management a few times over the years but the quality and service has remained top. Well that is until it came under yet another new management..and it is even better now than ever. Food is just amazing and service is fast friendly and very professional. The location is also awesome as in the warmer months you can sit outside alongside the Canal. Feels like you are somewhere abroad and not in Hemel Hempstead! Definitely worth a visit with friends or family.

It was a real pleasure to find this restaurant. My family and I were so hungry and Calzone was the only restaurant that took care of my son needs. We will never forget the hospitality and kindness of the owner. I wish her all the best.

Lovely service, great food and well priced

Fantastic pizza and wonderful service!

I have been to this restaurant many times as a friend lives locally. We haven't been in over a year, apparently new management took over in December. We each had pasta dishes, they were amazing. I had the leonardo, it was the best pasta dish I have had in a long time. So full of flavour and freshly cooked. We all really enjoyed the food. Food has improved since the last time we visited Service was very good too. I do think their starters could be better though, not that many options for me and I find it strange to see nachos as a starter in an Italian restaurant. Hopefully the menu is updated soon. Will definitely be back

Superb food. Pizza, paella and garlic bread. Delivery quick. All fresh and warm when arrived. Highly recommended local restaurant and takeout/ delivery.

Lovely little restaurant, very welcoming! I recommend!

Visited here for dinner whilst staying at the Holiday Inn Express just over the river. It was great to sit outside next to the river as it was a warm evening. Decent choice of food; our veggie sharing starter was excellent, main course of fettucini giardino was decent enough but not a patch on the starter. Overall this is a good spot for dinner on a warm summer evening.

Visited here for dinner whilst staying at the Holiday Inn Express just over the river. It was great to sit outside next to the river as it was a warm evening. Decent choice of food; our veggie sharing starter was excellent, main course of fettucini giardino was decent enough but not a patch on the starter. Overall this is a good spot for dinner on a warm summer evening.

Great food really good service very friendly helpful staff

Thoroughly enjoyed our food here tonight. Shared a pizza and pasta plus we each had dessert. Food was delicious. Hot, fresh and very tasty. Lovely chat with owner and staff. Would highly recommend this independent restaurant. Far better than the big chain restaurants.

Great service, friendly staff & very accommodating. The food was also amazing! Would highly recommend & will be visiting again.

The pizza bases used here are pre manufactured frozen pizza bases, and the staff will not admit it. Claiming our 2 carbon copy, perfectly round, zero crusted base with regular spaced holes underneath was made fresh? Pull the other one.. very very greasy oily toppings.. kebab shop sauce pots, but restaurant prices. Avoid this place.. if you really want a poor quality pizza you are better off with a dominos!

My wife and I went there for the first time today and it won’t be the last. The seafood platter and the seafood paella were really good. A real surprise!

Me and my partner regularly order our takeaway pizzas from Calzones and are always super pleased! We also go for meals there from time to time and have always received excellent service. Will definitely be visiting again soon.

Fabulous setting and lovely food., highly recommend a visit

Excellent service and delicious food .

Nice food - friendly staff Good portions

Lovely food and atmosphere. Well priced too.

What a hiddem gem this place is!! Food was delicious and the service was 10/10 High recommended!!

As ever we had a great meal and drinks and the staff are very good and friendly.

Very good service, staff was very friendly and food was great definitely would recommend

Had a wonderful meal here today. Food was absolutely delicious, service was amazing. I will be back!

Lovely meal with family. Food great and really well priced.

Food was lovely and services was perfect, friendly faces with good food you can’t go wrong

Quiet and cosy restaurant with delicious calzones and pizzas to enjoy. We had an Inferno Calzone, vegetarian calzone, pineapple and mango pizza and a margarita pizza.

Fantastic food and service. We were made to feel so welcome. Great choice and couldn't have asked for more.

This was my first time visiting and will definitely be returning. The service was amazing, the staff were very friendly and welcoming and the food was beautiful! The manager was so kind and chatty and offered us a free pudding at the end! Highly recommend!

Very enjoyable family evening today and a great food, drink experience - think everyone in #Apsley, #Hertfordshire and #local area should visit and check out. 🙏🏾👍🏾 - our 1 hour drive was absolutely worth it.

Dined for my mother’s birthday tonight and we are really pleased with the food, the service, the whole experience. To the wonderful lady who now owns the restaurant - you are so kind and your attention to detail does not go unnoticed. It’s the little personal touches that set you apart from the competition. Food-wise, everything was prepared fresh and was delicious - we loved the Seafood Platter, Seafood linguine and all the pizzas we ordered. The kids’ penne was also perfect. And the tiramisu was to die for! Thank you! We highly recommend and would definitely be back.

Came down for a mummy/daughter meal. New ownership, still delicious food, but even friendlier service. So impressed will definitely be back.

Fantastic carbonara. Definitely would dine here again

Very accommodating and friendly. Delicious food

Take away this time. Coming back for a quiet dinner for two. Dine in: Lovely quiet atmosphere, great pizza!

Birthday celebration - the only issue was parking, but the restaurant, food and staff were brilliant.

Lovely food, very accommodating. Very good vegan options. Thank you so much!

Stumbled on this lovely place by accident - best accident ever! The owner and staff were so friendly and welcoming, the atmosphere is really lovely 🥰 And the food was excellent! I can’t wait to come back and highly recommend this restaurant!

Stopped off here for a coffee this afternoon. The waitress was really friendly and kept smiling, she let me sit outside despite it being winter and even offered to bring me a heat lamp. The coffee was of excellent quality and I will definitely be stopping here regularly now. I came here for food a while back and it was excellent, it's a beautiful location especially in the summer and has a great atmosphere. I left feeling really positive because of the warm reception I received ! :)

Absolutely outstanding food!! Staff really friendly, made us feel so welcome! Recommended to us by a local hotel we was staying in, great find!!

Excellent food and brilliant service. Really enjoyed our meal at Calzone and will definitely be back.

This is an amazing, quaint and cozy place to dine. It's romantic if you're with a date, but totally suitable if your just with your mates. I always come here when visiting the area.

After trying the pasta, calzone and dessert here I can't recommend this restaurant enough! The staff have been so friendly every time I've been and there are plenty of vegetarian options. Will definitely be coming back for my favourite calzone 😊

Lovely meal- definitely be back xx

Drinks amazing! Get the 50 cent best drink. Service was amazing. Not one bad thing too say

so great lovely food & service! thank you

Amazing food , we ordered the seafood paella and a calzone pizza , large portion of paella and both that and the calzone pizza were delicious

This is the best Italian restaurant I’ve been to outside of Italy! The food was fresh, delicious and authentic and the service was amazing with a warm and friendly atmosphere. Will definitely be coming back with friends and family for my birthday next month!

Visited for mums birthday and had such a lovely evening! Apeksha was a lovely host, very welcoming! Food was lovely will definitely be back!

Such lovely food and lovely staff thankyou until the next time

Really lovely place, I came here for a nice night out…..honestly the food was fantastic and the portion sizes were amazing. New management has really made this place amazing

Really lovely and friendly staff. Portion sizes were very generous and the quality was outstanding.

Good meat feast pizza, lovely garlic bread starter; recommended.

Great pizza and evening, thanks!

Amazing food and service! Lovely staff serving us all night and really friendly. Thanks so much :)

Best local pizza takeaway and a great price always my first choice.

Food is always amazing. We come here regularly and are never disappointed

Friendly staff excellent customer service, reasonable price

A fantastic experience at Calzone Essentials! The lasagne and pesto pasta were absolutely delicious, complemented by amazing cocktails. The vibe was enjoyable, and I was pleasantly surprised by the affordable prices. Highly recommended for a delightful dining experience!

WHAT A FIND IN HEMEL!! The new owner Apecsha, is a 10 in terms of a host, super welcoming, funny and charming. Pro Tip: try one of her cocktails….! Brilliant little place in Hemel, we can’t wait to return 💚❤️💛

The new owner is fantastic. Super helpful in advising on the best place to park, and made us feel really welcome from the moment we walked through the door. Her drinks and food recommendations were amazing. Can’t wait to come back.

Friendly staff Fabulous food at a reasonable price Definitely come again

Lovely food. Lovely staff. If I happen to ever venture to Hemel Hempstead ever again (by mistake) I will definitely come here again.

Best staff ever made us feel very welcome and food was amazing would defo recommend

We have been here several times the food is always great and they give big portions. The toilet is also really cute.

Amazing food and great service! Cannot recommend enough!

Very lovely food & lovely staff

Delicious food !!!! Great service Nice atmosphere, next to the canal 🙂 Definitely will come again💯

such a serene vibe! the candle lighting was so relaxing and the food was insaaane :).

Food was amazing must revisit … Lovely view and ambience.

Lovely food, great service. Highly recommend

Nice restaurant over looking the canal, fair price and great service 👍

We just came here for a surprise 40th birthday and the staff were great. Went above and beyond to help and make it special. The food was amazing for both pasta and pizza. And it is a beautiful location by the marina. Highly recommended!

Brilliant fresh food, will definatley go again! Bolognese superb

The food was stunning and the new owner is an extremely friendly, approachable and accommodating young woman, we even got a free dessert, it’s a small business but I highly recommend

Found the restaurant by accident but the food and service are amazing. Started with meat and cheese platter then had to share a calzone. Just left a bit of room for 2 great desserts. Be back soon.

I had a fantastic lunch with my wife. The staff are very nice and professional and the food was very delicious. The restaurant is located by the cannal in Apsley Marina which offers a beautiful view. 5 starts restaurant.

I would highly recommend this place to anyone; especially anyone staying at the nearby hotel. The food, the service, the quiet ambiance, and the location by the canal were all fantastic. My girlfriend and I are both looking forward to visiting again next time we’re in Hemel. Thank you!

We had the Tropicana pizza and a chicken calzone, they were delicious. Would definitely go again.

We love it here . Staff are very efficient and friendly . Great food

Lovely restaurant, fantastic food, warm welcome, and had a beautiful evening. Can't recommend this place enough

Takeaway pizzas ordered online for collection... will definitely be returning for more and looking forward to dining in soon. I'm pretty sure it'll be a high rating for atmosphere as well. We were really impressed with our pizzas. We both agreed they were possibly the best we have ever had. 👍🌻

We recently celebrated our daughters 20th & 21st birthday and booked a table for 16 people. Adults and children included. We had eaten there a few times before, but the food that evening was especially good, it has certainly improved. We ate inside and the staff were very friendly and accommodating. The locations is great to as it sits on the grand union canal right overlooking Apsley Marina. We were amazed with the young waiter. There were a few fussy eaters so he had to take a few things off/add a few things on to each dish and didn't get a single request wrong. All the food came out exactly how everyone had asked, that's great going for a table of 16. We were all very impressed and wouldn't fail to celebrate a birthday there again

Be aware this is not an Italian restaurant (they call it Mediterranean on their business cards) so best not expect quality Italian restaurant food, as they prepare food very differently and use a different type of dough. The first issue I noticed was the price of their restaurant menu was 50% more expensive than their online takeaway menu. More is understandable but 50%? If you click the menu on their website, it only takes you to the online one rather than a menu which truly reflects the more expensive restaurant prices. As other reviewers have said, the calamari was inedible as it was so rubbery and hard to chew. I went with a calzone which wasn't even on the main menu they provide you, surprising as it is the name of the restaurant. The dough used was strange and nothing like what I've ever tasted before at a restaurant. The dish had so much oil, as other reviewers have also experienced, and I was surprised by a couple of very salty patches in random spots in the calzone. It seems others have had a better experience with the pastas so if you really have to dine here, it may be worth trying that instead.

Used to be a regular here … was very disappointed in my visit this time… what has happened? There is no kerb side appeal, dirty wonky tables, sticky menus and staff who appear to not want to be there! The positive is the two pasta dishes we ordered were delicious although had to ask twice for parmesan… with their nemesis Darcys next door looking all bright, inviting and friendly … I really think you need to act fast before you become another failed business ☹️

Amazing location, comfy chairs, friendly staff, a relaxed atmosphere, great vegetarian options and such a beautiful toilet may I add! As for the food it is honestly exquisite. I've had a different pasta dish every time I've come and they've all been incredible. My friend always has a calzone and they are amazing too.

Excellent, friendly service. Lovely spot by the canal. Food, delicious and reasonably priced

We used to go here very regularly but on revisiting today to collect a takeaway it seemed someone had sucked the life out of the (what used to be) busy vibrant little Italian gem. I really was disappointed that my order could not be read correctly and although I was offered a drink and had the order corrected as a gesture of goodwill I’m sorry to say that’s my last visit. The staff were not really engaging particularly front of house, and the food was missing something, very bland ….I should have realised when it was empty, but this was a takeaway collection so too late by then…. A real shame …what changed??

Love this place, people, great pizza & pasta options, wonderful spot over looking the canal - plan your parking though

Great serving staff. They immediately accommodated for last minute changes in our seating arrangements and made sure we were ok. Food could taste better though portions were very generous. Great environment close to the canal and nature

We showed up on spec, without a booking on a Friday night, having only just arrived and checked in at the hotel opposite across the water. Staff were very accommodating, and sat 6 of us without issue. They set about putting tables together, and absolutely nothing was too much for them. We were quickly furnished with menus, and, having a browse it was full of your standard Italian affair. Which is no bad thing. Staff took our order, and off they went to the kitchen. It wasn't long before our drinks and starters arrived, I had the whitebait which was really nice. There was plenty of fish, a bit of salad in there, however, I'm not convinced that it wasn't frozen whitebait from a cash and carry, but, it didn't really matter as it wasn't pricey, and it was nice. The cheesy garlic bread was also nice, and they were a bit bigger than expected, which was great. Others on our table had thing like mussels and calamari, and the general consensus was that the starters were a success. So, onto the mains, I had a creamy Leonardo which was very, very nice. There was so much pasta, that it took me a good while to finish. Others on the table had the seafood paella (very well received), a Carbonara which was wolfed down, Linguini seafood (which was decimated in minutes), and other things I cannot for the life of me remember. In short the food was great and staff were friendly and helpful. Would thoroughly recommend this place if you're in the area and wanting Italian food.

Came calzone last night, first of all food wasn’t my expectation and service was unpleasant. Would not recommend this place staff are useless!!!!