Carluccio's - Reading in Reading

Food was canny, service, excellent, but a tad overpriced

Not bad food but not great either especially for the price, staff were friendly and the calamari was good but the lasagne and beef ragu dishes were fairly bland. Large portions at least so it was filling.

Beautiful ambience and good food at affordable prices

I visited Carluccio's restaurant. The food is delicious, and the service is excellent. We were served by a very friendly gentleman named Denzil. I would highly recommend this place.

There is a very good waiter...Michel...

Fine for a late pizza. Staff were good and good was entirely acceptable.

I came here for breakfast and walked in with just the expectations of eating and going about my day...then I was greeted by Charlene, wow....she had an amazing energy and aura about her! She completely changed my morning. I couldn't help but feel re-energised, invigorated by her. So helpful and smiling...even when it started getting busier and she appeared to be a serving and attending to guests all on her own, she still managed to take everything in her stride. I only came for eggs Benedict but left feeling benefited from the amazing service I received. I will definitely be returning, the food was delicious. Very impressed, so thank you.

Another great breakfast from a regular customer. Fab service from the team, a special mention to Charlene.

Opera nightcat Carluccios. Outstanding fun opera evening, interspersed with arias from various operas delivered in a fun, engaging way. Food, not my best experience, The entertainment made up for it. D'Amici opera group- outstanding. Thank you.

Very busy Sunday we came in for a family lunch. We have to say even though it was busy the service we got by Charlene was the best we have had in a Reading restaurant. Personal, great recomemdations and it seemed she was looking after all the tables. Wow, wow, wow! We will defintely be back! WELL DONE CARLUCCIOS.

Great Sunday breakfast. Food was 10 out 10. Charlene was fantastic we always come in on a Sunday morning to be served by her.

Popped in for dinner, on rainy Tuesday evening, and restaurant was busy, they definitely was understaffed, but lovely lady Amy gave us brilliant service. Nothing was to much trouble for her. She made our evening special and we are definitely coming back. Such a brilliant service by this lovely woman.

Lovely mushroom risotto!! Atmosphere was lovely too, top from all the people that work there !!!!!

When I was walking around the nearby area, I chose this restaurant by chance. It was one of several restaurants of its kind when I stayed in the UK for my holiday. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was the best of those I tried in terms of price, atmosphere, quality, and service. I would highly recommend this restaurant to others traveling to the UK.

Nice place for an early evening meal, staff were very friendly.

Highly recommended! The best central location in Reading, the best cooked breakfast, good food / pizza and, above all, nice atmosphere and friendly staff well managed by Andreea. Thank you guys for such a great place!

Very disappointed with the quality of a too good to go order. The alleged value was £30 worth of food, included was a can of coffee, two muffins, a jar of sauce for a single Bloody Mary and a jar of tomato sauce for cooking, when compared to the prices on the website it was clearly less than £30. Very poor compared to what you expect from too good to go orders.

We came in for breakfast earlier today, Charlene took great care of my family we had a wonderful time. Will definitely be back.

Had a fantastic time great service and will definitely be back. Amy and Mihai and Denzel were brilliant! Thanks again

First visit to Carluccios , me and my partner came for a dinner on Sunday night last week,the food was amazing and delicious .. our server DENZEL was very knowledgeable about the food as we asked loads of questions as we were new to the Italian cuisine .. and the recommendations were too good . Will definitely return with the voucher ❤️

Good lunch today, lovely food. Very well looked after by our waitress - sorry didn’t get her name, but was a mixed race girl. She was great and was a credit to you. Great experience.

The breakfast was excellent, and Mihai, our server, processed our order quickly and with great kindness. Without a doubt, we will return.

The customer service was poor, and there was no friendly service

What a lovely meal at Carluccios in Reading. Nice setting in the ‘plaza’ in front of Forboys Park. The food was delicious. We were there for our anniversary. Not a particularly special one but always worth celebrating. We shared the bruschetta as it’s always a generous portion for just one person and then went for the sea bass and steak respectively. Again really beautifully cooked and served. Finished with a slice of polenta cake. Lovely and moist with a hint of bitter orange. The highlight though was the service. Charlene and Shweta were excellent. Charlene treated us as if we were ‘regulars’. Such a warm welcome and a great service. It makes such a difference in making an evening out feel special. Thanks again and hope to see you again soon.

Excellent service from the lady working on a quiet Sunday mid afternoon. She's a credit to the company. Food was so nice and a brilliant relaxed ambience.

Great service and food. Charlene was amazing she always looks after us as a family

Popped in for some lunch. The service delivered by Charlene was fantastic. Very attentive and very friendly. Made it a lovely experience along with good food. Will definitely recommend.

Wonderful food and best location in town!

Our server Charlene was excellent, Charlene was always there when we needed her anticipating our very need. I would highly recommend Carluccio’s especially if you have Charlene as a server. 10/10

Amazing service by Charlene. Love coming here.

Was last night, very busy but the waitress Cami and Amy was very good in serving and patience with us. Offered the full information about your menu and drinks. Definitely we'll come back!

5 star Charlene is amazing as always we work next door and she always remembers our coffee order.

What a great spot hidden away but a lovely place in Reading. Breakfast was spot on and Andreaa the manager and Charlene was fantastic.

Great food and excellent service. A lovely spot away from the Oracle. Special mention to Cami and Mihai. We will definitely return.

My husband I went there for some Sunday breakfast. Charlene was great. She was very helpful and friendly. Excellent customer service.

A pleasant environment, it gets a little noisy sometimes. Staff are very receptive to everyone and very kind. Has almost a warm homely atmosphere. Very busy at the weekends. I've been going here for years. I wish they would bring back the groceries you could buy. But that didn't affect my view of Carluccious in the long run. I just wish they'd bring it back. Padded seats are a little firm. Better than nearly all the other places in Reading. Scenic views of Forbury Square.

My husband and I went for breakfast and the food and service was superb. Charlene was great. She was very friendly. What a great customer service.

10 star service at this restaurant. All the staff are consistently so good to us, which is why this is a favourite restaurant for us. Food is just delicious, great choices on menu. Wine is always superb. Very very good value, have been coming here many years and the staff are always friendly, professional - highly recommended for a relaxing and enjoyable meal. JF

Lovely experience at Carluccios for Monday lunch. Lovely seating outside and great food. Thanks to Charlene for looking after us. We will be back when in Reading.

Charlene was thoughtful and attentive, advised on the menu and choice of drinks. She was delight to chat to you and thank you for the local tips.

Lovely lunch in the sun today , Charlene was incredible and very attentive

Had an lunch meeting with old friends and the staff were great and service wss excellent. Will definitely be using this venue for future meetings.

Good lunch dishes and great outdoor seating area but SUCH miserable staff!! No smiles and very surly service - we did not leave a tip as they did not deserve one.

I had heard of the options on the menu before, but we decided to try it for the first time. There was a very friendly and sincere lady at the reception and service. First of all, we would like to thank her very much. In the starters, the calamari was very successful (I think the chef marinates and chops it himself, it was not factory-made, but a well-prepared tartare sauce would go better with a nice calamari, instead of mayonnaise. Smoked mozzarella arrancini was very successful, we found the consistency of mushroom risotto very successful, penne arrabiata and lasagne. It was above average. They didn't forget to give us a nice gift for my wife's birthday. The atmosphere, the service of the lady who welcomed us in the lounge, the food and the kitchen team were all good. I recommend it.

2nd time here. Good food. Tiramisu on point. Pizza not as good as our last visit. Enjoyed the warm smile and good service of Shweta.

Good for a quick drink / cake today

First time visit, we had the chicken and the duck which were both dry and over cooked. One of the reasons to try the place was a 30% voucher I got on email, however when I came to pay the computer said not valid at this location- watch out for that as nothing on email mentioned location restrictions. I will stick in future to the other good Italian places in Reading you might want to do the same.

Good food. Most of the dishes are good except the duck and the milanese escalope. Pizza are just ok.

Great time on Monday we came in for my daughters 19th birthday. There was a big party also and our waitress Charlene was amazing. Serving that big table and also being so kind to us and the other tables we really were blown away. Will definitely return.

I tried pasta and mixed salad and that was really delicious and authentic Italian food. The service and kindness of Denzil added to the awesome experience

Nice evening sat in a comfy booth. Good chicken/sea bass and excellent potatoes. Also had a focaccia starter - good bread although could’ve been slightly more warmed. Service from Denzil was attentive and quick.

Lovely food and atmosphere. Charlene was an efficient and friendly waitress, who kept the drinks flowing. We will be returning soon!

Visit today with my friend for a spot of lunch and I’m must say that Charlene was doing gods work trying to keep the place running smoothly while clearly understanding I most she did a understanding job she made us fell so special and her knowledge of everything was very impressive you got a diamond there look after

Excellent food and service. Charlene was fantastic.

Great place - great food - excellent service and awesomely nice staff - keep up the lovely service, Andreea, Charlene

Sharlene was amazing on my visit to carluccios, she was attentive and really lovely! Thank you Sharlene! We will be back

Came in today with my family. Utilised the offer which was great and a really good deal. Charlene was a standout for us. Really friendly and great recommendations. We will be back soon.

had a great time. food and servive was great. celebrating my 16th birthday amd charlene was great.

Denzil is an excellent waiter with good communication skills and friendliness with a great smile. His suggestions of food and drinks We enjoyed alot . Denzil 10/ 10

Charlene is the best! Her hospitality, great service and efficiency always uplifted our dining experience there!

Great food, good service. Very quiet in the morning so best time to go.

Great food, great service and Charlene is the best!

Charlene is so warm and welcoming - provides best service; food is excellent

Charlene is the best waitress in this restaurant

Best service and great pizza. We haven't been here for a while but decided to pop in after a long walk by the Thames. Charlene was fantastic very friendly and so helpful she recommended great pizzas and asked if we wanted extra chilli oil as we ordered picantte pizzas. Will be back!

Ate in the restaurant for the first time yesterday and was very dissapointed... we've had pasta on deliveroo before and it's quite tasty so thought we would try the restaurant... overall it was very average, and very expensive for what it is. I had a steak and that was a big mistake - it had no seasoning at all, was cooked at least to medium when I asked for rare and the sauce was really bad. We were in a rush so I didn;t send it back, but I should have done. If this was £9.95 at a pubchain you kind of expect that, but when you're paying £30 for a small steak and sauce the chef should know how to season and cook the meat. My other half enjoyed her pasta and our wine was nice so not a disaster, but unfortunately there was no love in the food or service and it was extremely underwhelming for the price.

5 stars for the excellent location and view. Probably the best cafe location in Reading for every day. The food is a little toned down but delicious. The deli shop is great too and the staff is lovely!

Always have a fantastic brunch here. Our favourite place in Reading at the moment. Charlene is an excellent server and friendly face! Thank you

I ordered two pizzas today which were very very good. Very fresh and super tasty so well done to the Chefs as well as to the front of house team for warm welcome and hospitality. Thanks 🙏

Another fab meal with great service by Charlene as always, her face lights up for all her guests and you feel welcomed and valued. Food and drink always hit the mark as well.

My husband and I go to Carluccio’s in Reading at least twice a month. The food is always of a high standard and good value too! Staff are friendly and accommodating, it is great to go somewhere that is so reliable!

As ever we had a lovely time at Carluccio's. The staff are terrific. The food is delicious. It is such great value and we keep coming back.

Had a great meal here on Sunday night with my partner and her mum. Charlene went above and beyond for our table despite it being a very busy evening. Would give 6 stars if I could!

Ordered Chicken Milanese which said it came with a side of tomatoes and salad. I received a tough piece of plain breaded chicken, similar to what you’d buy from the frozen section at the supermarket. It came with one tomato chopped in half. The side salad was the nicest part of the meal but it was just rocket leaves with large pieces of cheese in it. It was something I’d expect to get at a cheap and cheerful pub chain for a fraction of the price, not at an Italian restaurant for £15. The atmosphere was awful. Barely any customers and harsh white lights with no music made it seem like a cafeteria that was waiting to close (This was around 8pm). Can’t fault the service, the waitress was very nice. We’ve been before (around 2021/2022) and the food and atmosphere used to be great, so it was disappointing to see how things have gone drastically downhill since then.

Beautiful pizza having in and service by Mihai was brilliant.

I gave up during the Reading Marathon, thought I'd pop to Carluccios's for a pizza. Great service by Charlene will come again.

Finished the marathon came in for a coffee and pastry. Charlene was serving us and my down syndrome son took a liking to her. She was very kind and helpful. We will definitely come back and utilise the offer she told us about.

Good food and friendly staff, esp Charlene is super helpful and she always carries a big smile.

Visited here for a 50th birthday celebration for a full 3 course meal. The experience as a whole was quite good with close attention to service & clean amenities. However, the cost of 6x Limoncello shots at £47.70 just put a complete downer on the whole night ...I could of bought 2 special edition gift sets for that! £7.95 for a shot of lemon was just shocking, that needs a serious review.

Had a lovely lunch at Carluccios, food was amazing and service was even better. Charlene in particular was outstanding, really helpful&attentive. Couldn't fault it!

Amazing service had a wonderful visit would say best time I have had in reading

I came in with my toddler as we got caught in rain and hail and it was lunch time. We were warmly greeted by Andrea who served us for our visit. The calamari was fresh not undercooked or rubbery, and toddler approved of all the food (hers and mine). Although I didn’t intend on coming here for lunch I absolutely enjoyed my time and the attentive service. I will be back!

My wife and I visit the place very often for coffee, however, quite a few times we treat ourselves to dinner. Their main courses are delicious, recently they started making pizzas. We found the pizza very nice, from colour to taste. The location is spacious and can host at least 150 people. The staff is incredibly kind. All of them really, overdelivering. Recommended for dinner, events or simple coffee & cake

My wife and I ordered food from Carluccio’s in Reading via UberEats. At £80+ this was meant to be a treat after a long week, but the food did not match the premium price in the slightest. Yes - it was warm when it arrived, but it was dry yet sloppy, and void of any interesting flavour. My Milanese Chicken was merely a piece of unflavoured, dry breaded chicken with some wet salad on the side. I’m regrettably unable to get any sort of refund through UberEats, and shan’t be going anywhere near Carluccio’s again. I know this will fall upon deaf ears, but if you’re going to offer a takeaway service, you really need to up your game.

Very good quality food for a decent price. Always lovely.

we came to the OPERA evening on the 6th of MARCH 2024 and OMG did it exceed our wildest expectations. The format was easy but well structured, the performance of the 3 Great singers - FAULTLESS, the music conductor was worth a whole orchestra, the food was very tasty and that ITALIAN prosecco was 10 out of 5 possible:) Thank you team CARLUCCIO for such an amazing evening and keep it up! Cannot wait to see you on the 25th of SEPTEMBER now. LOUD APPLLAUSE

Great location, interesting building and great food - always! What more can you want!!

Came for dinner on Saturday was little busy ,food was very nice had seafood risotto and duck …Panna cotta and cheesecake was awesome , we were served by a waiter who was very attentive and helpful and after the conversation we came to know dat he was also supposed to be where I was belong from state GOA India .. Told us about 50% and we will be back Overall experience was great Thanks

Food is great but the portions are quite small. We had a lunch here on a Friday but the restaurant was very quiet with very few staff. Again food was great which for us is the main thing and maybe we should come back one evening when it is busier.

Came in for breakfast on Sunday, can not fault the service nor the staff. Charlene went above and beyond but we never felt intruded. A real asset to the team!

Such a lovely meal out with fantastic service. The staff were so helpful and considerate of allergies. Top class service and lovely food - thanks for a fab night

Great food excellent service. No pizza unfortunately. Food portions are quite large for kids menu. Few vegan options but they do gluten free options for pastas.

Lovely meal from the Valentine menu for my wife and I. Tasty food and our waitress was speedy , friendly and very efficient. She also has a great memory since she di not write down our orders. Well recommended.

Great food and service on Monday. Came down from Henley for a day date and we were so happy that we picked this place. Charlene was amazing what a great waitress lovely recommendations and very professional with a touch of humour. We will make sure we tell our friends in Reading to check this place out.

Not that busy but service was impeccable. Charlene was lovely and mentioned the QR code on the bill to get discount next time. We will be back.

The food is fantastic and delicious. We love the Carbonara a lot. Denzil, the staff, is very nice, polite and always smile to us. He makes us feel like home.

Always a great meal here, Charlene is like a breathe of fresh air with the relay she is always flying about making sure everyone is served and happy. We are regulars and it’s nice to see she is working a bit more when we are in. See you soon!

Absolutely fantastic visit to Reading forbury lovely service from Charlene and great to see Andrea! Best of the best 10 stars if I could!

Leaving lunch for 2 colleagues. Went well.

Staying at the Rosette Hotel with my wife. We travel back and forth from London to Reading frequently we were looking for a hearty pasta dish to fill our stomachs and relax. It appeared that they were busy and we were grateful that the waitres that greeted us told us she could clean a booth for us if we had a look at the menus while we waited. We were so happy we did food was delicious and service was second to none. We even got convinced to order a grappa. We didn't catch her name but she was a mixed race lady and had slicked down hair. We leave on Sunday evening and she told us she normally is the Sunday breakfast/ lunch lady so we will definitely come back in for breakfast and see her before we leave.