Cucina in West Dunbartonshire

We were here in September 2023 with friends. Four people and of the four, one was too spicy and three were gold star meals. We had the Arrabiatta with chicken which was probably the best I have ever had. Service was good, price was reasonable. So good we are back in October 2024 on our next visit to Scotland. The service has stepped up a notch, now seriously seriously good. The food superb. No it’s not the prettiest restaurant around but the best food and service and still great value for money. Very few restaurants approve of my husband and I sharing one meal. But this restaurant rather than just putting the food on one plate no giving us a spare plate, shared the meal out and served us each our own portion of the one meal. Love that! Put it on your list .

We have been coming here for a long time and it’s gone up and down over the years. Sadly I would now hesitate to go back as a recent visit has really put me off. Firstly I’d say the quality of food is just not what it used to be. Our flatbread was rock hard and the pasta was quite tasteless. The menus are old and tatty now and in desperate need of being replaced. I’m pleased to see the seats have been replaced as they were in dire need of it. Maybe the owner is trying to refresh a bit at a time ? The worst part though was the staff. The place was empty but we were placed at a tiny table up in the back corner. Window tables and more comfortable seating area were empty so I’m not sure why you would stick someone on the worst positioned and wobbliest table available. Time waiting to order a drink was crazy as we were one of only 2 tables in. The serving was so slap dash! Almost spilling food off the plates. The 2 waitresses cleaned windows and gabbed the whole time we were eating which was annoying and could smell the cleaning spray. No one asked if we wanted pepper or Parmesan which they always used to and no one asked if everything was ok. They took ages to take plates away as well. It’s such a shame as we have come here for a long time but sadly I don’t think I’ll return any time soon. New staff and menus needed badly! Oh and the kids menus that have been the same ones for years could get a little update

My wife and I had a lovely dinner at this restaurant at a very reasonable price.Staff were friendly and attentive and our meal was well presented.Would definitely return if in the area.

Popped in to eat without booking. Managed to get a table in the lovely well decorated restaurant. Lovely atmosphere + very friendly competent staff. Lovely tasty meal.

We went to the cafe for breakfast. The portions were very generous and the food was very good quality.

This is a long overdue review but me and a couple friends stay around the area every year or so and this a must go to place! We stumbled across this gem a couple years and also went last month, it hasn't changed and this is a good thing. Food portions are very good value (big) but also extremely delicious. The Calzone is enough for two people but I massively recommend that and the Bruschetta's to start. Prices are very fair especially considering the portion sizes. If you're in the area I would highly recommend this place!

Great pasta, friendly service and lively atmosphere

Stopped here for a lunch with the family. Staff were friendly and attentive. A very reasonably priced set menu lunch, 2 courses £13.95. Gluten free options available. I had a nice pepperoni pizza. Well worth a visit.

Nice Italian in the heart of Balloch. Good food and always busy

Very good experience on Balloch, by far the best. The pizzas and pastas are very good.

We ordered penne arabiata and margherita, Pasta is average And the pizza is good I mean, in general, the restaurant is good, because we are going to a village that does not have restaurants, but the restaurant is nice and easy. Be careful of the menu that contains pork in it.

What a fabulous place, staff are amazing. Great food, and the coziest place for a coffee and a catch-up 🥰 ❤️

Delicious pizza and speedy turnaround for takeaway !

Uninspired food, certainly not traditional Italian. For these amounts you expect more quality!

Very delicious food. I wish to get back soon 😌. Shame I didn't take any photos..

My hubby and I went for dinner, and we must admit the food was very tasty. The starters, as well as main courses, were truly delicious. The service was also very nice. Overall, we were happy with everything, and we definitely will be back.

Well, amongst the highs and lows of Balloch, nestled between the ubiquitous curry house and bars is this little gem, just an honest straight super cafe style Italian eatery with everything from pizza and pasta to burgers. Staff are warm and friendly, food delicious, reasonably priced too. Absolutely delicious!

Lovely breakfast and food as always. Excellent service

Excellent spot to grab lunch or dinner! Prices are very very reasonable and huge portions. I really loved the lasagna 10/10 recommend!

Great value, lovely food, efficient service very popular

Very family atmosphere. I recommend.

We came here and saw it was a set 2 course menu for less than £13.95 per person so we were not expecting a high star date of food. I started with a mushroom Al Forno. Much to my surprise it was delicious and hearty with Garlic bread which was subtle and not overpowering with garlic. I followed this with a lasagne again not expecting much however it was so tasty and hearty yet again. Normally I would add some seasoning of some kind but this time I added nothing. The taste was superb. It was overpowering with cheese and it was not swimming in bubbling oil like others. The meat inside was plentiful. I just about finished it. My wife had the vegetarian lasagne and again it was superb. She didn’t manage to finish it because there was so much of it. We followed this by a chocolate fudge cake with ice cream. Again the chocolate was just the right amount and not sickly. I can’t praise the staff enough for the politeness and courtesy they showed. This was the best lasagne I have had in 15 months and I would recommend this restaurant to anyone who wishes to have a very tasty hearty Italian meal. Looking at the other customers and their dishes it was obviously they were all enjoying their food. If you are ever near Loch Lomond please check this restaurant out. Thank you for a gracious and tasty meal.

Wonderful service with a smile 😃, awesome yummy food 😋 and quite reasonable too. Overall fantastic experience

5 stars well deserved ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ lovely food and nice atmosphere, service top class 👍👌

Noi siamo andati lì invogliati dalle recensioni degli utenti e devo dire che siamo rimasti pienamente soddisfatti. Anzi, sia io che la mia signora, abbiamo detto che è stato il miglior ristorante che abbiamo provato in Scozia nei nostri otto giorni di soggiorno. Personale veloce, gentile, piatti ben realizzati dalle zuppe al pesce ai burger ecc..ecc. Ottimo anche il rapporto qualità prezzo. Davvero eccellente nella sua assoluta semplicità.

Good vegetarian options available. Really loved their soup of the day 'lentil soup'. Nice warm in cold winds. Pasta was good too. Service was ok, maybe because they were busy but still not good. I ordered garlic bread to have with pasta ( too much sauce) but the bread never arrived. But this was nearest and only italiana restaurant near balloch railway station. Recommend it once

a great spot! good amount of veggie options (more options in the dinner menu than lunch) and the food we tried was of great quality and value for money. kind service, big portion sizes (we had the penne arabiata), and very accommodating staff. food was served fresh and hot - much needed in the cold scottish weather! would recommend if looking for a good meal in that area :)

The most salty meal I have ever eaten

Spectacularly delicious Caesar salad, fabulous penne, everything very delicious, generous dishes, friendliness of the staff. Totally recommended

Best place in Balloch for pasta. Food superb. Service terrific. Staff very friendly and attentive. Standard of food presentation excellent. Excellent value

Food seemed out of microwave, unprofessional staff.

This was a lovely experience, the cafe next door is very nice too, all the staff were very helpful and the food was great.

Delicious food. Great place. Warm hospitality. Italian taste in Scotland. Strongly recommend.

Nice little café with super friendly service. The cappuccino is really recommended and the pancakes for breakfast were really filling. Thanks

Best food in Balloch. Patient waitress when rude couple asked for water and sent it back when there was ice in it.

Freindly family feel, amazing food at reasonable prices, can't wait to go back again.

We came to drink hot chocolate/coffee and eat homemade pancakes It was very good Fresh and very good product

Terrible customer service from the staff in the cafe. Girls looked like they couldn’t be bothered and appeared annoyed when taking the order. Food was okay but felt expensive for what it was My partner went back a few days later to get a take away from the restaurant and had similar experience. Staff were just rude.

Staff friendly, food was ok. Plastic tables don’t really make it a restaurant for me, whole atmosphere was more like a caff.saving grace was the pasta, excelent .

My wife and I dined here on a recent weeknight, not expecting much. That’s on us! Heck, we didn’t even take any photos. Despite being jammed with patrons, the service was splendid, the food was delicious, and the cost was affordable. If you’re in Balloch this should be your first option!

Delicious pizzas here. We had the 2 course set menu Service is quick and polite Bruschetta was kinda ok

No nonsense, good food, reasonably priced and helpful staff. Phoned and booked so not to be disappointed. 👍😁

Tasty, but service is terribly slow

Had lunch here today - baked potato with bolognaise and mozzarella topping - came with a little fresh salad. It was delicious, tasty and good quality food. Good portion size and hot. That and glass orange juice just under £12.

Visited a few times while in the area, have to say it is a gem. Specially staff was brilliant always with smile. Asked for Vegan option and they actually had Vegan menu with many options. Food: Had Soup,Pizza, lasagne,etc all cooked to perfection. Nice atmosphere as well. Would recommend.....

Food was delicious 😋 service so so, quiet, relaxed atmosphere .

We were staying in the area and booked a table for 4 people, very busy with a good atmosphere for a Monday night, quick service, very friendly staff and the food was very tasty, lovely desserts as well :-)

We didn’t book and were given a table with no issue even though it was busy. Staff were very friendly, food was absolutely delicious and really quick service giving how busy they were!

Fantastic bistro and restaurant

Excellent food and good price. Attentive and friendly staff. Atmosphere during the day is also relaxing. Thanks very much.

Really good pasta and great options gluten free.

Very good food and great service.

Been a few times whenever in Balloch and would highly recommend for a meal or just a coffee and cake. Nice staff 👍

The most delicious lasagna pasta you can taste in Europe, as well as pizza

Found a hair inside the pizza, waiters and staff did not care) Awesome experience, not recommended for those who don’t like hair on their food)

Best place ever...beautiful food,service...unbeatable.

I visited them at lunch and they had six limited menus The price for three courses is approximately 16 pounds It is best to skip the six menus and try the menu directly after them The lady at the reception was very nice I think it is a suitable option if you visit the village and want a reasonable meal

Wow, how rude can you be. I'd rather spend my money elsewhere.

Wir waren einmal am Mittag und einmal am Abend im Cucina. Die Speisen waren authentisch und die Portionen gross. Freundlicher Service

Lovely filling sandwiches. Had cheese and coleslaw. Tuna melt baguette. Ham and tomato, mustard. Also came with crisps which was an added bonus. Very tasty and filling just what we needed. Would definitely use again.

We were very rudely sent to the “coffee” side even though we wanted dinner. Then another, nicer restaurateur gets the money. 🤷‍♀️

Very good food, very good price, lovely staff, highly recommend, has parking, this is a simple review as nothing to say other than all round very good, go get there!

I just had a very upsetting experience with this restaurant. My 4yo son and I tried to get a table in the restaurant at 18:45, but staff said they were fully booked and didn’t have a place for us. There were just a couple of people, but ok, it was Saturday after all. Then as a truly friendly comment I congratulated them for being a successful business… but staff didn’t smile or anything and I thought something was off. We went to another restaurant, but the whole thing stayed in my mind. So at 20:20 we passed by this restaurant again, and only half of the tables were occupied. So for some reason, they just didn’t want us in. Was it because we were in sport clothes and hiking boots? (But this is a low key restaurant in a place for outdoor activities!) Was it because I was a woman alone with a child? (But he was well behaved, if not I’d more than agree with not being let in!) Was it because I’m a foreigner??? Or my bad hair day? I’ll never know, but can’t help thinking a business with such bad energy doesn’t deserve the good reviews it has. What a sad memory from this otherwise beautiful city!

Absolutely fantastic place to eat. Food is top quality. Highly recommend 👌

Very nice place, excellent service and great food. Will be back!

We hadn't booked but thankfully still got seated. Service was really friendly and quick, food was all so flavourful and fairly priced. Would definitely recommend :)

Long waiting time and the staff are very rude!!!

Food was delicious, the staff was friendly, and we really enjoyed our late lunch. The place was very clean and our food came out quickly.

You need to book in advance which I usually don’t like to do but the food is so worth it. Had the best vegetarian lasagne of my life. Hearty portions, big side salad, balanced meal and just sooo tasty. There are quite few vegetarian options which isn’t given in the area so I would definitely give it a go for all plant-based folks.

I enjoyed the lasagna; the shrimp cocktail had too much sauce that overpowered the taste of shrimp; the mushroom and prosciutto pizza was juicy, but when eating the parts with prosciutto and crust together, it tasted a bit salty.

Four of us had a lovely evening yesterday. Food was amazing! Service was excellent ! The staff couldn't be more friendly and helpful. My wife and I are regular diners but our two friends hadn't dined here before. They had a great experience. They said they would return.

With a group of hikers from Swilly Hiking Club, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal we found Cucina an absolute joy. Excellent food and friendly staff. Would highly recommend and would have no hesitation in returning.

Exceptionally great food in a small Britain village.

Authentic Italian amazing atmosphere and food x

Very good food. Has many vegetarian options like Lasagne, Pizza and pastas. The Penne Arrabiata and the Veg Lasagne was very good.

Best Caeser salad, I had it with salmon this time, delicious.

I absolutely adore this place. The staff are lovely. The food was delicious, high quality and decently priced. the scrambled eggs with chives on sourdough toast was beyond delicious and a must try. I highly rate and will definitely be back again.

Delicious food, great portion size and good service. Great location too, right by the river!

The gluten free food is very good, and there is little they can't offer as gluten free. Big effort by the team. Thank you

Ate here twice in 2 nights as travelling with work, amazing food and service, even when busy it wasn’t too loud, decent prices and would return

Very, very good food and quite reasonably priced. Our waitress was awesome as well. Cheers!

Ordinary cuisine. But did the trick!

This is my second review of this lovely restaurant that is central to Balloch and Loch Lomond and I have to say it is just as good as it was a few years ago. The food is first class as is the service and very reasonably priced. Authentic Italian dishes, all freshly prepared and cooked. We selected various dishes from the menu - Meat balls, bruschetta with various toppings, fish, pizzas, pasta and meats - all of them were delicious. A special mention to Mandy for squeezing all 9 of us in at really short notice on a Saturday bank holiday weekend and for her attentiveness during our visit. Thanks Mandy!

We only popped into cafe for coffee but staff very pleasant & I'm sure the restaurant adjoining would be the same for our next visit. Good selection of breakfasts & lunches.

Couldn’t fault it. Huge portions of delicious food.

Great staff and service, excellent food with a good portion size for a very reasonable price. They also accommodated us on very short notice so were very nice to do so.

Took our last-minute booking despite being busy. Menu is inexpensive and great. Food delivered promptly with great service!

Popped in for lunch and we had the £12.50 two course special. Steve was on hand to keep us right and suggested the home made lasagne. The lasagne is lush, with a gorgeous tomato 🍅 flavour. The pizza was excellent and service was quick and easy, it was that good we booked again for this Saturday. Why only a four out of five? No draught Guinness, and we couldn't sit outside on a gorgeous sunny day. That said, it has not put us off, food and service is five star ⭐

The polo alforno is beyond amazing. The texture, taste, portion size and the garlic bread to dip in the sauce is simply incredible. Very very satisfied, 100% recommend. Tables ok,atmosphere ok. But the food is amazing.

Fantastic lasagne,so fresh and tasty, the best I have ever tasted. Young Steve serving us was amazing. Back in on Saturday.

Great waitresses that know how to take care of the customers. The calzone was very good

At Servire, the pizza is not cut and the waitresses put their hand in the glass even after you put it

Very enjoyable experience the food was lovely. Good value for money. Very busy we were so lucky to get a table.

Staying in Motorhome, went for carry out Pasta dish which was excellent. Will definitely return. Service was very good and although restaurant was busy my meal was ready to go in 15 minutes.

The food was tasty and the service quick on a not-too-busy evening. The pizza dough was different to how I'm used to: slightly thicker and doughier than usual.

Lovely wholesome food. Very friendly service. We visited twice during our short stay in Balloch. Parking round the back was a bonus!

Food was delicious and good value, served pretty quickly. Lunch special is even better value but we ordered from the main menu. Also had some cannolis which were great. Service was very friendly.

Really nice restaurant in Loch Lomond. We ordered their vegetarian lasagne and chicken caesar baguette. It was delicious although loaded with cheese (if you like that!). They have set lunch menus, 1 course from 9.5 and 2 course from 12.5. It's a convenient restaurant with tasty food and nice location.

Dropped in here for dinner - very busy on a Thursday night which we took to be a good sign! Food was great, super generous portions, and amazing value for money. Would very much recommend if you’re in the area

We ordered- Soup of the day Main course pizza with pepperoni and penne pasta Butterscotch waffle Everything was just amazing. Butterscotch waffle is must try.