Greg's Bistro in Southampton

This is my first review, prompted by a deeply disappointing experience at this restaurant. With considerable experience in the food industry, I expected the produce to be fresh and well-sourced, especially given the restaurant's location. Unfortunately, that was not the case. I began with the calamari, which was not fresh and tasted as though it had been defrosted and microwaved. For my main course, I ordered the ribeye steak. Although it was cooked well, the meat was extremely tough and did not mask its poor quality. Additionally, all the food was served at an uncomfortably cold temperature. It seemed that, on this particular night, the staff was attempting to compensate for the subpar service and food quality by offering excessive amounts of parmesan cheese. My partner and I were approached three times by different servers, each offering more cheese instead of addressing our need for water. In summary, while the atmosphere was pleasant, the overall experience was an unfortunate waste of money that I would have preferred to spend elsewhere.

Incredible Find 👌 We were staying in Southampton for the weekend & Solento.was recommended to us & it did not disappoint. Decor 💯 Atmosphere 💯 Attentive staff 💯 Food 💯 Wine 💯 We will most definitely be back the next time we are in Southampton.

Nice food, very overpriced. After seeing the reviews, we went for a birthday lunch. We knew that it was on the expensive side but thought that it sounded really good. I can’t really complain about anything apart from the fact that it was very expensive for an ok meal.

Such a gem of a place, Food and service both amazing. Thank you!

Visited again last night (19th Oct 24), again er had a superb meal and service was wonderful. Really cannot fault anything about Soleto, it’s def a restaurant on my regular list and if you haven’t been yet, you must try it. Best Italian in Southampton by far. ………………………………………… We were recommended by friends who own a restaurant in southampton. We don’t normally visit this area in Southampton… god am I glad we did! Genuinely cannot believe we haven’t eaten here before as we have tried most places and live food food. Soleto did not disappoint at all. Wonderful atmosphere / ambience in the restaurant ( wry romantic). Service was attentive… however the food was the star of the show! We had bruschetta to start (fab!) I had the special of Sea Bass with a prawn cream sauce, Mrs had Carbonara. Both were fantastic. The food was served on Lovely plates as well . We will def be making this a regular eating place from now on, and I don’t recommend many places, but 100% can recommend Soleto. Thanks for a wonderful evening and see you soon.

Our 3rd visit to Soleto, every visit has been the same, just wonderful. Service is great, the food is so good, and they always have good specials available as well as their menu. The atmosphere in there is on point, that low light Italian style atmosphere which immediately sets the right tone. Staff are so attentive and props to the chefs who always deliver. Best Italian in Southampton imho… worth a visit if you have not been yet.

A real gem - an authentic Italian restaurant with great atmosphere, food and service. A lovely place and very difficult to leave!

Wonderful meal, attentive friendly staff and a lovely ambience. A gem in Southampton. Great Italian. Highly recommended.

This is a hidden gem, beautifully decorated. The service is impeccable and the food leaves a lasting impression. It’s delicious making you want more!! The toilets are so clean, with a nice smelling candle. The decor is very rustic, with a touch of luxury but homely. The dinning space is very intimate & helps you escape from the city. This is a gorgeous restaurant to visit. Thank you x

Honestly the best hidden gem! We arrived early and were still welcomed in we were well looked after from start to finish. The food is absolutely delicious and I think the best Italian I’ve had we will be back!

Honestly the best hidden gem! We arrived early and were still welcomed in we were well looked after from start to finish. The food is absolutely delicious and I think the best Italian I’ve had we will be back!

Enjoyed a delicious three course meal here. We were fortunate enough to be seated on a Friday evening without having booked. A little on the pricey side and I'm not a fan of a 12.5% service charge that is automatically added on to the bill, however the ambience and service was spot on. The chef even came out to see that guests were enjoying their food. My only advice is not to go particularly hungry unless you plan to have multiple courses or a couple of sides because the portions are a little modest.

This is a wonderful gem of a restaurant. Top quality food and service. Always an enjoyable experience.

The food (especially the steak) was without a doubt the best i’ve ever had and the staff were super nice would recommend

Had an amazing tomahawk steak, cooked to perfection and accompanied by a great bottle of Primitivo!

Incredible place to go for an Italian. Possibly even the best in Southampton and they've all been tried. Definitely worth a visit. I will be going again for sure!!

Great service Great food lovely evening 😀 will be back

The food is excellent, I had the seabass and my partner had the seafood linguine, and we could not fault it for preparation, presentation and quality. The service is superb, the staff were really friendly and efficient. We were made to feel very welcome, and would highly recommend Soleto.

Delicious food in this cosy restaurant. Waitress was very friendly. We had saltimbocca and ravioli funghi. The portions look a little small but there's enough to fill your tummy and have some space for dessert. Recommended!

Exquisite hospitality. Booking was for late dining for a party of 10. Staff were very good with my daughter and even though I believe they close at 10, they still didn't rush us and still offered us desert. Hard working staff. Thank you so much, if I lived in Southampton I would be a regular here

We were looking for somewhere to have a nice meal ahead of a theatre visit. Wow, what a find Soleto was. The decor is relaxed, quirky and welcoming. The food was a delight, just the right portions and cooked to perfection. We had Burrata and Risotto to start and rack of lamb and Saltimbocca for mains. All were cooked and seasoned to perfection. The owner George popped out to say hi and check we were having a nice meal. We will definitely be back. If you want great food and a warm welcoming atmosphere then Soleto is well worth a visit.

We were out for a special night and wanted a meal out that fitted the occasion and the Soleto met the standard. The restaurant has the Italian feel bistro, a little quirky non-uniform layout. Friendly attentive service to guide you to an excellent choice. A great range of selection of meals. We chose to pick off the gold framed special board. Seafood risotto and a rack of lamb, delicious. We also had the antipasto to share for starter and a bottle of Malbec to accompany the meal. Out for something a little special a definable choice.

We had lunch here prior to a a visit to the Mayflower. I had the seafood linguini and my wife had the salmon and vegetables. We liked we had to wait a while for our dishes as it shows it was cooked fresh. We both had chocolate tart and mango sorbet. We found the food delicious and service impeccable. With a glass of wine and soft drink the bill came to £101.25 with 12/5 service charge.

Absolutely outstanding restaurant. When I saw the other reviews I expected it to be “good” but I truly had what may have been one of the best meals of my life. Fantastic service too. Tables slightly cramped, but all part of the atmosphere I think.

Favourite restaurant in Southampton! We go here often and never leave disappointed. We love the food and the staff, they are always polite and chatty… never make us feel rushed. A great wine selection. We also took 16 of our staff here for a dinner party and they all loved it. Great aesthetic and lovely cosy vibe. The chef always comes out for a chat. Will be back soon!

Went here for Valentines, was absolutely amazing. Such a warm, friendly atmosphere. The best carbonara I’ve ever had in a restaurant. Gorgeous wine. Will definetly be back!

I can’t recommend this place enough. An authentic Italian restaurant just sitting opposite the Mayflower theatre. It was unexpected as I’d simply booked an early dinner for 2 adults and 2 children. While I knew it must be an independent Italian restaurant I was not prepared for how utterly indulgent it was. A luxuriously decadent dining room offering authentic freshly cooked Italian dishes with immaculate service. The children shared a pasta dish and the chef served it beautifully in two separate dishes for them. The carbonara, ravioli fungi, risotto porcini, burrata and Eton mess were all delicious! Thanks for having us and we’ll be back for sure.

I ate in this restaurant a couple of weeks ago in Southampton with friends, and I had to come back as the food was so good! George the owner and chef came out to say hello and Nina the manageress both remembered me and greated me as one of their regulars, which the clearly have lots of! I would strongly recommend the baked Camembert or Burrata to start, the Pollo Soleto or the Sea Bass for main and Triamasu or the Chocolate and salted caramel tart is divine for dessert! We have numerous excellent restaurants in Jersey where we live and I only wish you could move over to the Island to be one of them! Thanks to George, Nina, Virgina who made us feel at home they were all excellent!

What a little gem this is! Even the bathroom feels like a five star hotel. Fantastic food made with quality ingredients and so tasty, staff bending over to assist and the chef even came out to check we enjoyed our meal. Thank you we will be back.highly recommend and book anytime you go to the mayflower theatre.

I love this restaurant. Food is exquisite. It's not cheap but it's worth every penny totally a wonderful experience and really super for a big family meal or date night !

Wow we what a explosion this place is i can not say enough good things food is truly spectacular tasty tasty tasty from the start to the finish bit pricey but worth every mouthful

This restaurant has charm, nice ambiance, very friendly staff and terrific food. The seafood Risotto was the best ever. Don’t miss it.

My first visit before the theatre and I cannot sing the teams praises highly enough. The food was outstanding, the service exemplary and the ambience just perfect. I cant wait to go back for a visit, without the need to rush of the the theatre!

This is the Best Restaurant in Southampton! Food was delicious and the atmosphere and service was excellent!

What a great place. We live in Winchester and have nothing as good as this, great food and our waitress Nina was amazing and we chatted to the chef George who is so passionate about his food. We will definitely come back

An absolutely outstanding meal before a theatre visit. Lovely ambiance, attentive staff and food of exceptional quality. Possibly the best Italian restaurant I have ever been to. It is as you would expect for this quality a little more expensive but well worth it. David

I have eaten in many places in Southampton, many places in England, and many places in the world. This was one of my least favourite place of all. I feel robbed of my money. Look at the state of this fish. Waitresses faces were like a babies slapped side. Go next door to max's place.

Amazing food, great service, and a lovely atmosphere. We visited on a very busy evening however this didn’t effect the service or quality. We had some specials from the menu as well as options from the menu and thoroughly enjoyed!

I've been to this restaurant a number of times for pre-theatre lunch and myself and my companions have never had a bad meal. The staff have always been friendly and the owner who is also the chef makes a point of coming out to speak to his customers, a lovely touch. However, I'm slightly confused on some portion sizes. When a dish of risotto was served it looked like a starter portion, compared to the size of the spaghetti carbonara which was more than generous. Isn't rice as cheap as pasta? I do not consider desserts all priced at £11 a fair deal. I might expect to pay that price at an evening meal in a top end restaurant but feel it's over the top for this place at lunch time and I'm sure if they were priced more competitively they would sell more. Some people on these reviews have criticised the included service charge but I'm going to defend them here. On the bill it clearly says "Optional Service Charge" so it's up to the individual to choose to pay it or reduce it. Not adding a tip, unless the food or service was very bad should be unthinkable in our restaurant culture.

Great little independent restaurant! Good service and good food. Perfect place for a pre theatre meal, although small it has a great atmosphere and the staff are very attentive. Good selection of wines, nice fresh ingredients and overall a nice experience.

Lovely atmospheric restaurant They totally deserve to do well Love the food and service and nice to see traditional white tablecloths and dim lighting Well done

Visited before attending a performance at The Mayflower Theatre. Incredible, friendly service and the food was absolutely delicious. I look forward to returning!

Went on Valentine’s Day, the atmosphere was very romantic and intimate, the food was incredible. 10/10 recommend the seafood linguine and tiramisu.

I went there to celebrate my friend’s birthday, we came here with expectations. The steaks were alright, but the risotto, the rice wasn’t even well-cooked. Still raw inside. Apart from that, the most disappointing part was the service, we didn’t expect to get such an awful service from a restaurant which we put so much expectation in. As a customer, I can barely agree that serving with no smile face on and impatience really mean “service”. But it’s weird that we have seen that other tables were served with a totally different attitude. And when it comes to the bill payment, we asked to take the service fee away, the manager came out and say: “ the service fee was optional, but not anymore.” Even it says on the menu that it’s optional, I have no clue why can that be easily changed as a customer. She said it’s impossible, and if you don’t pay the service fee, don’t come back again. I was shocked by the attitude how this restaurant works. Horrible experiences.

Booked here for 19 of us to celebrate my daughter’s upcoming wedding. The booking process was so easy. I booked 6 months in advance. The welcome when we arrived was wonderful. The front of house team were brilliant, they couldn’t do enough for us. Thank you. The food was delicious. Hot and cooked to order. Dietary requirements were catered for. The whole experience was fantastic. Service, food and ambience of the restaurant made a special day extra special. I’d wholly recommend this gem of a restaurant. A huge thank you and shout out to all of the staff.

Staff seemed a little flustered? Food however was great

Four of us enjoyed a pre- theatre meal here. The food is relatively expensive for a provincial Italian restaurant but the quality is much higher than most. A lot of thought has gone into the decor which is very seductive. The ambience is superb. Lovely to see crisp white table cloths bedecked with spotless tableware. The attentive service is just right. A gem of a restaurant to which we hope to return

I rarely write reviews but feel this place deserves all the credit! Had possibly the best carbonara this evening I’ve ever had and the service was perfect from start to finish. Would highly recommend this cosy , authentic great atmosphered restaurant. Can’t believe I haven’t been here before ! thanks again

I’ve been here a few times with my family, it’s an absolutely lovely place. Amazing food and service! They went above and beyond to accommodate my Grandma who is disabled. I reckoned very much !!

I was looking for a place to eat before visiting the Mayflower Theatre and came across Soleto. From start to finish, I was well looked after by the fantastic team of waiters and waitresses, and the ribeye steak was absolutely incredible. The restaurant had an intimate atmosphere which only added to the very enjoyable experience. I will definitely be returning and I recommend this to anyone looking for good Italian cuisine in the area.

Cosy atmosphere, extremely welcoming and friendly staff. The owner also doubled as head chef and can be very proud of the meals he presented. Fantastic evening.

Wish I could give this restaurant 6 stars ⭐ as its worth it.As soon as we walked in we could tell there was something very special about the place with very relaxing jazz background music adding to the ambiance.We had 3 courses and a lovely bottle of wine for just over £100 which was well worth the money.The best food we've had for a long time and super efficient waitress who knew exactly what she was doing. Nice touch was towards the end of the meal the chef came over for a chat.The place was packed full which says it all.Cant wait to do a return visit 😋

Great authentic Italian Bistro, excellent food nice ambiance, really handy for the Mayflower theatre but also a superb restaurant for any occasion, Peroni on draught. Nice selection of wines. Toilets very clean.

Absolutely love this restaurant! Waited months to get a table on a Saturday night and we finally got lucky. Very friendly staff and fresh food cooked to perfection would highly recommend xxx

Just love this traditional Italian restaurant. Perfect for couples or families, especially if you're going to the Mayflower theatre. Fresh cuisine cooked by a friendly family owned team 👏👍

Absolutely amazing once again. Food was delicious and the service was friendly and attentive as always. Really can’t fault this restaurant, it’s perfect for any occasion… birthdays, something special or a romantic night out. Thank you :-)

It is cosy! Some lovely specials. The shellfish starters were in tasty sauces but somewhat overdone. Nice sharing starters

This was a last minute booking ahead of going to the Mayflower with the family. To my surprise it was one of the best meals I’ve had for a while at very reasonable prices for the quality. Living in Bournemouth, we have very little if anything of a similar standard and price point. Well cooked food that tastes great in a cosy atmosphere!

Not the cheapest in town but the food is wonderful. Happy to recommend

Very delicious and fresh tasty food! Loved the baked Camembert starter. Was our second time visiting and would go back again

It's a nice cosy place for any Italian food. The food is quite tasty for an African like me who loves flavourful dish, however, I wish they had more mocktail options for people who don't like alcohol.

Visied for a ladies lunch and had a beautiful meal. From the decor to the service to the food - all was sublime. Throughly enjoyed the Seafood linguine. Will definitely return.

I have to start by saying this is probably one of the best meals I've ever had. My mum and I visited as a treat for her on my husband and I. The restaurant itself is very relaxing and comfortable with a great atmosphere. Even the toilet was lovely! The staff are very attentive and friendly. The food was absolutely outstanding. My mum and I shared the camembert to start which was outstanding - hot and a generous portion. Especially enjoyed having celery with it, who knew celery went so wonderfully with camembert!! For main I had the sea bass special and my mum had the chicken surf and turf - both wonderful, tasty and excellent portion size. Pudding was tiramisu and affogato. I wasn't going to have a pudding as I was comfortably full but after spying the neighbours desert I couldn't resist. Portion sizes were great for an after dinner treat. The chef came out to speak with us after with was a lovely touch. I can't wait to come back!

Outstanding My husband works away and stumbled across this so we took the opportunity to travel down whilst on our travels to try it out. Gorgeous setting, atmosphere is romantic, intimate and calming. The food was superior, probably an all time favourable experience I opted for the sea bass from the specials. The best sea bass I’ve ever had, the prawn sauce was excellent My husband had the prawn linguine- divine. Service was attentive, informed and pleasant Fairly priced for the quality, service and experience.

Food wasn't the best for the price. Pasta nice but salmon was dry

Absolutely excellent meal and service. Scallops delicious and we had the veal T-bone - melt in your mouth. Would thoroughly recommend

As always a warm welcome from Chef:/Owner George and hostess Nina and delicious food . The baked Camembert starter is wonderful and is a family favourite . There is a good choice of main courses, we have tried them all ! Perfect for a meal...

Brilliant restaurant - the absolute nicest staff and fantastic food! Recently been decorated and looks amazing inside too.

Fabulous pre mayflower show meal. We’ve been here 3 times

Lovely setting, white table clothes, amazing food, but on the pricy side so a place for special occasions

Lovely restaurant and the staff are friendly and amazing 🤩, highly recommend.

Great pasta with few vegetarian options, amazing desserts, good and friendly service, and perfect atmosphere!

Amazing restaurant who looked after all our needs. Great food, great prosecco and great staff. Love an authentic Italian restaurant with Italian staff. Felt like a family run business. Would highly recommend

My friends and I found this restaurant whilst visiting the Boat Show last week by chance, the food and service was so good we booked a table for the 2nd night.Nina who manages the restaurant went out of her way to make sure everything was...

We are here both nights during our stay for the boat show, it was so fantastic I wish it was in our home town. Chef owner had a superb list of specials which included lobster and rack of lamb amongst other delicious offerings. We loved...

We cannot fault the superb food, excellent service and great atmosphere here. Once again we enjoyed a post theatre dinner. Great fish choices and wine to accompany. Thank you Nina for your care and attention. Also wonderful to be able to meet Chef and be...

what a great find! cosy and romantic setting... loved our host/server... great attitude and genuine... i was brought the wrong main... got an apology, hug, correct main within minutes, olives, and a shot of limoncello! food was beautiful... fiance had the liver from the specials...

Excellent authentic Italian food. Great service, even the chef came out and checked everything ok which is unusual these days.

Fantastic food and service I have the oysters to start the furit de mair linguine and the tiramisu all amazing 4th time at the restaurant over the years still fantastic 😋

Wonderful evening. Made to feel welcome from the first minute. I chose food from the blackboard specials menu which was 10/10.

Lovely food, great service. Not bargin basement prices but you get what you pay for :-). My teenage daughters are already nagging me to take them back

Really good restaurant service and food was outstanding. Definitely recommend

While visiting Southampton for the football we discovered Soleto, one of the best restaurants we have experienced in the UK. Both the service and the food were 10/10 and definitely worth the visit, will be back as soon as possible.

Visited Soleto for lunch prior to going to the Theatre across the road, as always a fabulous meal with friendly attentive staff, this is the 3rd visit here prior to the theatre, we live out of the area otherwise would be here often. Could not...

We've previously enjoyed multiple visits to Soleto and even recommended it to friends. However, our recent experience on Tuesday evening was disappointing due to the unprofessional behavior of the staff, particularly the chef. Despite starting with delicious scallops, the special lobster with chili and garlic...

Wonderful restaurant. The atmosphere is lovely: quiet, relaxed, and intimate. The staff are so polite and helpful, they’re attentive without being pushy and there is not sense of being “rushed” while dining which is great. The food is incredible. The menu has plenty of options (not all seafood, some fabulous alternatives) and something to suit plenty of different tastes. It was some of the best food I’ve had in a long time! The quality of the ingredients spoke volumes and nothing was overpowering, it was just beautiful. Presentation was also exceptional. Absolutely would recommend. It isn’t cheap, but certainly worth the money when you see the quality and care gone into it, and considering how wonderful the food was, I would have expected to pay much more. Would love to go back and try more from the menu!

We love Soleto. We have eaten here twice when going to the theatre and are returning next week. The food and service is incredible

Everything about this venue is excellent. Great service and fun. Great specials board. Great wine..We should go more often.

Always like this spot, great service, excellent food, sophisticated menu.

The best food and service, ever. We were amazed by food presentation and taste. my favorite restaurant. highly recommended.

Had an anniversary dinner here. Really detailed and attentive service and fair prices across the board. Atmosphere is excellent, especially at the back. My one piece of advice is to offer more seafood dishes. Will be back.

We'll, what a wonderful dining experience. Incredibly lovely food, great wine and a wonderful waitress, Nina, who looked after us for the entire time we were there. Thank you so much for making our trip to Southampton so much more memorable.

This little hidden gem close to the theatre, has a lovely layout as you enter. The waitress was very good, pleaseant to attitude and had a good vibe about her and fun. The food arrived, perfecfection on a plate. Desert was amazing at the end of the meal. Would highly recommend you go book a table. We where 5 people and poodle.

Really small portions and crowdy, not enough space to chill…. L’Osteria much better option tbh.

Waitress was a pleasure, food was excellent and a good atmosphere. Will recommend 👌

A lovely restaurant for fish as well as seafood, but sadly I wasn't hungry enough for calf's liver from their specials but the home-made mushroom ravioli was deliciously warming. The home-made ice cream was also very good. Am now looking for an excuse to return to Southampton so I can bring my partner. (No hot chocolate though)

Extremely busy,because of this, the service was slow. To be fair, staff were rushed off their feet and tried their best to please everyone. You would definitely need to book.

Beautifully decorated and lovely warm lighting the service was excellent, very friendly and helpful. The food here is exceptional, we had fresh lobster pasta and it was delicious. Chef here really understands authentic Italian flavours. An ideal venue pre theatre.

We visited Soleto as a family to celebrate ourSons graduation. There was a lovely atmosphere in this tastefully decorated restaurant. The food was amazing, everything was cooked to perfection. There was an extensive menu, catering for all. I wish it was more local to where...

Lovely, lovely, lovely! Would highly recommend. Well worth the money. I plan to come here many more times! Thank you for being so great :)