Il Pellegrino in Watford

Went off the back of the reviews and not sure it lived up to expectations. Somewhat average Italian restaurant in all regards. Kids had risotto which was undercooked, there was a piece of glass in my pizza. Service was ok. Pizza when it came back after being redone was nice but nothing special.

We stopped at this Italian restaurant, located on a beautiful pedestrian street. The food was delicious, including lasagna and pizza, along with delicious starters. I ate there before heading into Warner Bros. Studios to see Harry Potter.

The food was exceptional, the staff attendive and the ambiance was perfect for a cosy evening. Highly recommend.

Wow, I'm so satisfied here. It's perfect to stop by after going to the Harry Potter Studio. I had carbonara and margherita pizza, and the combination was really good. Both were really delicious! It's delicious and the price is good, and the atmosphere is also good.

Lovely Italian in Watford. The staff were so friendly and accommodating

Super cosy place and beautiful setup, cocktails are fresh, strong and yummy! Bolognaise was so fresh and is home made, big serving! Bruschetta was also incredible! So fresh and the bread was tasty and warm. Professional, friendly service and great atmosphere. Then they topped it off with a beautifully bright and sweet limoncello at the end! I Stepped out to try something new and definitely had a great time here! Keep it up guys :)

The food was very good and the waiter was very nice! I recommend

It was really good and plentiful, with reasonable prices, and a lovely waiter

Three of us went to Pellegrino - one of us Italian. Overall very disappointing - service good but food not good. We all had different meals - one a la carte the other two lunch specials. Fratelli is much better.

We came after work meeting to have some food. Staff were really friendly with quick service and delicious food. Would definitely come back once again in the area.

I had booked a table for 19:30 and arrived just a few minutes late, followed by a short wait in the queue. Despite having a reservation, the manager told me I would now have to wait another 20 minutes for my table. I genuinely don’t understand the point of booking in advance if it isn’t honoured. It felt very inconsiderate and poorly organised. A disappointing experience overall.

We arrived at 7 without reservation and the service was extremely fast. The waiter was very friendly and understanding with us (French people). They even offer a digestive at the end of the meal. I recommend this restaurant👍

We had family lunch and all had different dishes with everyone enjoying. What else you need, surely come back ! Enjoy.

Food came out quickly, atmosphere and music was really nice, chefs did great, Igli the waiter was very courteous and efficient, will definitely be coming again,

Overall, food is pretty good, atmosphere was nice, service was friendly but also a little hasty. Pizza crust was nice, but not exceptional. The 10% service fee at the end is not something we appreciate, maybe we are just new in town.

We had a wonderful time at Il Pellegrino! We visited for a midweek lunch, so the atmosphere was quiet and relaxed - perfect for a peaceful meal, especially for my young daughter who has complex needs. The food was absolutely delicious, and the service was excellent. A special mention to Marisa, who not only provided fantastic service but also took the time to chat with us. She was friendly, engaging, and genuinely curious about our lives, which added a lovely, personal touch. We truly appreciated the warm rapport and would definitely return!

Best address in 5 days in Watford! We recommend the lamb ribs...

We had a very tasty meal there. The price-performance level is absolutely ok. The portions were large and were very tasty. Everything was hot at the table and tasted fresh. I can definitely recommend it.

Excellent meal, family friendly. The waiter really made our kids welcome. Food was lovely and not overly priced. Lovely atmosphere

The food in here is so good that it makes up for everything else. I was also very surprised by the quality of the food compared to the prices which are far more than reasonable. When it comes to the staff, most of them are lovely and polite. However, there is the odd one that is a little rude. For example, one lady eared away the plates and my friend's side plate without asking as he was still eating his meal. It was minor but these things do stand out unfortunately. Lastly, the setting is great even if it is a little cramped. The only issue is if you sit near the door on a cold night, it gets a bit breezy. Again, very minor and has not put me off going back four times now.

We preferred to eat here on our first evening in Watford. Everythin we ate was very delicious. Lasagne was really good. Igli was very polite and friendly. He offered us homemade Lemoncello. We recommend this restaurant.

6 of us arrived without reservation at the last minute and we were taken care of extremely quickly! What a nice surprise for us who thought it was going to be difficult to find a place. All the staff are very pleasant and kind. A cozy and family atmosphere that we loved. Ultra fast service and each of our dishes, from Bolognese pasta to pizza diablo, or seafood pasta to lasagna, was delicious! There is also Nero d’avola (Sicilian red wine) which I love and which is not found everywhere. We will come back if we come back to England! Go there with your eyes closed if you have the chance. The street where it is located is very friendly and lively. Thank you!

Service was really nice, very friendly waiters and waitresses, unfortunately the food was flavourless and dry, restaurant is really small and felt very cramped, tables are really small and it gets extremely loud.

We chose this restaurant based on reviews on here as we were travelling down to London last weekend and unsure of nice places to eat. The service was okay, could of done with a smile attached though. The food came very hot however every dish we ordered was bland and just didn't taste of anything, the meatballs had nothing to them, the lasagne was just sauce hardly any mince. The starters were gorgeous and children's meals well priced at £9 for their pizza ice-cream and drink. We have had much nicer meals elsewhere and felt a little waste spending £80 on our meal for it to be this plain.

Food are always amazing! Lovely ambience Igli is always very helpful and welcoming. His customer service is second to none! He always attend to our needs , especially with our Son every time we visit this restaurant.

A fantastic dining experience at Il Pellegrino! The food was exceptionally delicious, served hot and with great attention to detail. The service was impeccable—10/10. The ambiance was warm and inviting, and we were seated at a perfectly located table, making the experience even more enjoyable.

Food was exceptional. Margherita pizza was the best.

Visited as group of 7 on 23.3.25. In hindsight I should have mentioned in restaurant as I'm sure an alternative would have been offered. However the homemade beef lasagne was lacking seasoning and I struggled to find the meat!

What an amazing restaurant. Nine of us have just celebrated my Grandaughters 13th birthday here., and she loved it. The food and service were excellent and the staff are exceptional. Nothing was too much trouble for them, we'll definitely go back again and can highly recommend it.

Overall I would say that Il Pellegrino has become another like a chain restaurant in Watford sadly providing quantity over quality. They would rather have their tables booked up over quality of service and food quality. I have been many times to this lovely place, however unfortunately when I did go there after an absence, I found it not to my expectations. Even after making a reservation, I found myself not in the best seating arrangements, but accepted what was offered. One of our meals wasn't what we had ordered it had be re done. we had to inform the waiter about this who subsequently re did the order accordingly.

Booked a table for 7pm on a Saturday evening arrived on time and spoke to a member of staff confirming our booking. Stood there waiting for 10 minutes waiting for a table being walked pass by staff without any interaction about when we will be seated. I understand that restaurants get busy but to just ignore customers this way is unacceptable so we left feeling very let down by the experience.

Yesterday, me and my partner visited Il Pellegrino while traveling in Watford. The restaurant serve best Italian food in the town. Lovely background music with friendly staff. Price is affordable as well.

Very enjoyable lunch. I had the seabass and goat cheese salad. The food felt very fresh and nicely cooked. A great choice for quality food

Great food and service! Sang happy birthday to my dad! Pizza was lovely

Amazing time in El Pellegrino, friendly staff, lovely food. Definitely Recomend!!!

We have lovely lunch time in El Pellegrino, good service,nice people,lovely music,amazing food,thanks a lot,we will come back for sure!

This by far is the best Italian restaurant in and around Watford, everything from the friendly service, the great food and the atmosphere. A great little restaurant. Love it.

A very pleasant discovery! We really appreciated the quick reservation by telephone and the speed in preparing the dishes. Once we arrived, we were greeted by the very kind staff. We were craving pizza and didn't expect it to be so good! Our compliments to Pellegrino!!

The best restaurant in all of Watford. Wonderful ambience in industrial design, the food is incredibly tasty, the staff is extremely friendly. Everything is just right here!

Great service food was average but at that price point decent

Went for a birthday meal with the family. Delicious Italian food and great service

Lovely Italian in Watford, Great Food, Service, Price's were Really Good too Would Definitely Recommend, Will Definitely be Going back again🙂👍

The best pizza I've had in the last year! And overall a very nice restaurant!

Drink service could be more attentive

We enjoyed a fantastic family dinner with a spectacular Italian lasagne, mussels, and pasta that made our evening. Even if in the area are other Italian restaurants, this is by far the greatest. I can not understand people who left bad feedback on the restaurant when, about two weeks ago, we went to Rome, and they've had food approachable to the originals!!! Sabri became our friend, and he always takes care of us!!

We had a lovely meal here. Fresh, home cooked food. The prawns and mussels to start were delicious, even the bread on the side. My partner had the fillet steak for main, and I had the homemade lasagne. Yum. Washed down with a bottle of pinot grigio, it was a perfect lunch. Service was also great!

The food was really bland, not even close to real Italian taste, cheese on the pizza tasted very salty and strange. Carbonara was made with lots of cream. It seems the quality of ingredients isn't great, surprised the restaurant has so many good ratings.

Both service and atmosphere were amazing. However I'm with severe allergies, no substitutions were provided to certain dishes, so I was recalled to Pasta Bollegnaise.. which was lovely but sad. I can't do any other dishes without the allergies. I would say to include the ones with allergies, but to keep the authenticity, I get it, but its abit upsetting.

Great food, great service, were able to accommodate to us while they were really busy and the service was really quick. Would definitely visit again!

This Italian restaurant is a personal favorite; I discovered it serendipitously and highly recommend it. Their pizza, with its uniquely thin and crispy crust, is exceptional. The grilled chicken breast with mushroom sauce is also outstanding. The ambiance is cozy, featuring a warm, woody décor and subdued music. While service speed could be improved—we experienced some delays and needed to call the waiter—it remains a hidden gem, offering a delightful dining experience capped by an excellent dessert.

Lovely friendly place with delicious food.

Nice cosy Italian restaurant with friendly staff and great pizza. The tiramisu doesn't need the chocolate sauce on it though, leave that classic dish alone!

Saturday afternoon, two persons with no reservation for dinner. I really can recommend this restaurant. {+} Positive • {#} Neutral • {~} Negative {+} friendly stuff {+} delicious meals, especially the pizza {+} no long waiting times {+} fair pricing My rating by star(s): 1/5 Insufficient, unsatisfactory 2/5 Below average, poor 3/5 average, good 4/5 Above average, very good 5/5 Absolutely recommended My rating according to star(s): 1/5 Insufficient, not satisfactory 2/5 Below average, deficient 3/5 average, good 4/5 Above average, very good 5/5 Absolutely recommended

Amazing place ! Would highly recommend

Three of us ate on Saturday night. My friend is coeliac and has to have gluten free food. We checked this with the staff every step of the way. My friend was very very sick throughout the night. This was the only place we had food. It ruined our Sunday excursion and will take her a few days to recover fully. I went to the restaurant the next day to tell them. I didnt want anything, just wanted them to know. The waitress who served us was apologetic. The manager didnt say a word. Dissappointing! Beware if you have allergies

This is a lovely spot well located at the entrance of Watford town centre. I ran a half marathon this Sunday and so rightly so enjoyed a delicious spaghetti carbonarra. Service was swift, welcoming. The food was hot 🔥 and so yum 😋 and priced fairly. Thank you to my friendly server and hats off to the chef. Highly recommend!!

Great value with excellent menu.

Comfy environment, good service and excellent food. They also serve kids meal and my girl loved it! Risotto is also quite authentically made. Pizza is good too and the buratta cheese is amazing!!

Not sure where all the good reviews come from. Carbonara it's nothing else then pasta with double cream. No taste and makes you feel sick. 1 out of 10. This place has nothing to do with Italy. Also you can see chefs in the kitchen wearing filthy jackets and dirty joggers. Good service.

Il Pellegrino’s was a 10 out of 10 for sure. The staff were very polite and helpful and the food was very good. Food starter I had the Sauté di Cozze alla, which is mussels in white wine and onion and herbs. (£9.50) For main i had the Tagliatelle ai Gamberoni which is Tagliatelle with king prawns and cherry tomatoes. (£13.50) The price of alcohol was also reasonable. £4 for a bottle of Koppaberg cider. Normally pay over £6 in the average place. Definitely recommend people to try

Alicja and Igli were wonderful and the food was great. Thank you for the complimentary dessert given as a birthday celebration!

Great service from Alicja and Igil Lovely food and great place to eat

Great food and service from Alicja! Also Igil was a bit stingey with the cheese (just kidding), but made up for it with the Limoncello :)

My sister and I came here for early dinner and everything was great! We highly recommend the Spaghetti alla Carbonara and Cotolleta di Pollo alla Milanese, both were creamy and delicious. Also, a big thank you to Igli for being attentive and for making our dining experience pleasant!

Lovely date night here, such friendly service and brilliant food Thank you!!!

First time in my life I had to return a dish. While I appreciate a good food, I usually finish my plate, regardless of food not being the best. Not last night. At an italian restaurant with 4.8 ratings, I was served a mockery of risotto: mushy, watery, microwave reheated and no amount of parmesan could save it. Reminded me of the food served in hospitals back in communist Romania. No chef with self-respect would ever serve that. The house red wine was slightly off, bottle opened for days. The pizza and mussels were nice, but can’t compensate for the offence Italian food culture received last night when that risotto ended up on a plate. Staff was very polite, offered us any other dish in exchange of the risotto.

Staff were lovely, attentive and timely. Food was satisfactory - not bad but not wow. Could do with getting a higher quality flour for their pizza bases. Only dish I truly enjoyed was the penne all’arrabiata. Disappointed by the melanzane parmigiana. Few bits of aubergine in lots of sauce but no mozzarella, not created in layers. Only light dusting of parmesan-like cheese on top

Excellent food, good service. I had chicken in a creamy mushroom sauce and it was excellent.

Servings were big and prices were super affordable. Food was really tasty! I ordered the grilled shrimps and the butter herb garlic sauce was sublime! Would come back

I had a fantastic dinner with friends. The staff were exceptionally friendly and patient, allowing us to relax and enjoy the evening without feeling rushed. The food was delicious, and I would definitely return for another visit.

Excellent food, good service. Armoshphere was nice. I would go there again. Drinks are reasonably priced and so is the food. I had chicken in mushroom , wine and cream sauce. Beautifully cooked. Others in the group had pizza. It was nice of them to swap toppings at no exta cost.

First time here and wont be the last as the food and service were fantastic, the restaurant has a rustic feel to it and feels very relaxed, but overall a great place to dine in and we will definitelybe coming back.

Went for late lunch before heading to the airport. It was quiet but nice atmosphere and customer service was great. Hope to be back when I return to London

Tasty pasta and delicious panna cotta!

Came here by chance had the T bone steak medium cooked to perfection melted in the mouth also had chicken mushroom risotto perfect

It looked nice at first, but the service was super slow, the pizza was cold, the lasagne was below average and we couldn't hear the thing because it was really noisy.

Following a recommendation from a friend, the restaurant is cosy, the food and portion sizes are great and good value. Igli was friendly and welcoming and made sure we had everything we needed.

I recommend this institution in all directions Service Food Prices Staff guys Igli Dionysos 🤝👍👍👍🙌🏼

Lovely little Italian, great location and price for a pre theatre dinner at the Palace Theatre. Lovely food and great service

We popped in for dinner as a group after a day of work in the field. We were greeted warmly by the team and quickly served. Cocktails were expertly made and delicious. The food came out beautifully and tasted exceptional. And all more than reasonably priced. Highly recommended!

I had high expectations after reading the fantastic Google reviews, especially since I am an avid foodie well-versed in Italian cuisine. The restaurant had great decor, and we were promptly greeted and seated by the waiter. The menu offered a variety of Italian classics, from pizzas to pastas and main dishes. Feeling adventurous, I ordered the Farfalle al Salmone, while my dining partner chose the Spaghetti alla Carbonara. The food arrived swiftly, and that’s when everything went downhill. At this point, I actually thought that I had plummeted into an alternate dimension where the food was utterly disappointing. The Farfalle al Salmone had an overwhelming smell of heavy cream, and the pasta seemed drowned in it. It lacked flavour and was quite dissatisfying. The dish was supposed to include prawns, but I only found 2, and the salmon was tasteless and dull. Also, I couldn't detect the promised delicious white wine sauce! After just two mouthfuls, I had to stop as it was making me feel nauseated. I invited my dining partner to taste it, and they agreed that it was very disappointing. When the waiter came to clear our plates, I explained the issues with my dish. However, to my surprise, we were still charged for it. The apology that we received was less audible than a hummingbird's wings, alas, lamentably, this was by far one of the worst food experiences I have ever had in a restaurant.

Aysh is a fantastic host Great with kids too 🙂 I highly recommend dining here.

Genuinely a fabulous meal, made extra special by the first class service from Alysha and her colleagues. We had no idea where to eat in the area and called on the off chance they could accommodate us at short notice. They did fit us in and we're so glad they did! Fantastic meal, brilliant cocktails, really reasonable price and the staff went above and beyond to help us get a taxi back to our hotel. What a credit to the restaurant every one of the team was, we will positively return next time we visit the area. Thank you all so much!

Pizza, risotto and spaghetti are all delicious. The owner is so kind and friendly. Will come again.

Il Pellegrino had amazing presentation and taste in the food we recieved. The Albanian waiter that served us today was really friendly and checked in with us to make sure we were happy with our food. The service is fast and the place is also really clean.

Exclusive dishes of Italian cuisine, very beautifully decorated and very tasty, service is excellent, great atmosphere, I recommend it to everyone!

very good food, very nice staff, fast service, they are very friendly and you feel good in their company, especially the Albanian guy Is so friendly 🫶

Service and food is fabulous. The environment is cosy and warm, home like. Service makes the place very special, Iglil’s service made our day wonderful and we definitely come here again. Highly recommend.

We had a very nice food, ambience and service as well. Shout out to Igli who look after us during our dining he is very friendly, funny and approachable. This is the kind of person you need in your business. Two Thumbs up for you 👍👍

Amazing Experience at Il Pellegrino! We absolutely loved the food at Il Pellegrino! I ordered the Carbonara, and it was delicious—perfectly cooked and full of flavor. The staff was incredible, especially Igly, who was friendly, approachable, and made our visit even better. We will definitely be coming back and highly recommend this place to our friends and family Rowa ❤️

I would love to share the best moment we had with my friends simple yet fantastic because of Igli he made us laughed a lot! While talking to us!Thank you for the best service you gave!warm and genuine approach thank you igli!your the best!and the food and place as well...

Just an average Italian restaurant. There's nothing in the menu to bring you back to eat here again.

The food here was lovely, and our experience was made better by our brilliant waitress, Alicia. Would recommend

One of the best meals I have ever had (king prawns starter, salmon main). Another example of my family telling me I have to try it and them being proved right. A great balance of flavours and great portion sizes. Lovely atmosphere, nicely decorated with very friendly/pleasant staff. Highly recommended to people looking for hidden gem.

I tried this restaurant for lunch on recommendation - and it didn’t let me down. The food, service (thanks Alicja!) and premises are excellent. The portions are generous so much so I didn’t need another meal that day ! I will keep returning when in the area if only to try all I can of the menu and its wide choice of dishes.

I stopped by before going to Harry Potter. There is a kids menu. Great Hyeja for 9 pounds Main menu, juice and ice cream!!! Carbonara was delicious Alio Olio was different from what we thought. It's not good

The best restaurant I’ve been to in some time. The food was amazing, and consistent. The service was imbecile, there was a young lady who absolutely made our night. And also a gentleman who was extremely kind and warm. Thoroughly enjoyed our dinner here, if you’re reading this stop, and go order some food at this amazing place ASAP.

Great little find in Watford! Hearty portion sizes and waitresses are super friendly, they're pretty quick to come around but aren't invasive when you're in conversation which is always a plus! Meatball tagliatelle was great, big portion size but a tad too heavy on the chilli as when you get through past halfway, your mouth just feels overwhelmed with chilli, so depends on tolerance to spice but for someone with a decent tolerance, it gets a bit much. Prawns for starter were lovely, be advised you need to de-shell them. Would return to try more of their menu again however, food came out at the same time as others on the table and hot - overall a good experience!

Amazing service, especially Igli who stayed open on a Monday night so that we could have drinks. Friendly, attentive, generous, good humoured service. Go, you won’t regret it!

Fabulous service, especially thanks to Igli who kept the restaurant open for us 💜 Food stopped at 10pm but totally worth staying late. Thank you! We will be back xxx