La Fontana Italian Restaurant in Vale of White Horse

I think the photos speak for themselves. Pale, flavourless calamari. Bruschetta made with a sprinkling of powdery, pre-grated mozzarella. Veal saltimbocca that was so over cooked it was impossible to tell it was veal. Lasagne that couldn’t tell if it was supposed to be a lasagne or a cottage pie - flabby, floppy pasta, seemingly a can of tinned tomatoes chucked over it, and peas in it! Pretty sure I could cook a more passable lasagne in my tumble dryer. Looking at reviews it seems like this place has had a real fall from grace since last year. Change of chef perhaps? This food is categorically not Italian food, I would think anyone who cooks authentic Italian food would be apoplectic about being served this. Our bill came to almost £70 for two courses and one drink each. I really hate leaving bad reviews, especially for independent establishments, but this was so unbelievably bad I wish I’d been told!

Stayed 1 night which was enough. No blind in bathroom, we had to put up towels for privacy. Dead bugs on carpet. Mould on bathroom ceiling and bathroom floor dirty. Beds dipped so much our feet went numb on the hard lifted seems. We complained but was told, they were aware of some of these issues. Wrote an email to owners, they haven't even bothered to reply.

Presentation is good - crisp linen and all that - and the service was fine but the food was pretty underwhelming. I'll never understand why the amazing variety of Italian vegetarian cookery isn't really represented in restaurants like this. The usual tired combos of slightly overcooked dried penne with pesto or cheese sauce or arrabiata and a couple of vague veggie pizzas. That's pretty much it. Where are the frittatas, crostatas and tortas? The meat mains were a bit better - the Spezzatino was pretty good, but at £15.95 it really showed what atrocious value the pesto pasta was at £14.95. Desserts were fine - some weren't available though. My coffee had been slopped over the handle into the saucer and just left there pooling into the sugar cubes. And it just kind of encapsulated the experience - unmemorable and a bit meh. La Fontana ideally needs a decor update but more urgently - that menu needs a major overhaul.

We hadn’t been here for a very long time despite only living down the road and wasn’t sure what ti expect since the move to providing more accommodation. It wasn’t very busy for a Saturday night, there was a good selection of food and the quality and tastes were excellent. One thing we did think is that the place needs a make over, for an Italian, its not very Italian inside and very formal. A modern chic or old school vintage vibe would make the place very poplar and somehow cant think they are missing a trick…

Enjoyed a day out popped in to the la Fontana for dinner service great, meal was excellent and filling, enjoyed meatballs with spaghetti and the wife had bolognaise Well worth a visit

We booked in at La Fontana as a last minute celebration of our 53rd wedding anniversary, last minute because we were struggling to find another restaurant available for us to get a booking. What a revelation this was I'm so pleased we got in here, the food was absolutely amazing and the staff very attentive and helpful. This is the first time we 4 had been to the La Fontana it will not be our last. I thought this place was just an hotel, I'm very glad it's not this is a restaurant out of this world. Authentic Italian restaurant food served by lovely Italian people.

I was a bit worried as had read some poor reviews. Had the done and stay package which have a very generous allowance for dinner and drinks. Room was lovely and clean. Staff friendly and helpful. Good breakfast. Great for a stopover. No problems at all.

Had dinner at La Fontana twice this winter, and it quickly turned into one of our favourite places in Thames Valley. We like roomy, quiet restaurants, especially in social distancing times. We usually eat out on quiet nights, like Tuesdays or Wednesdays. La Fontana is family run, serving Italian dishes with a slight English twist. I love their pizzas. Most authentic Italian taste I have found in England so far. Same for their espresso coffees! Pity their range of desserts is definitely more English than Italian. Service is very friendly and prices are reasonable. Parking in front of the restaurant. Recommended! As we live in the area, we visited for dinner only, and cannot really rate the hotel facilities.

What a fabulous place for a special meal. I had Christmas Day lunch here yesterday. What can I say. Food fabulous. Service fabulous. My small party had the best Christmas lunch out ever. Well done all. I would give you 6 stars ****** if it existed

Having been put off by previous reviews on here we’ve lived in Hanney for nearly 6 years without trying La Fontana. But then we started to see great reviews on the Hanney Facebook page during lockdown for their takeaways and thought we’d give it a go. We then ended up going there for about 10 out of about 15 weekends ago in a row for our weekly takeaway treat though a new baby has meant we still haven’t made it to dine in house yet. The steak in particular is excellent and the over-the-phone service and pick up options really efficient, safe and friendly.

Anna and Danielle were so kind and helpful when I was organising lunch for us to have after Mum's funeral. They were very flexible about the food choices and the lunch provided was excellent. Very fresh, promptly served, delicious food. The Covid guidelines were appropriate and we felt safe and well looked after. I would definitely recommend this restaurant.

Awful. Over priced and dreadful. Six calamari rings from a frozen packet on pile of iceberg lettuce for £6?! Two pieces of chicken drowned in a dish of soggy mash with no veg for £15?? A few prawns and a bit of smoked salmon on yet another pile of iceberg lettuce for £15?!? Ambience of a hospital waiting room. Service shocking. Gah.

Awful service, mediocre food (I can make far better at home), will never go back. I simply cannot understand the positive reviews about this place, my pasta dish was swimming in oil and essentially just a few bits of chicken and tomato with some tagliatelle, the bolognese was salty and disgusting and we had to wait so long for drinks, order to be taken and the bill. No atmosphere either. Will never go back, truly dreadful.

C'est un vrai restaurant italien et pas une pizzeria! Pâtes et plats maison, plats fins et très bons, desserts aussi: allez-y!

La Fontana is one of our favourite places as always fab service and food and the sisters work so hard but unfortunately the food wasn't there normal standard and presentation wasn't there normal standard and looked thrown on the plate but lots of it which can be a plus or a put off , it also was drowned in watery gravey the pudding of sticky toffee was tasteless but the cheese cake was amazing , the disco was fab and lots of gins to offer . Maybe it's a different chef I don't no .

Celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary at the la Fontana Restaurant on October 12th 2019. The party started at 12pm and ended at 12midnight. We had a local jazz band play for 2 hours and a disco at night. We had 60 plus guests and children. Started the day with a sit down meal at 3pm and a hot buffet at 8.30pm the the service and food was first class. We also had overnight accommodation for 30 guests with breakfast Sunday morning. The rooms were very comfortable and clean and the breakfast was delicious. A big thank you to Anna and her staff for making our day so care free and relaxed. We would highly recommend this lovely restaurant.

My Sister and Brother in law came to visit me last week and stayed here. I ate with them twice and had some really great food on both occasions.

Lovely setting, fantastic food and friendly staff. Buffet meal C was delicious. A perfect send off for a lovely dad.

We enjoyed a family meal on a Saturday evening in this well presented restaurant. We encountered friendly staff and efficient service. The food was of a good standard and we had an enjoyable evening. Would certainly call in again in the future.

Can’t fault a thing. A nice room with a comfortable bed. A jacuzzi bath an added bonus! And a delicious breakfast, couldn’t have asked for more. Friendly staff too.

Restaurant lacks atmosphere and food bland, which was disappointing as we expected some authentic Italian cooking. Service very slow considering only 14 diners in the room and waitress seemed indifferent. Overpriced for what was presented, which lacked imagination. Won't be going again. Ciao la Fontana.....

La FontantaLa Fontana is small family run hotel come Italian Restaurant. The night my wife and I ate there the clientele was predominantly residents and guessing at that, businessmen.I have graded the Restaurant at four stares, a difficult call as the food was very nice and good value, but lacked that little extra Italian zing that I have come to expect from good Italian cuisine. As a lover of Italian wines, I have to grade the wine list as both limited and very ordinary.All that said the family members were both friendly and attentive, which made it enjoyable, though not memorable night out.

We stayed at La Fontana as we attended a wedding in Oxford & reception in East Challow. We felt La Fontana would be a good base to get to both relatively easily. We arrived Friday evening & given keys to our rooms. They were spacious & offered everything that we expected. Our beds were very comfortable & although our room looked on to a busy road, there was little traffic noise. As we were in for a long day for the wedding, we made sure that we had a good breakfast to keep us going. There was plenty of choice & an excellent full English, the lady was very helpful & service was quick & efficient. Sunday morning we did the same as we had a long drive home. The lady was very friendly & asked how our day had gone. We found the whole experience of staying at La Fontana very pleasant & would certainly stay there again.

Had a delicious meal with three others , all had something different and the meal was exceptional. Very welcoming, lovely sit and wait for table area and great service.

We booked the Wilson Queen room for Saturday 11th May.

Food was absolutely delicious, have to agree with others that the restaurant lacks atmosphere, I think low lighting would help with light music in the back ground. The lovely lady that served us was lovely, but obviously the only one working. Even though she was stretched she made sure we were ok. Need more staff. Would go again x

It was my Nan's funeral and we held her wake here.

Amazing meal at La Fontana, 3 delicious courses form the a la carte menu and a drink each was £78 which we felt was a bargain for such high quality meals. The profiteroles were a particular highlight!

Food ok, home-cooked is a plus. Fairly pricey. When the restaurant was nearly empty was a shame that they put me next to a couple on another table who would obviously have preferred more privacy for their conversation.

...we invited friends and family to dinner and everyone present was glad that we did.

This was our second visit this year .we arrived at the time we had arranged on booking to be left in the lobby and no sign of staff even though we had rang the bell a few times so had to phone the hotel to get some ones attention. The room was amazing but windows open on arrival and the room was freezing and no heating so a very cold evening/night slept in jumpers which was a good thing at in the middle of the night the fire alarm went off so we all had to stand out in the rain . The alarm went off as someone was having a bath and apparently the steam can set the alarm off so now wet and cold . The bed was 2 singles put together which is always uncomfortable .The food was amazing but restaurant has no atmosphere . On our first visit we had none off these problems nice warm room maybe we were just unlucky this time .we stayed in the Wilson suite with the lovely igloo bath tub .

I hate giving a less than positive review but we were disappointed on our recent visit to this restaurant. Looking at other reviews it feels like we went to a different place. The atmosphere was seriously lacking right from the start. The food was excellent but somewhat overpriced. Our main issue was the quality of service. There was nothing wrong but there was no warmth or friendliness from the staff. It was almost like they didn't care if we were there or not. Maybe we caught them on a bad day.

Stayed for one night very nice place very quiet room very clean if you like peace and quiet this is for you evening meal and breakfast just scrumptious that is my opinion

Decided to book for a birthday celebration, but was surprising quiet for a Saturday night. Therefore in a large spacious restaurant it lacked atmosphere. Despite this we had a warm welcome and predinner drinks in pleasant small garden area. Service was good as was the food. If the large room was devided into smaller areas I feel a better atmosphere would be enjoyed, especially on quiet occasions

We had our Grandad's wake here and the staff couldn't have done any more for us!

This is a gem! Wonderful experience here tonight, the staff were super friendly and it felt like nothing was too much bother.

The restaurant is attached to a selection of quality rooms which are available to book etc..I stopped there and so used the restaurant. I have been lucky enough to have eaten in great places around the world but I have to say the quality and most importantly the flavours of the meal at this restaurant were exceptional. Unfortunately I don’t live nearby or I would be back time and time again!

My best friend booked a table for 10 as a surprise for my retirement in November. The food was amazing and the service was excellent. Everyone loved it. I would highly recommend it.

Stayed in the Wilson Superior room New Year's Eve. Chose this room as have stayed there before and it was as lovely as last time. The only thing that let it down was we couldn't use the fabulous walk in shower as there was something wrong which we did report the next morning. The bathroom was beautifully clean, however another couple of nit picks are that the the bedside lights in the bedroom were dusty and the designer lamp on the dressing table didn't work and for these reasons have marked very good instead of excellent, considering the cost of the room. Having said this, would certainly stay again as I am sure these things will be rectified. Excellent breakfast, particularly the scrambled egg.

Fabulous service, beautifully prepared fresh food for our event. Studied the menu with recommendations for Vitello Limone. ( veal loin in lemon sauce). Carla was an attenttive host, and would suggest you give it a try!

We booked here last minute for my birthday, and what an excellent choice!! It's about 20 minutes from Oxford City Centre. We booked the Queen Superior Ensuite, it had a large, spacious room and an amazing hot tub in the bathroom (which had music in with lights you could change colour)! We didn't have dinner but we had breakfast the next morning which was lovely, continental and cooked. I would definitely book again!! Great find and a lovely weekend away. Thank you La Fontana!

Disappointed with the food. Very overpriced. Staff needed to cheer up ! Stuffy atmosphere. Definately wouldn't go again. Lasagne tasted like Moussaka .

My experience at this venue could not have been better. Booked at short notice, without requiring a deposit, by a cheerful Carla who was happy to wait for final numbers. The room is modern, had beautifully laid tables with a top table loaded with fantastic...

Estuve a principios de julio para 1 noche como una parada para el trabajo. Reservé la habitación superior llamado Wilson. Llegada: Aparcamiento está bien y si el aparcamiento está lleno hay un carril que está bien iluminada. La recepción es muy grande y me recuerda...

Utiliza este restaurante hace 10 años y que estaba bien. No dejaremos pasar tanto tiempo para visitar la próxima vez. La comida era excelente, nada fue dejado en cualquier plato o plato. El menú, aunque no muy extenso, no tienen una buena selección. Los vinos...

Me alojé por una noche y cenamos en el restaurante. Mi habitación era grande y la cama era un super king con un televisor que salió de la final con sólo pulsar un botón: Basta decir que dormí como un mar y mirábamos la televisión en la cama después de mi cena fabulosa. Era la noche de pasta, así que pedí el plato principal del menú de pasta (OFERTA ESPECIAL) y la bruschetta Amatriciana desde el menú principal para un principiante. Honestamente puedo decir que nunca he tenido una mejor bruschetta - sé que es raro que entusiasmarse un plato sencillo, pero fue simplemente perfecto! La principal era buena (pasta era perfectamente cocinado) y el tamaño de la porción grande - lo que significaba que no podía gestionar un postre. Un gran descubrimiento para mí, ya que me alojo lejos mucho y me gustaría probar un montón de diferentes hoteles en la esperanza de que encontraría algo como esto. Excelente relación calidad-precio y ¡volveré!

Enjoyed a very chilled meal here yesterday with some nice choices on the menu as well as usual Italian fare. Avocado starter was good ... Beware the anti pasti tho if you don't like fish. My veal in lemon and parsley was really fresh and uncomplicated with nice veg and the White chocolate cheesecake we shared was delicious!! Very accommodating staff (to other diners who wanted to mess with the menu) and good service.

Treated myself to the Veal it was very good and served with lovely fresh veg. selection. Large glass of house red didn't break the bank either!

My wife and I dined in the restaurant to celebrate an anniversary. We were shown to a cosy lounge area to have pre-dinner drinks and to peruse the menu. This was fairly short but there were enough choices to provide something for everyone. Our orders were quickly taken and after about 10 minutes we were shown to our table in the large and beautifully decorated dining room.For my starter I chose the deep-fried calamari and whitebait, which was nice and crispy but lacked seasoning. Mrs Dibble had the melon and parma ham, which did what it said on the tin: the melon was beautifully ripe and the ham was tasty.Our main courses were a lot better. I had the pan-fried calves’ liver and Mrs D the tornedos Rossini. My liver was delicious: nicely pink and very tender, it was served on a bed of very smooth mashed potato. Mrs D’s fillet steak, which was beautifully cooked medium-rare (as requested), was also delicious. Her only “complaint” was that the steak was too large for her and I was required to help out! What a shame!Our desserts were nothing very special – crème brulee and a tiramisu – but both were perfectly OK and hit the spot.Service was quick – if anything rather too quick as things felt a little rushed. There was no obvious reason for this as the restaurant was not busy. Our only disappointment was the lack of atmosphere. We always associate good Italian restaurants with noise and bustle, which create the atmosphere, and sadly La Fontana did not deliver in this area. Admittedly, half-term had just started and it was a Friday evening, so perhaps this was not a typical restaurant experience.Would we return? Absolutely but on a Saturday, in the hope of a bit more atmosphere.

Attended a private party for 60 people and was so impressed with the standard of the food for such an event. Amazing hearty minestrone to start, was excellent. Main was steak, two pieces cooked perfectly, peppercorn sauce - everyone said how good the steaks were served. For sixty people that's impressive!! Also creme brûlée was a hit. First time I'd been, would not hesitate to return.

A colleague and I stayed for 2 nights during a business trip. We were booked in very quickly despite being amongst several guests for the 5 o'clock check in. We both found our rooms to be clean and comfortable, the hotel reception/lounge is well designed and decorated . The staff were attentive and friendly. We ate out at night so only experienced the restaurant for breakfast, which was very nice indeed, we both had full english, quality food.We'll be returning and would not hesitate to recommend the hotel to others.

Stayed just the one night due to working in the area and was very pleased with the hotel.There was a little delay when checking in, but we were right on the 5 o clock check in time so that could explain it.The room i stayed in overlooked the main road to the front of the building and despite the extensive glazing, you could still hear the traffic, although it wasn't too bad. The room was very well equipped and the whole hotel was very nice, despite the quite modest exterior.Breakfast was full English and was of good quality and the coffee served at breakfast was very good indeed.Overall, a very nice hotel, comfortable and clean and very well appointed. Do not let the plain exterior put you off, it really is lovely inside.Only issue I had was not being able to work the jacuzzi ( my fault!) and a couple of the bathroom fixtures could have done with a little maintenance but nothing worth bothering about.

Mum and Sister took me for pasta night, really enjoyable.The whole restaurant has recently been redecorate and it's been done very tastefully

Left hanging in the lounge with only drinks no wine list to mull over to go a long with meal.The waiting game to be taken to table. Once there offered bread only for us to ask for it. What sort of Italian gives 1 slice of bread each .Haha I. come from Naples and that would kill us. We wanted to give it back .My wife starter made us laugh as well with her bowl of melted cheese but main was ok.Main was ok service was cold . Unfortunately there so many better places to go in south Oxfordshire.,

The restaurant is quite nice in decor. The review of this place is split, so i have given it a 3 star as my husband loved the food and ate many times at this place, I didn't like it that much. I somehow didn't enjoy the meal at all.

A short wait while our table was prepared was made easier by the friendly staff and the aperitifs' served in the lounge. We were shown to our table shortly after and the food was served soon after that but not at all hurried. This made for a nice romantic evening for me and my wife which we both thoroughly enjoyed.

Lovely food served by lovely staff who always have time to chat, nice courtyard to have a pre dinner drink.

Started in a lounge/ waiting room while our table was made ready. Very odd, would have preferred just to be sat at the table. The calamari / white bait was incredibly bland and no salt / pepper to be found on the table. Had to ask for it. The main came out shortly after. I had the linguine with clams. There was lots of shells and hardly any clams and they were full of grit/sand which was all through the pasta. My girlfriends sister had pasta parcels and they were incredibly thick (thicker than pasta should ever be). We also had a chicken linguine which had little flavour and contained a clam... An obvious allergy issue. Little interest shown in this by the staff. We also had a mushroom risotto which tasted bland and like pudding rice (sweet) rather than risotto rice. It was pappy and overcooked.. Waitress was dismissive of comments and blunt. Comments weren't handled well and excuses were rife. Staff need better training including the chefWill not be going again.

I took friends here as It had been recommended by a neighbour. The dining area is spacious and the staff quite attentive if a little over enthusiastic at getting the courses out, leaving little time to talk between but hey this was a Saturday night! The food did not disappoint and was a good standard of Italian cuisine. One of the party was particularly impressed with her linguine!

My husband always stays here when he visits his daughter who lives nearby but this was my first stay. I was impressed with how clean and white the "lounge" area is downstairs. Our room was comfortable with pretty lights but it was at the back of the hotel with a skylight and no proper window and my husband was a bit disappointed as he said the rooms are usually nicer.We had a good meal in the restaurant with his daughter and her partner and slept well in the comfortable bed.As we were leaving very early, the staff put a continental breakfast out for us in iced containers which was very welcome before we left.We would definitely go again.

We have just had a wonderful overnight stay at La Fontana. It was an end of summer treat for us and it exceeded our expectations. We had a lovely room with a beautiful bathroom and every comfort provided for. The new lounge area was such a relaxing place to have an aperitif and choose from the menu. We both choose chicken and had two beautiful dishes - mine with bacon and a creamy sauce. The vegetables were lovely and the dining room was spacious and pleasant. Breakfast was equally good with quality bacon and sausages. The service was as good as ever - it is a family business run by two sisters. We will look forward to going back to La Fontana.

This is not fine dining or a high class hotel. The accommodation is clean and despite my room opening directly onto the car park it was well appointed. Certainly the type of establishment for one night rather than a family break in the Oxfordshire countryside. Saying that, it was clean, reasonably comfortable and good value for money. The breakfast was good and the kippers with a poached egg were excellent.

We ate with friends at this restaurant on a Saturday night. Upon entry we were shown to a very comfortable area where we were provided with menus and ordered a pre dinner drink. Having ordered our food we were then shown into the restaurant area which was warm and comfortable and we were soon served our starters. A very good start to our dining experience.Unfortunately it went downhill from there.The food was quite bland and the sirloin steak was poor quality and had clearly been deep frozen. The portion sizes were barely enough and we found the desserts very poor and actually returned the home made profiteroles the pastry of which was like cardboard and tasted stale.The service was adequate but didn't enhance our dining experience.For the high prices they charge I expect far better food and service.We will not be returning and I would certainly not recommend this restaurant as things stand.

Recently modernised restaurant that doesn't do much wrong yet fails to inspire. Food was good but was let down by no time between courses. Service was friendly but a bit too routine. A large dining area with few diners meant a lack of atmosphere. I suppose we are used to pub dining and this is a different experience. A modern throwback to the days of no pub grub. Might suit some but not for us.

We booked 2 nights (fri and sat 29-30th July) using the stay and dine offer that they offer. The whole weekend was perfect. We checked in and were shown to our room (room 3) I was pleasantly surprised at how lovely the room was, large and with everything you need for a nights stay. A huge whirlpool bath in a spacious bathroom. Both nights in the restaurant were faultless Saturday evening was slightly busier. Considering some of the prices of hotels closer into oxford we received a brilliant deal and plan to return for another trip to this family run establishment. Don't hesitate to book!!

We had heard good things about this restaurant, it did not meet our expectations. We booked a table for two for 7.30 on a Friday evening, we were the only people in the restaurant we left at 9.30 and there were four others in there. The food was nice but not spectacular I had lasagne which was too salty for me to finish. The starter was nice the sweet was nice but very small portion for the price.Staff were pleasant but seemed a bit bored.

We were staying at the hotel so this was the easy choice for dinner. It's a little surprising to have an Italian restaurant that doesn't have pizza on the menu-there are pasta/meat /fish dishes and the pasta dishes here are very good as the pasta is cooked al dente. Great dessert too although it was advertised as chocolate orange cheesecake and was missing the Orange! The beer selection here is quite limited but the wine is good.

im not one to write reviews as a norm but this place should be spoken about, your made to feel very welcome from the moment you walk into this place, i believe its a family run / owned business the girls are absolutely fabulous and very professional (pretty as well)and nothing is a problem or to much.the restaurant is quite large and set out very well and they dont keep everyone in the same area, so your not bogged down with another tables conversation, The food well what can i say ive eaten here a few times during my stay and cant fault any of the dishes ive had so nothing less than 9/10 until i tried the pollo fontana 20 out of 10,i never eat everything anywhere until now wow what a dish thats all im saying, the rooms are lovely (the ones ive seen). they have a lovely outdoor area and a nicely layed out ,what i would call reception/lounge. i could go on but i wont, looking forward to many more stays

A beatifull restaurant with fabulous service and lovely food, and an added bonus of a sunny courtyard to enjoy your pre dinner drinks.Keep up the good work

fabulous italian home made food that never fails to hit the spot. Always cooked to very high standard with large portions to match

Awesome restaurant. Closest thing to being in Italy eating proper Italian food, service was excellent, food was outstanding. Not cheap but you're paying for quality food and service.

Please can all reviewers of this restaurant go to Italy first because this is not Italian. The style is silver service, the music is anything but Italian, the decor is 1980's English restaurant and the food is average and loosely based on Italian recipes. Finally, the place was deserted which did not help (Friday night).

De stijl van de keuken is Italiaans, maar blijkbaar klaargemaakt door een Engelse kok . De eerste avond had ik pasta met een "frisse salade". De gemengde salade kwam zo uit een pak, en de drie druppels dressing maakten het niet erg smaakvol. De pasta bevatte veel room en nauwelijks vlees of iets anders. De tweede avond een kalfslende, die enigszins taai was. De frites heb ik niet opgegeten. Ik vermoed dat het vet waarin het gebakken was niet goed van smaak was. Er zat een vreemde smaak aan de frites. En de huiswijn is ook af te raden, die heeft nauwelijks smaak. Jammer, want er zijn in het Verenigd Koninkrijk toch uitstekende koks. Kortom, geen aanrader helaas.

Have not visited this restaurant for several years but well impressed with the modernisation and up-dating of the restaurant and hotel.As always before, the service was a high standard and that included the food which could not be faultedThe restaurant is quite large and there were quite a lot of table not taken which is a shame as people are missing out on something good. Because there was not a lot of people in the restaurant, it lacked atmosphere. This has been the same in the past. Although the owners and staff provided a good service, they are quite formal and could be more welcoming and conversational

On the positive side, some of our meal was ok, good portion size and good price. The building was newly decorated and cleanOn the negative side I am sure some of the meal was frozen/microwaved (pieces of chicken in the pasta for example). The whole meal including pre dinner drinks, starter and main course took 1hr 15 mins - We didnt even have time to relax! the atmosphere was non existent, especially considering this is an Italian restaurant which are usually vibrant and friendly. Not the worst meal we have ever had just not what we were expecting and probably wont be hurrying back.

The Hotel has recently been refurbished to a very high standard. It has a wonderful feel about the place, which makes you feel very relaxed.The staff were lovely, all very friendly, very helpful, nothing was too much trouble. The food was excellent, well presented and plenty of it. The La Fontana certainly contributed to giving my Mother a wonderful send off. I would have no hesitation in recommending this venue for funeral receptions.

Good range of Italian staples with generous helpings and excellent Montepuliciano red! We were on a weekend break and had not trouble finding plenty that we liked for two dinners. Breakfast was good too!

We went on Friday but very early. The restaurant was quiet. The food was excellent and very good value with quick efficient service. We had steak and a pasta dish. The puddings were up to the normal high standard you find in Italian restaurants

Apparently this family run restaurant is busy on weekday nights but when we were there on a Friday night, there were only 4 tables occupied. However, the service was most attentive without being intrusive and the food was all excellently cooked and presented.

I recently stayed at La Fontana with my wife and our young son (<2 Years). We stayed in the “Wilson” which was very well appointed and also benefits from a Jacuzzi and large queen sized bed. The staff were more than happy to supply and setup a cot for the young one, and the room was a very good size for us all.The main restaurant was being refurbished during our stay, which was slightly disappointing, although food was still being prepared and served in the breakfast room, and was of a very good standard. The menu is traditional Italian and relatively extensive, with some classic wines. A small garden for pre-dinner drinks also joins the hotel, which was a pleasant extra!We would certainly consider staying again, if visiting the area.

Fantastic family run Italian. I have stayed here on business on two separate occasions now and both times I have dined in at the restaurant.The food is nothing short of excellent. On one occasion I had the crab soup of the day. This was exquisite and quite filling. The pasta dishes are beautiful, real authentic home made Italian food.When ever I visit an Italian I always look out for Veal Chop, one of my favourites. Needless to say I was not disappointed!

Good quality food and friendly service, great value as part of weekend b/b & dinner deal. Drinks prices reasonable for a hotel and breakfast up to the same standard.

Stopped off on our way to Southampton to join a cruise. Truly wonderfully food, served in a friendly unhurried way.

Stayed overnight whilst away with work. Room was clean, modern and well decorated. The reception area of the hotel is modern, light and appealing on arrival. I've received warmer welcomes but it was okay and was quick and simple which is the main thing.I ate in the restaurant - it was a Thursday night so very quiet and only a couple of locals/residents in. Restaurant is in keeping with the rest of the place, clean, modern and a nice place to eat. I had a pasta starter and the lasagne. Lasagne was so so but the pasta (with chicken and mushrooms) was delicious. Could've eaten 10 bowls of it. I was also pleasantly surprised that the room had both a conservatory and garden all to itself. If the weather had been better then the conservatory would've been lovely. Regardless, it was a nice surprise. Room was comfy and I had a good night sleep.Breakfast in the morning is served 7-9 and was very nice ordering from the hot menu. Breakfast room light and airy with the breakfast news on in the background. It's unusual for a good Italian restaurant to offer accomodation in my experience but it's definitely somewhere i'd stay again next time in the area.Prices for food and room were very reasonable considering the quality.

We were lucky enough to find ourselves staying in the Wilson suite but all the rooms look good.We booked on the room with meal option available on Fridays and Saturdays only. It is very quiet - large restaurant with only a few tables occupied which was a shame but the waitress says they are really busy during the week with business clients, and some guests have room service for their meals.We had an excellent meal - and have booked to come back on our way back through next week we enjoyed it so much!

La Fontana is on our doorstep and in my opinion criminally neglected by the locals. Monday and Wednesday night is £9.95 pasta night and very good value. Their ordinary menu is excellent, more of a hotel nowadays than just a restaurant you can say that the large dining room sometimes lacks character as it is often quiet. However if you want a a night out without the hurly burly and rush of some places this is perfect.

The staff were very patient and accommodating, (our guess were delayed at Heathrow airport, so we were just over an hour late).The food was really lovely and would recommend this loverly family restaurant/hotel.

My husband and I went here for our anniversary and were not disappointed. The food is delicious and the service was excellent. We had the Filetto alla Rossini, the steak was so tender and full of flavour, the best steak I have ever eaten. My husband had the orange cheesecake which was homemade by the chef. It was so full of flavour and very light. We took advantage of their 'dine and stay offer' which was very reasonable. We stayed in the Wilson room which has a jacuzzi bath big enough for 2 and a huge Queen sized bed. Breakfast is included and again a delicious meal from the very talented chef.Everyone was so friendly that we cant wait to go back again.

And how nice is that! This family run restaurant delivers results every time we eat here, from the comfortable seating area whilst you enjoy a pre-dinner drink and peruse the menu, to the excellent service and the delicious freshly cooked Italian food.Also hot, always tasty, very generous portion size and excellent service.The wine is well priced for a restaurant with a good selection to choose from.The restaurant is easily accessible on the Wantage road with good parking.We had a lovely Saturday evening, chilled after a hard days work with fantastic food - what more could we ask for?!!

3 courses all good. Two different steaks but both great. Starter spag in chilli and garlic - simple but top nosh

We had a lovely meal at this excellent independant restaurant which is run by an Italian family. The service was friendly and efficient, and the food was high quality and very tasty. The wines are very good and reasonably priced. House wines are under £14 per bottle.The decor is very nice; elegent and subtle with a fully stocked bar. There is a comfortable seating area near the bar for pre/post drinks, where you can relax. They have pasta nights every Monday & Wednesday evening. The restaurant caters for all celebrations, including weddings and wakes.We look forward to going back for another meal in the near future!

I've come back after a few years, for a business dinner.Same level of excellence in food, but a lot of improvement for the building... much nicer and comfortable, well done.

We enjoyed a fabulous night away and a superb dinner in this restaurant with rooms. The rooms are to a high standard B&B and the restaurant provides authentic home cooked Italian food with fresh pasta cooked al dante with love and loads of flavour. We enjoyed fresh spaghetti with parsley garlic and chilli and bruschetta for starters and the nights special of sea bass for the blonde a a beautiful rose veal T-bone steak for me. We both enjoyed cheesecake for dessert orange for me and lemon for her with double espresso to finish and all washed down with a very reasonably priced Pinot GrigioBreakfast next morning was freshly cooked to order and delicious. All in all highly recommended.

Service is always friendly and bustling, the food is decent Italian. Independent restaurant which is always good to support.

we attended the Elvis evening recently at La Fontana and had a wonderful evening. The food was fantastic and the service wonderful. The owner made a Tiramasu specially for us and was tremendous. The steak was to die for. Great meal lovely place and great people.

Love this place. The atmosphere and decor is wonderful. The food is great and you are really looked after.

Just spent the night here on the wine and dine offer. It was very good value at £121 for the night with an excellent 3 course meal with wine. The food was certainly top class with friendly helpful staff. The room was a little unloved in places- stained carpet and bathroom door that wouldn't close but at £40 it was very good.

Good restaurant , reasonable value, good service and food.Have used the restaurant a number of times over many years.

We stumbled upon this restaurant completely by accident but we were glad that we found this gem of a place. The family run place boasts of a real Italian chef who cooks everything on the premises. The only thing British about this place is the 80's style b&b interior but don't let this put you off. The food was delicious and the service perfect. We took our three year old and they were all very accommodating.

The food is good but I wouldn't say it's good value for money. Do they charge more just because it's Italian food?