La Rugoletta in Barnet

We popped into this lovely family run restaurant on way home from seeing our daughter in london. Used the TripAdvisor nearby restaurants and had a lovely meal with friendly service and great atmosphere. No alcohol licence so you can walk to the nearby shop and buy beers or wine and then pay a small charge to the restaurant.

Thank you Mariana for all the faboulous food and service.We will be regular customers from now on.the food is the best in london and the family atmosphere as nowhere else.

This is a delightful, traditional Italian restaurant in suburban East Finchley. The food had a wonderful home-cooked feel and is full of flavour. The service was friendly and the prices are very reasonable. Be aware that should you like wine with your meal, it is BYO only - so come prepared.

We had a large table for 12 and the food was delicious and very authentic and service was excellent. Highly recommend.

always bustling and friendly. The food is always of high quality and the trattoria feel of the place is always welcoming The BYO concept is great and a rarity these days Thank you for making so many memorable occasions

We dined here recently. The pizzas are really good. There is also a range of pastas. I tried a grapefruit lemonade from the San Pellegrino range it was very nice and not over sweet.

We went there for a pizza and dessert.1. Is not wood-fire oven2. Saying "buonasera, grazie" don't make you Italian, which I could accept it, but you don't even know what you are serving 3. Pizza with seafood was unacceptable. The seafood was placed on the pizza straight from the freezer, therefore the pizza was cold and watery, seafood was with no taste at all. Quattro gusti(quattro stagioni) pizza was OK.Good size though 4. I asked for a cassata from the dessert menu and received the semifreddo(not even near to cassata).The waitress was clueless what a cassata is, telling me that this is the English cassata and in the box was saying cassata, therefore not fresh dessert.Since I am sicilian, I know exactly what a cassata is!!!I would advise you to get some information about the Italian food, if you want to keep "Italian" next to restaurant.

This is a lovely local venue, simple, traditionally Italian and modestly priced. It’s small, unpretentious with really well prepared food, although the deserts I think are bought in. There’s no license but you can bring in your own wine (outside lock-down) at nominal corkage. Very friendly. Typical menu with plenty of veg dishes

Mi esposo y yo visitamos este restaurante para nuestra cena de aniversario el 8 de septiembre de 2020. Menciono la fecha porque me gustaría agradecer a la mesera que estaba trabajando esa noche.El restaurante es pequeño y acogedor, con asientos al aire libre por lo que optamos. Cuando llegamos, descubrimos que podíamos traer nuestro propio vino que complementaba nuestra experiencia de cenar al aire libre (hay una licencia al otro lado de la calle desde el restaurante). El ambiente del restaurante es íntimo, cálido y acogedor.La comida estaba muy rica y llena de sabor. Pedimos langostinos en salsa de mantequilla de ajo como entrante y el risotto de mariscos y risotto de verduras para nuestros platos principales. ¡La comida llegó caliente a la mesa, olía deliciosa y sabía aún mejor!El servicio fue genial. Durante el tiempo que estuvimos en el restaurante, solo había una camarera trabajando que atendía las llamadas, atendía las mesas y se aseguraba de que los clientes estuvieran contentos con su comida. Aunque estaba ocupada, la camarera fue muy atenta y amable.Mi esposo inicialmente pidió un risotto de gambas (Risotto alla Villaggio) que se veía delicioso, pero no era como él pensó que sería. Cuando le preguntamos esto a la camarera, ella se alegró de devolverlo y cambiarlo por otro plato. Ella también llevó mi plato para calentarlo y traerlo de vuelta con el plato de mi esposo - aunque tuvimos que esperar un rato por la comida de mi esposo, valió la pena porque estaba recién hecha y realmente deliciosa. Ambos estuvimos de acuerdo en que eran los mejores platos de risotto que probamos.Pedimos un delicioso pastel de chocolate y naranja para el postre, que fue sorprendentemente ligero y fue un final perfecto para nuestra comida.Gracias a la encantadora camarera, lamento no haberle preguntado su nombre, ¡que hizo que nuestra cena de aniversario fuera agradable! Brindó un servicio al cliente realmente bueno y fue muy amable.Definitivamente lo recomendaría y definitivamente volveré a visitar este encantador restaurante italiano.

Fácilmente uno de los mejores restaurantes italianos en East Finchley, encuentre esta pequeña joya y no se arrepentirá. . . el lugar se ve increíble tan pronto como entras por la puerta. El personal es extremadamente amable y atractivo y la comida es deliciosamente excelente. Recomendaría este lugar. . ¡Te mereces darte un capricho! !

It was so good to be back at our favourite Italian restaurant. This was our first sit down meal out since March and it matched up to our expectations. Glad to be back.

Esta noche salió la primera comida después del cierre, así que fue un verdadero placer poder volver a visitar nuestro delicioso y confiable restaurante italiano local (anteriormente conocido como La Rugoletta; el nombre ha cambiado por los encantadores propietarios y la excelente comida sigue siendo lo mismo) . Todos los arreglos adecuados COVID - Safe están en su lugar y nos sentimos muy seguros, extremadamente bienvenidos y (como siempre) muy bien alimentados. La pasta y las pizzas aquí son generosas y preparadas por expertos y siempre me encantan los platos principales también. Muy recomendable.

Llevamos aquí más de una década. Y, por lo general, cuando un lugar cambia de manos, existe el riesgo de que cambie negativamente. Pero esto no es así. Es muy popular dentro de la comunidad y es un placer visitarlo. Sí, es pequeño y tendrás que aprender a amar a tu vecino, y sí, yo tampoco querría la Mesa 9, especialmente en una cita nocturna. Pero siempre he encontrado que el valor y la calidad son buenos y la experiencia placentera. Encerrado, he encontrado que recoger comida de allí es fácil y no menos agradable. Muy recomendable si te quedas o si te vas.

Delivering our daughter to her new residence in East Finchley we took her to La Rugoletta for a meal before we left. Such friendly service, pleasant surroundings, a lovely family run italian restaurant. The food was perfect for us.

Gracias Marina, por un fantástico almuerzo de cumpleaños para los 70 años de mi madre. El servicio fue fantástico, la comida genial como siempre. La Rugoletta es una pequeña joya. Venimos aquí a menudo y el ambiente siempre es maravilloso y acogedor con la mejor comida italiana de la zona. Gracias de nuevo, ¡volveremos pronto!

Ayer 40 de mi familia y amigos disfrutaron de un fantástico almuerzo de cumpleaños en la Rugoletta. Marina, la propietaria, se ocupó de todos los aspectos y el resultado fue un día maravilloso para todos.Nos ofrecieron un excelente menú con 3 opciones de cada uno de los 3 platos. Mientras estábamos decidiendo, se compraron grandes cestas de delicioso pan de ajo. Esto fue seguido por tazones de sopa caliente de minestrone, bruschetta con tomates frescos y hierbas o ensalada tricolori, tomate, mozzarella y aguacate. ¡Lo que fue elegido, todos insistieron en que la suya era la mejor opción! Luego vino el pollo en salsa de crema y champiñones, lubina o pasta con champiñones y tomates. Lo que se ordenó, todos estaban encantados. Cómo Marina y otra encantadora camarera lograron sacar la comida de todos, caliente y oportunamente, me golpean y no olviden las sonrisas. También tuvimos una docena de niños. Disfrutaron de pizzas del tamaño de la Isla de Wight, cuencos de pasta y helados servidos en un pollo. . . ¡Creo que tenías que estar allí!Para el postre, disfrutamos de tarta casera de fresa, tirimisu o ensalada de fruta fresca. La ensalada de frutas puede ser un poco aburrida, pero se veía genial, llena de melón, frambuesas y otras cosas buenas. Algunas personas preguntaron si podían tomarlo con helado, no hay problema, nada era un problema. Tuve la tarta de queso y fue maravilloso, probé tirimisu a mi esposo, igual de bueno. Para terminar, nos ofrecieron café, americano, capuchino, espresso, lo que sea, o té. Fue ruidoso, fue feliz, fue maravilloso. Gracias Marina por darme una fiesta de cumpleaños para recordar.

Our local Italian. Always nice and friendly staff. Amazing, home tasting food. We always take our friends for dinner. Bring your own booze.

Muy decepcionado. Se le preguntó sobre el menú de un niño para que le dijeran que pueden hacer la mitad de las porciones de pasta, que luego pedí. Cuando llegó la factura, la media porción de pasta era de 7. 95 (en oposición a una porción completa para 9. 95). Cuando pregunté por la disparidad en tamaño / precio (suponía que easonablu suponía que la mitad de la pasta sería la mitad del precio), la camarera simplemente se rió y dijo "nunca preguntaste por el precio".La moraleja de la historia es pedir una porción de adultos y dos tazones, o simplemente no molestarse e ir a un restaurante más confiable.Pobre espectáculo.

First time visiting this little gem. Full of locals and newbies (like us) great food, lovely atmosphere- will definitely be back.

Brilliant home made food. Great for kids and adults. It is like eating excellent homemade Italian food. The service is charming and friendly.

It is not as good as it used to be. Perhaps there is a different chef or they are getting inferior ingredients but the last two visits have been disappointing. We have visited La Rugoletta regularly but have noticed standards have deteriorated. In the past we have particularly liked the calves liver with sage butter. The time before last it was overly greasy and tonight there was absolutely no flavour of sage which for us makes it the Italian way of cooking calves liver. We queried the flavour with the management and they agreed that there was little flavour in the sage which we think isCould have been easily remedied. They offered us further sage butter which was just as bland. It is such a shame as this restaurant used to be highly regarded by us. It has become ordinary rather than special. What a shame !

This is a lovely, rustic, authentic local restaurant. Food was great service good. Bring your own wine and good value for money. Looking forward to going again.

Absolutely first class....nothing bad to report. A lovely authentic cosy restaurant, clearly popular and well patronized for dining in and out. Will definitely come again and hope to visit their other restaurant too. Thank you.

What a fabulous local restaurant. Food was absolutely gorgeous and the staff were very friendly. We will definitely be back again!

Mi amigo y yo visitamos La Rigoletto el jueves 22 de febrero de 2018.

It has everything you would want from a local Italian restaurant, great food, lovely staff, cosy atmosphere and fantastic coffee.

Had lunch here a couple of days ago. Very nice fresh pasta and other dishes I saw looked good as well. Looks like a popular local dining spot worth paying another visit to

I hired out La Rugoletta in East Finchley for my mum’s 75th Birthday.

We were a group of 6 on a Saturday evening. The restaurant is small, friendly and lively, certainly on our visit because it was full. We all enjoyed very much the starters and pasta dishes, and the fact that you can take your own wine, made it excellent value for money. Would definitely go back, and next time try the meat and fish dishes

It was very full with a large group dining, so we were tucked in a cosy corner table. Friendly service. There was a good atmosphere and the menu had plenty to choose from. We had a selection of dishes including minestrone soup, tuna salad and Spaghetti Bolognese.

Madly recommended as a local eater but not by our standards. OK pasta and not much else. Wouldn't go back.

Ocupado, por un lunes por la noche me aletargado en una falsa sensación de seguridad. Nunca volvería. Costillar de cordero no era nada de eso; pobre calidad cocinado por separado las chuletas en una sartén. Prácticamente incomible, incluso después del 'chef' trataron de cocinarlo más. Botas duras como el viejo slathered en una salsa que no vienen de las chuletas. Muy caro para un plato de basura. Peor comida italiana que he tenido.

Metimos allí para el almuerzo de hoy, tuvimos dos pizzas diferentes y las espinacas y requesón ravioli. (yo tenía la pizza con un montón de abastecerse). . . La tarta de manzana y menta helado eran buenos, mi café era bueno también. . . Un...

Cada vez que vuelva de un viaje a Italia nos damos cuenta de que tenemos buena comida a precios razonables. . . (a la vuelta de la esquina :-)

Es sencillo y muy popular entre los lugareños. La comida es clásica italiana, bien preparada y con generosas raciones. Puede traer su propio vino.

This used to be one of my fav East Finchley restaurants. I visited today for lunch with my daughter; the food was poor: tasteless, warmish but not hot, pizza and watery, tasteless, pasta.We won't be revisiting; such a shame. We noticed, on the way out, that the food hygiene rating was only 3 out of 5 - another reason not to visit.

We are local to La Rugoletta and visit regularly. The staff are all friendly and attentive and the menu is great. A perfect local Italian. We especially enjoyed having an early dinner there for our daughter's 4th birthday. They made a big fuss of her and she lived it too!

Just a brilliant local Italian. Always love coming here. Relaxed, BYO, great pasta and pizza. What more could you want from a local eatery?

For. A low key night out, not too expensive, this is ideal. It's a no-frills cafe that does pizza, pasta and some other Italian dishes. Our group of six got to sit and chat as long as we liked on a week night. Weekends it is packed and very noisy, with families bringing children and babies. Not for the courting couples, unless they have nothing to say to each other or will be texting anyway!

We had an excellent late dinner at La Rugoletta. It's a tight squeeze at this cozy restaurant and the six of us were right by the door on a freezing night. I must say that I had the best linguine vongole (white wine clam sauce) this side of the Atlantic. I'm from New York City and as far as I'm concerned...NYC has the best Italian food outside of Italy. So if I was impressed then it was very good indeed. We also liked the friendly service from our tiny waitress Alina. All in all worth the squeeze !!!

The restaurant was jam-packed when we arrived - a good sign. The tables were very crowded. I ordered the Mussel starter - generous portions of nice mussels in a tomato sauce that was bursting with tomato flavour - wow! The sauce was glossy with olive oil, and didn't need additional flavouring of garlic and oregano so commonly present in an italian tomato sauce - it was powerful tomato all the way, simply delicious.My next course was the Pizza Capricciosa: A great hand-stretched, crispy and rustic base, laden with ingredients - no skimping on the toppings. Again great.The only downside I found at this restaurant was in the deserts: While my fellow diners enjoyed the canollis, the ice-creams appeared to have been bought-in and were very disappointing - the Coppa Fiorentina was described as having Zabaglioni ice-cream and a chocolate sauce: However it consisted of a bland white, tasteless and greasy ice cream with no marsala wine flavouring (nor vanilla for that matter) and virtually no chocolate sauce. A real disappointment considering that the food cooked in the kitchen was far better than one normally finds.I would urge the restaurant to either buy-in better quality ice-cream and make their own sundaes, or drop them completely from the menu: They simply let down an otherwise outstanding Italian bistro.Service was attentive by the charming pint-sized waitress Alina. No faults there.The poor ice-cream sundaes are behind me giving this four instead of five marks.

La Rugoletta is situated on a side street from High Road in East Finchley. It has a quite standard and regular menu for an Italian restaurant with emphasis on pasta and pizza and there are of course also fish and meatdishes. We had 3 different pasta dishes, the one with mixed mushrooms was well endowed with a good portion of mixed and tasty fungi. The other two pasta choices were also well taken by my wife and son. A cosy place with friendly staff. Bring your own alcoholic drink if you want that with your meal. A very positive experience.

We visited with some friends on a Saturday night and had a lovely evening. The staff were all welcoming and friendly. The food was very tasty and the restaurant had a very authentic, homemade vibe that made for a great atmosphere. Our new favourite Italian!

Oh my God. Authentic or what! Friendly and brusque. Warm and cosy. Busy and attentive. Dont be put off by the rapido rhetoric from the waitresses. They are smiling on the inside. And they should be. The vest local Italian I've ever had the pleasure of tasting. BYOB. From the offie across the road. Have a blow out for £20 a head. Calves liver with sage butter and deep fried courgettes. Heaven!!!!

A lovely, lovely small independent restaurant run by a wonderful lass Marina. My wife and I love the restaurant, the food, Marina and her side-kick Alina. We also like the fact you bring your own plonk... We have been regulars for 6 years since we moved to east finchley. Great during the day for kids and adults (and kids if you have to) at night. Ignore the bad reviews (particularly Valeria G who appears to have reviewed both this restaurant (1 star) and Amici miei (5 stars - pizza restaurant down the road) on the same day. Perhaps she/he was just really hungry and I'm being suspicious...Food Tip: try the veal!I also struggle to recognise the description of the food from Robinet1Tripadvisor - check these 'reviewers' bona fides...

Guys - honestly, they are not italian.Pizza is not oven baked, I ordered a pizza with friarielli (kind of greens) they put spinach trying to convince me (I am italian) that was actually friarielli (me and my friends we all tried it and it was definitely spinach). They kept insisting! Too rude. Environment is sleazy. No courtesy, no quality, no italian. When you do a mistake guys (it's human and I understand) you should apologize. If you don't know what is "friarielli" do not put this name on the menu. It's unfair. If you are from Romania don't say you are italia. Your country it's a beautiful country as well as Italy. You are cool anyway. Take care

Some years back, we would put up with the cramped space (always full), hard chairs and noise level because the food was uniformly excellent, the prices reasonable and the service friendly. Then we found other places and got out of the habit... so that we hadn't been back for perhaps 2 years. Until a few days ago...The space and the chairs were the same; the staff, though different were still friendly. But prices had gone up, the menu had expanded and the place was no longer full.Sadly, when the food came, we understood why: the prawns in brandy were oily with no trace of brandy taste. My tagliatelle with mincemeat, vegetables and truffle was tasteless and so oily that I could only face a small amount. My wife''s lasagne with vegetables was no better.We went home for coffee and I am afraid we won't be going back.

Small, friendly, great food and Italian Restaurant with an added bonus of being a byo. I went with a few friends a few weeks ago and will definitely be back. I wish there were more small restaurants like this around. The staff do an excellent job and I wish the Owners lots of success.

Hidden off the beaten track, this neighbourhood restaurant is a little gem. Delicious pasta, authentic pizzas and BYOB - what more could you want?! Very friendly service and the prices are extremely reasonably, especially compared to other restaurants in the area

Service was excellent with staff been very attentive and friendly. Very reasonably priced and really good food. Had the lasagna and potato fries..best around by far! Will definetlt be back.

We have been eating here for over a year and this family run local Italian has never failed to deliver. The freshness of the food is top drawer and their fish specials, like today's lobster was fabulous, too much for 1 person and only £20.Pizzas are authentic, tiramisu to die for, great value, always busy at weekends so booking really a must if later in the evening. It's BYOB and they charge only £1 corkage per head!Always anticipating our next visit as we leave after our meal... (very kid friendly as well)

Hidden away behind the little village of East Finchley, this little gem has great fresh Italian food on offer, it's small inside but that what gives it some character, I have tried most things on the menu as I have been a fair few times, lunch or dinner is great... Pizzas are yummy too but my favourite is the seafood

Haven't eaten here for a while, thought an relative cheap meal with lovely food would be nice The food is still excellent but in ours and our companions opinion this no longer represents the great value it used to My main of liver was was a large plate of potatoes and green beans with a slither and a half of delightfully cooked liver not the way I used to remember the portionsThe restaurant is very small and always full, so on a very warm evening with no air conditioning very uncomfortable so much so that one of the waitresses greeted me outside both of us cooling down Hard to knock it on food but bearing in mind the above and general ambiance no longerthe inexpensive local it used to be

A small family run restaurant in the old village of East Finchley that specialises in really good Pizza. It's BYO and they don't charge corkage, so if you have a favourite wine or beer you are in a win win situation as the pizza is excellent! It's only a small venue and booking is a must on most nights, and don't forget that they also do a take away service! The real test for me is that We've eaten there with three toddlers and it truly was a very enjoyable experience and the toddlers are all of their food. If you're nearby La Rugoleta is well worth a try, you will be pleased that you did it!!

Food is ok, service ok, everything distinctly average. I can't believe it's owned by Italians? If so, surely would be run in a much warmer & most efficient way? We used to go on our way to & from classes but now they have relocated away from Archer School there is not such a draw to go there. If you are local it could be convenient but if you want a better all round Italian experience then walk up the High Street to Bufi

This restaurant is tucked away but worth going to décor is nice and everyone is welcoming that works there and the food is beautiful..worth going !

This "hidden gem" serves delicious, authentic Italian food. I only discovered it last week and have been 3 times since. The food is excellent, the owners and waitress are warm and welcoming. Would highly recommend.

Nice restaurant, hidden away in a residential neighborhood. Properly done italian food, however they serve no wine so it's BYO. Pizzas are great!

Went there for dinner about 1 month ago, it feels like a true family-run restaurant. Pizzas were very good, my wife had the risotto and she also loved it. They also had some proper italian food you don't see often in London (e.g. fegato alla veneta), which is always a good signBookings very recommended, it gets full quickly!

La Rugoletta is a small, family owned and operated Italian bistro. More properly, most of the menu is in the Sicilian style, which I grew up enjoying, in a community with many restaurants run by Sicilian emigres.Our menu choices were excellent. Portions were generous. All dishes arrived at our table properly hot. The service made us feel like family.We only regret is that we may never return to East Finchley, for a another meal or two.

We love La Rugoletta. The staff are friendly and always make a fuss of my son.The food is consistently good. The restaurant is small - you have to book.Wish it was twice the size! Considering this is off the beaten track they are busy every time we go in.

It's a tiny local restaurant where most of the clientele probably walk here - and return again and again. With good reason: terrific pizzas, good rustic Italian home cooking - and bring your own booze. Al long as you're happy eating with your elbows jostling with your neighbour's, you'll have a great time!

Food served here is excellent. The restaurant does not serve alcohol but one can bring one's own for a very modest service charge. Very popular and therefore often difficult to get a reservation.

Having already been to the sister restaurant in North Finchley, it was a surprise when we were invited to join another couple at this one on a Saturday night. What can I say, everything was very good: the service, the food especially so, and the atmosphere.

The pizza is amazing even if you have a takeaway. Small but quick. You get large servings to!!!!! I have never had better

I have driven past this restaurant on numerous occasions and always looked intriguing… strangely situated, very tiny yet always busy… so decided to give it a go. The first thing that hit me was the interior decor. Absolutely nothing like what I imagined, with very basic tables, chairs and creature comforts. Almost tempted to about turn and not bother. As previous reviewers have stated it is BYO drinks for alcohol with a £1 per person corkage charge, which keeps prices down. Food actually very tasty, with home made authenticity and superior to what you would find in your typical High Street Italian restaurant chain. Pleasant staff also add to the overall ambience.An interior refurbishment including improved lighting could really make this a unique upgraded experience, which would further improve my rating.

Go to La Rugaletto regularly, never had a bad meal. Food is great, service excellent.Will be back again very soon.Joe

Very good food in a small restaurant. Dishes are authentic and the crab linguine was very good. Booking is essential.

This is a very busy restaurant (booking is recommended) , with great food, great atmosphere and very good service.They dont have license to sell spirit drinks so dont forget to bring your own wine or beer.Pizzas are simply amazing i ordered Nostrana was a really good choice, also they have some pasta dishes, meat and fish.... im going come back.Totally recommended

Typical small vaguely authentic feeling Italian restaurant. The service was a little sporadic but did the job.Menu quite big with some relatively seasonal options. Food was generally decent, though entirely unremarkable.It's an ok choice in the area, don't go out of your way to get here. It's BYO for alcohol (no corkage charge)!!

Sono andato a mangiare questo lunedi. Il locale é piccolo ma molto accogliente. Il servizio è ottimo e la qualità del cibo è eccezionale. Ho mangiato un prosciutto e una linguina alle vongole,tutti e due davvero ottimi e abbondanti.Tornerò presto

Great food and BYO drinks so very cheap. The place gets busy so booking is recommended and as its so small you can get squished into small areas but its worth it for the food. Been loads and never disapointed. Bring a good bottle of red with you and you will have a great evening

We love this little restaurant! It's always busy which is a never good sign so try and book to avoid disappointment. They also do take aways! The food is very good value for money. You can also bring your own alcohol.

Really FABULOUS eatery, with delicious Italian cuisine, and a warm and friendly atmosphere. Helpful staff who delight in offering a great time, and authentic food to their guests. A delightful place to eat and meet friends in a truly convivial room that is into intimate and fun.

Tiny little Italian full of loud staff and tables too close together. The reason this has lasted so long is down to the fabulous food.Clam linguine is divine so do not bother with anything else. There are plenty of other choices but why stray when this is so good?This place is not quite as charming as it was a few years ago and is now quite boisterous but it is a real jewel. The price has steadily increased over the years too so it is not such great value any more.The only improvement to the food would be desserts. They are shocking, Iceland style!

We read some mixed reviews about this small local restaurant prior to enjoying dinner there with a small group of friends yesterday evening. The restaurant is small and looks like a conversion from the front room of a house. Lovely buzzy atmosphere and good quality food served by friendly staff. I feel this is a good place to enjoy a basic meal of say either pasta or pizza and with the BYOB arrangement can work out reasonable. However our table enjoyed some of the fish dishes that we found pricey - £20 for a grilled seabass in a small local restaurant is too expensive as are the small portion of calamari served as a starter. However as stated before this restaurant will offer a good value meal in a nice atmosphere if you stay with the more simple pasta and pizza dishes. It would also be wise to make the second sitting at 9p.m. and not 8.30 p.m. We arrived on time but felt in the way whilst dinners are still finishing their food and the waiting staff needed to clean tables.

This was our favourite local restaurant but we had a bad experience and probably will not return, which is a shame as we have introduced several friends to it. We went in July with 2 friends. As usual it was very crowded and in the first few minutes our friend was nudged 3 times by a passing waiter/waitress. Then near the start of our meal the waitress knocked over our very large bottle of wine and it spilled all over my husband's light-coloured trousers, on the table & on the floor. She apologised, gave him some tissues & said if he sent the cleaning bill they would reimburse it. This incident spoiled our meal, especially as when we got the bill the only reduction was not charging for 2 coffees - my husband still had to pay for his main course & the corkage. He sent the cleaning bill (£7.50) with a covering letter a couple of weeks later and heard nothing. He phoned in August & found they were on holiday. He phoned again in Sept. & the waitress said the manager would phone back - he didn't. On phoning again the manager said he could/would not send a cheque by post and my husband had to go there to collect the money. La Rugoletta is several miles away so the money is still outstanding.

Great little Italian. We have been several times and it serves great pizza at very reasonable prices, what's more it is bring your own booze.Staff are very helpful and friendly. Only downside is that it is small and so you need to book

Hasn't been for ages but went recently with a group of friends. Lovely food at very reasonable prices. Good friendly service. BYO with no charge for corkage. Can't wait to go back.

We read the mixed reviews but overall we were very impressed with the food and the service. You can take your own wine which is always good and the food was clearly well prepared. Skip the desserts as these are bought in.

Went to La Rugoletta yesterday for dinner. Am surprised at some of the negative reviews this place has got of late. It is one of my favourite locals, and I have visited several times before. We had booked for 8pm but were running late. Called them to say so, and they were ever so nice about it - no problem at all. The food was scrumptious as always, and the portions ample. The service was prompt and very friendly. Three of us ate a starter and main course each and could only share one dessert. The bill came to £60 (service not included). We left very happy and content. Will of course visit again!

This is our favorite Italian, located just 2 minutes from our home. We used to go there once a month and order Pizza occasionally. Lately, something happened. It started with prices rising 10% (which is understandable, after 4 years of same prices). Then came the food. First - the Pizza. It used to be thin, fresh and lovely. Now it is thin. The rest is no more. It came to that, that I order Domino's the last time we wanted Pizza! :-(The rest of the food suffered as well. The Calamari became oily, and stringy (I guess they changed supplier/cheaper product), really not what it used to be.The special Pasta i ordered there last time (cherry tomatoes, garlic, squid and clams) was drowned in oil, and when I finished, the plate had a big pool of oil stained with red tomato juice.It is a real shame, as the owner didn't change. I hope he reads his and other reviews here and change things to what they used to be. Otherwise, we won't be back. especially as there are other, currently better, places in E. Finchley.

A favourite restaurant. Staff very smiley and helpful. Food delicious though the starters (special) sardines consisted of only 2 sardines. My pasta arrabiata delicious & on my request less hot than last time. Take your own wine - corkage charge.

I have to agree with the last reviewer in that i am very disappointed. Given that it is run by an Italian family, we thought it would be better but the pizzas were soggy with too much tomato and very little topping. I ordered their so called special of Lobster ravioli and only ended up with a starter portion - if that. So after having three courses there, I still went home hungry and had to eat again!

This used to be our favourite local little Italian. The owners since opened a sister place in North Finchley, and nothing is the same any more. Staff were sour to the point of rudeness; place reeked of cigarette smoke emanating from the kitchen area, and no longer are we happy to put up with the cramped and draughty surrounding.As for the food, well, the chef must have moved to the other place. The spinach and egg soup was watery; the pasta lukewarm, with sauce made with (!) powdered flavour. At least this was the aftertaste. When asked to help with desserts display, the staff replied, "it is all in the menu". Most unhelpful and unsmiling.Avoid!

This is the best Italian restaurant in London, no scrap that, England! The pizzas are the stars of the show and you feel as if you are actually in Italy whilst devouring one of their specialties! My tip, diavola with green peppers! The price is reasonable and the atmosphere always relaxed. This restaurant should be on one of those 'to do before you die' lists! OK, so maybe a bit over the top but I do love this place!!

Arrived with my wife for a romantic evening after reading the great reviews here on this site. Even though we reserved a table for an early evening (18:30), found ourselves seated in an impossible corner of the restaurant, just by the ice cream fridge, on route to the toilets (a very narrow route...), and by the waiters stand.When we complained, the manager replied - "next time say that you don't want table 9".We asked to be re-located, and weren't, though there were available tables (other couples in the restaurant did move to better tables).We decided not to leave as the food was highly recommended, and we thought we might as well make the most of the evening. I ordered a Ham & Pineapple Pizza which was very good indeed. My wife ordered a crab meat, garlic, and wine pasta which was quite poor with parts of crab shell left in the sauce.Not wanting to make another fuss and seem too complaining after the table query, we just pushed the pasta dish aside, hoping that the waiters/manager/chef would notice an untouched dish, but to no avail... the staff just ignored it.Only when the pizza was finished and the waitress came to clear the dishes from our table, then she asked if we didn't like the pasta. we replied - "NO!, we didn't", which was answered with - nothing...!!!One would expect an apology, or a query as to why we didn't enjoy their food, some would go the extra mile of offering an alternative dish - but not here - not the type of service that they provide.Asked for the bill, which arrived obviously with the pasta dish (c.£10) charged as if eaten.Paid, and left without tipping! Definitely not coming back! not worth the £30 for the miserable atmosphere, poor quality pasta, and worst service we had the joy of experiencing in a long time.If you choose to ignore this review, we suggest you beware of table 9, avoid crab meat, and don't expect great service.

小さなスペースのレストランですが、いつも人が多く賑わっています。以前は予約を受けてなかった見たいですが、今は予約できるので、予約をして行った方がいいです。お酒は販売していないので、ワインなど持ち込むことが可能です。持ち込み料を取られますが、グラスも用意してくれるし、レストランで頼むより断然安上がりになるので、このようなサービスにしてくれているほうが助かります。家族でそれぞれ違うパスタを頼みましたが、どれも美味しかったです。デザートが少し高かったように感じました。

My wife and I recently moved to the area and every time we walked past La Rugoletta it seemed to be full. We decided to make a reservation. We were not prepared for the sheer quality of the food and service. Authentic Italian cuisine, served by authentic Italians. I had a pizza and my wife had a seafood stew, both were sensational and dessert was perhaps the nicest tiramisu I have ever had. The restaurant is BYOB which allowed us to enjoy a good bottle of wine without spending too much. Overall fantastic and highly recommended.

What a great little restaurant, great atmosphere and great food. We shared garlic bread and calamari to start, the calamari was beautiful. I had one of the specials which was home made pasta twirls with, mussels, clams, squid and langoustine. We did not realise that that the restaurant was not licensed so I walked to the convenience store a bit further down Long Lane as i knew that I could get a half decent bottle of plonk in there. £2 corkage is also very reasonable. You would not be able to re-create the ambience in the West End and the food would cost 2 or 3 times more for this quality. I loved it!

Went to La Rugolleta a couple of weeks ago. Really good food. I went for the Pizza but lots of other choice, my wife had the liver (which I cant have) and said it was excellent. I understand the place is a cafe during the day and becomes a restaurant in the evening.It is BYO so that keeps the cost down and the food is very reasonably priced.As usual we where the last to leave but the staff where not pushy about us leaving.

This is a small, intimate cafe style Italian restaurant hidden away off High Road, East Finchley, N2 in Church Lane near the Long Lane junction. It is situated along the one way system opposite the library. Parking is awkward, so park nearby. The place is buzzing from early evening and you need to book a table in advance. It is rather cramped but worth it for the fabulous food you will enjoy! Light meal to feast of Italian delights! There is a bring a bottle system - so it suits all budgets.

Used to eat here occasionally with the children years ago when they first opened , limited menu mainly pizzas very often with a lengthy wait when busy , tempted back by friends who've moved nearby . This restaurant has improved enormously the menu expanded and the service fast professional and charming the kitchen very efficient the food delicious ,it's still very cramped and seems always to be busy ,mainly with young families . The BYO policy certainly saves on the bill , I reluctantly recommend La Rugoletta , if it becomes any more popular I'll never get a table .

From the outside, there was the cafe / sandwich bar appearance which became more 'restaurant' like, once we were inside. The menu seemed varied, and we had high hopes. After all, we'd been told, 'good value local Italian cooking'. The staff were charming, and I asked whether a veal Milanese was possible, as this was not on the menu. High hopes when the chef agreed to make a Milanese & serve it with spaghetti ailio olio. The calamari to start were clearly from a frozen catering pack; the veal Milanese tasted like cardboard, pasta was disappointing.Even at £ 55 for two excluding wine, we expected better.Overall .. We will not return. This is no local gem. Local eatery ... That is all.

One of my favourite locals. Great italian food, good service, and nice atmosphere. Bring your own booze always a plus.

It is a family-run restaurant, unpretentious and cheap. It's not going to win any prizes for inventive menu design but this restaurant is good deal. I went there with friends, we had salami, bread, olives and bruschetta and tagliatelle with scallops, mushroom and white sauce. We staggered out of the door after paying a £45 bill for three of us, happy and full. You could also book it as it can be quite busy sometimes.This restaurant has no licence but you can bring your own wine.

It may be off the beaten track, tucked away off the High Road that runs through East Finchley in north London, but it is absolutely worth getting the A-Z (or satnav) out to find it because the food is nothing less than outstanding. The premises are nothing to look at, a double-fronted shop front that could well be a delicatessen or florist, as well as a compact floorspace while you will probably have to book some time in advance, but persevere and you will be rewarded. The home cooking is so good you can almost fool yourself into thinking you are in Italy. The service is not hurried, although they tend to have two bookings in the evening to meet demand, but nor are you kept waiting too long for your course to be delivered - the tempo is just right. Unlicensed, and so it's a question of Bring Your Own, the prices are consequently very moderate. A nice touch is that whenever someone leaves, one of the staff goes to the door to hold it open for the departing guest.

I can't tell you how many times I've walked past this restaurant and phoned up to try and get a table. They are absolutely packed every time I go past and almost everytime I phone, but "if you don't succeed at first then try, try again" and eventually, I phoned and managed to reserve a table for two (a week in advance of when I wanted to go!).No wonder it's so difficult to get a table. The food was amazing - nothing fancy, just simple Italian food, beautifully prepared with what tasted like the best quality ingredients. I had a starter of a tomato, mozarella and basil salad which tasted so fresh, it seemed like the tomatoes had just been plucked from the vine. The restaurant doesn't have a licence so you need to "bring your own", which as far as I'm concerned is perfect as you can take a really good quality wine with you rather than pay over the odds for an average wine on the menu.I went with my best friend who is Italian. She loved the food, so it must be good!

This was our local restaurant for a year of London life; a gem hidden away from the main East Finchley High St. We had so many wonderful experiences in here I'm sure my view of the restaurant is seen through rose tinted spectacles. However the delicious (truly Italian) pizzas were the best I've had in the UK, and the pasta dishes simple but tasty. All brilliant value (a meal for two would cost around £20-25 in 2010 prices) and BYO booze. Don't turn up without booking (unless you sneak in at 945pm!) as it's small and popular. We rated our anniversary dinner here more highly than Jamie Oliver's "fifteen" restaurant, although I'm sure that was partly because it was 1/6th the price!

Very small restaurant off the main drag in East Finchley. Booking essential, even with a reservation we still had to wait outside for 10 mins. It's BYO and food costs are very reasonable. We had salad and bruschetta to start and 2 pasta mains. Humble, rustic presentation but tasted good. Desserts bit of a let down, dated menus and they all looked frozen/brought in. Pizzas looked and smelt great. Will be back.