Little Italy in St. Helens

First visit great food and service from the staff. Spotted online looking for somewhere to eat prior to concert in St Helens .

As you step through the door of this fantastic family run restaurant, you are greeted by the warmest of welcomes from the super friendly staff. The food is excellent (there is a great variety) and you are spoiled for choice by the additional dishes on the specials board. Nothing was too much trouble for the owners and the personal touches made our evening so much more special. Thanks to all, we will be back again soon!

Nice little Italian restaurant, shame as in the title a small restaurant it does not have enough covers for its popularity so book before you try 👍🏻...

Everything was excellent. Already planning our next visit.

Beautiful meal, fantastic service. A lovely relaxing evening

Gorgeous little Italian, fantastic waiter. I've only given 3 stars because the lasagne was such a disappointment! It was just a mound of slop on the plate... no flavour other than tomato and cheese, no discernable ragu sauce or beef, we were totally bemused because the other food was lovely.

Outstanding quality food and service. The mix of traditional pasta/ pizza dishes and more adventurous specials works really well.

Fantastic food Great drinks choice Helpful staff

I have a real problem with this restaurant, it doesn’t get worse, the food quality is brilliant, portion sizes are very good, service is excellent and the prices are well within acceptable levels for the quality of the food. We went as a group of four, seated immediately, drinks straight away, specials personally described and service well within acceptable limits. The food is very, very good. Warm, tasty and plentiful. Whether you are there for a family party, friends get together or single eating the service and quality are the same. The service from all of the staff is impeccable, friendly and personable.I love this place 😁🇮🇹🍝🍕

We go regularly to this restaurant with friends and we all think the food and welcome are exceptional. The owners and staff are lovely and friendly and the ever changing special board means there’s always something new to try. A particular favourite at lunchtimes is the sharing platter which is really tasty and there again varies in content each time. Always a pleasure to visit.

Another fantastic lunch at little Italy. Food and severice exceptional. The owners and staff cannot do enough. The menu and specials board leaves you stuck for choice Can't wait for next visit.

Fantastic as usual. We have been here many times. The food and severice is excellent. The specials board has different choices every visit. We are stuck for choice after the translation. Great starters and mains. The staff are exceptional and helpful no matter how busy they are. Can't wait for next visit.

Visited little Italy for the first time today and it was so worth it. Had dinner there, two carbonaras and a cheesy garlic bread between us and it was absolutely amazing. As soon as we walked in there we were greeted with a smile and a team very clearly dedicated to bringing the best service to their customers. Wanted dessert but we were both too full to even think about ordering it. Can’t wait to come back!! Thank you

what a fantastic run restaurant the food is amazing the best pizza anywhere, angry Vinny my favourite !! pasta dishes my hubby loves them especially the specials the staff are all so friendly the lady at front of house is so friendly and polite and is so informative about the dishes and specials she should be very proud of her family they are credit to her , all the staff make you so welcome nothing is to much trouble for these guys can't wait to return

The food nice but the service with the man was terrible asking for sauce for the kids and pulling a face . When serving food they should asked if you want sauce for the chips and salts that normal . Woman can be very rude when she wants to be . It's a shame good food but service is terrible

Great place for a pizza or just a coffee

Fabulous Italian food, innovative not just a standard menu. A great welcome, excellent and friendly service creating a really enjoyable atmosphere. Can't recommend enough - make sure you book though, it is both small and popular!

Delicious food, fantastic fast service, staff who couldn't do enough, great food and reasonable prices. Cosy little place.

Lovely lunch with girls from work. Amazing food, service was excellent and such nice staff! I will definitely be back!

Unbelievable!! 🍕🇮🇹🍝 This place has it all, from amazing quality food, outstanding service and a great atmosphere. We arrived after being recommended it because apparently this place has great pizza (they wasn’t lying). We asked if they had a table for 4 and space for a pram, the staff very quickly made a space for the pram and we were seated. The atmosphere was relaxed and welcoming, at no point did we feel we were in the way or a hindrance with the pram or baby. We were given the lunch time menu to order from, and it had a good selection, easy to pick something, especially with a young fussy eater in the group. The pizza’s were delicious, fresh, light and the best pizza I’ve had. We had fries they were very tasty. Someone in the group ordered pate and commented how nice it was. Garlic bread was also fresh, none greasy and went down a treat. The staff was kind enough to make plain pasta with no flavour or herbs adding for the young person in the from who is a fussy eater and she finished the whole dish. Onto deserts, they have a whole selection to choose from, we picked ours to take out and this wasn’t a problem, they were more than happy to package this up. Overall a small slice of perfection in rainford that’s definitely worth visiting, they have a pizza can that is open so if the restaurant is busy the same quality is able to be served outside. We now have a new pizza favourite and I don’t think anyone will be able to beat this for quality or quantity. They also do food to take out.

Takeaway food .plenty in portion.

Called in for lunch today. Excellent menu, homemade food, friendly staff and reasonable prices. Although small inside it was very impressive and we will return. No hesitation recommending Little Italy.

Our first visit and we weren't disappointed. The food and service were both excellent. So pleased we chose to have lunch there and can't wait to go back

The food was amazing. So lucky to have such amazing food options on our door step. I'd recommend it to anyone who loves Italian food.

This is an amazing authentic little family run restaurant that never fails to surprise... From the moment you walk in the greeting is warm friendly and professional.. The food is fresh good quality and full of flavour you may be full, but have to try a desert..which if needed can be "take away!" From coffee and cake.. or cocktails and antipasti never fails. It's my go to place to have time with friends or a date with hubbie.. It's a gem of a place... You would be "crazy" not to go..

Right out the draw! My new go to. Usually go somewhere else not to far away? but we will be down here more often. The food was excellent, the cheesy garlic bread! The main was spicy arribietta, with a mozzarella bomb, could not fault anything!

We go here regularly and in the last 15 times we've been, there hasn't been one issue with the food. Their chuck steak burger is immense (on the specials board, so not guaranteed) so get it while you can if it's up there!

Great experience. We went not long after opening. Service was quick and friendly. We shared a few dishes and they were all delicious. Meatballs, bruschetta, burrata, Italian sausage focaccia. Highly recommend them all. Will be returning soon to try out the evening menu! 😋

Absolutely outstanding, from the food quality all the way to the staff & the atmosphere of the restaurant was amazing would highly recommend paying this restaurant a visit. Couldn't of had a better time than I did at little Italy 💯👍🏼

Absolutely cracking little spot for lunch. Went for the arabbiata which was spot on, whilst my colleague had an excellent lasagne. In addition they’ve got a great selection of cakes and desert on offer. Definitely worth checking out if you’re in the area.

Wow,first time tonight ,food and service amazing, so many more things I need to try ,definitely will be back 😋

Delicious and nice staff, wonderful weekend away and this was the highlight of the weekend when it comes to eating out instead of pub dinners which are dated

We had our first visit to Little Italy yesterday and after hearing great things, it didn’t disappoint! The food and the service was exceptional. Carolina was lovely and she guided us through the dishes. The other staff too were very attentive and friendly. The atmosphere was relaxed and cosy. We will definitely be visiting again soon. Would highly recommend!

Had a fantastic lunch today at Little Italy. The food was absolutely delicious. Can highly recommend the sharing platter, the ribs (sauce was unbelievably tasty) and the carbonara. The desserts were heavenly…it was difficult to choose as they all looked gorgeous but went for tiramisu and was happy I did. The staff there really made our visit. Friendly, welcoming and lovely people. We can’t wait to go back. You should definitely give this place a go. Thanks for a lovely meal.

Cannot wait to go again … what a fantastic little place with lovely people and the tastiest Italian food ever!! Myself and a friend sat and tried to eat our way through the menu. Alas we need another visit to do the other half! The ribs were amazing (not Italian enough for you? Wait till you try the sauce on them!!!) once again thank you for a lovely afternoon of delicious food 😃

Lovely food at both lunch and dinner settings, very welcoming staff, loved the food, enjoyed the coffee and the gin. Great atmosphere 👌

65 minutes after arriving we asked could we order another bottle of £27 wine. Answer was we need the table back at 7.15pm but I will give you the cork for the wine so you can drink it at home! Not welcoming.

Amazing food & hospitality! Great addition to Rainford

Beautiful, authentic Italian meals served within comfortable surroundings.

Enjoyed a lovely meal, very pleasant staff. Would highly recommend. Will be returning again soon.

A lovely smallish restaurant with great authentic Italian food and a very decent bar we try to go as often as possible

Very nice , but most of the food is just pasta and sauce that cost penny's. It was very tasty though. It needs to be bigger , so if you go for the evening you will need to book a table

Lovely meal tonight. Food was fresh and tasty. Excellent service, so good I was even tempted to get the amaretto pudding, which didn't disappoint. The atmosphere was relaxed and cosy. Definitely head back soon.

The food here was absolutely beautiful, one of the best Italian meals we’ve ever had. The service was wonderful, really good recommendations for local Italian beers. They gave us the tiramisu to go and that was gorgeous. We would 100% recommend going here. It’s probably worth noting, there is no gratuity added to the bill and we hadn’t taken any cash with us but we really would have liked to have left a tip.

Great food, great staff :) Really lovely experience and will be returning Just a notice for people- the salad with the calamari and the bruschetta (both very, very nice) have balsamic vinegar over them

Fantastic menu, food and even better owners. Special board explained proudly by Carole or Fab. Freshly cooked proper Italian food.

Been here quite a few times and always enjoyed the meal and atmosphere. Both lunches and dinners are tasty and authentic Italian food. Well worth a visit but you'll probably need to book

A gem of a restaurant in lovely Rainford. Tasty meals and small plates, served by the most pleasant staff/owners. Always a pleasant welcome.

Absolute gem of a restaurant. Food was excellent. Staff and service were excellent and a lovely relaxed atmosphere. Will be returning soon.

This is a cosy, welcoming place to be. Nothing is too much trouble and everyone is so helpful. The food and service as always us fabulous.

As the name suggests, a little gem of an Italian restaurant in the heart of Rainford. Delicious focaccia bread lunchtime sarnie with mortadella and provolone, including side salad with quality balsamic vinegar dressing. Lovely cappuccino too. All served up by friendly, attentive staff....

Excellent food, great service in a relaxed environment. We shared the calamari starter then both had a special for main. I had the linguine gamberoni and my other half had the Stinko. Both beautifully cooked and very tasty. We have now eaten here many times and all of it is tasty and brilliantly executed.

I have been trying to get a table on a Saturday evening for a while. Little Italy 🇮🇹 did not disappoint. We were greeted warmly on arrival which continued throughout the evening. All the team made us feel like an old friend. The food was all fresh and delicious. The Spaghetti Vongole was the best I’ve ever had. Perfect evening, perfect food, perfect hosts. Thank you ❤️

A fantastic place to eat . The staff were very friendly & hospitable. The food was excellent & great recommendations from front of house staff . A cosy family restaurant with great food . I would highly recommend a visit , you won't be disappointed

seating area in a small restaurant, but with a massive Italian heart .all our food was excellent, well prepared ,fresh and nicely served .concise menu but a good selection .highly recommended.

We booked for a five o'clock early evening meal, we were shown straight to our table and had what I can only describe as a sensational meal. We have recently come back from a trip through Milan, Bologna, Florence and Siena and the food was on par with the best we ate anywhere and better than most. For starters we had Arancini and a special of the board Cotechino. Both were delicious and portion sizes were very good and the food was full of flavour. For mains we had Spaghetti Vongole and King Prawn Linguine, again I couldn't fault either, perfectly cooked and well presented. Drinks wise we tested the authentic Italian beers, the Moretti and Messina and an Espresso Martini, couldn't fault any of them. The service in Little Italy is second to none, friendly and very competent. Everything is done with a smile and the chap who does the cocktails kept the whole restaurant smiling. We have been before and will absolutely return again, this really is an authentic slice of Italy in Rainford. Thank you.

Fantastic food and hospitality. Outstanding. Great service - traditional food and great choice of drinks. We can’t wait to go back!

Excellent welcome, food, ambience and service.

Lovely friendly Italian, food quality and portion size excellent. I had Cannoli ricotta and spinach, lovely fresh salad with Balsamic dressing , Tiramisu/ ice cream and coffee all for £16.50 My partner had delicious pizza, coffee and ice cream for same price. We really enjoyed our meal and felt it had been cooked by a chef who cared about quality of ingredients. We will be back. Can also recommend this lovely Italian for cyclists who need a coffee and cake fix !

Brilliant food polite staff will use again and deffo recomend to others

Fabulous food, friendly staff, lovely surroundings! Highly recommend. In particular the sharing platter.

Had breakfast there this morning 07/11/23 and it was brilliant - Italian twist on a full English. We will be back very soon for an evening meal.

Staff and food lovely. Nothing too much trouble.

I treated my mum to lunch here this afternoon. She recommended it after coming here with a friend, and it did not disappoint. The place is quaint & has a great atmosphere and feels cosy. Throughout our visit, it was always busy with couples/groups coming and going throughout. They were accommodating a group after a funeral, yet the owner still came over & managed to find us a table for 2 and seated us, without fuss. We had a pasta dish each, both of which were full of flavour and a great portion size. My mum had a glass of wine, and I had a latte. The prices were amazing - £7.95 for a pasta dish on the lunch menu was beyond reasonable! No wonder it was busy & comes highly recommended. As well as the great food & atmosphere, we had great service too - the waiting staff were attentive, friendly and kept checking everything was okay, with the owners chatting away to customers as well as working in the kitchen. Can’t wait to return and can’t recommend this local gem enough!

It's a lovely little place would definitely recommend it if you like a good coffee

Amazing food and atmosphere… staff are very welcoming and personable. We’ve been a few times now, either as a couple or with our young children and we have always had the BEST experience in every way. We also hired the whole place for our ladies cricket end of season meal and that was a wonderful night too and really well organised. We all agree that as a family, it’s our favourite place to eat, not only within Rainford but also the entire local area. My eldest son said it’s “a very calm atmosphere” and “you feel a bit like you’re on holiday”. He’s right. It’s difficult to get a table with it being so small so we always have to book weeks in advance. Very reasonably priced too. Thank you, and see you soon!

My friend and I went for lunch. Both meals were done to perfection. Staff was friendly and welcoming, atmosphere was good. Was rather busy for a lunch time Will definitely retuning to try the evening menu Highly recommend

We went for our anniversary and it was the most perfect dinner. The staff couldn’t do more and the food was both quick and delicious. The rustic feel of the restaurant and ambiance was delightful. Even lemons and oranges in a tree as though you...

We had a lovely evening such a welcoming atmosphere. Serving staff efficient and so friendly. The food is delicious. One of our party has a number of food allergies, this was discussed prior to our visit and he was so well catered for , nothing...

Third visit to Little Italy, really great night out again. The new staff who served us were really nice, looked after us and so friendly, we had a few laughs with them and this added to the great atmosphere in the restaurant. The food was...

quite easily the best Italian food I've ever had in this country. the atmosphere and service is brilliant and welcoming. would advise booking as its the popular you struggle to walk in.

Fabulous evening spent at the Little Italy restaurant, where you are guaranteed tasty and authentic Italian food and exceptional customer service. The atmosphere is like being invited for a family meal …highly recommended ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Come here often, best thing that has happened to the village. Food is amazing, fresh. Staff are really welcoming and professional, have a wealth of knowledge on all Italian food and wines. They have the nicest red wine I have tasted.

Bought me&misses a take away,which was absolutely lovely&well presented,I can honestly highly recommend the little Italy pizza,which was so tasty&well made,my misses had the cannelloni which she was highly impressed with,well worth the money&wait as its made completely fresh. If you like real Italian food...

We was looking for a table here, but it is obviously very popular,nxt time I will book in advance "My fault for leaving it till the early evening on a busy Friday 😀 but the restaurant was willing to do me a take away,even at there busiest time which was very nice of them!! The food ordered was a little Italy pizza for myself&a cannelloni for the misses,which I highly recommend&the misses does too!! It was well presented&really fresh&tasty,if you like proper Italian food,don't hesitate its great&the staff are nice&very well mannered&very deserving of being popular

Ye proper boss pizzas here staff are sick as well

This was an amazing little recommendation given to us as we travelled through yesterday. Family run business, a mother and 3 sons were all working . Small, cosy little restaurant with an amazing authentic Italian feel. The food was incredible, we had calamari to start, then cannelloni and arrabiata with burrata from the specials board, all of which were delicious. We had to try the tiramisu made by one of the brothers to finish our meal and it was the best we've ver tried. We spent a lot of lime travelling Italy last year eating in many places, and this little place Rainford was one of the best Italian places we have been to. They are also passionate about their beer, serving 13 different bottled beers from around the microbreweries of Italy. Beers that you would not get anywhere else in the UK. The service was out of this word. Friendly, homely and attentive. I can not recommend Little Italy enough, Thank you for a great evening

We absolutely couldn’t fault this fabulous place.. my partner and I booked a table on the recommendation of the owner of the campsite we stayed at locally, we only had a one night stop over on our way from Brighton to the Lake District.. little Italy had only been open for 3 months and the food,service and ambiance was absolutely brilliant and very authentic.. the guest beer which was recommended by owner came all the way from a micro brewery in Rome and the only place in the uk you’ll be able to sample it! The food was absolutely brilliant, we traveled through Italy last year and it was like we where back there in the hills again..💪🏼Thank you so much for a brilliant evening.. we absolutely loved it. 🇮🇹 💚💚

Gorgeous little place! Great staff and excellent food! Highly recommend ❤️

Been 3 times now and had a take out. Pizzas Lovely, chips fantastic and the sandwiches amazing. Only been for lunch, so will try evening meal soon. My 13 year old loves it! Really refreshing to see the chef/owner early in the morning buying his...

Really enjoyed a relaxed evening in Little Italy . The food was delicious, good choices on the menu and specials board . Nonna’s pear cake was amazing. Service was excellent , friendly and efficient. Would highly recommend this little gem. Booking for an evening meal...

Great little restaurant, fast friendly service, amazing food.

Highly recommend this family run restaurant. We went for dinner with 8 people and the food and service was wonderful. We went back the next morning for coffee, tiramisu and freshly picked figs! Recommend making a reservation for dinner.

Looked forward to going for birthday meal and to meet again Fabio ,Caroline and vinny from the Cafe Roma days. Everything was as experienced from years previously, great food, great company, great service. The restaurant itself is a little gem with lovely decor and all...

Great little place. Amazingly good food, friendly and helpful staff. Specials always add great variety.Fabulous pizzas.

Had a quick drink outside in the sun whilst walking the dog. Very welcoming, planning a visit for a meal soon as it looks so good.

Been wanting to try this place for ages, being locals! Popped in today with family for lunch. Absolutely stunning food and fabulous service. We had pizzas and pasta and gorgeous tiramisu and lemon cake. My son was being a typical toddler having an tantrum and the staff were so lovely with us. Would definitely visit again - highly recommend. It is quite a small restaurant so booking is essential for the evening. Thank you Little Italy!

Fabulous little place, gorgeous food, and a lovely warm Italian welcome. 5 ⭐️

Really friendly, good food and about 2 minutes from home. What's not to like?

Had a take out work lunch for 10+ people today…customer service was amazing from pre-ordering to pick up. The premises is absolutely beautiful with a lovely relaxing atmosphere that I wanted to stay in all afternoon n not return to work!!! The dishes that were...

Absolutely amazing. The staff are really lovely and welcoming. The food is outstanding. Perfect size restaurant giving it a cozy family feel. Can't wait to come back again

One of the best meals in a long time The starters and mains were lovely. The staff are really nice as well and helpful, can't wait to come back

Love to have a moan but everything perfect, every time I've been same standards have been adhered too.

Just popped in here to grab some lunch as I'm working in the area. I had the Bianca Mozzarella Salsiccia pizza which was absolutely lovely, much like the staff who are extremely welcoming and helpful. I'd certainly like to come again one evening with friends. I'd highly recommend coming here.

Food was amazing, staff were amazing and wasn't rushed off the table. Great meal out would highly recommend.

Lovely food and great restaurant

Excellent food at a reasonable price.

We had a night night here. Starting from the warm welcome this family run restaurant is a great addition to Rainford village. The food was superb all fresh ingredients and help on hand with choices. You are made to fell special, the staff are so...

Had a delicious meal at Little Italy, the staff are so lovely and the pasta and pizza were really tasty. We had fantastic cocktails and the cannoli was to die for! My partner loved the guest beer they had which was shipped in from Rome.

Great new local restaurant. We had the pizza and pasta, both very good. Relaxed atmosphere and lovely to be able to walk somewhere local for a casual bite to eat.