L'Olivo Ristorante Italiano in St Albans

It was my first time there this evening, but not the last. Fantastic food, the Dover Sole was first class and the staff were so professional and caring. Thank you for the best evening in a long time.

Great service and food. Our waitress Christina was very attentive throughout our meal. The team were quick to present our dishes and top up our wine glasses. Some lovely dishes on the menu. The squid ink pasta with seafood was divine. The complimentary crema di limoncello was a nice touch at the end of our meal. Highly recommend.

We have dined at this restaurant many times and the overall experience has always been outstanding. In our view this is the best Italian restaurant in Hertfordshire. Many thanks to all the wonderful staff for their incredible welcoming hospitality, cuisine and attention to detail!

We had a very enjoyable dinner. The service was fantastic and the food (ravioli, scallops, duck and lamb) delicious - highly recommended!

Food was very good, and service was good However we were a party of10 and the long table was squashed in behind the fire. Its rather pricy and my dish with king prawns and spicy sausage had 3 king prawns. I live in Italy as much as UK, and where we are a superior quality of meal would be half the price. A starter, main, and one small beer cost me £45

Went to visit for my sons birthday...food was simply delicious and authentic and went down a treat...strongly reccomend the lamb rack...wow !!! The staff couldn't do more to make it a special occasion.... Price was very affordable at less than £40 per head which is cheap for Hertfordshire. Not too keen on the glass dividers put there during covid but we're already planning our next visit.

Great food and great service in a lovely comfortable environment. I would highly recommend.

Fantastic, delicious, straight to the top of my favourite places to eat in Hertfordshire! Can't wait to come back to try all the other options on the menu.

Your booking system is terrible

Excellent evening. Had the special which was 3 types of fish in white wine sauce and it was delicious. Gamberoni starter was excellent. Service was very good and decor is very nice. I quite like the glass screens between tables which helps privacy. Don't know if these are a legacy of Covid or a design feature, but they work well. Only niggles were that we weren't offered bread as is standard in all restaurants and the desserts were average. Price was fair for the quality of food and service. Will definitely go again.

Superb evening. Really wonderful food. Some of the best pasta we have ever tasted. Excellent service. Can’t recommend highly enough. Thank you to Murat and his team from us all.

We had a lovely meal at L'Olivo with friends. First time since Sergio left. Staff were all very pleasant and attentive. It was VERY lively there and difficult to have a conversation due to everyone shouting over everyone else. Friday night excitement! Our food was good, and we asked if the chef could make up some veal escalopes in breadcrumbs (milanese). This was not a problem. So all four diners asked for it. Three of us asked if we could have a small portion of spaghetti bolognese to accompany it. Again, nothing was too much trouble. What got lost in translation was that we had 3 plates of bolognese with sone veal on top. Very nice - until the bill came up. I don't normally check it but as it seemed a little on the high side I did on this occasion. We were charged £15 each for the veal - perfect! But we were also charged £66 for three portions of spagbol. In fairness they were full portions which we were unable to finish. However at £37 for a main dish, I thought it was very steep. Point of this is not to criticise the food but to suggest to anyone else requesting this to order 1 portion of spagbol to be shared. It would be the size we wanted and the cost would have been what we paid under the previous management. A good night though and we would return when next in harpenden.

Had a lovely first visit to L’Olivo this evening. They were very accommodating as we didn’t have a reservation on a Saturday night and had stopped en route hoping to get some dinner with our hangry toddler. The service was so friendly, the food came out quickly and was absolutely delicious. Lovely atmosphere, very clean setting with beautifully set tables. The restaurant quickly became busy after we arrived at 5:30 and it is clear that it is popular. If we are back in the area we will definitely visit again!

Cannot recommend L’Olivo highly enough. Amazing food, friendly and efficient staff and lovely atmosphere. Micheal Wright

It's absolutely fabulous. Amazing place for dinner in the family or friends. Great service, also all the staff it's adorable. I will recommend these places for everyone.

First time visiting under new management. Unfortunately, not the same special experience we had enjoyed previously. Our table for 5 was very cramped, so 2 of us had to sit sideways - and we are regular sized. The selection of Italian bread had breadsticks in bags which were placed on the top, hiding the other 2 types of bread. Our local pub serves better bread baskets, with warm, artisan bread... The food was ok but the dishes were not brought out at the same time, with the same waiting staff making multiple trips. And, they brought out the main course before the empty starter dishes had been cleared. The interior is more upmarket than your standard Italian but they need to up their service.

Really good service here. Great traditional Italian options and also some amazing octopus specials. Highly recommended!

This was our first visit and we were testing the waters with a view to a future booking for a special event. We certainly weren’t disappointed. Excellent service and some delicious food made for a great dining experience. The scallops and sea bass were particularly good. This is the best restaurant we have found since coming to live in the area … we’ll be back!

Amazing food, never a bad meal, the service is 10/10 the staff are so so lovely and friendly, always smiling, murat the manager is amazing, lovely atmosphere, highly recommend! Thank you again,

This is our second visit as we don’t live in the area. Our first visit was amazing and our second visit on Friday 12 January was even more amazing if that’s possible. Thank you for the quieter table on the right hand side as you go inside. It’s for 4 and slightly quieter. I’m a coeliac and so many times I’ve had problems when we eat out. Not in this restaurant, no problems at all. By feeling confident that the food will not cause an allergy I can enjoy the delicious menu. My chosen dish was adapted and was out of this world. Thank you to everyone for making our dining experience another success. Just wished we lived closer

Very pleased to find the spirit of Sergio is being maintained. Outstanding still!

Even though Sergio has retired the superb service quality of food and ambience remain the same. Murat and his team are extremely attentive and very friendly and whatever dish was served, starters, mains or deserts were spot on

Food 5* Service 5* Atmosphere 5* This was our first time back under the new ownership and can honestly say our evening was absolutely fantastic. We can’t wait to come back! Thank you

Food was very good. The staff could not have done more and I will not hesitate to recommend. We had a meal with family that we do not see very often. My lamb was second to none!

One of the best places to enjoy amazing food in a beautiful place with people who are absolutely fantastic at doing their job and making you feel like you are the VIP of the evening... no wander is almost impossible to get a reservation. If you manage thou you will not be disappointed So sorry I didn't took pictures but the food and atmosphere were so good that I totally forgot about them

Incredible food and service! I love the way Italians just look after you as if you were part of the family!

Very good food and superb service. I had the lamb cutlets for my main. They were cooked exactly as requested and perfectly seasoned. Already looking forward to my next visit!

Absolutely love this place! Exquisite food, fantastic service and amazing atmosphere!

We booked in for a birthday meal and have had the BEST experience. I'd been before under the previous management and had always loved it. This evening though was a different level. The food was first class, the staff were attentive but not intrusive and...

Love this place - excellent Italian food & great service

Phenomenal service from Cristina, a great atmosphere and delicious food! Quick service and really wholesome. A lovely pitstop of mid-week dinner!

I'd been hunting for some time for an authentic Italian restaurant in Hertfordshire and my research took me to l'Olivo. I was vindicated in my choice. The food, surroundings and service were all excellent. We had a first class meal. The restaurant space is tasteful and modern without being over-stylised. The music was spot on - one of the few examples I've encountered of gentle piano music being played at just the right volume. It enhanced the atmosphere. Food highlights included saltimbocca with excellent zucchini fritti and spinach sides. We didn't drink wine, but my Negroni was nicely made. Truly a faultless meal and we'll return, for sure.

Last night, OMG, what fantastic food, wine and company???? not to mention the wonderful staff. Nothing was too much bother including tweaking the freshly cooked food to be gluten free. Not cheap but worth every penny. Can't wait to return. Thank you.

Really lovely place to celebrate something special as the food and atmosphere definitely lends itself towards that rather than an quick meal out. Service was great, attentive without being over the top. Food was tasty, on the pricer side but the quality was good.

The food and service was amazing. Cristiana and Daniela were so attentive and friendly and they made our visit so special, thanks so much girls! We will definitely be visiting again soon!.

Great food and lovely atmosphere 😋

Delicious food, lovely ambience!

The restaurant is lovely and the service was really good. The food was amazing, looking forward to return again,😊

Such a lovely meal here with my wife. Not only great food, excellently cooked, but backed up by genuinely superb, lovely and caring service. So often places deliver one or the other, but L'Olivo have got all bases covered. Thanks for making the evening special...

Such a lovely meal here with my wife. Not only great food, excellently cooked, but backed up by genuinely superb, lovely and caring service. So often places deliver one or the other, but L'Olivo have got all bases covered. Thanks for making the evening special for us

British style italian food, but good quality.

The service was spotless ! Great atmosphere, we went for my sisters birthday and it was absolutely amazing! The food was great, the host who served us made us feel really welcomed. We couldn't have chosen a better place for this occasion! Thanks a lot!!

Building was well decorated. Lovely and modern with good use of mirrors to make the room look more spacious. Service was amazing, the staff were so attentive and friendly! Food was stunning, my fiancé and I shared the meatball and ravioli starters, he had the lamb main, I had chicken. Then we got lemon tart and tiramisu for dessert. Everything was so good, when we're back in the area we'd definitely eat here again!

We have driven passed L'Olivo an number of times, and always commented on the enticing aroma as we passed and that one day we would need to try the food. Why did we wait so long, Absolutely spot on food and service. Very welcoming and very attentive, and the the quality of the food was extremely high, good size portions and great flavors. Will defiantly not be long before a re-visit.

Absolutely wonderful. Great service, very friendly and attentive. Great food. A lovely meal for our anniversary.

This meal was for my birthday and it did not disappoint. We were given a lovely quiet table and the service was really great. We started with cocktails and we each had different dishes from the menu. The food was imaginative and well presented. I...

Just the two of us having a celebratory meal at this well-renowned restaurant. We had three courses plus house champagne and coffee. Could not fault the cuisine, service or atmosphere.

Since Sergio and Joanne are not there is not the same place. I know the team there are trying however what is missing is the Italian warmth and character. Food is a lttle bit blend in comparison. Really shame. The food wasn't bad at all...

A small intimate Italian restaurant creating a cosy feel with beautiful decor. The staff are very friendly attentive. Due to the size of the restaurant the sound of chattering was fairly loud so I was pleased to be sitting at the far end by the window as I personally would have found it quite loud in the centre. The food was amazing so much favour and was mouthwatering. I had the Involtini - Warm Camembert wrapped in Parma ham, sauteed mushrooms, sundried tomatoes, pine nuts to start followed by the Anatra - Oven baked Gressingham duck breast, with honey and black pepper, Reserve brandy, sauteed potatoes and to finish the Crème Brûlée. I have to say it's very difficult to choice which course was my favourite everything was delicious. I would definitely recommend this restaurant it's perfect for special occasions! To avoid disappointment I would advise to book ahead. I look forward to returning in the future.

We went after all of the recommendations we’d heard - and were not disappointed. It was exceptional - the food, the drink, but also what stood out was the quality of service; extremely attentive. Very high quality food and the place itself is very nicely...

We hadn't visited for a long time as we had found the menu quite repetitive. Glad to say that was not the case... excellent Calamari which are very often the mark of a good chef in my opinion

The food is simply cooked to perfection. The Prawns, Scallops and Liver simply melt in the mouth. Lovely service etc etc. Its a must go place ... enjoy

I surfed the net and found this restaurant. TBH I probably wouldn't have found it any other way, because it wasn't exactly in the middle of everything. However, I'm so pleased I did. I've frequented many Italian restaurants over the years and only but a...

Absolutely loved it here, the cutest little family run restaurant. Fantastic friendly service and I cannot believe how amazing the food was- the best Italian pasta and pizza I have had in the UK. Homemade, hot and couldn't stop eating even when I was full! Would highly recommend to anyone! Thankyou!

Visted at 7 pm Friday 28 July. I booked the table via email 2 days before. We were surprised to find the restaurant full, which turned out to be a good omen for what was to come. The atmosphere is calm, and the service is excellent. For starters, my wife had ravioli pasta parcels filled with crab, lobster and prawns in a butter , sage and cherry tomato sauce. I had the Gamberoni peeled king prawns, sautéed in white wine, garlic and fresh chilli. Off to a good start lovely flavours. For mains, I had the Branzino fresh sea bass fillet in a delicate white wine and lemon juice saurce over a fresh asparagus and prawn risotto. My wife had Dover sole off the bone with green vegetables and sautéed potatoes. Hot plates, hot delicious food, excellent. For dessert tiramisu and affogato for myself. Well-deserved reviews. We will go back. Price £££

Very busy for a Wednesday night. Under new management and was very nice. Food was excellent and the staff were friendly and polite.

Great good, excellent friendly service. I was recommended by friends and wasn’t disappointed. The octopus starter special was amazing.

I was very impressed by my meal here. The service was perfect they were very attentive but not pushy, and they really let you take your time and relax and enjoy the meal. The homemade garlic ciabatta was a treat to eat and the lemon/butter sauce with the fish was lovely. My only critique would be the parmigiana starter was nice but not at the same taste standard as the rest of the dishes. I would 100% be back at this family run gem!

The food is so delicious 😋 The staff is so kind to the customers. I recommend that place 👌

The dishes were exquisitely presented with flavour to match. The service was very attentive and friendly but not overbearing

We really love this place and have been here lots. The food and service are always excellent and it was up that high standard again when we recently visited. I had the Ravioli starter and that was so delicious. The Mushroom and chicken risotto was...

Really good tasting food - the ravioli starter and the octopus special being particular highlights. We will be back!

We had family visiting from abroad and chose this restaurant because of its excellent reputation however we found it to be rather average. We booked a table for 6 people and the cubicle in which we were seated was extremely cramped. We informed the person...

Booked on Wednesday for a table for two on Thursday. Staff were excellent, starting from the moment we walked in. Offered drinks quickly and the menus. The order was taken promptly, but not rushed (I can be a little indecisive...). The two (delicious) starters arrived quickly and once those had been polished off we were asked if we would like a pause before the next course - we said no to that and so the (delicious) main course arrived quickly after. And then the (delicious) desserts. Have I mentioned it was all delicious? My wife and I haven't been out for a meal like this in a very long time - definitely not since COVID, but probably much, much longer than that. So this was a bit special for us and I'm so glad we chose L'Olivo. Pretty much a perfect evening.

Great restaurant, food, staff and atmosphere was excellent. Will definitely return

I phoned to book a table for Father's Day but was not informed that children under 13 are not allowed. We had to leave early, which is disappointing since we recently moved to the area and this is our local spot. We ordered two drinks, and it would have been nice if they had offered them for free as a gesture for the mistake on our first Father's Day outing.

Excellent service and food. Free parking next to the restaurant. Smart casual is fine.

This lovely restaurant is located in the village of Wheathampstead. A real find. The experience, service and food were exceptional. The best meal we have had in a long time.

This Italian restaurant was booked last minute on our way home from london. The restaurant was full but they had an outside table. The whole evening was like a private dining experience. We can’t fault anything.

Delicious food, black ink squid linguine with seafood (Linguine al Nero) best I have had in years, followed by a wonderful seabass with prawn risotto with asparagus. Waiting staff very welcoming, attentive and efficient, particularly given there were twelve of us on a busy Friday...

Nice food, nice environment, and nice people, will definitely back again.

I have had the loveliest meal tonight in this beautiful Italian restaurant with my partner. The restaurant is very calming and the decor is nicely laid out and very modern. I had a few starters one being Bruscetta, Zucchini and Ravioli which was all home...

We came here for my Mum's birthday and we had a fantastic all round experience! The food (all 3 courses) were high quality and delicious, the wine was fantastic and the service was very good too. It is more expensive that your typical italian restaurant...

Always great. Fabulous varied Italian menu. We have never been disappointed or had any thing that was less than excellent . We only got in at short notice as they had a cancellation - which says it all really. Go.

Many thanks to Murat and the team for a lovely meal, we were a table of 6 celebrating a birthday. The staff are friendly and attentive. The food is very good, it was our second visit and won’t be our last!

It’s been 2 plus years since we ate here and was really excited about our meal tonight. Oh boy was we disappointed. The starter of fried zucchini and fruit de mare was okay. However the liver was pretty awful, over cooked and full of tubes,...

Our absolute favourite restaurant! The new owners have done an amazing job of keeping the quality of food to the highest of standards. The service as always is impecable and I would not hesitate to recommend everyone to eat here!

Just amazing. Food is out of this world, served with pride by the waiting staff. Delicious, hot and well presented. Nothing is too much trouble for the staff which just makes for a fantastic premium dining experience. Expensive as well it should be for the...

I’ve just had dinner at Olivo, one of Hertfordshire’s best restaurants. It’s been a couple of years since I’ve been there, but it’s still as good as it was back then. Great ambience, service and wonderful food. I took my daughter there and thanks to...

Yes, Sergio has retired and the restaurant is under new management. But that's all that's really changed. We were a party of 10 with a wide range of ages and all had a delightful meal. The staff were lovely and could not have been more...

We were recommended this restaurant by a friend and I can honestly say it was amazing!! The staff were very attentive and friendly/welcoming The atmosphere/ambience was relaxed ,lovely decor but most importantly the food was amazing !! very tasty ,well presented and very authentic. Huge...

Another visit to o’livo fantastic food, ambience and fab staff highly recommend. Especially Rack of Lamb and Three fish main courses, calves liver. In fact you are really spoilt for choice. See you soon

Thank you for a superb evening! My husband booked us in last minute for a rare evening of freedom from our 3 year olds!! We were able to get a table and so pleased we did! We felt extremely welcome on arrival! Great selections of...

Well done to Murat and the team again last evening. Our second visit since Sergio handed over the baton. This has been our favourite restaurant since it’s conversion from the Nelson pub some years ago now and the service, food & ambience continues to keep...

Just needed to review we have been to L'Olivios many times and have never been disappointed. We didn't realise the Sergio had retired and will be greatly missed, However please don't let this put you off. The new restaurant manager and staff are very attentive,...

This is the first time we have visited since the change of ownership. We found the quality of the food is exactly the same as with previous owners, we always order the same thing and I could not tell the difference at all. The staff...

We used to dine here regularly and this is the second time we have returned since the new ownership. Unfortunately the standard of food has deteriorated and the service level is overbearing. We were asked 4x for our food order by different waiters despite only...

I used to go to this restaurant at least once a year. I previously wrote a 5* review of this restaurant, however I went there yesterday to find out that it has changed hands, as the previous owner had retired. No problem, I assumed the...

L'Olivo has set the bar high, and continually maintains its standards. Feeling lucky to have secured a short-notice booking for our wedding anniversary at this highly sought after, but unassuming restaurant, the food and service were typically top-drawer. I had the ravioli parcels filled with...

Possible best Italian restaurant around ,Authentic Italian food , great looking restaurant , quality and quantity just right and service very good. For sure we will come back not once not twice as it was great experience. Also menager arrange our visit half hour earlier...

Was settled in a four person table, but asked to move to a smaller table because half of our party couldn't attend. Then when we went out to vape, they moved us on behind the corner. Generally made to feel inferior even though we were...

My wife and I have been to Italy and have eaten at major Italian restaurants in SF, Chicago, NY, and DC, and were lucky to encounter this amazing restaurant in the small hamlet (suburb) of London while on vacation. The seafood (fried tempura seafood) as...

The best Italian restaurant I have ever been to, the atmosphere is fantastic, and the food was fantastic, staff couldn’t do enough to help.

Excellent food, service and ambience. A really lovely way to celebrate my husband’s birthday. The tiramisu was a particular highlight but everything was excellent and the friendly staff really added to the whole experience. Will definitely go back.

We regularly visit L’Olivo, and have done so for several years. The venue is small and intimate and every meal we have ever had at l’Olivo has been consistently good, with an attentive and friendly service. We often go as a couple but have had...

Came on a very busy night, which meant our table wasn’t ready for about ten minutes. Stood at the bar to wait. Service was friendly, but clearly affected by the pressures of slightly more customers for staff available. Would have preferred to be given a...

Lovely atmosphere , friendly staff and exceptional food . Went for my 63rd birthday , had the crab , lobster and prawn ravioli , followed by the steak medallions . Possibly the most enjoyable meal I have eaten in my life .

We have been to L'olivo countless times and as usual everything was faultless. The only "criticism" is that by comparison it makes other very good and reputable italian restaurants we have been to appear to have some room for improvement to reach the impeccable standards...

I’d been trying to book a table as this restaurant since Covid as we did have a reservation last year but it was cancelled due to lockdown, finally managed to get one and after wading the reviews I was looking forward to our visit here....

I have been lucky enough to eat at some very nice restaurants and this is right up there with the best. My aunt and uncle took my wife and I here for my 40th and he bigged it up so much beforehand and he was...