Manuel's Italian and Mediterranean Restaurant and Bar in Lambeth

Homely. Authentic. Welcoming. Delicious. My wife and I celebrated our wedding anniversary here. The live music was great. The gnocchi in four cheese was outstanding, the fillet of steak was perfectly cooked, the lobster linguine was great (according to my wife) and the chocolate cake was soft and just right The limoncello was to die for. Diego and Roberto treated us like family. It’s our new local Italian. Can’t wait to be back!

Real italian food!! My favorit main is Fritto misto - and of course panna cotta😋😋😋😋😋 highy recomanded!!

Lovely evening. Food always good. Entertainment fun Motown tribute very good. Although Whitney tribute nothing like her was entertained. We all ended up dancing and enjoying the evening.

We had a family lunch at Manuel’s and to celebrate our diamond wedding anniversary and it was absolutely perfect - menu, service, atmosphere, all masterminded by wonderful Roberto

Went there tonight. There was a live jazz performer which added so much to the vibe. Good music , good food (ordered the grilled beef and risotto) and amazing service. It was more than what i expected. Plus they gave us complimentary shots of limoncello. A very unassuming restaurant in the middle of gypsy hill. Will definitely come back!

I have been to Manuel's restaurant on several occasions for both dinner and lunch and I have always been happy with everything. I think it's one of the few authentic Italian restaurants with Mediterranean cuisine in London. The dishes are delicious and of excellent quality. In everything that is served, you can taste the freshness of the products used.

Apart from the fact that I stayed for an hour waiting for the soup, the food was good but not excellent. Some of the desserts were made there, and for that a big like. I'll try to come back, maybe next time I'll change my mind.

Everything was beautiful. Had some wine and food and dessert. We loved it. Thanks so much they have onion plants out the front which is cool too! Literally didn’t even take a pic of our food because I was enjoying it too much. Really really worth the money.

What can I say… Manuel’s is just exceptional in every aspect. Once you step inside the courtyard, you’re not in London anymore. You’re in Italy. Every time we visit it’s absolutely faultless. The food is beyond doubt delicious and authentic. The hospitality is unmatched. One thing that has always stood out to us is that when we order a starter to share, the kitchen always presents it on 2 separate plates. No fork and plate sharing here. And if that wasn’t already enough, Manuel puts on live music nights at no extra cost to his guests. You want to listen to Tina Turner while eating a vongole? Opera while eating a lobster linguine? Elvis while drinking a bottle of Sauvignon? Dining at Manuel’s is just a seriously unmatched experience. Manuel and his team represent fine dining at its finest… and we couldn’t recommend the restaurant highly enough

Everything was going well- food and service absolutely fine. However our 3 margueritas after the meal were NOT authentic and the manager’s insouciance was disappointing to say the least.I was intending to recommend to my friends- not any more.

This is my absolute favourite place to take friends to dinner. The food is always top notch, and the service is excellent. The tribute act evenings are always a winner, I'm itching to come back already. Thanks Manuel's!

Very nice food, fresh fish, great ingredients, well cooked, the crab and prawn starter was great from the specials menu and also the grilled whole sea bass, portions were really generous too

Exceptional cuisine, wonderful staff!!!

We were a party of 10 for dinner on Sunday evening. The food, service & ambience were excellent! Fabulous menu of tasty and fresh food. Waiting staff who were so attentive to our needs and a beautiful atmosphere. There was a live jazz band playing too. It was a delightful experience. The lovely owner, Manuel, must be very proud of his fabulous restaurant and his great staff especially Roberto and Erica who served us.

Amazing time at Manuel’s! The food was impeccable, amazing wine and fantastic attentive service. So happy we’ve discovered this place and can’t wait to return!

Throughly enjoyable evening food and wine excellent. Staff very polite and helpful. Would recommend for special occasions or just a meal out

On a busy evening the room can get noisy. Often family tables of 6 to 10 people.

Me and my partner have been there a couple of times now, the service is immaculate, the food can’t be any better. Best Italian in London !!! Thank you 😊

A very enjoyable meal. Classic Italian dishes served freshly made and cooked. Nice, relaxed atmosphere and very friendly and relaxed service. Nothing pretentious just good quality food. Well worth a visit.

First time diners this evening and we quite enjoyed our meals. Shared antipasti followed by calves liver and monkfish for mains with shared potatoes and grilled vegetables. Everything was perfectly cooked, fresh and delicious. Great Italian wine selection by the glass, bottle or carafe. Antonio our waiter was super friendly. Orangcello (instead of limoncello) offered alongside the bill! Delicious!

Food was authentic and delicious with generous portions. Service was very attentive and friendly. Homemade limoncello to finish. Recommend this restaurant 100%.

Very tasty food. The service is great and the staff is very friendly. The restaurant is easily accessible by public transport.

Amazing food and wine. The creme brulè is to die for.

Amazing neighbourhood restaurant with great service and classic Italian dining. Really lucky having this on our doorstep. It’s not cheap so we tend to come on special occasions but special it is

Absolutely beautiful. My partner and I first choice for a romantic meal out. Visited 5 times in as many months and has been consistently amazing. Delicious food, romantic lighting, excellent service, great wine and on certain nights live music. We are just sad we hadn't found ot sooner. Highly recommended 👌

The se one year we hire the private room for our Christmas Eve dinner. I have no words to describe how amazing the service is, how lovely people are. The food is delicious and the atmosphere is all you need to feel amazing. manuels restaurant is a must.

The best Italian food I have ever eaten so far. I really recommend this place to anyone.

Very impressed by the waiter here, real professional, cool guy

Fantastic Tina Turner evening. Food was really good as well as service. Highly recommend

The staff were very helpful and attentive. The food was delicious and the entertainment first class. The atmosphere created a really special unforgettable evening. A brilliant Neil Diamond and other music presentation. Mainly Rock and Roll. A wonderful night.

Like always excellent food and friendly staff

It was Madonna night. Great food and wine, wonderful performance. Must go there again

Absolutely wonderful- thoroughly recommend. Was recently there for the first time, I can’t wait to go back. Can’t think of a single thing that could have been done better

Manuel's Restaurant: Where Culinary Excellence Meets Heartfelt Hospitality :) Manuel's Restaurant is an absolute gem! My family have made it our go-to spot for unforgettable dining experiences. The attention to detail in every dish is truly remarkable, as you can see in the photos. One of our favourite traditions at Manuel's is the Sunday roast, where Roberto masterfully carves our meat right at our table. As well as Manuel’s personal greeting, which adds a special touch to each visit, making us feel like part of the family. As well as Manuel, the incredible chef, Roberto, is a true gem. His service is impeccable, and he consistently goes above and beyond to ensure our dining experience is exceptional. We've dined here for over a decade, and it's not just the food that keeps us coming back — it's the warm, welcoming atmosphere and the incredible staff, and the personal touch from Manuel himself. I wholeheartedly recommend Manuel's to anyone visiting London. It's a culinary treasure you don't want to miss. The consistency in quality is truly remarkable. It's Manuel's love for his craft that sets his restaurant apart and makes every dining experience extraordinary. One particular instance left an indelible mark on our hearts. On a previous visit, I was craving Tiramisu for dessert, only to be told they had run out due to a busy service. But then, just when we thought our night couldn't get any better, they surprised us with the news that Manuel was crafting a fresh Tiramisu specially for us. Such dedication to exceptional service is a rare find. And as if to cap off our already fantastic experiences, they never fail to graciously treated us to complementary limoncello shots. Manuel's Restaurant is more than just a place to eat; it's a place where you're cared for, where every meal is a delight, and where memories are made. If you haven't been yet, you're truly missing out on something extraordinary

This is one my favourite restaurants ever. The food is always outstanding and the staff is lovely.

Friendly, attentive and personable staff. Food was delicious- highly recommend the scallops. Red wine was authentic and portion sizes of food are generous. Looking forward to returning!

Wonderful experience all-round with service, food and atmosphere. A very worth restaurant to visit and dine.

If you’re looking for a homely yet sophisticated hidden gem in the area…. DO NOT go here. I used to walk past and always love the atmosphere of the restaurant, looked at the reviews and thought I’d try it out. That was mistake number 1. For starters we ordered the Bruschetta and prawns. We were served the bruschetta and asparagus so started eating the bruschetta while we tried to get someone’s attention to tell them the other starter was on what we ordered. The server then proceeded to take BOTH plates and apologised that it was the wrong table. I said he could leave the bruschetta as we had eaten some already and we had ordered that anyway but he carried on taking them and said he will bring out our food. The next steps absolutely blew my mind. He then proceeded to take our half eaten bruschetta and SERVE IT DIRECTLY to the correct table. Outrageous. I’m sure that breaks nearly every health code there is. For mains I ordered the Gnocci and lobster linguine. The Gnocci was overcooked and looked like a bowl of vomit whilst the lobster linguine was so tough and chewy. They also presented the linguine with the head of the lobster on the plate. Maybe this is just me but I didn’t really appreciate Sebastian staring me in my face whilst attempting to eat this inedible food. To top this all off I have not left the toilet seat all day. The only thing good about the place were the live jazz band playing and the recommended red wine. If I could give this place 0, I would. Save your money and your toilet paper.

Beautifully prepared food in a lovely atmosphere.

Lovely food and very helpful staff, they would recommend options on the menu to try if you couldn't decide

Booked the ABBA tribute night with a group of friends and it was honestly one of the most fun evenings ever. The staff are super friendly and attentive, the food was delicious, and the atmosphere and entertainment was brill. Good vibes all round and cannot wait to go back!

A group of us went to Manuel's for an ABBA night. It was incredible. The staff were lovely, service excellent, food very good, and the atmosphere was top notch. Would highly recommend.

I had the rugu, which was nice. My wife had the spinach and ricotta ravioli, which was terrible. The spinach tasted like it had been left in the water after being cooked, the dish was completely soaked in butter, the pasta was too thin, and there was no seasoning. It was disgusting to tell the truth and you're charged around £15 for the privilege. We noticed that when the bill came we was charged £5.50 for olives and £4.50 for water! If the food was amazing I probably wouldn't have minded the extortionate prices. I sensed this was once a good restaurant back in the day. However, greed is the motivation now. We prefer spending our money on local family businesses, but to put it simply, you're paying west end prices for food that is mediocre.

Me and my family (6 of us) attended for my belated birthday meal on a Saturday evening. Having read the reviews prior, and seeing it was high up on the list of best restaurants in London we were extremely looking forward to our visit. Disappointing is an understatement. Please note, when I booked the table on the phone, I was told we would need to PRE ORDER our food beforehand, otherwise we would have to wait a long time for it, so we pre ordered. Upon our arrival, we were offered drinks and our starter followed around 20 minutes after this. Great. Then it all started going wrong. We must've waited AT LEAST over an hour for our mains.. to the point where most of us weren't even hungry anymore. The restaurant wasn't even that busy, there were perhaps 6 other tables taken at best. They had young, trainee waiters in this evening learning which is fine and dandy. But when my sister in law asked one of them where our food was, he disappeared off into the kitchen, came back out 10 minutes later and just carried on working and walking around. not coming back over to us with an update on our food. He clearly didn't give a toss. Perhaps they need to be trained better. We asked another, more experienced, waiter again where our mains were.. he explained it's all cooked fresh and can take a while bla bla bla, but over an hour to wait for our mains is ridiculous. Bare in mind my sister in law didn’t have a starter so she was starving. The waiter didn't seem to care and just laughed it off. When the food eventually did come, it was average. I had the crab and lobster ravioli which looked like cat sick and probably tasted like it too. Lamb shank was average. Food was warm, not overly hot. Liver and beef fillet was nice enough. Wasn't impressed really. Asked for the bill, and asked to take off the service charge as we weren't happy to pay £27. The waiter didn't look happy. My dad explained we shouldn't have to wait over an hour for our mains so we don't want to pay the service charge. The waiter replied with some condescending comment stating "well I don't know what sort of restaurants you go to" and started laughing?? Clearly doesn't like being told negative things about his food/restaurant. I will expect the owner to reply to this review with his excuses, as he has done with the previous reviews. A simple apology and perhaps a drink on the house would've made up for the long wait time. But because of the waiters attitudes, I've had to write this review instead. Much better Italian restaurants out there!

So disappointed. From the reviews we were expecting amazing food and it was just such a let down. The staff are quite rude and not attentive. The food wasn’t even that warm and just overall a massive disappointment!

Great Sunday roast, I will be coming back for the beef! Very tasty 😍

We have just moved to Gipsy Hill and decided to book for dinner and jazz tonight. Delightful friendly and professional service. Superb authentic Italian food served with love and generous portions. We were lucky to get a table outside on such a hot day. Thoroughly recommended 10/10

Food was excellent, you are made welcome .staff are always helpful, they have entertainment on some evenings and the acts are very good, expect to pay London prices. Small place so I would recommend booking as it gets busy, I would recommend you give it a try. Service is slow so expect the wait

perfect service. perfect place for dinner. I haven't eaten better food.

Amazing. Great food, brilliant service, really lovely staff. Will be back.

Elvis Presley tribute was very good the food was good over all we had a good fun night out

We went on a dining and dancing ABBA night, It was packed and very lively. Great if you love ABBA music and happy to join in. Service was slow but food was delicious when it came. I had sea bass. You can ask for it to be filleted which another guest did. House white was light and went perfectly with the fish

My favourite place in south London! An absolute must

One of the best Italian restaurants in Southeast London. Great food, amazing service, very personal and never rushed. My favourites include the Lobster linguini and Ravioli with Crab and Lobster. Seafood is always fresh! A hidden gem worth discovering!

Long overdue review I have been eating here before it was Manuel's and when they changed management they did not change the quality of their food. This is our family restaurant and we're made to feel like it. We spend birthdays as well as casual occasions here as the quality never stumbles. The staff strive for excellence, they also have live bands on Sundays or special days. I can't thank them enough for their consistency. If you like seafood you are in for a treat. I particularly enjoy the scallops but there is nothing on the menu that I haven't tried and all the dishes are tasty and well thought out. The lobster Linguine is also another favourite of mine.

Excellent food in calm surroundings. Good service but lose a star for overlong gap between main and dessert.

Damn this place has the most amazing stuff ever it is one of the most nicest Indian restaurant in town y'all should have it once trust me. Staying far away from the family is the worst thing by that you may want to have the family feeling for that you must try this place.

A true little slice of Italy in South London. Amazing across the board. Super authentic and just delightful across the board. Recommended!

Had a late lunch here, it was stunning service and food. Diego was so attentive and helpful, food was perfect - well seasoned and delicious. Looking forward to coming back!!!

Lovely authentic restaurant. Perfect place for a long relaxing lunch

Will be coming back here again, food gorgeous, mussels as starters so tasty and so big. Lamb chops for mains was tender juicy and I'll be back for more. Entertaining Elvis impersonator on the night. Staff was so friendly it felt like home. I highly very highly recommend this establishment!!

Had an absolutely wonderful evening celebrating my daughters birthday. Everything was perfect. They had a Tina Turner and Motown tribute. Thank you ladies for singing happy birthday. The food was outstanding. It’s the only resturant I’ve been to were the whole resturant we’re dancing by the end of the evening. We will be back soon. X

The food was delicious and very filling 😋

Its lovely to have discovered this local gem of great Italian restaurant. My seafood risotto has clam, mussels, prawn, scallop, it tastes delicious. The tiramisu is smooth and beautiful too. I am here for the live opera and I am not disappointed! The singers tonight have powerful voices and deliver a pitch perfect performance! I counted myself lucky being in the audience of a high standard operatic singing. One of the customers told me the singer was on TV, he went back to his other profession working as a doctor in NHS ,helping the COVID patients during the pandemic. His act of kindness is as great as his voice !

Amazing fresh food, friendly staff. A few flies/wasps came into the room whilst eating would be good to have something to remove them.

First time of dining at Manuel's and thoroughly enjoyed it. Outstanding food, impeccable service, decent value. We'll be back!

My wife and me went for dinner and had to say that the food and everything was wonderful! We recommend to you all that place!!👍👍

Limited vegan option but I still found something to have

We celebrated a special birthday with a family dinner for eight on a wet Sunday evening at local restaurant Manuel's. We made our selections in advance with no duplicates and every plate was gorgeous, from artichokes, aubergine, vegetable, salad and pasta dishes through squid, scallops, monkfish, turbot, skate wing and Dover sole to proscuitto, calves' liver and roast lamb. All followed by the most perfect melt-in-the-mouth chocolate hazelnut and amaretto cake and accompanied by good bottles with excellent service. Bravo, Manuel! We shall 100% return and bring others too. Thank you for a great evening - and to smooth jazz musicians Simon and Dave, who brought a sentimental tear or two to my eye. Such a treat.

Delicious food Excellent service Lovely atmosphere with nice music

Nice service, classy, Big portions & good food, the favourite in the area!

I'm not sure about this place. It seemed like they added on atleast £15 extra to our bill and we wernt quite sure why. The waiter said it was a supplement charge ... but we didn't add anything extra to the dish which was a choice of pasta or rice! Anyway its quite an open and airy space. The food took an age to come out! I had mushroom risotto which I didn't really rate and he had seafood pasta ... which he didn't rate much either. We left tired and baffled about our experience.

We love the food (their artichokes, for example - when a place can get the "simple" stuff right, you can tell they really know what they're doing). We can't afford going that often, but that also helps us appreciate the occasions more keenly.

Very nice meals and all the staffs were friendly.

We love Manuel's - definitely some of the best Italian food in South London!

Hosted my brother’s 50th Birthday at Manuel’s. The food was impeccable, absolutely delicious, and the staff were very helpful.

Great food. Lovely atmosphere. Often has live music.

Great service! Tasty food! On the pricier side but nice for a family outing

a cool place with a very tasty cuisine, satisfying and high quality

I had gnocchi in tomato sauce. I discretely asked the waiter to send it back as it was overcooked & swimming in sauce. The owner chef then came out and started loudly complaining so the few customers in the restaurant started to look and made us feel uncomfortable. I am aware of how gnocchi should be as I have worked in the catering industry. It was also very expensive for what we had. You can ignore polite requests and opinions but this will not fill a restaurant.

The most adorable Italian restaurant in Gipsy Hill. Lovely service, relaxing environment and delicious food!! There was also live music. Can’t recommend enough!

Disappointed. Turned up for a catch up with a friend, an inproptu night out. An hour in there was a dreadful and VERY LOUD Elton tribute act. No pre warning before we sat down. Took over an hour and half for food and no apology from the owners. Left with no dinner

Had dinner at Manuel's and the food and service was fantastic. Everyone was pleased with their dish, the roast lamb was delicious and the staff were polite and attentive. Will definitely be back.

Superb food at a brilliantly authentic Italian restaurant. Manuel is fantastic in the kitchen and happy to see all are enjoying his wonderful cooking. The staff are tremendous as is the ambience, stop here for a meal, you will love it. Cheers Dave.

Our first time visiting Manuel’s and we will definitely be returning. Excellent quality of food and amazing service

Attentive, friendly and courteous staff, good food, although it took a while to come (we were in a large group though to be fair) - what more could I ask for? Recommended

Excellent restaurant - really delicious food, a very friendly owner, Jack Valentine was singing which created a good atmosphere. Looking forward to coming back very soon!

We love Manuel's - definitely some of the best Italian food in South London. The family that own it, are extremely friendly and really make our kids feel welcome. The Sunday roast is incredible. Large cuts of beef or lamb carved at the table. I couldn't recommend it highly enough

We randomly chose this restaurant while in London...and we did not regret choosing to go. The food was divine and flavorful. I recommend the Artichoke with garlic! MJA Cayman Islands

The service was extremely lovely and the food was divine and exquisite.

Once again another delicious meal at Manuel's. Food is fresh and always served with attention to detail and reasonably priced. Looking forward to the next visit

Delicious Italian food in a friendly relaxed environment. We had a great time on a Saturday night and will be booking again soon.

We visited Manuel’s restaurant for a special occasion yesterday night. The place is very nice, we sat outside and booked ahead of time. Food was outstanding, and the only reason why I am not giving 5 to this local gem, is because if food was 5 out of 5, service we received was very poor yesterday (I would give service 2 out of 5). We waited 1.5 hours for our mains, as our order got lost and we got to eat at 10pm, one hour plus after receiving our starters. When eventually one waiter came to ask us what we were waiting for (as they wrapping up at that point) we very surprised and we told him we were waiting for the mains. Waiter left and never came back with information about how long that would take or what happened (as it was clear by then, that our mains were not being cooked after all that time). He pretty much avoided eye contact and stayed at the end of restaurant chatting with other staff. After waiting some more and as we are now ready to leave, another waiter comes to ask what we were waiting for, at which point we ask for the bill. Soon after that, the chef and co-owner came to speak to us and he was very apologetic, explaining that for yesterday night in particular they did not use their usual experienced staff as they were on leave. This would explain also why other little things were a bit odd yesterday (considering the high review this place has and the mention of great customer service) such as when we sat, we waited for a menu for nearly 10 min, and we had to ask for one at the end. Or why we got asked us if we wanted butter but then never received it or why they let us order the specials and only told us after a while that they run out. Also a very confused young waiter was walking with plates and drink back and forward, trying to understand where they needed to go. Restaurant was not busy either. Chef very kindly waived cost of both mains, and we got our food not long after. Food was again excellent, however at that point, we were not much hungry anymore and wine was finished after the long wait, which meant we did not enjoy them as much as we could have. We will definitely come back because the food was truly incredible, fresh and so tasty. We had the scallops (capesante), king prawns, the lobster linguine and the seafood risotto with a bottle of Very cold Pinot Grigio. Chef/Co-owner was very honest in his explanation and it was clear that we have just been unlucky with the night. Offering the two plates free of charge was also very kind and we truly appreciated that. Lovely Italian waitress too, from my hometown. Hope to come back soon

Wow, why have we never been here before! Delicious food and wine. Got to come again.

Incredible food, excellent service and classic Negroni's. Amazing!

Un esperienza Buonissima Abbiamo visitato in un gruppo d’amici, per me era la prima volta. Piatti buonissimi, Io ho preso Linguini con arragosta e poi coda di rospa con una bellissima salsa di vino, olive capperi e samphire. Per dolce ho preso un brioche bread and butter pudding, molto buono . Per bere, un bel Grillo bianco. Ieri sera c’era anche una cantante! Ritornerò? 100% Si

Always delicious, generous portions, and the team are so welcoming. Highly recommended.

Great food and top level service...thanks Manuel and Roberto always the best...

Visited restaurant last week for a family golden wedding anniversary. I must say one of the best meals I have ever had in a restaurant. So much food and such attentive waiting staff. Will definitely visit again when in London. Thank you.

We had a wonderful anniversary dinner! The food was fantastic and they looked after us wonderfully! We also took our 11 month old daughter and sausage dog! Will certainly be headed back 10/10.