Nuova Italia in South Somerset

Good stuff, we had a good night

Food was excellent. Service was friendly and upbeat. Atmosphere was great. We were a table of 17 and they served us quickly, no issues. Really enjoyed our meal!

Nice place, the waitress was very professional and very kind. Good food, very clean and with a very nice space outside to eat, too bad the weather wasn't in our favor.

Lovely food and good service. My partner had an excellent gluten free pizza and I had the ravioli which was delicious.

Amazing! Recently moved down here from Yorkshire so didn't know anywhere, booked here for my husbands birthday as my in laws were visiting. Everything was incredible, 4 adults and a child the food, the staff, drinks all of it was perfect and don't have a single fault.... they even gave us a loft home after we struggled to get a taxi.

You need to book this place well in advance it's very popular. The food is excellent, service is great and the atmosphere is noisy and happy. Thank you Nuova

We went for dinner, trying out local places having recently moved to the area. The atmosphere is nice, we wished it had been a smidge less chilly so we could have dined outside - the seating with the greenery and the lights is lovely. The menus seemed a bit used, but not dirty. Service was good, but felt awkward at times - sort of like they were unsure what to say or rather give us our space but also pop in. They were friendly though. Food service seemed quick, however we were pre dinner rush and it was also a Thursday evening. The menu seemed to have lots of options, but many of them were similar but with one variance. Something I was a little disappointed with was that although they were good, I felt myself wishing that the meat mains came with pastas instead of fries. It seemed disjointed. I got the chicken milanese which was a juicy peace of meat, but not enough sauce soaked into it. A creamy pasta side with it would have helped. My partner got pizza - he liked it, but I noticed the middle was quite soft, too soft compared to the outer edges. The deserts were lush though, drinks were nice. We plan to go back, again it wasn't terrible, just felt like some points could be improved on.

The food was excellent, service, great and lovely little restaurant 😀

It was packed,seating was so closely to others. Not much room felt squashed

Fantastic food, friendly service

The food and the atmosphere was superb, Simona was friendly and welcoming,we aren't local , and she remembered us on our second visit and made a point of coming over and chatting to us, i could not fault anything, and she needs to open a restaurant in Bournemouth 🤞

Happy atmosphere, good food and great service. Simona and her colleagues were particularly attentive and helpful . We had special requests which they conveyed to the kitchen, so the whole meal was just what we needed on our stopover after a long drive.

What an excellent Italian restaurant. A worthy winner of Best Italian Restaurant in South West England. Enroute to Tiverton we wanted lunch and to recover from delays on A303. One course would do. I had risotto gambaretti asparagi and my wife Pollo a cream e funghi. The risotto was full,of flavour, and contained many gently cooked prawns. Wife said that I would have loved her chick and no I couldn’t try it cos I’d take too much. Mains were so nice that we had pudding. My wife a soufflé and me canola. The soufflé was unlike any soufflé we had had in the past as I t seemed to be encased in pastry. I was allowed some of that. The staff, a Polish lady and a signorita from Salerno were both very professional and friendly.

Beautifully decorated restaurant, the staff were very kind and helped us pick the food, even made a special dish for my partner. The food was lovely, good portion sizes and excellent service all round. Left a tip because they deserved it

A group of 9 of us had dinner for a birthday and the team that helped up on the 6th of September were incredible. All of us felt welcomed and had a great time. Atmosphere was amazing, food was perfect and they all made us giggle! Thank you!!

Genuine italian restaurant, divine pizzas, salads and the best tiramisu I have had in my life so far. I almost indulged on ordering a second one 🥰

Amazing restaurant, amazing food friendly staff, beautiful outside area as well as a beautiful indoor restaurant, anything from coffee and cake to a meal with cocktails, will certainly go again

We sat in the beautiful courtyard garden and was served the best coffee beautiful cake and pastries They looked after us really well and would highly recommend.

The food and drinks was great And the staff was very friendly Five stars We loved it and you should try it 🍕🍕

Great service always! Food exceptional outside area a hidden gem! Worth a visit

Fabulous food, excellent service

Many visits and never a disappointment on any level. 5***** Food excellent-specially the pudding-and the staff are so friendly and super efficient!!

Just love this place, want to come back again and again

This is the fifth time we’ve been to this restaurant service is always excellent. Si Mona was our main server and is professional friendly and slightly cheeky which we really enjoyed. All the staff were very friendly and gave great service The food is very good and arrived quickly We are working our way through the menu.last night we tried the specials which we all enjoyed. My favourite is the pizza it is the closest to an authentic Italian pizza I have ever eaten outside of Italy. My partner always enjoys the pasta, especially the gnocchi. Would recommend this restaurant

Lovely restaurant. Very Friendly and attentive staff. I had a problem with my pizza. And it was rectified straight away. Lovely food :)

A wonderful little restaurant, food was excellent as was the service, especially from Mina. Fantastic value for money.

Food was great, possibly a little overpriced but I did have the specials so that was probably my fault for that Far too long to get drinks and it felt l was in episode of sopranos.

We are incredibly fortunate to have this gorgeous italian restaurant on our doorstep…. To all the incredible team we simply love visiting. The food beautifully cooked & presented, the wine & beer (& soft drinks too!) all of a great variety & taste great….your team - well you are fabulous …. Thank you for a lovely evening meal - it’s always great to eat locally & support local businesses….& this one well it’s just perfect …. Ps. My lobster ravioli was incredible - great recommend ❤️

We visited after a recommendation & we were not disappointed. The restaurant was larger than anticipated with a pretty outside covered terrace. As it was a little chilly we dined indoors . The restaurant was busy for mid week which is always a good sign . I ordered Brushetta , followed by Goats Cheese salad which was excellent . Other guests orders were Spaghetti Carbonara & a Pizza - all commented on the quality of the food. An enjoyable evening . One point to note , the music was just a little too loud . The restaurant acoustics are echoey already with the general chatter from diners .

Amazing place in the middle of nowhere (no offence to the locals intended, I am actually jealous they have it!) so literally a hidden gem! Food is full of flavour and some tastes felt novel and bold. The chefs are real Italians! Service was also great and the interior decorations are just right and comforting.

Delicious food. Nice atmosphere with seating inside & outside. Definitely recommend

Excellent food and service! Would go back again!

Stopped here on the way back to London from Cornwall and it was the perfect spot to have lunch. Plenty of options, and everything tastes great, especially the Pollo hot. Service was very nice and quick. Sat in the garden with the sun!

Favourite go-to restaurant when in the area

Awesome meal, delicious food, superb staff and a lovely atmosphere. Will definitely be returning and making up for never going previously!

Always lovely to come to our local italian restaurant! Top service, followed by beautiful food. 🇮🇹

Welcoming and inviting atmosphere! Best Italian that I have tried in the UK! Nothing compares to it! Felt like I was in Italy, the garden was inviting and beautiful! High quality ingredients and very fresh food! Free parking! Lovely waitress service she was so so friendly, thank you Simona for making our lunch special and authentic.

This is one of the best Italian restaurants we’ve been to in UK. The food was amazing.. we had pizzas, pasta and calzone and all were amazing. We didn’t wait long for it and prices were very reasonable, we were really pleasantly surprised. What was a one off stop while on the journey back from Cornwall, has now become an essential part of our future trips back from holiday :) 10/10!

I lead motorcycle rides for a Hampshire-based advanced motorcycle group. We usually ride to Nuova Italia a couple of times a year. Last Sunday, eight riders joined a ride from Winchester. At coffee break at Stourhead, I called the restaurant and said we'd be there for lunch before 1.00pm. Mina said that would be fine, but could we get there a bit earlier at 12.45pm. Well, we made good progress and arrived about 12.30pm. One of the attractions for us is that it's got a car park, so straight off the bikes and into the restaurant. We were given a table together in the outdoor covered area. Food and drinks were ordered and arrived promptly. The food is authentic and absolutely delicious! I ordered my favourite, a Salmone Tagliatelle, with a small glass of white wine. Service from Tracy was great; she knows our group from previous visits. If only Ilchester was closer to home, I'd come much more often. My favourite Italian restaurant! And, good to see the toilets are very clean.

Tracey and Laura were so lovely and Tracey helped me pick my topping of pizza. What lovely members of staff!

always friendly service and tasty food

Best Italian restaurant I have ever eaten at. Not normal, such good dishes. And what a friendly staff. Really great.👍👍👍

I have been coming here many many years now and have never had cause to complain. Always friendly staff, relaxed atmosphere and great food. Already looking forward to my next visit.

Great food, varied menu and really lovely staff. Nice atmosphere and a very Italian-feeling outside dining area when the weather is warm. Would definitely recommend

Chance find for lunch on route from Devon to London. Great pizza, including the gluten free option. Very good and friendly service. Free parking up the road (with EV charger) plus a small car park next to the restaurant.

We eat here a lot and have never had a bad meal. The chef can’t do enough to help and most of the staff are very helpful. We love it here especially in the summer sitting outdoors.

Amazing food, varied menu, and great hospitality. Looking round, one got the impression that many people were returning customers, which is a good sign of the standard of service. Our hosts made us feel like regulars, even though it was our first visit. Comfortably reassuring.

Pizza was good but did not have basil as was advertised on menu listing

What a find!!! Fantastic, authentic Italian food, a warm and welcoming staff, comfortable and immaculate environment top quality servce and very reasonable prices. Could not fault a thing about this place. Smiling Simona, our waitress, topped it all off. We are all looking forward to our next visit with cannoli all round!

On holiday in Somerset we decided to try this restaurant due to the really positive reviews. We went on the Friday night, and had a really lovely time. Nicely decorated and really great food. Service was really good. We both had starters and then both had a pizza. Pizza's were tasty and cooked in a wood fire oven. Overall all a great experience, if we are ever down in the area again, we would book here straight away!!

Stopped in on our way down to Torquay. Trying to avoid the normal unhealthy chains. I'm glad we did. The food was lovely and priced so fairly. Kids loved being able to wa5ch the pizzas being made and popped in the pizza oven. Will definitely stop in again when travelling past.

The food was really tasty but the service left a lot to be desired. We arrived at 8pm and seated & drinks orders taken almost immediately, no problem there. However from that pint onwards we felt rushed and constant attention from staff almost wishing us to eat up and finish as it was obvious they wanted to close around 9pm. Before the drinks arrived we were instructed on the specials of the day, approximately 2 minutes later asked if we wanted to order! Drinks arrived and we ordered starters & mains but the whole process was not relaxing. A staff member must have visited our table at least three time looking at our plates during the main course as my wife finished before I did and wanted to take the plates away! I noticed a table of 6 gents to my right had at least 4 plates taken away whilst two were still eating, not good etiquette at all. Don’t think I will be returning, not a leisurely experience, staff need to be more respectful of customers paying for a restaurant experience.

The short-spell of warmer and sunnier weather continued; so we decided to take a potential 90 minute drive-out to visit the Somerset Levels. Our main destination was a National Trust property near Ilminster. It was however 11:30 when we got-underway, so we decided to have lunch first; before it became too late. As a result we rerouted to the town of Ilchester, to visit this highly recommended Italian ristorante. Ilchester itself is small and quiet, with a pocket-sized centre featuring three pubs; one is also a hotel, and there is a further hotel across the bridge over the River Yeo. Shops seem very scarce, but there is a convenience store near to the filling-station, otherwise it’s a shopping-trip to nearby Yeovil. The town is known for it’s classic cheese bearing the town’s name. Ilchester Cheese is a type of Cheddar (the town of Ilchester is, like the town of Cheddar, in Somerset). We called-ahead to ensure we had a table reservation, but that turned out to be unnecessary; because the restaurant was very quiet. During our visit, there was only one other couple dining. When we arrived we parked in a nearby (free) public carpark, not realising that the restaurant had it’s own carpark. The restaurant is moderately large inside with about 25-30 tables in a long, slender, but rather dark, dining area (maybe the lights were switched-off). As it was sunny we decided we would sit outside in the covered terrasse area, located at the side of the restaurant. Being well-sheltered here, we were quite warm from the sun shining through the clear corrugated roofing. The wooden side-walls facing the adjacent private carpark, and also the main through-road (the B3151), were unglazed. There was a tolerable degree of traffic noise. There were a lot of plants in the terrasse, including some climbing plants; once in full leaf and bloom, they will likely to become very attractive. Some of the plants however were a bit untidy, needing some deadwooding. We studied the menu and then the senior waitress told us about the specials; which totally changed our dining plans; there were Scallops available! For both of us the opportunity to eat King Scallops is a no-brainer. I also chose my main from the specials; being the ‘Filet Steak’, with the extra option of a mushroom and cream sauce. My Partner chose the ‘Penne Pollo’ main (chicken and pasta). We took drinks: my Partner choosing a white coffee, whereas I ordered an Elderflower Cordial. The coffee was good, and the cordial (my favoured ‘Bottle Green’ brand) was very refreshing served on crushed ice. The King Scallops (Capesante): were served with sea salt (or maybe rock salt) and freshly ground black pepper, and panfried in butter. The generous portion of six scallops each were browned and absolutely perfectly cooked. They were the very epitome of why we love eating these delicate molluscs. The beards (the roe) were on; they are part of the plate and can be eaten once cooked; having a slightly firmer texture than the scallop muscle. Beards are full of nutrients and minerals, and have a slightly richer flavour than the scallop muscle. Our scallops today did have a slightly gritty texture, but this was not due to insufficient cleaning; it was just the salt (however it initially felt wrong). The Filet Steak with Mushroom and Cream Sauce, and fries: I ordered the steak medium rare and when it arrived it was most certainly perfectly cooked. The good-sized thick fillet was pink and juicy; having a superb flavour and a firm texture. The perfect creamy mushroom sauce was so obviously homemade and delicious. The generous serving of fries were not overcooked and were unsalted. This suits me, as I believe salting can kill flavours rather than enhancing them. The fries were perfect and there were plenty in the serving. Penne Pollo: Seasoned chicken breast, mushroom and fresh penne in a creamy mushroom and white wine sauce: the plate looked good and the generous serving of pasta was perfectly cooked, with just sufficient sauce to coat the pasta. Sadly the chicken was not very good, it had a slightly rubbery texture and reminded my Partner of cheap processed chicken. I had tried a piece of the chicken from my Partner’s plate and I agreed that it was not good; it was bland and definitely had an odd texture. I do regret having to mention this, but in my (circa 900) reviews here on TA I always “tell it the way it was”. My Partner queried the source of the chicken. I think our (senior) waitress was a little upset, denying that the chicken was anything other than fresh. Indeed the waitress returned a minute or so later with a prepared raw chicken breast to prove that the chicken used was anything other than a fresh ingredient. We accepted this. Later, following some research, I now wonder if the chicken was affected by “woody breast”. There is a lot of information on the web about this problem. It could be that the restaurant’s supplier is providing intensively-farmed chicken (such farming methods are a common cause of woody breast). We were driving, so a glass of wine with the meal was inappropriate. We were also quite full from our generous meals, so desserts were not required. We were pleased with the service and the ambience here, and we hope to visit again.

We had a great time for my birthday Simona was amazing and made the whole experience fun and enjoyable. We will defiantly be coming back with family and friends.

FABULOUS place. Sunny day (rarity this winter!) so sat outside in Courtyard with sun on our backs...and no wind. FABULOUS waitress, staff...so cheery, interested, informed...typical Italian friendliness and efficiency. All were very understanding about our Dad who now has advanced Dementia so kept forgetting his please/thank yous and a little self-focussed...but NOTHING was too much trouble. Even asked Dad about his time in Naples when sailing for GB in the 1960 Rome Olympics...how interactive, kind, encouraging is that?! And suggested a Vermouth Spritzer to get us into the 'Italian' mood for drinks. FABULOUS food....soooo delicious I wish it was closer to me as I'd be there weekly! And VERY fair prices... 100% NO complaints at all. We'll DEFFO be back. THANK YOU VERY MUCH Team Nuova Italia Ilchester. A true Somerset gem :)

Had a lovely lunch on Easter Monday when most places were closed. Excellent food and great service ar a reasonable price

Good location & atmosphere - easy to find and park, Extensive menu, great food and friendly service provided by Simona. Highly recommended

Visited the restaurant with my brother and his wife. From start to finish the service from the staff was superb. Very friendly and accommodating. Food was very tasty with good portion size. This restaurant is located within a small Somerset town. There was a constant flow of customers through the main door with table bookings and takeaways. The restaurant is large and by 20.30hrs all tables were full. This restaurant is well worth a visit, I suggest booking a table. We went on a Saturday night. Highly recommended by all in our party.

Really good food! Best Lasagne and Tiramisu I've tasted. Would definitely recommend.

Lovely food, we went on a busy Friday and still felt like we were waited on and served in enough time to not be an issue.

Excellent Italian restaurant. Food, service and atmosphere were first class. Thoroughly recommend.

Mothers day lunch 😋 what can I say not dissatisfied. Starter .main desert . Superb. Steak sirloin and fillet . What can one say to die for fillet best 👌 words do not do justice . Just go there enjoy best outside of Italy 🇮🇹 ballisimo xx

We visited this very local Italian restaurant for the first time today ( Mothers Day). Having heard mainly positive reviews from various friends, i don't know why it took us so long, as we moved here over 8 months ago 😀 Well worth the wait however, as this was an almost perfect lunch. My Wife and i both chose the fresh sardines as a starter, with our Daughter choosing to save room for a dessert. We then continued the fishy theme with prawns and prosciutto tagliatelle for me, prawns and spaghetti nero for my Wife and salmon risotto for our Daughter. These mains were all a major success, with thumbs up all round 👍Fresh profiteroles finished off the food for the youngster, with every last bit of chocolate scraped off the plate. Drinks were averagely priced and just right for matching the food (a good d'abruzzo white wine by the glass for me and Peroni for the wife, plus elderflower presse for Em). The only small criticism would be the coffee ordered for my Wife came with hot milk, which was not as ordered. Service was swift and friendly and the buzzing atmosphere and eclectic crowd just added to the experience. Although we only travelled about a mile, i would encourage anybody to make a journey to this seriously impressive Italian restaurant. 👏

Wonderful in every way - food, service, atmosphere, staff. It was very full but the service was excellent. The food was delicious and the staff so friendly. Can't wait to go again.

I would share a pic, but the food didn't last long enough. Simona, our hostess, was wonderful and very knowledgeable of the offers and menus. The atmosphere was warm and welcoming. Definitely will be back here again. The food was chef's kiss.

This I have to say was just great, went there for a business meeting for lunch and would definitely recommend this restaurant. Friendly people, 5 star food, make sure you take a visit. Prawns for starter, chicken main course followed by profiteroles. Pictures of the food attached.

If you are lucky enough to come into the restaurant and be welcomed by Simona, you will be in for a treat. She is the light of the staff and your whole experience. My kids love to see her, she is so kind and full of love. When we visit the kids know they are in a family restaurant and feel safe and comfortable the whole time. The food is always out quickly, fresh and hot and made to order. we love to visit our friends here whenever we can and always suggest other families go. although for us it is a family favorite it is also lovely for dates, if you go on an evening that is warm sitting outside is lovely with the amazing plants and overhead coverings. the wine is always nice and their cocktails are wonderful too.

Had an outstanding light Sunday lunch hosted by Mina and Tracy. Mina has wonderful knowledge and advice on the menu. The food was served beautifully freshly prepared and flavoursome, the Pizza base was "melt in your mouth"... a must visit restaurant.

Absolutely Love this place! We even asked them to cater for a party that we were hosting for work at another location in the village and they didn't disappoint. Well outstripped our expectations with the quality of the food they delivered for us! Would definitely use again and everyone was left happy and full 🥰. It wasn't easy as out original date had to be cancelled and moved because of the poor weather and everyone at Nuova was BRILLIANT. They were patient and accommodating and never once gave me any annoyance to the flexibility that we asked for. Brilliant food, brilliant staff and a brilliant place! Thank you all for your efforts and service I couldn't recommend an establishment any higher! Spot on!

The place is very atmospherically entertaining and brings a certain Italian vibe; the food was nice nothing to say about it and the staff was very nice and helped with everything I needed; so overall I would say that this is a nice place to go and have dinner / lunch with who ever you want to bring .

Went here on a Saturday evening was very busy but was well looked after. Everyone was so friendly service was excellent. Food was amazing will definitely be back very soon very well recommend

Absolutely Love this place! We even asked them to cater for a party that we were hosting for work at another location in the village and they didn't disappoint. Well outstripped our expectations with the quality of the food they delivered for us! Would definitely use again and everyone was left happy and full 🥰. It wasn't easy as out original date had to be cancelled and moved because of the poor weather and everyone at Nuova was BRILLIANT. They were patient and accommodating and never once gave me any annoyance to the flexibility that we asked for. Brilliant food, brilliant staff and a brilliant place! Thank you all for your efforts and service I couldn't recommend an establishment any higher! Spot on!

Lovely food and friendly staff would highly recommend

Went for valentine's. It wasn't too busy when we arrived but was getting busier. The steak was lovely and the food was good. The kitchen was fast and the atmosphere was nice. The staff were a little uninterested and I can understand that on valentines, they will be busy and forgive that. Over all a pretty nice meal and a pretty nice place.

Food was lovely, could have been a bit warmer. Lacking atmosphere, no music and it was cold. Some people wore coats. Staff were lovely and friendly.

Our first visit and for a birthday celebration lunch. So glad we went to Nuova. Beautiful food, engaging staff, great coffee. Looking forward to our next visit.

Always excellent food, always ready on time and tastes amazing!

Amazing food with the nicest pizza i know and very welcoming and fun staff.

Will definitely be visiting again

Love this place. Food is great

Nice place, nice food, lovely atmosphere, but a tad pricey.

Really good quality, super tasty. Would highly recommend

First visit today with family, with young children present. Wonderful hosts with the right amount of attention. Fabulous tasting food, festively decorated. We all loved it. Would recommend and will visit again soon.

Great service and best in town! Thanks to Mina and all the staff

Six of us enjoyed great food in a happy atmosphere. Service was simply excellent and looking forward very much to returning! Super value!

Came for a 50 th birthday party…. Food outstanding and staff very friendly …Will visit again … Tracy always very good and so are the rest of the staff ..

Our first visit and six of us enjoyed a great welcome and hospitality, delicious food in a happy and relaxed atmosphere. Heartily recommended and we all look forward to making many more return visits!!

Really good authentic Italian cuisine. Wide choice of dishes & fantastic service from Simona. We have been several times & never disappointed. Will be going back.

Feel that they’ve gone downhill. I had a prawn tagliatelle, had 4 prawns but couldn’t really taste them. My wife ordered lasagne and was disappointed - didn’t come with anything and was extremely salty. Would have expected a salad at least. Unbelievably they can’t make a decaf cappuccino. Place was really chilly but they did put the heater on eventually

Ordered a margarita pizza only to get home and find it was just cheese on a pizza base with no sauce or anything else. Literally melted cheese on bread. Disappointed

Tasty food. Great service, what more do you need!

A really memorable evening. Great food, service.

Truly delicious authentic Italian food served in a similarly authentic Italian setting. Our waitress Simona was outstanding; fun, knowledgeable and attentive with an infectious smile. The Barolo we drank was also exquisite. We will definitely return again.

Very lovely spot... Great food. Good service.

Thankyou Simona and team for making our evening wonderful. We booked a large table of 15 for 4 birthdays, the food and service were incredible. They really went the extra mile to make the celebrations special Thankyou Thankyou Ciao

Excellent food scallops were cooked to perfection, would recommend the Calzone, could not fault anything and the deserts well the best Lemon Posset I've ever tasted. Will definitely be back, all the staff were very attentive and smiley.

Lovely place to eat, decent prices, absolutely lovely staff and beautiful food ❤️

This is quite simply the best pizza outside of Italy!!! Simona and her team are warm and welcoming. The menu is extensive and the vibe is buzzing. Sicilian family run business which adds to the authenticity of this beautiful gem in Ilchester. Alfresco dining in the summer months adds to the med vibe about the restaurant. You will not be disappointed.

A fabulous find. Lovely outside dinning area. The pepperoni pizza was delicious. Super friendly assistant. We'll be definitely going back .

We went here with my parents and children (8 and 11) so we were hoping for somewhere that would keep everyone happy and we found it! Their menu had something for everyone including veggie and children's options. The service was good, attention when it was needed but not too much. The price was reasonable, especially the main meals which were so generous we had to take some away with us. Already planning to go back.