Osteria Dante in Hertsmere

We have been coming to Dante restaurant for over 15 years and the service and food are amazing. We started coming before we had children and we have continued to bring our children regularly to this restaurant over the years and they have loved it every time. The staff are friendly and always go out of their way to make the kids happy. Vickie

Food was delicious and wholesome. Environment was serene and calm. Staff were wonderful, charismatic and attentive.

Young children not welcome. There really should be a sign on the door stating this. I rarely feel the need to express my negative opinion of a restaurant but never before have we encountered such rudeness and hostility towards children. We did not eat there as didn't even get to that stage as we decided to leave to which we were told that would be for the best. Can understand if the children were being unruley and dispruting others but they were not. My son and his friend left the restaurant almost in tears. Terrible attitude towards customers 😒 Update: In response to the restaurant's lengthy reply, this is absolutely rubbish and untrue. Readers need only look at other reviews to note that we were not the only ones who made similar comments. I am Italian myself so I know full well what Italian hospitality should be like and you fail miserably at this.

Friendly family owned restaurant

Enzo and Emma have been offering wonderful food in Potters Bar for the best part of 15 years. How lucky we are to have them on our doorstep! Last night's dinner of Spaghetti Vongole with zucchini fritters and spinach was fabulous and the house white (Trebbiano) accompanied it perfectly. And then there was pudding...home-made Morello cherry and frangipane tart, topped with vanilla ice cream. To die for, honestly... We'll be back soon...

Saturday Family meal.we moved from potters bar a while ago only 20 minutes journey in the car so we do not come often. Nothing as changed the food was delicious I hade my favourite dish veal saltimbocca alla romana cooked to perfection the staff is very friendly and the atmosphere is very good. I miss this place a lot thanks and see you soon Dante.

I just celebrated my birthday here tonight and while the atmosphere was pleasant, there were a some disappointing aspects. The portion sizes were quite small, which left us feeling a bit underwhelmed. The food was quite average and nothing special. When booking, my husband was informed that we needed to order a dessert if we wanted to bring our own cake . However, when the cake was brought out, we were unexpectedly told that there would be corkage fee of £3 per plate to eat it there, which was not mentioned beforehand. This would mean a total of £12 for a family of 4 just to eat our own cake and an extra £6.50 for a dessert which we had to order in order to have the cake brought out with a candle. With two kids eagerly waiting for the cake, we felt compelled to pay the fee. This was an unpleasant surprise, especially since I've never experienced a restaurant forcing customers to order dessert and then charging a fee to bring their own cake. The meals were costly for the portion sizes provided, and we still left the restaurant hungry despite paying a hefty price. Overall, this experience put a damper on what should have been a joyous celebration. Feeling very disappointed. 😞

The meal here was fantastic, the staff were very helpful and knowledgeable about the food. I will definitely be coming back

We came here after a day out watching rugby at Twickenham. We made sure we booked in advance - you must do this as it is VERY popular. It is not a big restaurant, but it's cosy, and the staff are great. The food. Oh my word the food! I had Pollo alla Romano, (chicken and Parma Ham in a Marsala sauce) which was simply magnificent, followed by the Sicilian Lemon Cheesecake - this was light, sweet and very refreshing. My friend had the "Spaghetti Dante" - a dish from the Specials board, which contained Nduja sausage - this was devoured. He had the Affrogato al Caffe for dessert, which he could not get enough of. We were very well looked after - this a friendly local restaurant with a handy car park round the back.

We met with friends at this little place. It's very clean and the staff and owners are very friendly and welcoming. The food was good, however, I chose calamari for starters and was disappointed that it wasn't cooked as well as it could have been. It was not crispy, golden batter but slightly soggy and light batter and somewhat chewy. Everyone I was with however, had different starters which they all enjoyed very much. The main courses, for all of us, were lovely and tasty and infused with great flavours. The portions are quite small though so if you have a big appetite, you may be a little disappointed. There wasn't much choice on the dessert menue either but I chose lemon cheesecake and it was fairly good. Considering the the prices, I would have expected larger portions and a little more choice on desserts.

Fantastic freshly cooked food. Real taste of Italy. Enjoyed our meal so much, thank you

Love going there Always welcomed and every time a great meal Tables are well spaced Nice background music and a good atmosphere

Excellent food and quality service. Will definitely be going back.

We had a very enjoyable meal on Saturday 17th Feb 2024. Very hard to find Porcini Ravioli in London so I was pleasantly surprised. My wife enjoyed her Fegato Veneziana. The service was friendly and efficient.

We were so lucky. Just passing by, needing our dinner but not having much time to spare, there was this restaurant full of empty tables with two people standing inside looking as if they were waiting for something. The calm before the storm I think. We'd not booked but they managed to squeeze the two of us in as long as we weren't planning on staying too long. Fantastic freshly-cooked food. A lovely, welcoming and friendly atmosphere with convivial company at the next table. It was nothing like empty when we left and for very good reason. Totally authentic, both in its Italian-ness and its welcome. We will definitely come again and we'll definitely book first next time.

Fantastic fresh, homemade food and a lovely atmosphere. Staff were amazing, particularly Luca. Would highly recommend

We were actually looking to book an alternative restaurant when we came across a review recommending Dante instead! So we decided to give it a try. It's an authentic family run Italian. The staff were welcoming and receptive. The food was delicious and made with love. Our only complaint was there were no profiteroles left, gutted! But we will come again another time :)

I've been to Dante's a few times but last time was around 2019 so thought I'd go back for the first time in years. The service was incredible, funny and friendly staff. One staff member adjusted a cocktail to my liking. The food was delicious and moreish, I had two desserts because I simply couldn't decide. The lemon cheesecake was to die for - the most lemoney lemon ever. Even opened earlier for us so we could get finished before a show. We'll be back!

Maybe my friend and I are just piggys, but we were still hungry after our meal and had to go into spoons next door to share a bowl of some chips! We had a pizza which had 4 small slices and the cannelloni, which only had 2 and a half pieces of pasta in the sauce. It was all very tasty but just not enough! ☹️

ADULTS ONLY restaurant. The owner was not happy to let us in with our 3 year old, because, according to him, kids run everywhere and cause annoyance. We left the place, speechless. We ate somewhere else.

I can't say how the food, service and ambience was as we were told openly that they were not happy to have children in the restaurant as long as they sat still like mummies (they don't even have car seats). Anyway, congratulations for hospitality, you know how to lose customers.

Back with my family and friends,fantastic service,friendly staff,the food was very tasty and well presented.my calves liver was cooked to perfection.my mom had the king prawns sea food risotto from the chef special,she said it was to die for.my daughter had the special pear and almond tart witch was served worm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.as usual we added a new and delightfull experience at Dante restaurant and surely we will be back soon

Starters were very small portions. Veal al limone was almost inedible. Very gristly, presentation reminded me of school dinners, one choice of vegetable. This was not Italian food at its best to say the least.

Ate here last night. We haven’t been for ages! We used to come quite frequently but we rarely eat out now. Well .. the food was absolutely delicious!!! Really good authentic Italian cooking at its best.

Absolutely amazing service from Emma, I had the seafood special/risotto which I'd highly recommend. We visited with family and my 8 year old son, a must visit. Thank you Dante!

Back to our favourite local restaurant now that they've returned from a well-earned summer break in Italy! The food (Spaghetti Polpo and Linguine Gamberoni) was fresh, tasty and beautifully prepared and presented; the sides of spinach, zucchini and green beans were wonderfully flavoured. A nice bottle of Sauvignon Blanc helped everything along nicely... Enzo's home-made Panna Cotta is a marvel! A real melt-in-the-mouth pudding, just perfect on a warm summer's evening... See you again soon, guys...

Our first time at Dante’s was fabulous. Delicious food, attentive friendly staff and great atmosphere. Will definitely return.

We moved to Potters Bar recently and have not been impressed by the local restaurants. Finally, we found Dante down the road and it has become our favourite restaurant here. It has home cooked Italian food which makes it a home from home place to go and have dinner. Without a doubt, the best restaurant in Potters Bar.

Pizza was tasty, but the risotto lacked flavour. I would return for their pizzas.

Great food, great service, best lemoncellos ever. We chose from the specials and weren’t disappointed. Such a lovely place to enjoy delicious fresh food.

Great for a chilled night out with great authentic Italian food we had a lovely evening. We had the dishes of the day and weren’t disappointed

As always had a lovely meal here. Excellent and friendly service, tasty, reasonably priced food and the Lemoncello ladies are delicious! We are never disappointed here, it's a hidden gem in Potters bar and our favourite Italian restaurant.

Lovely restaurant, very friendly and welcoming staff. Food was delicious!!

I had a great time at Dante’s, the food was good, lovely ambiance and great service. The staff were really pleasant and I’d love to go there again. Unfortunately I can’t remember what my meal was called but it was one of the chef’s specials that day. It was octopus and prawns in cherry tomato sauce with squid ink pasta. This was my first time trying it and I was pleasantly surprised. I’d give it a 7/10. I like spicy food and this wasn’t spicy for me hence the rating. Their fried calamari was excellent, i just wish the portion was more than what we got. It was very fresh and crispy. Something to note when you get there, the door is not in the middle and doesn’t slide open 😅😆 depending on where you come from it’ll be on the far right( just for anyone like me that expects all doors to automatically open for them)

Food portion was very small, was also not very impressed when I saw the waitress pouring half a tin of cool drink from a previous opened can into my glass and topped it up with another can. Cool drink tasted flat too.

Another great family meal on Saturday evening. We managed to book one of the last tables as they were fully booked. Despite being rushed off their feet the team were very welcoming. The Spaghetti Nerone (fresh octopus and prawns sautéed with olive oil, white wine and cherry tomatoes, tossed with black cuttlefish ink spaghetti) was amazing!

A fantastic meal served for a large group of 15 including keeping some young children happy and sitting down eating all evening

Being a neighbouring business I really love to support local. However, I walked in & simply asked if they had a table for 2 by any chance, the woman incredibly bluntly looked me square in the face & said no, after a silence she replied “well not unless you’ve booked” I couldn’t believe as a new customer - potentially a very good one, was being spoken to as if I were stupid for not booking. I completely understand if they couldn’t seat us but a simple “no we’re so sorry we do get busy on weekends so please call us to book in advance” with maybe a TINY bit of friendliness, I would have booked & probably eaten there weekly. Absolutely 0 customer service. The 1 star is simply for the location. For that reason alone I won’t be going back & I certainly won’t be recommending any of our clients.

Family meal. Very basic furniture, decor and feel, much like a Pizza Express. Food is very average at best. portions are very small and no presentation on the plate. This restaurant is priced very high for the experience you receive. Will not be returning

Overpriced for incredibly average Italian food which included a tasteless main course. The ambiance inside the restaurant was all wrong. It reminded me of a cafe to be honest. The service from the very knowledgeable, friendly and absolutely lovely lady was ten out of ten though. We got home and found half a plate of cold fish and chips on the side my son had left. We wolfed that down between us as we were still hungry after 3 courses at the restaurant. And we both said the cold fish was the nicest thing we had eaten all night. After reading some of the other 5 star reviews on here I wonder weather my fellow reviewers have ever eaten out before? A very disappointing experience, which was such a shame as we had both looked forward to our date night all week. I won't be going back. Sorry.

Friendly staff good service excellent food.

One of my all-time favourite restaurants. Me and my boyfriend go here all the time. Emma and Enzo are always friendly and welcoming and the food is just as good as the service - the ravioli porcini is a particular favourite of mine. Recently had...

Excellent food service and cold beer for a table full of hungry engineers, even though very were serving a large table full the food and service was perfect

A great Local Italian place, always greeted with a smile by Emma and Enzo. Lovely fresh food and i don't think you will find a better Italian around!

Dante has become not only our favourite restaurant in Potters Bar but is now the only Italian restaurant we visit. A warm welcome is always guaranteed in this family-run restaurant, the freshly prepared starters and mains are delicious and the homemade desserts are out of...

This is our go to restaurant. Food is excellent, freshly cooked and have never had a bad meal. Particular favourites are the calves liver - always cooked to perfection - and ravioli porcini. Although the ravioli is a frequent special Enzo kindly ensures he has...

Even after moving with family from Potters Bar we enjoy here and there lunch or dinner at Dante Italian restaurant. They have a lot of choices,meats, pastas, dishes that melt in your mouth. Old or New Italian classic dishes are made with professional and dedication...

A firm favourite. Lunch with a friend today but have eaten in many times as well as enjoying takeaway. Food, as always, freshly cooked. Zucchini fritti my absolute favourite! A warm welcome always for regulars & occasional diners alike. Very spoilt to have this on...

Our favourite restaurant. Dante is a real gem, incredible home cooked Italian food at a reasonable price which is always served with a smile. We have been coming here for many years and can honestly say we have never had a disappointing meal. This is...

We are regulars at Dante, and have never had a bad meal there. The food is always delicious, and the staff extremely friendly and efficient. It is a lovely little restaurant, and I would warmly recommend it to anyone.

I visited this restaurant with my friends and had been told how lovely it was. We were greeted by a lady who was abrupt due being slightly late for table, I tried to explain my reasons but was dismissed. The food we ordered was cold...

Having been fans of Dante's since they opened in 2008, we've yet to experience a less than wonderful meal and our most recent experience was no exception. Classic Italian ragu with sides of fried zucchini, spinach and green beans, together with a bottle of fine...

We have visited Dante a few times now and the food was outstanding, as it always is… I had the specials for starter and main, they were both fantastic; the homemade meatballs were to die for!! Very warm and welcoming reception as always… thank you...

I visited this restaurant with very good friends having been told this restaurant was amazing. How wrong were they, maybe a bad day for the owners. Dreadful service Dirty cutlery Food watery Filthy toilet Management rude and unhelpful and arrogant

As part of our stay we booked in tomato at Dante. It is a lovely little restaurant. The food is tasty and portion sizes are excellent, I had to help the other half put eat her main course. Really friendly and attentive staff would unreservedly...

I was looking for a authentic Italian restaurant in Potters Bar and came across this restaurant for a family meal of 4. Serving staff were pleasant and helpful. Food wise a bit disappointing as the portion were small and the taste was bland but except the price. Chilli oil saved the day. Will not jump out of bed to visit this place again.

We have been going years, love this place

Lovelt food but service a bit rushed.

Very kind staff serving up a wide variety of classic Italian dishes. I’d appreciate a couple more vegetarian options, but the ones they have are delicious. Highly recommend the affogato!

Absolutely amazing meal here again last night. The food and service is just faultless at this lovely restaurant. Home cooked Italian food in a lovely atmosphere, what more can you ask for? Puddings are you die for!

Lovely pizza lunch at this family owned venue.

Lovely meal after a day exploring London. We were looking for somewhere to refuel two tired boys after a long day and we weren't dissapointed. We were looked after from the second we walked in, the food came quickly and was freshly made and super tasty. The puddings were also great! Lovely food, friendly staff and good prices. Will come again when we are next in the area!

This is our favourite Italian restaurant in Potters Bar. The staff are friendly, the food is delicious and reasonably priced and we always have a lovely evening here!!

Yet another superb lunch in our favourite Italian restaurant. Food is always cooked fresh and to perfection. I always try and leave room for dessert which on this occasion was tiramisu - I have to say it was utterly delicious.

I have visited this restaurant on 3 occasions and think I have given it enough chances. I find the staff rude, quick to kick you out - literally asking you do you want any desserts as the kitchen is closing and then slapping the bill...

Great service, wonderful food. Make sure you leave room for sweets.

We ate as a group of 13, everything was delicious, you can tell the ingredients are fresh. Very accomodating for a large party. Thank you!

Lovely place to wine and dine. Staff is super friendly and food is tasty! Comfortable seating. Meal took less than 20 minutes to arrive after order.

Maybe an obvious point to make but not all Italian restaurants have the food prepared and cooked by Italians! Vicenzo is the real deal and everything cooked at Dante is so flavoursome. And super friendly and efficient service. Real Italian food.

Very good food and very friendly

We had a fantastic night at Dante. Amazing food and such friendly staff. Can't believe I haven't been before!! We will definitely be back. Thanks for our lovely NYE evening. ❤️🥂

I passed this Italian restaurant many times and paid no attention. What a mistake! It was great food right through. Even the wine was good. You need to go there.

We always come here and have done so for years now. We are always welcomed with open arms. Food is always amazing and a great family feel to the restaurant. Will always keep coming back! X

Absolute joke got told off like school children for arriving a little late, unless you're extremely punctual don't go here

Service is great, the staff are very chatty and friendly. Food was very tasty and good portion and good prices too.

A little plain inside but the food is lovely and authentic tasting. Made to feel very welcome and prices were very reasonable

Lovely italian food with plenty of vegetarian options .Went in with my son and had a lovely meal .The waitress delivered great service and food was to die for . Will definitely be coming back with my family.

Wetherspoons style Italian with a pricier menu

Amazing food, friendly staff, good prices ❤

Perfect local restaurant for a romantic meal. It’s run by a lovely couple: he’s the talented Italian chef (gorgeous, fresh pizza!) and she’s a perfect host. It’s all very relaxed and delicious… we stayed for an extra drink at the end!

Husband and wife team. Authentic Italian food. Friendly. Deeeeelicious food and fabulous cheesecake! A place I will definitely bring my Italian friends to when they next visit the UK.

Lovely pizza and pasta, friendly staff

Delicious meal, service very friendly and attentive, will definitely visit again and have recommended Dante to family and friends in the area.

Visited for the first time today with a friend and can’t believe I have left it so long. Amazing food, great friendly service and lovely ambience. The pear and almond tart was a highlight, as was the Prosecco and limoncello cocktail. We are so lucky...

Had an amazing time at Dante. Delicious food, great service and very reasonably priced. Very friendly staff, attentive but not annoying. I cannot wait to go back again

Lovely meal was had by our group of 4. Calamari pizza pasta and risotto very tasty. The pannacotta and cheesecake desserts were exceptional. Staff attentive, there was a nice atmosphere and no loud music was a bonus. I will definitely be returning to support this...

Very nice foot and staff very kind and sociable. For desert delishas.

Family run restaurant. Lovely Italian food (ravioli very good) and crab dishes, when on specials, are very good too.

Fresh home-cooked food, with extra delicious options on the Specials board. Porcini tortelloni were incredible. Young male waiter was particularly friendly and chatty. Interior is a bit lacking in ambience, but the outside terrace is lovely, especially on a sunny summer's evening.

Really cute, family run restaurant. Good choice. Lovely specials and friendly service. A few of the portions were a little bit on the mean side - but their tiramisu was to die for!

Excellent meal with nice, fresh ingredients. Was a delight to be served by a young waiter who was very passionate about his work.

Had a meal tonight with my friend, food was amazing and chef was very polite and friendly, staff lovely definitely coming back x

This place had good reviews - it's a shame that the rudeness of the Chef / Manager ruined our chance to try the food Their own member of staff said the chef was running late, and that we should go get a coffee and come back in 20 minutes. When we arrived back from our short walk, the Chef saw our coffee in hand and said "are you eating here? if you are you can throw that cafe Nero coffee in the bin because we sell coffee here" (their coffee wasn't working at the time and we were directed to get a coffee) We weren't even given a chance to explain. I won't be back

It was wonderful to see the restaurant so busy - deservedly so, as always! The seafood salad was fresh and tasty and the sea bream was an absolute delight...pannacotta followed for dessert, which was light and creamy and melted on the tongue (I can't normally...

This is the first restaurant I have visited since they were allowed to re-open and I felt perfectly safe. We were seated outside (as requested). Emma & Enzo who run the restaurant go out of their way to give everyone a warm welcome and their customer service is faultless. The food was lovely as usually. If you are looking for an authentic Italian in the area then I would highly recommend this one. Wonderful

Great menu and lovely hospitality

Awesome food and service. Specials always worth ordering. Rabbit this evening was great, as was the mushroom ravioli.

Had a takeaway from them which was delivered, don’t get loads that will deliver to the Essendon area. The food was amazing, everything tasted really nice. I would highly recommend and definitely order again.

To celebrate a milestone birthday in lockdown we ordered takeaway from Osteria Dante based on recommendations from others, and could not have been more pleased with the food and service. We had a selection of starters and mains, some specials and some from the main menu, and everything was freshly prepared and tasted fantastic - even something as potentially mundane as a chicken salad was fresh, vibrant and seasoned with a lovely dressing. Portions were generous but not over-facing. Seriously could not fault it at all. I can't believe we've never visited or ordered from here before, but I can guarantee we will be going back!

To celebrate a milestone birthday in lockdown we ordered takeaway from Osteria Dante based on recommendations from others, and could not have been more pleased with the food and service. We had a selection of starters and mains, some specials and some from the main menu, and everything was freshly prepared and tasted fantastic - even something as potentially mundane as a chicken salad was fresh, vibrant and seasoned with a lovely dressing. Portions were generous but not over-facing. Seriously could not fault it at all. I can't believe we've never visited or ordered from here before, but I can guarantee we will be going back!