Papa Rab's Restaurant & Bar in Dumfries & Galloway

Visited here Monday 23rd of September 2024. 6 of us had a brilliant meal and the staff are to be commended. Best pizza in a while. Hidden gem. Can’t wait to go back

Had a lovely meal there on Thursday evening. The food was delicious and the service excellent. I fully recommend this restaurant if you’re in Stranraer.

Great find! Staff wonderful and friendly. Food delicious. We had both pizza and pasta. Large portions of both. Couldn’t ask for more.

We ended up here by chance as it was one of the few restaurants open on a Monday night. We struck lucky though. Lovely meal and very good value. Would recommend the pork saltimbocca and the sea bass.

We took my elderly father in law here for lunch. From the parking immediately next to the restaurant to the helpful staff, it couldn’t have been better. We couldn’t resist the Sunday carvery. The meats were great and the rib roast just melted in our mouths, fresh yorkshires, huge selection of vegetables and sauces. He appreciated the senior portion that was offered and had space for ice-cream afterwards! The main menu looked delicious and we will be back to check it out. Thanks to all the staff for their attentive service and fantastic cooking.

A lovely pizzeria with excellent staff especially David who was really personable and helpful. We had bruschetta, caprese pizzas and pudding. All good. It worked really well for us

Found this lovely wee place on Tripadvisor and visited on a dreich night. Delicious Italian food. Attentive service. Delightful, friendly owner who is clearly knowledgeable and passionate about his food.Everything we ate was delicious. Well worth a visit.

We had the carvary and they do not skimp on portions, Beef Lamb Pork and ham succulent and tender, all veg superb, plate piled high and of the highest quality, would recoment to every one and will be back. Thank you Rab.

We were in today for the Sunday carvery, 5 star, superb. 5 different choices of meats, beautiful crispy roast potatoes as well as mash and lots of vegetables and the most amazing Yorkshire puddings all piping hot. Finished off with the Cointreau and Orange sponge and custard. The staff are excellent and Rab is very engaging and checking everything is ok. A definite recommendation ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The pizza is way too greasy my fingers were covered in nasty disgusting oil the chips weren't made well at all and when i went in a girl with blonde hair gave me the dirtiest look ever which i didn't appreciate the food was unbileably mid. PUT LESS GREASE ON THE PIZZA!

Very, very nice food. Doesn’t look much from the outside but give this place a try it really is lovely food, we had the pizzas, pasta dishes and a lasagna and all were happy with their meals. Staff were very accommodating too. We will be back when next in the area!

Stayed overnight in the town so googled Italian restaurants and this came up top with 4.5 stars, oh dear. Nice young girl served us, not sure why the chef/owner popped over, didn’t really say anything. Food was just about ok. Calamari starter was quite nice. Festive pizza and carbonara pasta average. For the average quality, quite pricey. Wouldn’t return or recommend. Place had no atmosphere for Christmas Friday. Bar area was heaving, rowdy, 95% male!

Had a great meal here. Lovely pizza cooked in a huge wood fired oven nice atmosphere and friendly staff. What more could you want.

The exterior may be unassuming but this is a very comfortable restaurant and we had a lovely meal that we are still talking about for all the right reasons. They give you plenty bread to mop up the delicious sauces and the standard of food was excellent from start to finish. The staff were lovely, efficient and friendly. It's great value too. We are back in the area early next year and we are talking about the fact we must go back.

1st time here & really enjoyed our meal,pleasant surroundings & a friendly service ,food was really nice & for a 3 course meal & drinks it was very well priced

Lovely meal and relaxed atmosphere. Very friendly and attentive staff ...don't miss this place, short drive to ferry!!

Will absolutely be back! Great and friendly service from the waitresses. Rab the Owner of the restaurant also regularly went round all the tables, making sure everyone was ok (wish more restaurants did this!). Food was all lovely. Freshly baked bread, and all tasty dishes. Couldn't have faulted anything. Large choice on the menu plus Specials. Highly recommend.

We were in Stranraer for the Oyster Festival and we had Sunday Lunch. The menu is really extensive. We were greeted warmly by the staff. The service was excellent and the food was superb - the owner even came and had a friendly chat. If you are ever in Stranraer and looking to dine out, please give this delightful restaurant a try, you will not be disappointed.

Great atmosphere and lovely food…. Service was excellent, we felt at home immediately… pizza was delicious, we will be returning soon!

Was recommended this restaurant from another who was fully booked. We were definitely the winners. The service and food were excellent. I had Chicken and Mushroom Masala which was a special. The sauce was amazing. Best meal I have had in a long time. My wife had a Pizza and she thought it was excellent as well. Thank goodness our original choice was fully booked.

What a top place, we booked after our friends had seen the dairy on tv & papa rabs wife family farm where you can get lovely milk (wee aird dairy) the staff were all lovely & very welcoming. We even met Rab!, The garlic smelt beautiful as soon as you walked in - top smell. The restaurant also had a huge pizza oven made the whole atmosphere. The menu is extensive & you need the lovely made cocktails to help you decide. We had pizza, west coast clams & mussels, beautiful calamari, (specials) sea food risotto , 2 different starters, stuffed crusts & pizza dough parcels with dip. We didn’t have any room for a pudding sadly! Si we must go back & eat again if only to get some food porn photos for the next review

Slow service, food a bit better than average but quite salty for some tastes. The place is basic but reasonable value. Portion sizes are big so no starter or dessert which is a shame as they are good. Would eat there again but order less

Superb proper wood-fired pizza. Enjoyed by all, including 5 yr old and 2 yr old. Wonderful attentive staff, and even some colouring for the children. Superb food and superb service. Very reasonable price for the quality of the food and service.

We were staying in Stranraer the night before catching the early ferry and went to Papa Rabs for an evening meal. This homely Italian restaurant serves good homemade food and there’s a lively bar next door if you want drink pre or post meal. Between...

Very nice Italian restaurant, the food was delicious and generous portions. Great Vegetarian choice. The staff were so friendly, Papa Rab came round and chatted to all the guests. Would thoroughly recommend.

Having seen Papa Rab’s on This Farming Life we could not resist a visit there whilst staying overnight in Stranraer before our ferry to Ireland the following morning. We were not disappointed. Food lovely and my husbands family are from Campania so he knows a...

Papa Rab’s Restaurant is a real gem for Italian food. The staff were very friendly and welcoming. They gave great service and the chef produced a superb Cajun Chicken Penne in a lovely creamy sauce. For us this was absolutely the best pasta meal we...

The food was fantastic and service first class. Everything freshly made and served with a smile. Will definitely be back.

Excellent food and service. The service was great and the staff were attentive. Would gladly return again.

This is a gem of a place and we had an excellent meal which consisted of spaghetti and meatballs and a ham and pineapple and a pesto chicken pizza. All were delicious and the staff very attentive and friendly. I just wish there was one...

We enjoyed a delicious take away from here whilst staying in a nearby holiday cottage- hot , fresh delicious pizzas and a great lasagne. Wasn’t too keen on the cheese sauce poured over the lasagne, hence dropped a mark- but it was still a lovely...

My wife and I from Northern Ireland were invited to the National Vintage Tractor Road Run held at Wig Bay on Easter Sunday. We stayed in Stranraer for the event. We both ordered pizza from the menu. There were two large tables of guests that...

Great Italian restaurant, really authentic and fantastic food. Staff were all incredibly friendly, Rab is a great chef and host. If you're in Stranraer would recommend without hesitation. Molto bene!

We dined here on Mother’s Day & certainly weren’t disappointed! From the minute we entered we were met with the most welcoming and friendly staff, the ambience of this restaurant is amazing and you do truly feel like you could be in Italy. Every dish...

Beautiful, tasty food. Such a family friendly atmosphere. Can recommend the Roast Potatoes and the Panzanelle for sides

Papa Rab’s is a great place to eat, drink and be merry! The owners & staff are hard-working and attentive, the food is great, and the atmosphere is warm & welcoming! Always my go-to place to eat and drink when visiting Stranraer!

After a very lovely visit to meet my family in Stranraer. My daughter took myself and my husband to this restaurant Papa Rabs which she had previously been to a few days earlier with her sisters family. After being seated and as the waitress was...

We visited recently whilst passing through Stranraer… the staff were welcoming and extremely friendly and attentive. Food was authentic in nature, with a good variety on the menu and nice food. Reasonable value too. Somewhere we would visit again if in the area.

I only give 1 start because i cant give zero has got food paid over £120 for famliy of 7 the place is Pretty pricey we had leave a tip because we thought food was okish pizza was not the nicest but ok only because...

Pretty bad reception coming in the front door, it was almost like the extremely quiet place is unhappy to have custom. Pasta and pizzas were lovely although it was served scalding hot to a bunch of kids, The food is certainly not the problem with...

Stopped for Sunday lunch,food was luke warm at best ,reheated and tasteless all the black pepper in the world wasnot fixing this plate.

We booked a table for the evening of the Thursday before Christmas. I'd found that Papa Rab's served Gluten Free piza when I'd looked for eating gluten free around the Stranraer area. Reading the reviews I'd got the impression that the gluten free piza bases...

we saw this on the tv show this farming life , thought we would give it a try , we were not disappointed , very nice food in lovely surroundings great service too

Had a wonderful meal, pizza and pasta dishes, along with calamari and bruschetta starters and all well cooked and tasty. Tried the house red which was excellent. Also had tiramisu for pud which was lovely. Portions were large. Had a couple drinks first in the...

Needed a quick bite before getting on the ferry. Didn't want to chance a poor chippy and TA directed us to this terrific pizza place. Told the person behind the counter we were in a hurry and five minutes later we were tucking into the...

Having worked in high class hospitality I am not easily impressed,however,Papa Rabs has.All staff were very friendly and warm.My Italia soup starter and freshly made pizza were the best.All served in the fantastic bar area as I had my dog,ghost,who was treated to a nice...

We arrived too late last night after a day long walk, so very grateful to the staff for making us take out food instead. Pizza for my friend and desert calazone for me, it wasn't pretty eating ala pasty in the car but it was...

A little gem of a restaurant specialising in Italian food but with a reasonable choice of main meals in addition to the pasta and pizza all reasonably priced very friendly service

Visited here last week for dinner my wife had the Manea Brasato meat dish which was lovely, I had a meat pizza which again was really nice, however my father inlaw chose the seabass which arrived with skin on and overcooked making it very dry,...

We stayed in Stranraer for a night before going on holiday to Northern Ireland and wanted somewhere nearby to eat that evening. We couldn't have expected more from Papa Rab's. Friendly staff; quiet, pleasant restaurant. Food was absolutely DELICIOUS. Best Calamari we've ever had. Huge...

We came to Papa Rab’s on Saturday after catching the ferry over from Belfast. It was absolutely great. Genuine homemade Italian food and excellent friendly service. The kids menu is really reasonable and went down a treat with our daughter. The bruschetta was absolutely delicious,...

Another great visit to this very friendly bar and restaurant. We went as a group of 8 of varying ages from 10 to 50+ and enjoyed a brilliant meal. It is really nice to be able to finish your meal and move into the bar...

A very unassuming but absolutely the best Italian in the UK. If you are near by, this is an absolute must for a visit. The menu is extensive and the specials are always slightly different and delicious . A good variety of pizzas on their...

We visited this restaurant 2 nights ago and were served by a lovely girl called Erin. She was so polite and attentive. A credit to the restaurant. We had a mixture of meals which were all absolutely wonderful. I wouldn't say quite 5/5 or 5*...

Food was exceptional! Last minute booking after a long car journey. We had olives/bruchetta/carpaccio/bread. Loved having access to olive oil and balsamic for the bread! Pizza was amazing. Best onion rings ever had. Chicken Milanese: perfect (got leftovers packed for takeaway!). Nice cold beer. Loved...

Had an enjoyable meal. Food well prepared and good quality. Service fine. Not busy when entered at 6.30pm, but near closing time became busy.

Our second night in Scotland and we found this restraunt nearby. I must say this restaurant is absolutely fantastic. The staff were so friendly and the service was 5 star. The food was amazing and the whole experience was second to none. The chef/owner took...

We arrived midweek without a reservation and were quickly seated in the brightly light restaurant with Italian themed red walls. With plenty of choice we chose the meat pizza (£13) and bruschetta (£7). Both were generous portions with lots of topping. The pizza was however...

Lovely restaurant. Food was amazing and very generous portions. Lovely friendly staff and atmosphere. Owner went out of his way despite being very busy to come and say hello. Best pizza ever. Seafood risotto delicious and the bread was to die for. Glad we're over...

Great restaurant, lovely attentive service. Tasty food and very satisfied family. Family friendly with lots of options, including half portions. Busy on a ‘quiet night’ of the week so would recommend booking. Popular with many age ranges (couples, families, groups) We were holidaying in the...

Ate there last night with my wife whilst visiting the area and found the food to be first class, Rab and his staff couldn't have been more attentive if they tried and it was strange to hear that Rab had worked with a number of...

We ate here for a big birthday celebration with friends Good meal with excellent wine choice and good beers Great service and chat with the staff Entry into it was a bit strange since we were guided through a very ordinary pub to get there...

Such a lovely restaurant. Staff can’t do enough to make your dining experience a good own. We have used this restaurant many times and it never disappoints. Love it, love it, love it

Superb, tried the pizzas which were handmade there in front of you, tasty and traditional. Staff so friendly and professional. Will return

Wow.... Every bit of the food we order was super delicious from the starter through to the desert, which due to full tums we had to take home for later. Staff were very attentive and pleasant. We will surely be back and happily recommend your...

Welcoming, great menu, the most sensational Italian Soup and wonderful main course superbly cooked. Great atmosphere and certainly a place we will come back to. Here food is taken very seriously as is the presentation.

I honestly don't understand where all the amazing reviews are coming from for this restaurant. I can only think there must be a huge difference from takeaway food and sit in food. I chose this particular restaurant because of the great reviews for a treat...

Superb home cooked food. Very friendly staff and team. Great prices for the quality of the food. We hope to have another meal here before setting back to Yorkshire, as the last time we had Italian this good it was in Italy! Family meal on...

Looking at the photos and reviews on trip advisor did not give us much confidence in coming here. However, I am so happy to say this place is an absolute gem. Firstly, this a beautifully run family business where all the waitress and waiters are...

Prior to our recent trip to Stranraer my wife had undertaken her usual research in to places to go and see and restaurants to eat at. As the reviews of Papa Rab's on tripadvisor were pretty good we decided to go there for dinner on...

Fantastic dinner at Papa Rabs tonight. As soon as you walk in you get an amazing smell of the woodburn oven. Pizzas were to die for - in particular the spicy sausage meat pizza was a solid 10/10 The surprise of the evening was ordering...

Papa Rabs was recommended to us as this is our first time in the region. There were 8 of us eating. Upon arrival the staff were very friendly and we were offered drinks pretty much straight away. We had starters and mains. The food came...

I booked to eat here on the last evening of my short trip to Stranraer, hoping to enjoy a good pizza meal. I was not disappointed. The Quattro Formaggi pizza was excellent, and the Affogato al Caffè was out of this world (I just had...

We had planned to eat somewhere else but it was shut on Monday’s so we ended up at Papa RAb’s. So glad we did. Really efficient and friendly service, and the food was fresh and delicious. My pizza was excellent. Also decent low alcohol beer...

Been a while what with Covid and all but it was worth the wait and just as we remembered . New addition to seating area on the front entrance means that more people can enjoy the fantastic food experience . It’s busy especially at weekends...

Visited Papa Rabs for a double birthday celebration. Great menu to suit all tastes including kids. Food was absolutely delicious and service was excellent. Happy birthday message on the desserts was a lovely wee touch. Thanks for making our celebrations as good as could be.

Visited this delightful place whilst waiting to go on the ferry after a long drive up from London , food was amazing fresh and really tasty, the staff were very warm and friendly , authentic stonebaked pizza and tasty Italian dishes Thankyou to you all...

We have a caravan at Luce bay and was told to try papa Rabs ,well it’s the best food I’ve had in a restaurant ever and I’ve had some lovely food . Staff friendly and Rabs is well priced we will definitely be going back...

Lovely Italian restaurant, the owner was very friendly and helpful. We ordered 3 adult pizzas and he asked if he could make them into one huge pizza which was amazing! The children were well looked after and loved their pizzas and puddings. Highly recommend if...

Had panini - bread was so hard the knife could hardly break the surface! Side salad very basic. Staff looked fed-up and felt as we were a bother. Strangely, no pasta dishes available. Disappointing visit this time.

This was a really refreshing restaurant visit - clearly a well-run restaurant, with excellent staff and service. The antipasto starter was beautifully presented and the meats/cheese were top quality. If you like garlic mushrooms then you are in for a treat here! Pizza for main...

Their food tastes AMAZING 🙂🙂🙂. Susan was really nice and helpful. They have a wood fired pizza oven.

As a family of four we unanimously agreed that the food we enjoyed at Papa Rabs Italian in Stranraer was one of the best any of us have had. All the food we had from the bread to the dessert at the end was home made. you know when you can tell the difference from bought in products. This is what you want when you go out for dinner and your paying. We can buy ready meals in the supermarket you don’t want it when your out dining. In short the experience of the chef spoke volumes on the plate. No short cuts , full marks and on our experience no hesitation in recommending

This restaurant is an absolute Gem of a find! The very best fresh Italian food, so tasty and genuine. The attention to detail in all the ingredients is what makes the food the best I have tasted in a very long time. Even the lemons for the homemade Limoncello are from Italy! The homemade wood fired oven cooks all the pizzas, including the toppings which are made from scratch. This restaurant is absolutely worth driving to, even if you live far away. We travelled from Dumfries and we shall be back! Thank you for a very gorgeous memorable evening.

I had an excellent meal on my first night on holiday in Stranraer. Just that I tried to eat too much! The complimentary bread was lovely as was the mushroom starter. So I couldn't finish the very generously sized pasta dish.

Our family really enjoyed the food at Papa Rabs (beautifully cooked). We had pizza and also the fish and chips and a couple of puddings. They served an excellent pot of tea too as well as nicely chilled lager and soft drinks. We chose to eat outside and were made very welcome with excellent but not over-bearing service. They welcomed our dog and served her water to drink. I definitely recommend this place.

Papa Rab's was recommended to us by some locals in Stranraer. It was quite busy when we walked in, but they were very accommodating. We waited in the bar for a short time before the table was ready. Just a quick word about the bar, there was a nice mix of people there, ages from 20’s to 70’s and everyone talking and laughing with each other. The restaurant itself is a cozy, casual place with a pretty extensive menu. The service was really good, and I can tell you their Penne Arrabbiata (vegan) and Garlic Focaccia were amazing! My husband raved about the Aglio e olio Spaghetti. Give them a try, but consider making reservations.

I have no hesitation in recommending this place. After 3 visits to it, I cannot fault the food, or the service given. The freshly baked bread is amazing. The staff are very helpful and friendly. We will definitely be returning on our next visit to Stranraer.

Lentil Soup (Soup of the Day) was tasty however if made at home would have been better if left till second day but obviously cannot be done in restaurantPate Della Casa- Pate was nice and when combined with Chutney which recipe changes depending on the day however main ingredient is always rhubarb and sweetness of rhubarb compliments the richness of the pate. Like most of the time when you order pate there was not enough bread however bread that we got for the table that was soft and tasty either with butter or their home made rosemary, orange and Balsamic vinegar dressing is delicious and good substitute for pate Melone e Prosciutto - Melon and Prosciutto was delicious and nice light starter Sea Bass was cooked to perfection and skin had great flavour and although added flavour to the sauce for my taste there was too many green peppercorns in the sauce. Roasties were fluffy inside and crisp on the outside and just the right amount of them Seafood Risotto - Lovely cooked calamari & prawns and was perfect texture Salsiccia Penne - Was well flavoured and pasta cooked well however sausage was presented like sausage minced meat and expected to be able to identify that was sausage from looking at dish instead of just knowing due to being on menu. This is a personal preference although it was seasoned well. Vanilla Ice Cream for desert was perfection in a bowl and was clearly home made and was good ending to the meal.Staff were very attentive without being intrusive and no request was too much bother

Lovely little Italian restaurant. A bit hidden but locals very friendly so just ask. Real Pizza cooked in a genuine italian oven. Never open on a Tuesday.All Italian meals are gorgeous but British food is available too. You couldn't ask for more helpful and friendly staff. Opening hours are Noon to 9pm.

Was in yesterday for lunch it was fabulous service excellent place is spic and span Lorna is ever so helpful I’m in a wheelchair and nothing was a problem disabled toilet is immaculate I’d give it 5 star rating as well thanks for a lovely lunch will defo be back

Good location with entrance in Stranraer Central Car Park. Comfortable, clean, quiet. Friendly Staff. Huge choice on menu. Food well cooked and portions size satisfactory.

Sunday night and out for a wee celebratation we took a taxi to town so we could enjoy a lovely meal and glass of wine or two. Last time we were here we were well impressed and thats the reason why we came back. It was early evening and quite quiet but fantastic service yet again. We were told that the tables for two have been renewed to make them slightly bigger so there is more space to enjoy your meal and we certainly had that.This place is so relaxing and really does bring a part of Italy to Stranraer. There is the Sunday menu offering two courses for £13.95 or three courses if you can manage it for £19.95. We generally only have two. We did however as usual look on the main menu but as we had been abroad recently and had pasta and fish and all those other delicious things on the menu, we plumped for the two course for £13.95. I normally have the soup and was very tempted to try the curried celery soup as the soups are always amazing however this time I thought I would try something different and have the chicken liver pate with home made chutney and toasted bread. Beautiful texture on the pate very smooth with lots of flavour and the chutney added that tang required to make the whole dish come together well and what a feed so best be hungry. Fresh bread and butter was served at the beginning before we chose our meals and lovely and soft and tasty. A nice touch and no extra cost. Hubby had his favourite and thats the Garlic mushrooms served in garlic butter on toasted bread. Again very delicious. Now last time hubby had the Roast beef for the main and enjoy it a lot but decided to see what the Wood Oven Roast Pork was like and up there with the beef served with a choice of chips or roasted potatoes and veg. As a Sunday we both chose the roasted tatties and nice and crispy with garlic and rosemary. For those who dont like garlic maybe ask to hold the garlic and they made oblige. I had the Glazed roast ham cooked on the bone and again succulent and not dry and served with a jus to compliment the meat. Carrots and cabbage were the veg and everything was well up to the standard we had the last time. Wine... well we like a wee Chardonnay or two to go with a nice meal so had the Australian Chardonnay at £19.95 a bottle and although not too pricey it was good quality. Actually we had two bottles as was a celebration. Rab tells us that he is having a Mexican themed night soon and will try to have a themed night once a month.. sounds good.All in all thanks for a lovely meal with great service and Italian music playing in the background but still able to chat . Two very satisfied customers.

Staying just outside of Stranraer we were looking for places to eat and came across Papa Rab's on Trip Advisor, so glad we did. A fab restaurant, lovely friendly staff, great service and wonderful tasty food. My vegetable pizza was delicious with a lovely very thin base, just how I like it and there was no issue when I asked for no sweetcorn. Wonderful, if we ever return to the area we will be back.

I was starving, we looked at this pub n thought perhaps not... it had just turned five so we waited for a coffee to see if it cut the mustard. The brew was very nice n we plumped for food too.This was not a mistake. A very generous bowl of piping hot soup. Lentil, green with chunks of ham. Souper! I followed that with roast pork. Very nice too, flavoursome and tasty with loads of gravy, roasters n tons of veg. My initial in trepidation waned quickly. This was a quality nosh down.

I regularly eat in Papa Rabs and the food is always excellent, fresh and made to order. The lunchtime 2/3 course special is of particularly good value. I have found it can get pretty busy on a Friday and Saturday night, even though it is a large restaurant, so i would always advise booking ahead. I've never been disappointed. The staff are second to none and I am always greeted with a smile. My go to place in town!

Great food and great service. Ordered food and was told it would be 15mins. Arrived after 10mins and to my surprise the food was ready. Everything was cooked great and the pizza was not saggy. Best pizza in Stranraer.

My friend and I ate in this beautiful restaurant last night. We eat here and get take put from here often . I have a dairy intolerance and am a vegetarian and there are so many dishes the chef is more than happy to make without dairy products including pizzas . The food especially the Pasta imperiale is outstanding and the staff are amazing and make you feel very special and couldnt be more accommodating and helpful. The owner having found out I was vegan made delectable berry panna Cote which was the best I've ever had . Papa rabs goes above and beyond for their costumers and I am looking forward to our next meal already

What a gem, everything from service to the food was excellent. Highly recommended the lasagna and the pasta. Will definitely be back

A great takeaway with a cheeky pint in the bar while I waited (it didn’t take long in that amazing wood fired oven!).