Pesto at the Axe And Compass in Rugby

First time in there but definitely not the last one! Lovely staff and the food was amazing! For three different types of food the price was wow not expensive at all! 10 Stars from 5

Love the food at this place, always hard to narrow down your selections into the few plates you want to try but have never been disappointed. Always very busy when I have been so the service can be a little slow sometimes (understandably) but dont let that put you off from trying the great food.

You can see why this place is so popular! The food is tasty, the service excellent, and it’s an Amazingly regimented process as they turn around tables so quickly. On top of this the price is very good value. Five of us had three plates each - which were served incredibly fast and all tasted good and our head waiter was helpful and friendly. The one criticism is that it can be almost too quick - you can be done and dusted in under an hour. But if you have a pud and another drink it’s all good. You can see why there were so many large parties in - it’s ideal. Goes to show that if you get the price point right - you can keep a place swinging even in tough times. Great place.

Our favourite place! Sadly we can only afford to come once a year but the food and service are always incredible.

Dined with 9 people, lots of food and great prices. All the dishes were fantastic

Excellent food and portion sizes and plenty of choice. Good service.

Had to remind the waiter about drinks orders. Also seems they changed shift at 3pm and didn’t bother to assign us a new waiter.

I can't recommend this place enough. The food is just amazing. The service is great and it is always busy. We went on a Monday lunch time for my daughter's 30th and it was busy. They are doing something very right as many pubs and restaurants are struggling. It is such good value for for money and so worth it. It is my second visit but my daughter and her husband have been on quite a few occasions and you definitely have to book. Will be going again. It is italian tapas and it is just delicious 😋.

I actually can't think of anything to fault Pesto. My whole experience exceeded expectations. We were greeted and seated immediately. Drinks orders were taken and fulfilled quickly along with our food choices. Food was delivered promptly and portion sizes were bigger than expected. Food quality was impeccable. Slightly slow on serving dessert, but that's really no complaint. Overall, exceptional experience and one that will be repeated

Excellent food. Very very friendly staff members. We really enjoyed our first visit here. One of the best places around.

Had a lovely dinner at Pesto! The food was of a high quality, tasted fresh and well prepared. The meats were really tender and full of flavour. The spices were well balanced in each of the dishes I tried. Our favourite would be the pork belly slices in a tomato sauce. The atmosphere was relaxed and we enjoyed that we could hear the music quite well. We were served by Emily and we received a great customer service! This place is a hidden gem and it will definitely go on the list of my top food places in this area. Thank you for the delicious dinner! ☺️

The restaurant was cold when we arrived. The food was nothing special to write about. The food arrived at the table in dribs and drabs and eventually my fish arrived after a good while after the other meals, the waitress said you won't have to pay for it as you waited so long and yes the cost was deducted from the bill, but by the time the fish arrived the rest of my lunch was cold. Every one else enjoyed their meals and our friends had dined there before. Restaurant wasn't full so I don't think it was the waitresses fault and there were plenty standing around. I did notice that when we were served coffee the cups were brought to the table one at a time instead of on a tray. This is not a complaint as such but a polite warning to others.

The food was delicious, we were a big party on a Friday evening so it was very busy, but all the food came out correct and at a good speed, the staff were very friendly and super helpful with the menus and making sure everyone got what they wanted. Food portions are a very good size so 2-3 portions per person was plenty for us and they were very easy to share between people

Went today to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary and had a lovely time due to the wonderful food and were looked after by the super staff.

Visited on little ones birthday. Child friendly place. Food is to die for, completely delicious and authentic - we felt like we were dining in Italy again! The menu is extensive with wonderful options to choose from. The gentleman who waited our table was very knowledgeable on all dishes and provided recommendations and descriptions of the dishes we were considering, and what was really lovely was the fact that regardless of how busy the place was, he was patient and took the time to do this along with wishing our little one happy birthday. The food came quickly and is large tapas style perfect for sharing or for those wanting a smaller portion. The price is amazing for the quality, quantity and service received. We love it there. This is a really lovely place with a warm atmosphere.

First experience at Pestos and OMG it did not disappoint!! Cannot wait to go back already 🤩🙌🏻 We went for dinner and ordered so much to share 🥰

Our first visit and we will be back!! We always struggle to find somewhere to eat and meet our family when we are visiting and this was a fantastic meal. Whilst it’s a different concept (and weirdly looks likes small portions as you order lots of smaller tapas style dishes) they really aren’t and it’s fantastic to be able to try so many different dishes. We had a great meal and will definitely be back!

On a very rare occasion we had a child free night together we decided to have a date night. And we both decided on trying Pesto at the Axe and Compass and what a fantastic evening the customer service was brilliant,very helpful and knowledgeable. The food was superb just the right amount for us to share on each dish. We will be going again soon with our daughter I'm looking forward to it.

Great but food not piping hot - maybe because it was busy or it was cold outside.

A first visit here on a Wednesday lunchtime following some recommendations from friends. We were not disappointed and the food arrived quickly considering it was busy. Staff were friendly and helpful. Will return soon! Best to book which is very simple online!

Been here a number of times & noticed going slightly downhill each time. On entering the restaurant it felt cold & we were sat next to a window which had quite a bit of black mould on the framework. The radiator was not turned on so we put it on & that was better. We ordered some drinks whilst we looked at the very large menu. We ordered 6 dishes between us but they looked like they had just come out of the microwave or deep fat fryer & dumped in the dishes, there was no garnish on anything. The plates were already on the table & were stone cold & you didn't know who had been touching them or coughing or sneezing over them. The 3 miniscule pieces of asparagus in the salmon pasta was sliced so thinly I originally thought it was a spring onion, the chicken skewers were dry & tough & everything was just luke warm, making it even worse on a cold plate. We ordered 2 more cocktails but were not impressed again. This place is due to be taken over so hopefully that will improve it but as is stands we won't be returning.

Good food and service but the tables are so close together and there are so many people it feels very crowded. Not helped by two different speakers playing different music.

First time at this Pesto's for years. Met up with old school mates and had a great catch up. Service was good although missed a couple of bits off the order, but quickly sorted that. Food was good and well presented. Not expensive at al l

Food was good for the price point. It all came together so by the time you ate something the rest was starting to get cold. Drinks were nice, I drank a Lucky saint and my partner had an espresso martini.

The food is always delicious and the staff are very attentive. Great place for any occasion.

Great good and service staff are excellent. Went today with friends and the 3 items for a fixed price menu is a great idea! We aren't local but when we see another Pesto restaurant we'll definitely go. Staff are friendly and it didn't take long for our food to arrive. Recommended.

If there is a few of you the tables are not quite big enough for all the food and maybe a good idea if the food ordered could be staggered as it starts to go cold

Great service! Good quality of food.

Went here for a birthday dinner. Have been a few times, always extremely busy! Make sure to book in advance. Service this time was not brilliant but the food was excellent. Servers were friendly just didn’t see a lot of them likely due to being at the back in a corner - quite tucked away. Highly recommend for a nice dinner or lunch. Amazing allergen menu that covers all main allergens :D

I haven’t been to this place in around 10 ten years but we decided to go for my birthday as it’s only round the corner. I was more than a pleasantly surprised! Food was lovely with plenty of choice of tapas. The service was very quick and friendly but above all it was really good value, 2 lots of tapas (3 plates each), 2 deserts and cocktails for just over £50. We will be returning soon, it is way better value than a lot of other local restaurants!

Amazingly delicious food, superb ambience, and gracious staff. No wonder why it attracts so much crowd.

A beautiful place to come and enjoy a lovely meal with your partner 😘 ❤️

Food always excellent at a reasonable price.

Very nice meals .have to book not cheap .

Absolutely lovely food, great service would definitely recommend and will be visiting again

Great evening at Pesto’s , great atmosphere and attentive staff made our evening very pleasant Highly recommend, massive menu and excellent quality

I don't know about you but sometimes in an Italian restaurant I sort of lose interest as I plough through a plate of pasta or risotto, or a pizza. Pesto have solved this for me by offering a selection of smaller dishes with the suggestion you order three different ones each. Little confusing at first, am I ordering for just me or the table and sharing. Not a problem, order what you want and share if you want as you eat. It really works, five of us had a lovely meal both sharing and having some dishes to ourselves. It's fun, it's different and it's tasty. Helpful staff and a good atmosphere, what's not to like?

Last night 7 of us went to eat here and unfortunately we all got food poisoning. We all ate various things. We enjoyed the food and the staff were friendly but unfortunately we’ve all been up with diarrhea and vomiting all night.

We love it here. Unfortunately on our last visit I think I must have eaten something that didn't agree with me. I have coeliac disease and normally I'm fine with the gf options but this last time something got me. Not the restaurants fault as I know thet take all precautions they can. Sometimes it just happens.

Excellent lunch with friends. Lovely delicious plates of food and service was fantastic. Highly recommend

Marvellous food, prompt and courteous service.

Pesto is my absolute favourite!! The food never disappoints. I love the fact that it's an Italian tapas, it's very original. You can order larger main dishes of each option if you wish. The dishes are small but mighty and full of flavour! I introduced my half Italian fella to Pesto, and he was very impressed. I love the style of all of their restaurants. They have a rustic, authentic Italian style that feels homely and cosy, despite their restaurants being quite big. My go-to dishes are always the little diced potatoes with garlic and olives - stunning! The chicken thighs, and the brusheta in any flavour (but the mushroom is my fave) My daughter LOVES their salmon and asparagus pasta. Although you may think the portions look small, they are really filling! I always get excited and over order (normally 4 dishes), but I struggle to finish them and end up taking it home. I've recommended Pesto to so many people now.

I have visited many times and whilst I can’t fault the food at all, there is one particular waiter who has been quite rude every visit. We have noticed that he begs for tips and if you don’t tip him, he questions why, and when you do, he questions why he didn’t receive enough. In our recent visit, we gave a £6 tip without him having to ask, but after he was looking at our receipt and asked us where the rest was and saying that we hadn’t tipped enough. We have noticed him do it to several tables every visit now.

Google says 10.30pm close , walked in at 8.26pm , place half empty, asked if we could get a table for 3 , got told no, said Im happy to order straight away, went to ask manager still said no, fuming when I’m starving and wanted to give them money to feed us. This type of business mentality deserve to go under when they turn away easy money.

Service excellent and food top quality and nice and easy to get to, alysha was a great waitress asking was our food good best place around the area

Great food, busy restaurant with vibrant atmosphere.

I've been coming to Pesto's for a while now. The food is delicious and not overly priced. Service is always good, and the atmosphere is nice and relaxed. I've been here on various days at various times, and it's always busy! That tells you something! Give it a go, you won't be disappointed 🙂

Great food, quick and friendly service

I popped in tonight on my own after playing golf had the prawns lightly fried with mayonnaise slice lemon cubed fried potatoes 🥔 lovely 😍

Lovely food and excellent service as always.

Fantastic food and service can’t wait to come back

Me and my family always go here, lovely service, staff and food!

Not the best Pesto I've been to, was quite disappointed. We were greeted to leaves and food on the floor around the entrance and bar, cobwebs and bugs flying around our table (which was surprising in October). The food was ok, but nothing to brag about. Out of 6 dishes the only memorable ones were the fried chicken and garlic mushrooms. The service was just ok. I asked for the gin menu and was handed one for wines. Had to ask 3 times before I got it. Dont think we'll be going back to this Pesto again.

Always a pleasure visiting this restaurant for food! Always the best service and always a hard decision deciding what to choose to eat. Perfect for date night or a girlie catch up.

Stunning food, the choice, and quality are amazing. Tapas style food. It's worth every penny. I can see why you need to book.

An Italian take on Tapas, and it works very well. Good food, well thought out menu, fast service and great staff

Great meal with friends, love the Axe & Compass, beautiful food, great atmosphere and really pleasant and friendly atmosphere. Lots to chose from, one of the best caprese salads outside of Italy 🇮🇹 meatballs are amazing with that spicy twist! Well worth the short trip from Hinckley or Coventry if your in the area, we travel over from Northampton it’s that good and we don’t have anything like Pesto closer! Love the flavours and six for two is well worth the experience! I always want to order more but we never leave hungry. Plenty of parking and if your stopping in the Hinckley Island it’s £6 in an Uber so you really can enjoy a taste of Italy whilst enjoying the Midlands countryside 🤣

Check out the brownie if you can find it on your plate

Very delicious food 😋 recommend anyone Can't wait to be back

Good choice of Italian tapas. Dishes update from time to time.

It was our wedding anniversary, service was diabolical and we didn’t get a reasonable table. We had to go to the bar to request for a waiter to come over to our table everty time we wanted to order something. I would never come here again and would not recommend anyone to come to this particular restaurant.

Great for a lunchtime meeting with friends. Unique concept. Tasty food and good value.

Went here for the first time on Tuesday evening & very impressed & will definitely go again. The food was amazing, the staff very helpful & providing a great service. The only thing that let it down was that it was packed at 17:30 & extremely loud; so loud it was difficult to hear yourself, let alone anyone else. I'd go again, but on a quieter day or earlier to avoid the rush

Went today with my wife, have been before, very good service and ambience was warm and inviting. Food was of good standard and quality. Its tapas style so I'd say 70% size of what would be a full meal but that's one of the best bits you can pick and choose whay to try. If one isn't 100% for one person they can share and mix it up with this less waste and more likely to enjoy the meal despite one dish not to full 100(not for us this time we enjoyed all the food provided, but in general I'm saying) Welcoming staff, the waitress and waiters for us today was great as it was last few times we've been in. Fair amount of selection of food and wait times reasonable for such a clean and well look after environment. Would recommend their belly pork, and their breaded lemon Chicken thighs and their Brownie. Good restuarant for the local area very much appreciate the variety change from just burgers , kebab, kfc ranges.

Staff are very welcoming, knowledgeable and attentive. Fabulous menu, good prices and plenty to choose from.Food was absolutely devine.Very clean all round, definitely a place to return to if you want great food,atmosphere,cleanliness and service.

We love Pesto's...everything about the establishment is bang on. The menu is amazing, service is perfect, our order was on the table within 15 minutes...and it's dog friendly which is great for us. Our Llasa - Indiee, loves visiting Pesto's with us, and the staff remember her and make a lovely fuss of her...we will be back over Christmas.

Absolutely fantastic night out. Being tapas it’s great to get quite a few things and share them so you don’t waste a dish if you’re not too keen on it. Food was hot, fresh and tasted amazing. Service was great until we received desert menus and then had to wait 20 mins to order the desert but the place was packed out.

Well I still don't understand the menu quite, but that's been fine for the two visits I've had so far as it just means I get a nice surprise when it arrives. Honestly I do love this place, but so popular you have to book. Definitely a fan.

Excellent service, always happy to advise. the food is excellent, well worth a visit xx

Good value in the week , great service

Always guaranteed a great meal , reasonable prices , No gambles here , a great eatery

Really good tapas Italian with good service and a nice garden area.

Went last night ,very busy place ,service was outstanding, food was ok ,(not my ideal meal Scenario TAPAS) D.F

Great experience, friendly & efficient staff and the food was amazing. Would highly recommend.

celebrated my Birthday here and it was perfect

Great service food and atmosphere. The staff were attentive and very helpful.

The food here is always delicious along with excellent service. We had the tapas which was cooked to perfection.

Fab italian tapas! Portions seem to be getting smaller but overall quality still good. Service is hit and miss

Great restaurant, delicious food

Been eating here twice a month for 6 years .The consistency of the food and service in this place is quite frankly astonishing.Never had a bad meal and never not had exceptional service.

Love this restaurant food is delicious

Well priced, staff where available and help when asking questions about menu.

Great Italian experience with smaller samples of popular dishes at reasonable prices. Good location and ample car parking

Busy as ever but good to sit outside in the little sunshine we had this year

Absolutely great food super service

Very busy but services was excellent 👌 and food was great

Ànd yet another great lunch here at this restaurant with it's delicious food, great value for money & excellent table service from Emily. This is why we return repeatedly & are happy to introduce/recommend to friends & family. Thank you!

Had never heard of this place and loved the whole thing.

This place is lush. The food is amazing and the service is very nice. Too bad that today the waiter got offended by my 2 pounds tip. I struggle to have a decent life and I can afford to go out once per month and I usually go here because I love the food. The waiter telling me to not bother because is nothing was very disappointing. He laught when we left .I usually leave a bit more but not every month this is possible.

My partner & I enjoyed a lovely birthday meal. Made even more special by our Romanian waitress. Highly recommended.

This place has an interesting and different food service idea ... all your favourite Italian dishes, but served Tapas style ... brilliant! The menu is huge and contains all your favourite dishes. On the fixed-price menu you choose 3 dishes for your main meal. If you want a different number, you can choose whatever combination you like from the A La Carte menu. Simples. I went for a 6" pizza, carbonara and chicken/bacon in a creamy garlic/white wine sauce. All were delicious, although a couple of the dishes were not that hot. There's enough food on each plate to enjoy the dish, without getting bored with a whole plate-full. The desert menu again, has some great choices at reasonable prices. This is a very ethical and customer focused business. I politely mentioned that my food was not hot and the Maître D immediately removed them from the bill, no quibble. They also group the dishes you have by price-band so you pay the lowest charge across your table. This is BRILLIANT CUSTOMER SERVICE; I commend them and highly recommend you go enjoy their hospitality.

We had the most amazing meal here! It was a difficult choice choosing from the menu as all the dishes sounded incredible. I was really impressed with how knowledge the staff were, especially as my husband has food allergies. The food was delicious, and we both left feeling full and pleased we had treated ourselves to a nice lunch at Pestos!

The food is excellent and there is a wide variety of dishes. The staff are very polite and friendly. The service is excellent upon arrival, but can be a little slow after you have finished your meal; we had to request for our table to be cleared, for a dessert menu and then for the bill. Overall well worth a visit and we would definitely return.

Very tasty food. Suggest! Try out what's new on the eday card. Superb mood cheap food. Very very tasty menu!

What a wonderful find! We popped in on our journey from the North of England to the South hoping for something small and edible. We discovered a great selection of small plates of fresh food. We had five dishes and all were delicious. We were served by charming cheerful staff who looked after us beautifully from the minute we stepped in the door. We shall return!

A bit too salty and spicy food , not proper Italian Nice portion's size Cozy pub atmosphere

Outstanding Food, Service, Menu and Ambiance. Was served by Lydia who was very polite and helpful throughout our dining experience. Highly rated for Tapas style Italian!!

Don't really understand why so many 5* reviews. We've been twice and both times were not good. Over £9 for a 250ml sauvignon blanc is totally unreasonable. The prawns in batter were not cooked, batter was gooey inside; the meatballs were more spicy than Italian, the chicken skewers were dry. Sound deadening materials would help the "barn like" noisy feel to the restaurant (Tuesday lunchtime!). Not a place to have a good meal and conversation. We won't be back.

Such lovely food value quality and services

Great birthday meal, first time since precovid days that we have been back. Great to see it still amazing staff and service food and atmosphere. Thankyou all for making a greay celebration as it was a double 70th, but so many birthdays were being celebrated tonight.