Rucola in Chiltern

Very nice after a long hike with my girlfriend we needed a relaxing dinner, and boy did this place deliver amazing food, excellent staff and lovely atmosphere. Only thing was had to pay a quite hefty amount we had to payfor vegetables, that we were not told were extra with meat. Just like from the sweet trolly had a couple of strawberries with cream that cost £8.40. Overall, it is a lovely and outstanding restaurant!

As soon as we entered this restaurant we felt very unwelcomed. 'Service with a smile' is non existent in this restaurant. We were the only people present in the restaurant at the time we attended, we asked if we could be seated in a booth and apparently they were reserved.. The food was very nice but just felt very let down by the service. When asking questions regarding the food we were all made to feel silly & uncomfortable with what we were asking. When leaving the restaurant we were still the only people there. Regarding 'service charge' this is something our group didn't feel like we should pay as there was simply no service at all. We were told by the owner 'if we don't pay the service charge They will never serve us again' totally unprofessional. We wouldn't return to this restaurant just purely off the service.

Just came back from lunch from this restaurant and I feel extremely underwhelmed. The food, whilst not bad, was ruined by the very poor customer service. I found the staff to be very distant and felt like I was a burden by asking for something as simple as another drink. When it came to the end of the meal, we challenged the service charge as we genuinely didn't feel this was deserved. I always tip generously where its due, but rudely and abruptly demanding my order from me, unable to even smile does not warrant an additional £20. The food was nice, apart from being charged £5.50 to add a chicken breast to a bowl of pasta. Then having informed them of the decision to not pay the service charge on a £140 lunch, we were told to not come back as they wouldn't serve us again due to not paying the service charge. Nice food but they need to do better as I will happily never return. and with only 3 tables of customers for lunch, they obviously can't afford to be that rude. Should have gone to wenzels.

I organised a meal out at Rucola, for myself and 9 friends. I like to try and support independent businesses/restaurants where I can, but I won't be returning to Rucola again. The service was slow - we booked for 7pm, our orders weren't taken till gone 7.30 and main courses didn't arrive till gone 8.30. The waiters were rude and weren't very attentive - their customer service skills could do with brushing up, and the food wasn't up to par.

A massive disappointment from start to finish. All the waiting staff were rude and impatient; they seemed narked that 2 (out of 10) of our group arrived 10 min late to start. They didn't give out menus for over 15 mins after we arrived, and the waiter walked off when one of our group was giving her order, moaning that we weren't ready (and us calling him back). We were walking on eggshells all night trying not to upset the angry-looking staff (the young dark-haired waitress didn't say a word or smile all evening). The food was very average and heavily salted, tasting similar to a ready meal from Sainsbury's. On top of that they had the nerve to ask for a 12.5% service charge (that was £42, which they did not get). I've had a better 'Italian' experience at Pizza Express, so I will go there and not return to La Rucola again.

Great italian food served by friendly staff in a nice environment

Excellent quality, delicious, mouth-watering food that mamma would be proud of, the kind that makes you want to keep eating when you're full. Great attentive and friendly service. Great value too. Would like to visit again.

HALEXANDRA REVIEWS #2 Wow! Our socks were blown off from the get go by the astounding decor of the restaurant. The Chelsea shirts on the wall really fit the aesthetic! The service was rapid and the staff were friendly. The carbonara was scrumptious beyond belief and the pizza was satisfactory. We highly recommend!

Delicious, fresh and authentic Italian food. Having travelled extensively through Italy and specifically the Abruzzo region, Rucola absolutely did the region justice. The charming owner made the experience even better!

Always a wonderful experience coming here! Being an Italian, it makes me feel at home when I’m met with all the authentic, freshly made dishes and always welcomed with a warm smile. Grazie! ❤️

Had fabulous takeaway food. Everything from veal escalopes in mushroom sauce, to crunchy minestrone soup, pizza Quattro formaggio with Parma ham to delicious roast potatoes and finally an outstanding creme Brule were beyond superlative.

Pizza was quite good but customer service definitely below average. Waiters need to be more friendly and welcoming when dealing with clients. I’m not coming back as there are better pizza restaurants in the area.

We took my father in law for lunch for his birthday today, such a great experience, the food was amazing, the front of house so charming and attentive as was our waiter, lovely touches like the fresh garlic bread and ice and limes on the table! Can’t wait to get back and try more of the menu! Thanks for a wonderful lunch

Good quality Italian with snappy service and a dessert trolley. An old fashioned vibe alongside more contemporary artwork. Standout dishes included the aubergine main and rucola side salad, of course!

Zero welcome. Zero smiles. Zero interest in their customers. Average food. Salty. When asked if a children's portion, the answer was "what you see is what you get" with a grumpy look on the face. When leaving, I said I'd like to give you some feedback, that a smile to your paying customers would go a long way. I was ushered out the door with more stern faces. There is far better service atmosphere and food in almost any other restaurant in the area. My advice is to avoid this place and go to Nonnos instead.

My absolute favourite Italian restaurant outside of London. Excellent choice on menu and always cooked to perfection. Staff are friendly and helpful. The owner is present to consult & ensure customer are always pleased & enjoy the food. A good & reasonably priced wine to complement the food. Unfortunately nit able to more often with living quite a long distance away. My daughter or son gets a booking when I'm visiting them. Well done to all the staff & thank you.

Wow simply wow! Visited here whilst in the area on a training course. It was so good I came back the following night. The food is simply devine and tasty beyond belief. Trust me I've had hundreds of Italian meals both UK and abroad and this is the best by far!

excellent service & food , we recommend !

Good decor, friendly staff, tasty food, low music and nice touches of specials board by dessert trolley. Will go again!

This is by far the best local Italian in the chilterns.ignore any daft reviews,the food is on a par with London west end restaurants that charge double the price.I eat there weekly and it’s fantastic authentic food and great fun service.a 6/5 establishment

Extremely expensive. Very slow and poor service. Disappointing food. Lack of variety in menu. Could have cooked it myself.

The meal started with some great breadsticks. For the starter I have the avocado and prawns which was delicious on a bed of greens and covered in a creamy and rich cocktail sauce, I would say this is a bit large for a starter but still very good. For my main I had the duck in orange sauce which was very succulent and melted in my mouth and it did work pretty well with the very sweet orange sauce, which I think was a tad too sweet but had great flavour.

I have eaten here before and had a reasonable time. On this occasion my starter and my friends off the specials menu(calamari) was very poor and looked like a half potion and badly overpriced (£12.50). When we ordered from the manager he spoke to the waitress relaying two portions of calamari to which she replied we only have one portion left (trying to be discreet). I ordered a bottle of cider and the waiter attended our table to top up everyone’s wine but poured wine into my glass without asking at which point I stated “that’s not wine it’s the cider. (He served the initial drinks to us). He apologised and got another bottle of cider which I didn’t ask for (which they charged me for)Two of the mains were starter size but were charged for main meal prices. My main course was excellent. The waiter then attempted to or charge me on the final bill by £10. We were charged £25 for service!! Although I could have challenged this at the time, I didn’t want to spoil the experience for others. I will not be returning to this venue again. Very poor.

Lovely place a new find visited with my wife and son. Had the stone oven pizzas they were amazing, will be back to check out the rest of the menus and that dessert cart!

Great authentic Italian specials board and good to see this place busy. Went on a Tuesday and it was packed. Portions seem to have shrunk, but costs have gone up and prices still roughly the same. A good, friendly, welcoming place. Give it a go!

Very disappointed with our sirloin steaks, my steak was sliced longways through the middle, and my partners sirloin steak was cut into pieces which was mainly gristle. Obviously not high standard steak , I have never had a steak cut through the middle longways I assume this was because it was tough steak. Shame for such a lovely restaurant and staff

Once again we had a superb meal at Rucola for an early New Year family treat. Monika and Nicolas and their team looked after us extremely Well and there was a lovely family atmosphere. We tucked into fresh sardines, fried calamari and cheese garlic bread and then came the fish! Perfectly cooked fresh tuna steaks, grilled sea bass , and homemade pasta with veal ragout with crispy fried courgette strips , all delicious . The sweet trolley is so good it's hard to choose. A great meal and beautifully served. Well done Rucola!

Fantastic food excellent service ,,lovely atmosphere ,,highly raccomended for a true italian experience,,will defenetly return ,,fresh ingredient mixed to perfection,,keep up the good work guys see u soon and thank you to find me a table without reservation i ve seen how busy the restaurant was ,next time i ll book in advance ,,😁

Best Italian restaurant we have been to in quite some time! Authentic and genuine. Food was cooked to order and fresh not to mention delicious. Service was personable and friendly without being suffocating. Staff have time for their tables and that means a lot. Can’t wait to go back!

Absolutely superb, good food, staff that were attentive, and genuinely interested in diners. Nice relaxing atmosphere. If I could give 6 stars I would

We came here with the family. Very friendly people and the food was really amazing. The plates were really good and very tasteful.

Very disappointed from our last visit, aubergine parmigiana was frozen and still cold in the middle. The rest of the food was nice. Accusation of swearing by another diner, that didn't happen, totally got out of hand, as the person who accused this was drunk. We were then asked to leave, totally bemused and now will never go there again, or recommend. Such a shame, and an unpleasant ending to what started off a nice evening.

The lady that works here is really rude and needs to learn how to treat customers. It’s a real shame because the food is genuinely really good. I feel uncomfortable walking into this place anymore because of how I’ve been rudely/bluntly treated.

La verdad comimos delicioso. es un restaurante relmente Italiano, atendido por personas que se ven conocedoras de las tradiciones y comida italiana. Preciosa bastante accesibles y una variedad de postres excelente.

Another wonderful visit to Rucola. Great service, excellent food.

Absolutely disgusting service, avoid at all cost. The woman who seems to be the manager was so rude. It got to the bill and they had put on a £25 service charge for service that was appalling, normally we would pay the service charge if the service is up to standard but however the women didn’t even crack a smile and was rude the whole time. When we questioned the service charge she told us not to come back ever again. Awful place avoid at all costs.

Classic Italian with a sense of humour

Family meal. Food and service were great. Friendly staff. Definitely go again.

Excellent family run Italian with superb food . Fine dining but pizzas on the menu so great variety for all . Keep room for some super Deserts 🍰😉

Really enjoyed the restaurant, food and staff. Food was decent and fairly priced.

Excellent restaurant. The food is delicious and service very friendly.

Over many years I have visited the restaurant with my wife to celebrate birthdays and wedding anniversaries, the experience has always been very positive. Sadly that was not the case on our recent visit. My meal was extremely good however my wife’s main course was a disaster. She chose the main course of tuna steaks from the specials board. The two steaks provided were minuscule lacking size for the cost of the meal. One of the steaks was overcooked severely. Will not return anytime soon.

Lovely food, we really enjoyed our food and very friendly service. Will definitely go again. Relaxing and enjoyable lunch with friends in an environment you can chat in.

Fantastic food every time. Delicious and well priced meals. It's one of our favourites, good for a quick bite, or a leasurely lunch. Today i had the special; monk fish and prawn spaghetti; delicious!! Rucola never fail to deliver. Monika & Nicola always deliver a high quality experience.

The food was amazing, the aubergine parmigiana was the best I have ever tasted. I cannot wait to go back. Very rustic italian, and very helpful friendly staff.

Went for lunch while our car was in the garage opposite. Restaurant was very quiet but we had a lovely lunch regardless, very reasonable menu and excellent service. Pizzas are perfect lovely crispy base, we also had salad which was prepared with care and a lovely balsamic dressing. Was lovely to watch a new waiter practicing table service. If we were local we’d definitely be regulars.

Been eating here for years and still amazed at the quality and variety of the food. The specials board always has some really good and interesting options. Very good value

We visited on a Tuesday evening and was pleasantly surprised at how many other diners were present. As our food began to arrive, it was easy to see why. Every dish from starter to desert was stunning and if you add to this the modern but incredibly warm and inviting decor, it made for an incredibly enjoyable dining experience. We shall definitely be visiting again!

Always a pleasure dining here. Consistency of good food with the cheerful atmosphere.

Nos gustó muchísimo el sitio. Sin duda debemos destacar al personal y las pizzas. La carne nos decepcionó un poco pero las pizzas y postres espectaculares. Sin duda para repetir

The food was good though!... but charged me £25 for king Prawn Pasta🙄 Very Expensive indeed!!! Even though on the menu is £19.90 (5 Prawns) The Owner/Manager wasn't very Friendly though, we didn't feel that welcomed!!!

We visited this restaurant on a recommendation. The food was lovely- clearly beautifully prepared and quality ingredients. However one of the waiters was really shirty and stroppy. A shame as it put a really dampener on what was a lovely evening. Sadly won’t be returning 😏

Lovely ambiance and staff, incredible food. We had a lovely time thank you!

Nice but over priced. Didn't particularly enjoy my pizza. On the up side the staff were lovely. It looked like there were quite a few Regulars.

Nice Italian restaurant in a modern setting. Greeted by the owner as we entered, very traditional style Italian menu with lots of familiar dishes! The food was really good and the service excellent, even had a dessert trolley stuffed with all the Italian favourites. Not cheap, but still good value considering the food and service. Shown out by the owner which is always a nice touch. Recommended it to my brother who also had an excellent Sunday lunch there!

So yummy here, not all of the stuff is super friendly, some of them come across quite rude. Good still yummy, could get some updates / modernization inside

What a lovely restaurant in a small town! Charming ambiance with great service and delightful staff. The meal was excellent and arrived in a timely manner. Really enjoyed a delicious lunch. It was obvious that most of the customers were repeat visitors who frequented Rucola on a regular basis.

Very authentic Italian restaurant. All staff are Italian and make for a very special time. Our first time there, recommended by a friend it was our 40th wedding anniversary and we said we would go back just for the staff! However, so Quant was the sweet trolley (can't remember the last time I saw one of those). Loved it and would highly recommend.

Great local Italian. Fresh cooked food, long special board. Staff are excellent. About £30 per person including drinks.

It's not Zizzi, Ask Italian or another pleasant but formulaic High Street brand, it's a proper Italian dining experience, sweet trolley and all. More expensive than the familiar names but worth every penny.

This is probably the best Italian restaurant I have ever been in with in the UK. I used to travel to Italy 3 times a year before Covid and i understand the qualities of true Italian food. All the staff where friendly and attentive. I will be visiting again 100% ,

Nice Italian in at the end of the shops in Little Chalfont. Pleasant waiting staff. Main menu plus specials. Only 4 stars as think it's a bit pricey but otherwise good.

Great food and service. Couldn't recommend highly enough if you are looking for good Italian food. The specials menu is varied so there is always something new to try.

Great food, atmosphere and staff!!

Rude, rude, rude owner and unfriendly atmosphere. Booked a table for five at 7pm for my family, and on arrival was met at the door by a bar man who stared straight through me and turned around without acknowledging my existence. A minute later the owner arrived and simply said to me before saying hello that he did not like having families after 8pm. He did not ask how I was or welcome me, he seemed perturbed by the existence of my 5year old and sleeping baby. I asked why he did not welcome families and he turned to me to say took offence at my question. The rudest and least welcoming experience I have had in a restaurant. In fairness the place looked busy so might be ok to eat at, but the staff looked stressed and grumpy, and this seems to be all due to a grumpy owner. Avoid if you want a friendly smile and happy atmosphere.

Lovely food and fantastic service... A real bonus for the village.

This was the second visit to Rucola for my wife and me and, just like the last time, we were super impressed. The food and service were both amazing. The staff are helpful and professional, but the stand out thing is that the customer service runs like clockwork.

Went with my wife and friends Dave and Elaine the food was amazing. The owner was chatty and very attentive. Great service Great food at a Great price …… Highly recommended

Living within walking distance we had not been to this restaurant since before COViD. Wife wanted to revisit for a birthday meal. Glad we did. From the greeting walking through the door and leaving the service was professional and friendly .Food quality great, served hot...

Sunday , 2:30 . Seventeen of us sat down to an amazing afternoon. When all seated we enjoyed a few glasses of prosecco , then 3 different types of bread followed by a huge amount of antipasto , absolutely stunning. we chose our wine with...

Always a friendly welcome. Specials board very enticing. Quality food

Were made very welcome on our first visit since the covid-19 lockdowns and nothing has changed in the quality of food.

Very busy evening friendly service nice food

Good food and service,lovely atmosphere.

It started badly with us being asked to sit outside as our table was still being used by the previous booking. Our table wasn't finally ready until an HOUR after our booked time. Very frustrating and did take the edge off of our experience. our...

Excellent food and top quality service as usual.

Really friendly waiters and waitresses and the food was reasonably good. Prices are reasonable. Vegetarian options on pizza are limited. My fiance was refused a simple substitution on a pizza which is fine I suppose if that’s your policy but you need to make sure that such pretentiousness is backed up by making sure there are no flies in the wine. To their credit they did replace the wine when the fly was pointed out. Would visit again if stuck for options but there are far better Italian restaurants nearby.

My favourite Italian in the area by far. If Carlsberg made warm, friendly family run Italian restaurants with simple but great food.....this would be it!

Although the food is generally very good I always have to ask the staff not to top up my glass without asking. As I'm usually the driver I need to monitor the amount I drink. This time when asked, the waiter was extremely rude and gave me a death stare as I left. I'm wondering if the excessive topping up of glasses is a regular thing or just for my family who are regular customers.

What a fantastic place. Top marks for everything! A great ambience and killer food. I can't believe we've not been before. Me and my husband thoroughly enjoyed talking to the staff, drinking wine and eating absolutely perfect dishes. Highly recommend!

Good quality food, very attentive and polite service, pleasant atmosphere and quite within a reasonable price range .Their special dishes are good and varied particularly the "linguine and clams"(vongole)quite delicious!!

Fantastic Italian food and service in a lovely setting. The manager was particularly friendly with great banter.

Well what a hidden treat this is. Really excellent and a great find. Food was very tasty and well presented with quality ingredients. Having great ingredients is one thing but actually using them properly to produce great food is another and thankfully this establishment knows how to use great ingredients. Wine list compliments the food on the table.

What a great meal. Excellent food. 5 people for dinner every one had very positive comments. Great staff. Attentive and friendly. Extensive wine list covers every taste and pocket.

The food here is simply divine. Every dish we sampled from the menu was incredibly delicious. The specials board which is presented to each table individually had some great choices too and comes with an explanation from the staff. Most unique is the desert trolley which is a fun spectacle and holds pretty awesome sweets.

An excellent lunch for four with great pasta and puddings to die for. The service was excellent by the three waiters who were considerate throughout.

Thank you for a lovely evening sitting outside for dinner last night. The restaurant was busy, which is great to see. The food was great. Healthy portions of delicious Italian food. I started with the crayfish salad. Fresh and tasty. Followed by monkfish Ragu with...

Our first Restaurant visit after the Covid shutdown so we were a bit nervous to book. The staff were very friendly and welcoming, I noticed a few new ones, they all wore masks at all times and were clearly Covid aware. Food was very good,...

Lunch We had a very enjoyable 3 course lunch with friends. Friendly service and delicious Italian food and wine.

Firstly, I’d like to say how astounded I am by the recent negative reviews for Rucola. Rucola is our local Italian and having lived here for a few years now, we’ve visited more than a handful of times. In the last month we’ve been twice...

Our local Italian restaurant, we love it and go here regularly. Food always great whether from the main menu or specials.

Manager/owner rude and unfriendly, he spotted my son playing with the plant while we were eating, he came and literally shouted on him and said to us parents you should have seen that ! Very bossy, we are customers, not your staff man! The staff...

Do not waste your money .....if your aim is to have a nice relax time with your beloved then this will be ruined by the behaviour of the staff just rushing you to leave the table the soonest , food can be better at home...

Hair In The food service terrible rude staff who swore at my 7year for spilling her drink honestly never seen a ruder person then the waiter should find a different profession an absolute disgrace

We were met with a rude manager who was flippant and told us off for booking for 5 when only 4 were able to make it (last min health issues with 5th person), said he has lost a seat and e could leave too if...

What a waste traveling 15miles! Greeted rudely at booking in and seated at the front near the entrance in the cold. Almost felt as they did not want our business. No option to ask about starters or drinks until we said could we order them....

Manager was incredibly rude, raised his voice and shouting for no reason. The marquee was covered on all sides except a small opening for the door. We were back to back with other tables, no distance in between.

Really friendly restaurant. Food excellent.

Great pre lockdown family meal. Management and staff were working so hard to deliver a good dining experience in challenging circumstances. We had good food and a great time.

Great Italian, good wines, always a good time.