Rustico in St Edmundsbury

Really lovely authentic Italian restaurant. Staff were lovely and the food delicious but….. it’s not cheap! If you have 3 courses you get a free limoncello. IMO I think everyone should be offered this. For example we couldn’t eat 3 courses but we did have starters, mains and drinks and our bill was still £75!! So a small freebie would have been lovely.

Sadly we can no longer travel to Italy but Rustico reminds us of the wonderful food we have enjoyed on past holidays. This trattoria serves the most delicious authentic Italian dishes. We look forward to many more happy visits. If you haven’t already experienced this wonderful restaurant we urge you to try it. You won’t be disappointed! A special grazie mille to Michele.

After reading the last review I was a little worried. No reason to worry. The food was lovely and the service was friendly. The bill was £145 for 2 of us, this included a drinks bill of £50..My husband and I had a wonderful meal. If I was to critique I would say that maybe closing the blinds and lowering the lights a little would give a slightly better atmosphere. Also maybe a chicken main could be added. Would I go again YES

Here’s the thing with this restaurant: it could be great, but somehow it’s just not, as currently construed. IMHO if it made a few relatively simple changes it would hugely improve. So: we booked a table days ahead, though when we turned up it wasn’t ready; the waitress had to clean one for us while we waited. No big deal of course, but it set the scene for an evening that felt less special, more run-of-the-mill. The menu was about to change, she explained, so some items on it were unavailable. However, even the menu as printed was unlike that which we viewed online; it was far smaller, restricted mainly to pizzas, pastas and a few other main dishes. The food we ordered was in fact excellent. But at nearly £100 for two with no side dishes, a shared starter and shared dessert… (ok our wine was £38). For us it felt like great food but we still balked at the price. Something didn’t add up. Thinking about what was lacking, we reckoned it didn’t feel like an occasion to be there. Yes, it’s a “rustic” restaurant. So no tablecloths and just wooden tables and chairs. But at this price one expects more. So why not provide tablecloths? Linen napkins? Candlelight? And then turn the house lights down, to make it feel less like a canteen. Perhaps make more of saying goodbye than a cursory wave from behind the bar? Oh - and have those tables ready for people who took the trouble to book.

Food was delicious and authentic ,the seafood was fresh not frozen staff efficiently pleasant highly recommendable, table and room impeccably clean as the building must be 400 years old

Iam all for independent small local places like this. And I "Hate" leaving a negative review. But I think its best to in with an idea of what's it like. Food..Quality 8/10. Value for money. 2/10 Service 8/10. Drinks prices 1/10. Venue 3/10. Im not a big eater, And The portion sizes for the price are tiny. You need to order sides. Which they don't speak to you about. Think I ended up spending £25 for just a Laguna and a drink. And I mean just a Laguna. No side salad, Nothing came with it. We ended up going up the road afterwards to Primal 8, Just for a cake a coffee as we was still hungry. Bury must be full of rich people if they think this place is good value for money!!

We had a lovely family lunch at Rustico, where all tastes were catered for. Wonderful service and really good value for money for those who appreciate well cooked food. We had a few allergies, and intolerances amongst our group, and these were dealt with very professionally. Will definitely be back for more!

This venue is in a beautiful building, and accurately portrays a pleasant Mediterranean restaurant atmosphere, but it's quite compact, and with no soft furnishings, this makes it very noisy when busy. The staff are polite and welcoming, and the menu, whilst short, offered some enticing choices. The 'aperitif' olives, at about £0.40 each, tasted unremarkable... We then perused the drinks menu, and were taken-aback at the mark-up. £7 for a beer? Then, looking at the wine prices, these are 2-3 times the 'supermarket' price, so a mid-range wine is over £30/bottle. This is not a reflection on the local going rate, it's excessive (the cheapest wine here is £22). Anyway, if the food had been impressive, this might have been excusable - but it wasn't. One main course was inedible - a simple pasta dish which was clearly overcooked, and bland in any case. Then a side dish was forgotten, and arrived over 10 minutes later. To be fair, these were refunded without question, and the other dishes were voted as OK, but nothing more. The desserts were delicious (albeit at £8-9, they should be), but overall this was a £25 (max) meal which actually cost £50/person. We were hoping for so much more - but won't be back.

My parter, my children and I visited Rutico on our first trip to Bury St Edmunds. After looking around town for somewhere for dinner, we decided on Rustico and we're really glad we did. From the moment we walked in we could feel the atmosphere of what is a proper authentic and family owned restaurant, not your Prezzo or Bella Italia etc...so this was just what we were looking for. The food was excellent and the staff just as good, we were made to feel very welcome. The waiter (we didn't catch his name) went above and beyond, taking the time to speak to us during what was clearly a very busy Saturday night shift and helping our children choose from the menu. It was out first time in Bury and we will be back, and when we return we will definitely be paying Rustico a visit again.

We're so glad we chose this restaurant. We were welcomed warmly and the fairly small menu had a great choice of dishes without being overwhelming - there were a couple of specials too. Our waitress was excellent, recommending dishes and giving advice on vegetarian suitability - she went to check when she wasn't 100% sure. The food was so tasty, especially as we tried something that we hadn't had before: ricotta gnocchi. The restaurant had a good atmosphere and it was lovely to see a couple of locals being greeted like old friends. We'd definitely return if we are in the area again.

We've eaten here several times before going to a gig at the Apex. Good authentic Italian food and good service in an informal atmosphere.

Not what it used to be! Never before have we been to a restaurant and had Prosecco served in wine glasses. Pasta dish wasn’t homemade pasta, small amount of sauce. Expensive for what we had. Sadly, we won’t go back.

My wife and I went for the day to visit Bury St Edmunds and decided to eat at Rustico, which is a family run Italian restaurant. As it was Tuesday, it was rather quiet but this didn't stop us having a very enjoyable meal. The service and food were great and we enjoyed both the main course and the dessert. When we next visit Bury St Edmunds, we will definitely return to Rustico.

We had heard good things about Rustico and it didn’t disappoint. The food was delicious and the staff were welcoming and attentive. The small size of the restaurant is one of its strengths as it creates a really vibrant atmosphere. We will definitely eat here again and have recommended it to friends who have visited and also very much enjoyed their meals.

Have been twice, first time lunch and second time evening meal. Overall the atmosphere is relaxing, rustic and on occasions we were made to feel very welcome. The owner interacting with customers and making them laugh and there is another waitress who is amazing- young woman with dyed hair, always very friendly and knows the menu and drinks well. The food is nice, good selection of drinks. Only down side is the decor and furniture is a little plain and could do with a slight upgrade, however I appreciate that this is part of the rustic look.

We visited on a Saturday afternoon and took a table for two. The Aperol spritz was perfect, as were the Italian wines we also tried. The starters were delicious - I had the most succulent and flavourful prawns! For main I had the oxtail ragu with the homemade pappardelle which was perfectly cooked al dente. My partner had the swordfish and I had to try it - it must have been poached or sous vide because it was so tender and the flavour was so delicate. We were only disappointed with ourselves because we didn’t need enough room for dessert! One minor thing - it can get a little noisy but some soft furnishings would help. We will definitely be back if we visit Bury again!

Just been for totally delicious lunch here. The food was fabulous: I had pea soup with flakes of flavoursome ham hock, pappardelle with ox tail ragu. The special was ravioli with meltingly tender brisket. For pudding fluffy chocolate souffle among other excellent dishes. The owner suggested a glass of Sogno merlot from Terracina, south of Rome (where his roots are) to complement the main courses, which was perfect and deliciously intense. The service was excellent, warm, friendly, helpful. We stayed for three hours. Little details matter - a pot of mint tea made with fresh mint to cleanse the palate. I loved this restaurant and plan to come back next time we're in Bury. Thank you to the owner, chef and waitress who made it so memorable.

Gorgeous muscles and veal, prosciutto and pasta were incredible, atmosphere was beautiful and we unfortunately didn’t catch the servers name but she had pink hair and was absolutely stupendous!!! Brilliant service with wonderful cocktails, developed by said server!! Someone give that girl a raise!!! 10/10 experience will be making it at least a monthly tradition:)

This was our third visit to Rustico and our first 2 visits were fantastic .. sadly not a good experience this time 😔 service was good ! We ordered just mains and a few sides and wine and beer .. carbonara was ok but not fresh and I was so disappointed ! Pizza was fine nothing brilliant though … porchetta was more fatty than meaty and not value for my money I’m afraid ! Tagliatelle was very good no complaints 👍 it’s expensive for what it was £180 for 6 people .. sorry won’t come back and won’t recommend.. I’m all for local and value but this was not a good experience and it’s tricky to complain on the night as it spoils the night 🙂

Neither my son or I had been to Rustico before. We were very happy with the menu, food and service during our visit. The service from our waitress, Rosa, was very friendly, prompt and efficient. The food was delicious and we liked the Italian soft drinks, coffee and the food! Will definitely return and be happy to recommend this restaurant.

One of us has an onion allergy so we have to mention that. Silene, the owner, came to our table within minutes to discuss the best possible options. She was most helpful and understanding. Such excellent hosting is very rare and it also explains why everybody in the restaurant is so friendly. Silene produced a cheese pizza with parmesan ham and green beans with garlic. It's now 24 hours later and we know that she has done a great job. The food was safe. Now about the quality, the taste. The pizza was delicious. It was not smothered in cheap cheeses. The bottom was very tasty, the cheeses subtle, the parmesan ham thin but had a strong meaty flavour. We also had a tagliatelle. Again, subtle flavour, subtle combination of ingredients. Coffee as desert. The cappuccino is one of the best in Bury. Do we need to talk about money? Some people always want to know. OK, it's very good value for money. More importantly, it's excellent food and lovely service. We enjoyed every minute there.

First time visiting Rustico, but it won’t be the last! Everything was excellent, from the welcoming, friendly and engaging staff to the amazing selection of food. I have a food allergy and was very well looked after throughout, despite it being a very busy evening.

Really enjoy this place, we go really quite often. Last two visits I have struggled to choose off the menu as I’ve previously ordered everything, it really is due for a change, not a tinkering with a few ingredients, a real change. Good service, pleasant experience but average, bland food I’m afraid.

The bruschetta starter was disappointing as it was not as described on the menu and consisted of one slice with some tomatoes and goats cheese on top. The main course of ravioli was stingy to say the least, 10 pieces, and could quite easily passed as a starter. The tiramisu dessert however was good. The atmosphere was spoiled by the noise emanating from the table next to ours by some of our friends from across the pond. I would point out the table was within touching distance. The furnishings left a little to be desired as the table was wobbly and the chairs were wooden and plain with no cushioning on the actual seat. All in all not a very good experience.

Staff were nice along with service. Thought the seats were hard and uncomfortable. Mussels are just ok just a very small portion and I didn’t care much for the Pizza, far too doughy and perhaps the first Italian Restaurant where bread is not complimentary. Nevertheless, I thought the wine list was very authentic and the Chianti was excellent

The food, atmosphere and service was excellent.We each had something different so we could try each others dish and they were all fantastic!

Really good food and very helpful staff. A thoroughly enjoyable evening in a very good setting. Definitely recommended.

Staff who tried really hard. Some service good but at other times very slow. We wanted it to be good as we prefer independent restaurants. Seafood ravioli was excellent but not impressed with the gnocchi and pizza just ok. Deserts were good but almost too big. I was a bit disappointed with the wine too. It wasn't bad, we just expected it to be good across the board and probably won't return.

We went to celebrate a birthday and we're really pleased to eat here. The menu has lots of choices and was especially good for fresh seafood dishes. Considering how the food presentation & quality is so high with a proper chefs kitchen the cost is...

Pop in on an off chance on a Sun night. Lovely meal and very friendly and attentive staff. Feels traditional and much nicer than ‘chain’ options. Shame we were too full to try a dessert but we will return.

Wonderful place. Went with elderly parents and the staff were patient friendly and very helpful. Food was excellent (at last a restaurant that knows how to cook risotto). Everything Italian including an excellent wine list. Wine recommended to us was very good. A bit noisy...

We booked a table to celebrate our Anniversary. It was our first time at Rustico and we were looking forward to our evening. We arrived on time and were shown to our table where we sat for nearly fifteen minutes without the offer of a...

When we arrived we placed our drinks order: a glass of prosecco and a glass of red wine. They both arrived in red wine glasses. The measure of prosecco hardly wet the glass - it was just a very small amount in the bottom of...

Had better at home. Oxtail ragu wasn't great with pasta clumped together in the middle. The other meals were so poor. Garlic bread was non descriptive Very expensive

I do like this place and always enjoy their pizzas, so good to find a more authentic Italian than the normal chain but find things a bit hit and miss, that said the place was heaving and very busy so good for them! We were...

I’ve just got home from Rustico and had to write a review, as we had such an amazing experience! The food was incredible and the service was top notch. The staff looked after my mum and husband who both have allergies with the chef coming...

Felt ripped off ! Food was pretty nondescript and portions were small. My pasta dish of ravioli type parcels were flat but supposed to contain a prawn mixture ? These worked out about 90p a parcel ! The sea bass dish consisted of a small...

We visited here on a Sunday evening whilst staying at a local hotel. Excellent find, super food and a good wine selection. To start we shared some Queen olives and homemade bread. Mains was the superbly cooked Seabass with tomatoes and roasted potatoes. To finish...

Booked a family lunch for 7 of us and having been to Rustico a couple of times previously was confident it would good, but this time it was not just 'good'. As always this place is welcoming, relaxed and so friendly. The food was perfect...

We were quite a large group. Rustic were very accomodating, allowing us the upstairs space. The food was excellent as was the service. This is the 4th time I have been, and I am sure there will be many many more visits!

Amazing, beautiful freshly made authentic Italian food Service is first class Cannot fault it You must try it We have been here so many times and always delighted

I cannot praise this place enough. I have been here several times with my mother and sister as we are an Italian family, and the food is always delicious and the service is exceptional. The restaurant has a warm, friendly atmosphere making it a wonderful...

Lovely fresh Pizza, so much better than chain Italian restaurants. Warm friendly welcome, large tasty portions and my husband loved the chilli oil.

Really lovely fresh Italian food! We had a really delicious meal mussels and prawns for starters and Ravioli for main all was amazing! My only criticism was that it was a little cramped as it was quite busy. Service was fantastic lovely staff!

Fabulous food - starter, pastas, pizzas, mains and desserts all freshly prepared by the restaurant with a very well considered menu, including veggie options. Food looks great and an attention to detail is clear. Can’t wait to return and try more dishes. Booking is recommended.

We booked and came down for a Saturday evening meal for pizzas . To be told we have ran out of dough . Odd for an Italian restaurant to run out of dough on a Saturday . They could’ve rang and informed us , when...

Nipped in on the off chance I could get some pasta and good golly, miss molly I did. Ended up having quite possibly THE best carbonaras I have ever had, and I've had a few. The pancetta was lovely and crispy and I also learnt...

Superb “real” Italian restaurant. We shared the seafood platter to start and had the special seafood pasta and mushroom risotto for mains. Couldn’t fault anything. Staff extremely helpful and attentive and food outstanding. Lovely vibe. Busy though so be sure to book!

Lovely food. Really fresh. Kids menu too which was great. Something for everyone. ( and my children can be quite fussy!) Will definitely return.

Popped in on the off chance that they had a table which they did, we ordered a couple of glasses of wine which were very nice. Then shared the antipasti which was a delicious selection of cured meats, cheese, chutney, pickles and bread. Then pizza...

Probably my 5th or 6th time in Rustico, have always had excellent food, great service and very generous portions. Love the character of the restaurant, good atmosphere, great service, staff friendly and I love the fact that all the dishes are freshly made in the...

We have visited this restaurant 4 times since it opened and always had a wonderful meal. The Easter special menu though was out of this world. The lamb was the best I’ve ever tasted. Very friendly environment. Highly recommend this restaurant.

Look it’s not bad .. it certainly is rustic though. Food was just ok menu is limited. It would be easy to make this place great but at the moment in all areas it’s just mediocre

Popped in to see if they had a spare table and got the rudest one word’ No!!’ I have ever received in a restaurant- won’t be going back ever - No!!!

Not being familiar with Bury St. Edmunds, we had some difficulty finding Rustico, not least because the high winds had blown the Restaurant sign in a way which made it impossible to see from the road. There is a car park fairly close by although...

For me Birthday I got treated ti a Birthday Meal at @rusticobse this was my first time here, all the food was amazing 🤩 my wife loved her main which is the first picture which was PORCHETTA Rolled up pork belly filled with chestnut, apricot...

Lovely atmosphere. Warm welcome on arrival. Attentive staff. Tasty food. Good price for the quality. Well done to the trainee lady serving us - you were great.

This was our third visit but unfortunately the food was not as good nor the presentation as our previous visits maybe they have changed the chef, and the menu does not appear to change that much. Service a little slow but still polite

Been many times, and each time it's been a joy. I spent alot of time in Italy . And this is the closest you get to authentic Italian food in Bury st edmunds. I highly recommend the restaurant, staff if friendly service is outstanding. Go...

The food is excellent HOWEVER we chose the busiest time to go for a meal(Friday 7 pm) and the tables were very close together which made the experience quite difficult. Service was efficient rather than friendly. Food arrived very slowly and conversation was almost impossible...

Needs improvement: Bruchetta says hint chilli sauce however, it is very hot. When ordering our meal not sure if gluten free pizza was available Looooooong wait!!! Poor variety of drinks (lots of wine) and soft drinks Good: Environment Friendly staff Good portion of tiramisu I...

12 of us were very happy diners last night. The staff at Rustico looked after us in such a lovely relaxed and friendly way ☺️ And the lasagne really was lovely. If I hadn't been so full, I could have eaten it twice over!

Proper italian, relaxed atmosphere, perfect food and great with the family for a long lunch or dinner. 2 visits in 3 days 👍

Very good food, prepared reasonably quickly. Attentive service. The place itself is not fancy but is quite pleasant. I would dine here again.

Just had a great lunch at Rustico, good service, good food and good atmosphere.We will return as soon as we can book a table as it is very busy and we saw people trying to get a table without a reservation and unfortunately had to...

Christmas family meal large party Food was delicious Gluten free options were lovely Pasta was so fresh Staff were very friendly Will definitely be returning

Lovely atmosphere, attentive young staff, really well prepared authentic Italian food with a range of vegan/veggie options. Unusually good house red and complimentary Limincellos to finish

What can I say? As always the food was tasty and the service fab, will definitely be returning for another visit

There were five of us in our party and we were all visiting Rustico for the first time. We all had different menu choices and the very welcoming waiting staff explained that some pasta dishes would have a fifteen minute preparation time. We had lots...

Lovely meal with great friendly service. Mixed fish starter was delicious followed buy excellent pasta dishes. Would definitely recommend.

First visit here, but it will not be my last. I've eaten widely in Southern Italy, and was hoping not to be disappointed. I was very, very happy with every dish I experienced. The service was just right too. The staff provided information to help...

It was my choice for my birthday meal having heard amazing things, this didn't disappoint! The staff were very welcoming & super friendly. If u have the carbonara be prepared to go into a food coma after as its so incredibly filling. We will definitely...

I went here to celebrate my birthday with a large group of friends. The restaurant was packed, but the staff did a great job helping us celebrate my special day. The food, as always, was excellent!

Our second return to this restaurant but with friends this time from out of town who adore Italian food and rustico did us proud as every dish was just so tasty and beautiful presented exactly like my last visit I cannot fault the food in...

My partner and I regularly go to rustico, the atmosphere is perfect not only for date night but also for groups of 2 and above. The food is incredible, no matter what we order we are also amazed with the quality and portion size that...

Service was very slow, food was terrible, limited menu and having eaten Italians throughout Italy and uk never had a Quattro formaggio pizza without tomato. Replaced with a magherita and the tomato sauce was simply tomato puree. Soggy dough, worst pizza I’ve had (2 attempts!)...

Couldn’t fault anything. Lovely restaurant, nice ambience, great service and the food was so fresh and tasty. We both loved the pizzas and our starters. Sadly no room for desert. Other portions coming out looked very generous too and nothing is overpriced. Looking forward to...

Very friendly basic but excellent service and food and portions for value,our first visit but not our last.

Perfect menu, perfect service, perfect company. If you’re popping in for a light bite or full supper, everything is perfect at Rustico.

still love this place... great food - friendly knowledgeable staff. it's not pretentious but you are guaranteed a great meal.....

My sea bass was to die for, possibly the best I have ever had, Italien beer was excellent, garlic bread authentic and plenty of it. Young man with beard (sorry don,t know your name) and a very pleasant young lady served our table in a...

Visited for family birthday Saturday lunch time with my two children (2 & 5 years old). The restaurant was full, with a mixed of families, couples etc. Nice atmosphere. We had a sharing starter of fish, which was nice, could of had more garlic mayo...

We came to this lovely quaint restaurant on a Wednesday evening after many recommendations from friends and it was amazing from the moment we entered. The service and food was amazing the risotto, porcetta, ravioli ( handmade ) and pizzas were top notch cooking ,...

Authentic atmosphere, great food, lovely staff. Thanks for a great night. Fully booked on a Monday night is a very good sign!

We had a great anniversary dinner at Rustico! We had the bruschetta to start, Carbonara and oxtail ragu for mains, and tiramisu to finish with a great bottle of red wine. Everything was perfectly cooked and prepared. Service was prompt and friendly. This was the...

What more positives can I add that hasnt already been said in previous posts, other than, this is a must visit Italian Restaurant. Food was exceptional, the ravioli, outstanding. Staff were super friendly and attentive. The ambiance is like sitting in an Italian's front parlor...

Such a pity to be writing this, one thing Bury needs is a good Italian so we were excited to try Rustico... what a mistake! There are many things they've got wrong here but to serve the most bland food I think I have ever...

We visited rustico for the first time and what a great night out it was , food was amazing, staff very attentive and the owner a great asset

Picked this resturant by friends, they eere late arriving, staff were very good let us wait over an hour at the table for our friends, food was very good, staff terrific, nothing was to much trouble. Food very tasty, thank you.

The food is traditional Italian, such as vongole and ragu. They use homemade pasta and fresh ingredients. We were a party of 5 and we were all very impressed with both the starters and main courses. The Italian owner/waitress spent some time with us at...

We visited on a Tuesday evening and it was packed - usually a good sign. The owners are there, which always means things go well, and so service and food were good. We had three courses as the portions are modest. The Primitivo wine is...

Proper Italian Restaurant, very nice atmosphere, very friendly staff, excellent food. Overall definitely worth a visit if you like pasta & custard tart great.

Great place to wine & dine. We had a family lunch one Saturday in June. The food was perfect, the ambience one of a traditional Italian trattoria and the service was just off the chart. We had a selection of pasta dishes all worthy of...

Four of us ate there last night we all had starters and main all had something different and each dish was really tasty would defiantly go back again and highly recommend. It was nice to eat in a restaurant which is not part of a...

I booked the upstairs room for a surprise birthday party for my husband. From the start Michele was so helpful and keen to ensure that everything was in place. Throughout the evening he and his staff were so attentive and really made the evening very...

Arrived for an early dinner (645). Encouraged to see it was relatively busy. Shown to our table and immediately provided menus. One waiter was managing about 10 tables as the restaurant is very closely packed. Took a while to be served (15mins) and in the...

I was looking forward to a great authentic Italian dinner but was left hungry and disappointed. When we eventually had our order taken the waiter didn't seem to have a clue. The place is very closely packed. Really noisy and chaotic. We waited 50 mins...

Sometimes, you go into a restaurant and there is a subtle air that makes you feel relaxed and ready to enjoy the evening without needing to step up to using well-pressed linen napkins. Rustico has this air - we came in, were taken to our...

Interesting building with ordinary food. The staff were friendly, if a bit chaotic, and the venue was very attractive but, with no soft furnishings, was noisy as the sound echoes around. Limited menu, especially for non- meat eaters like me. Between our group of 6...

This is the second time we have been and you have to eat here! Food is amazing, traditional Italian food, simple pasta dishes packed with flavour, just what I was looking for in Bury st Edmunds. Service was excellent, attentive and gave us time to...