Rustico Italian Bistro in Central Bedfordshire

Visited recently for dinner, the food was delicious and service fantastic, one of the best meals we have had in ages. Especially loved the burrata and beetroot salad, definitely give it a try!

We have been here twice - once on a Friday afternoon and once in the evening. Absolutely loved both occasions. Service was better on the daytime visit, but the food was consistently outstanding. I disagree with others reviews about the price- I think the pricing is entirely fair for the quality. Favourite restaurant in LB. 🩷

Very impressed after an improvised visit on the way back home! (The Fork discount disclaimer, honest review). I was a bit scared when I saw the place completely dead at 9pm (more on this at the end). Despite the initial feeling of incredulity due to the lack of atmosphere and the terrible location the owners have chosen, I must say this is one of the best food I’ve ever had in the UK (shame the incredibly uncomfortable terrace-like chairs and lack of charm in the decor). It all began top high with an amazing selection of green and black olives mixed with some sun-dried toms and the yummiest ever olive oil with garlic. Focaccia also followed (shame it wasn’t toasted). For mains, we went for the monkfish and the pork tomahawk and, oh dear, what a delight to our palates that was! Super flavoursome, well cooked - simply delightful. Little room for improvement on the way the monkfish was presented, though: I understand you finish the fish on the oven but, pls, do remove the oven paper when you serve it! I found so hard to believe they’d serve us something inedible that I almost tried it! Lastly, and I truly think this must be fixed asap, they dare to add 12.5% service charge to your bill… No offence, but this is barely acceptable on high end venues in central London, what makes you believe you can do this to your guest?! It’s so offensive, forcing people to pay taxes (government takes 20%) plus a forced tip. This may also explain why they had no other guests tonight - but it may also be due to their poor location. On top of that, no AMEX accepted - which should be informed in advance, I believe (missed a good few Avios tonight…). Bottomline: if you listen to your guests and become a little bit less greedy (remove SC & add AMEX), upgrade your decor, throw away those terrible chairs and move to a better location, I have no doubt you guys have a great future ahead! PS: parking can be challenging. No steps to access the venue, but no accessible toilet available. Great music in the background, yet it comes from a single low-quality speaker located next to the counter. Campari Spritz for £7 is such a bargain! Piacere, MRA @ 2030 Films Global Conscious Media

Italy in Leighton Buzzard. Beautiful food and great service. A must-go.

Really good food👍 However it’s a bit cold to dine in, the door doesn’t shut by itself, the door & window frames are made of cheap plastic. But the service is pleasant and the location is great😊!

Excellent food. First-class chef. The kind of restaurant Leighton Buzzard needs more of.

We eat here often and it’s really good food, and great service. Lovely little restaurant and definitely recommend it.

Lovely little bistro, with professional friendly staff. Service was faultless and the food was absolutely delicious - beautifully presented and fresh ingredients cooked in house. Would thoroughly recommend!

Wonderful food tonight at rustico’s. The salmon was so revolver and delicious with the olive caramel. The baba rum was one of the nicest desserts I have had. Perfect.

Awesome! What a fabulous experience, the food was exceptional, the service was great and we got to chat to the chef! Everything made to order can’t recommend it enough.

Lovely food in this cute little restaurant. Beautifully cooked Italian dishes that are different- not a typical menu but we'll worth trying

Went with my family to celebrate my wife’s birthday and while the restaurant was cosy and looked really nice I have to say that the food was WAY over priced. In ordered a stake that cost nearly £30.00 and I’m not joking that the stake was only 5 little strips no Bigger than my fingers. With chips and sauce. Our bill came to over £400 and my whole family said that they would never come back. To add insult to injury they automatically added a tip to the bill. I heard the waitress trying to explain to another customer why the bill was higher than what they ordered and it was cringe. I really don’t like to leave negative reviews but the tip should be discretionary and not added automatically. I know I could of asked to remove it but as a customer I know that can be so awkward.

Popped in for a lunch, home made burger and homemade brioche bun & pumpkin ravioli - both were excellent. Great to find a new local restaurant!

Excellent experience! We'd booked as a special anniversary treat after a recommendation from a friend - after considering other local, special, places we decided that we'd give this place a try, having walked past so often before. As you walk in the welcome is warm and unforced and this feeling remains throughout. Although not cheap, the quality of all the food and wine was exceptional - you truly get what you pay for. An absolute gem that Leighton Buzzard is lucky to have!

Fantastic authentic Italian food! Friendly owner and staff, the best in LB

We enjoyed the experience of a meal for two, found the drinks to be quite nice and the atmosphere lively. But all our dishes were chronically under seasoned, which for price paid of over £100 was disappointing. So overall, no return visits planned any time soon.

It's small, it's cosy, it's friendly. The food quality is excellent, and it's prepared and served fresh. It's only a small place (about 14 covers), and because everything is fresh, not microwaved (I don't think there's one in the kitchen, but I could be wrong), the end result is better than most places in the area. The chef obviously knows his food, has a good palate, and they don't try to do an enormous menu - like the best chefs, they do a few things very well, rather than a lot of things badly. They have standards, and it shows when you enjoy a meal - which you will. PLEAE NOTE: Since this review, the ownership has changed.

Sensational pasta dishes cooked by people who really care about their food and its story. We enjoyed three pasta dishes between the two of us and each one was better than the next. We'll be back to try the winter menu, what a gem of a restaurant. This place is now our clear favourite in Leighton Buzzard and the surrounding areas. It may be slightly more expensive than the others, but it's worth it, the food is stand out.

Popped in today for a coffee after a walk along the canal. Coffee was excellent so we decided to stay for lunch. The tomato and mozzarella ravioli was absolutely delicious! Obviously made fresh beautifully presented and piping hot! The reason for only 4 stars is we did have to wait for quite a while for our meal but that was only an issue because we were parked on a time limit in Tesco’s!

The food here is beautiful, they seemed to pay attention to detail. The menu is small and varies regularly. although quite pricey. It was literally London prices in a small town. There’s nothing special about the surroundings, It’s essentially a posh cafe next to a slightly grimy pub. But for the food, I couldn’t recommend it more.

All was OK but portions could be bit bigger for the prices.. 🧐

Very poor - everything was plastic and not the slightest Italian at all.Menu was very limited and poor and actual food was very plain (small portions). But the decor and ambience was very poor indeed…..nothing Italian about this place.Sitting very close to other tables is ok but not when there is no music or noise across the entire restaurant.

Really enjoyed the lovely friendly welcome and very tasty nicely presented food creations at Rustico. The broad bean tart starter was very flavourful, followed by excellent light delicate crab and ricotta ravioli with an orange twist. The semifreddo dessert a super tasting surprise. Really nice when the chef came out to say hi. So glad to have Rustico back and also to such a great standard.

We had a quiet family birthday celebration in Rustico. As we book it for birthday, the lovely waitress surprised us pleasantly by offering a complimentary Prosecco. :) Throughout the evening, the service was impeccable and food was bursting with flavours and textures and was beautifully presented. The Chef himself came out with dessert with a candle to congratulate the birthday man, which was a lovely touch. Also, the Chef came out to inquire about experience during the dinner and we had a lovely chat with him. The restaurant is small, so I would advise to book a table in advance, just in case. :)

Good, but as my mother was from Genova, I know how to make Italian food at home better than this. It is very expensive for what it is.

Very high quality pasta and food generally, perfectly cooked and good use of high quality ingredients. Reasonable pricing for quality and good wine selection

Delicious food and perfect service. Lovely gin cocktail 🍸

A lovely restaurant! We had a delicious meal, octopus salad, ham & figs, pea and asparagus ravioli, semi Freddo and a rum baba and great wine! Staff were v friendly and helpful…can’t wait to go back!

The food was creative and really good. The restaurant is small but cozy Great surprise

Local and fresh food, we had a great time for our dinner !

This place was a revelation. Excellent quality ingredients expertly cooked and presented. Good service too. We shall return soon.

The food was gorgeous. Everything we had arrived quick and tasted so delicious. The service was absolutely top class.

The best restaurant in Leighton Buzzard. Such friendly hosts, always out of this world food and the price is exactly right for the amazing atmosphere and dishes they provide.

I are here again last night and the food was (as always) delicious. A great menu with authentic dishes prepared with such care and passion. The service as always was wonderful - you couldn’t find a better welcome. Thank you!

Where do I start? Maybe from the fact that I am Italian myself and super fussy when eating at Italian restaurants since unfortunately most open with the best intentions and then get lost along the way with dishes that are not Italian nor British but a bad mix of everything. However, RUSTICO ITALIAN BISTRO is the best Italian food place I have tried during my 10 years in the UK. From fresh fish appetisers, to a superb pasta, and last but not least, the pudding ... an explosion of Italian flavours with a modern twist, always respectful of the Italian culture. Don't get fooled by the semplicity of the place or the short menu, the proof is in the pudding (or in this case in everything that Giovanni, AKA the chef, gives life to). My first time here, greeted by the lovely Valentina, co-owner, few chats with her and Giovanni made me miss Sicily, my home and family, a little less. Ok, running to make another booking now. Ciao ! Thank you Valentina, Giovanni and all the staff.

I took my pregnant daughter there as a treat. The staff were wonderful and pandered to all her queries. The meal was excellent (not cheap) and I got a 'doggy-bag' for my lunch tomorrow. We will certainly be back en famille !

An absolute delight!!!! This is the authentic italian experience!!!! Hugely recommended for anyone looking for a great and unforgettable meal

My husband and I always go to Rustico the moment we get away from the little sproglettes for lunch or dinner. We’ve taken friends there from out of town, and never (NEVER) had a bad meal. I am gluten intolerant, and the owners always remember and make me a gluten free version of the meals on the menu, and even experiment with the menu for me, for example making me gluten free carbonara risotto. Always friendly, always the best quality ingredients. We are lucky to have this treasure on our doorstep.

An absolute delight!!!! This is the authentic italian experience!!!! Hugely recommended for anyone looking for a great and unforgettable meal

Small menu but all cooked fresh and great quality. Some of the menu descriptions are unintentionally misleading ("pepperoni" is peppers, not sausage, "pesto" is a paste, not classic pesto), so it's always best to ask for details. Super friendly staff and reasonable prices.

We tried the shared starter and the main courses. Each was superb and gave the real flavour of Italian cuisine. They have a very short and special menu of Italian dishes, but they are all worth trying.

Visited last night with my husband and was not disappointed ! Such a friendly place that made us so welcome. Food was amazing especially the beetroot starter which the chef described with such passion how he had developed this. Will definitely be back

Proper home made Italian food, really friendly, a nice place to go for a treat

Always a pleasure to visit this Italian bistro. Food and service always excellent. Good coffee too.

What a find, great food freshly made and nicely presented. Great for children, parking opposite. Very friendly.

It's small but we love the place. The menu is very small and pasta was a bit soft but we'll back again.

Ok - if it needs a fault, it has to be the selection of chairs for this really small, intimate restaurant hidden away near the station in Leighton Buzzard. We were offered the early sitting, arriving shortly before 6 and as it was one of...

Our first visit to Rustico. It won't be the last. Fantastic food, maybe the best Italian food I have eaten outside of Italy. The service was first class. Just brilliant . Thank you

Love Rustico, great food, relaxed environment and fantastic friendly welcome- you can tell that it is a family business which has passion poured into it. Highly recommend

Amazing Food with the Service to match!! What a little gem this place is! We had a lovely evening after travelling from London, where this place wouldn't be out of place, to meet some family. The Gnocchi & Venison Ragu were incredible combined with super friendly and attentive service. Definitely recommend and worth travelling for!

A cosy, intimate restaurant with not too many tables, meaning the owners Valentina and Giovanni, sometimes helped out by a few others can cover the floor perfectly well, and give a personal but not intrusive service to everyone. Rather than a menu of every dish...

Absolutely brilliant! Food, atmosphere, people!

Lovely independent family run restaurant with welcoming hostess. Very authentic Italian food with a lot of thought out into the menu. Great recommendations on wine and food! Smaller menu than other places but this is due to superior authenticity of food Would Definitely recommend knocci...

Great food served and made with love. Tiny little room so book ahead for some amazing homely Italian food. Décor could do with being a bit more cosy, if it was this place would be faultless.

Visited a local Italian restaurant. Food was amazing and I think owned by husband (chef) wife (waitress) both really friendly. Was a great night, staters, we had the sharing platter and bruschetta. Both truly delicious. Our mains were so good, we passed them around our...

This place serves very amazing dishes, it is one of the nicest places in the area. I went there today after many friends suggested it to me, and they had a superb menu. All the dishes were done with top ingredients, fresh and tasty. There is so much research in the tastes and the results are absolutely brilliant. The ingredients from this season feature also squash in many forms: as soup, or marinated part of a board of cheese and cured meats, or combined with gnocchi and salsiccia for example. Gnocchi salsiccia and zucca was my favourite dish (you absolutely need to try this one). Also desserts are very well done and are perfect to conclude an outstanding meal. Just book in advance if you want to go there because the seats are limited. The atmosphere is intimate and you really feel welcomed and well treated.

Absolutely amazing food, the service was fantastic. Definitely be booking again. Although book well in advance as it is a little gem of a place and gets booked up. Well worth a visit, you will not be disappointed.

Fantastic authentic Italian food and superb service, you wouldn't find food this good in most high profile restaurants. The whole experience is so worth it.

A fantastic authentic, Italian restaurant with all the ambiance, and quality of food that would expect to find in Naples , Milan ,Amalfi and Serento, a great experience that needs to be shared, great chef, great front of house of house service

Wonderful spot - the food and atmosphere were lovely. Great food, wine and service - even though we haven't been able to travel for the last 2 years this felt like a weekend in Italy. Many thanks!

My second visit to the restaurant, and it was just as lovely as I remembered! The pasta dishes are gorgeous with seasonal, fresh ingredients and local produce. The waitress really took care of us, especially my gluten free friend. Best Italian restaurant for miles, I would recommend to anyone and will definitely be visiting again.

Lovely meal out. Definitely the best restaurant in LB. Fresh ingredients, good portion size and welcoming hosts. The seafood salad starter was particularly great.

Another fantastic taste experience at this little gem of a bistro. Valentina and Giovanni never fail to deliver on their fine dining experiences. They wouldn’t be out of place in a top London establishment. But please don’t move yet, let us enjoy your wonderful food here in good old Linslade. If you haven’t tried Rustico yet make it your New Years resolution! The seafood salad starter is exceptional followed by seafood gnocchi which complimented it perfectly. My dish of Gamberi Lime if the most wonderful spaghetti dish ever - the taste is out of this World. We both had the Affogato for dessert to end a perfect evening. Can’t wait to come back in December for our next gastronomic experience. Thank you Giovanni and Valentina. Colin and Sue. 🥰

Just stumbled upon this place as I was in the area and went by the reviews on here which totally did this place justice. The food is amazing. We both had the steak panini which was to die for so we shared another one. The...

Good food and friendly staff, thanks.

Our party of 5 enjoyed a top class authentic Italian dinner at Rustico's last evening. We sampled both the Taglierre & Bruschette starters , which were tremendous. The Buratta was so fresh & the cured meats tasty. We chose 4 pasta dishes & the lamb...

Amazing food and brilliant service. Couldn’t fault any of it from being welcomed at the start all the way through. Giovanni and Valentina are a credit to the industry they are clearly so passionate about and I would highly recommend this place to everybody.

We went to Rustico for dinner for the first time last week and it will definitely not be our last! The food was delicious and the service was great. We both had 3 courses and everything tasted amazing. My husband especially liked the fish salad starter, it was the best he ever had. Highly recommend this place.

Our food last night was truly delicious. Langoustine bisque pasta & lamb rump. Genuinely one of the best pair of meals we’ve ever had. Thankyou both, you’re dedication to great food & service is really appreciated

Lovely people. Wonderful food. And a beautiful bottle of wine. Perfect evening.

Just dropped by for a coffee over a chat with my friend. We spent there hours talking about my life issues and at times I was tearful. The owner quietly brought a glass of water and small chocolate Cornetto..! What a service and thoughtfulness! I would like to come back with smile on my face next time!

My wife and I visited this lovely bistro restaurant two nights ago for our anniversary and we loved it. It is small, personal, and has a limited amount of tables which makes it even more special. Valentina at front of house is welcoming, lively and...

First trip to Rustico today and had a delicious lunch! Beautiful food, great service and already thinking about when we can come back 💚🤍❤️

Great place with authentic and absolutely delicious food! They accommodated our relatively large group of 8 on a Thursday night and were very patient with our indecisive ordering 🤣 We had one of each of the starters to share between the 8 of us, plus a main each and it was a very good amount of food. Great recommendation from our Italian friend!

Quality little place - welcoming and friendly owners, lovely food and delicious coffee. Definitely worth a visit if you’re in the area.

Great food and service; a lovely, local gem. Will definitely be going back.

This was a great find. Small but cosy. Staff were really lovely and the food was amazing. I have already recommended this place to some friends 😊👍

Utterly delicious meal, served with a passion for food and incredible warm service

I live in Linslade and when I checked TA out of curiosity for the best restaurant in town I was amazed when it recommended Rustico. I should have known better than to doubt TA. Rustico is a little gem - it is so small that...

Simply the best place to eat in Leighton Buzzard. The food is exquisite and the service pitch perfect. This is a small local business run by people who care about what they are doing and cook food with love. You can’t ask for much more....

Our very first time here at Rustico Italian Bistro and it won't be our last. We had a fantastic lunch of Ragu Della Nonna and Pasticciata, both dishes were excellent. We have already booked our second visit to try the evening menu. A little gem of a place in LINSLADE. Thank you for a wonderful meal. Sue and Colin.

Visited this place after reading reviews on here. And what an amazing place it is- the food was delicious. Had the seafood salad to start, the ragu for main and a bottle of red. Would highly recommend. The staff were incredibly friendly and couldn’t do enough. Already looking at my calendar of when I can go back. 10/10.

The staff weren't very friendly. Although it was closing time they could have been a bit more accommodating.

This has to be the best authentic Italian restaurant! The food was so delicious and such a lovely intimate environment so pleased we booked with friends can’t wait to go back.

I don't eat any animal products. I'm not a vegan, I'm a whole food plant eater. So I don't want things like fake vegan cheese or cream.Some friends of ours wanted to go to an Italian. We've heard great things about Rustico so my better half, who is Italian, wanted to try it. I was not so keen as most Italian restaurants deliver an anglicised version of Italian food with loads of cream and butter and cheese. This means they can cope easily with vegetarians but not so well for vegans and whole food plant eaters like me.At first glance Rustico's very short menu looked like there was very little I could eat. However, the beautiful Italian waitress re-assured me that they cook most things from scratch so they can adjust virtually anything. So, they very kindly gave me bespoke food.My better half also needs to eat gluten free and they easily managed to accommodate that. The other couple were very pleased with their food too.The only very minor thing I would say about my food was that the portions were a little small for the price we paid. My main should have come with some side vegetables or a small salad for example. However, it was very tasty and made specially for me so I'm not complaining. I'm really grateful.

I've only been for breakfast , great cappuccino, great avacado on sourdough with tomatoes... all around great place really. Can't wait to go back to try the dinner menu💚

Gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous!! Thank you for a truly lovely evening, Delicious food, attentive staff , Can’t wait to return .

My partner and I have been going to the Rustico on a regular basis since it opened. The food is always fantastic. The food is always fresh, the menu is changed regularly and the service is always spot on. Nothing to say except that we cant wait to go back!

I wanted to treat my vegetarian wife to a special meal on her birthday, preferably away from the domestic scene. The answer was our SORNed motorhome. Candles and soft music provided the atmosphere and Rustico provided the excellent meal. Her roasted pepper filled with chickpeas, sundried tomatoes, ricotta cheese and homemade basil pesto was wonderful. I had a salmon fillet with creamy leeks and mashed potato: and of course we both had Tiramisu for puds. Accompanied by an excellent Valpolicella from my own collection it made for a memorable meal. Thank you Rustico.

Friends of ours recommended this place to us and since then this is our favourite Italian restaurant! We have visited here for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Just a perfect little place for fantastic food and drinks.

Alway amazing food, great environment and the best staff, they really look after you and make you feel home

Absolutely amazing. Very friendly and beautiful food!

I wish we had discovered this place sooner, lived around the corner for nearly 3 years and never tried it! We just had Corrado & Farmer sandwiches, both absolutely delicious! Only wish they were slightly cheaper so we could have them everyday 😂 can’t wait to come again!

Our second visit to Rustico since moving to Linslade - this time for my wife’s birthday. We had a really great meal and the evening couldn’t have been better. We had octopus and bruschetta to start and then the spaghetti vongole and pork belly for our mains. The food was exceptional and the service very friendly. The restaurant was fully booked and we are sure they will see things through the upcoming lockdown - we will be back! Thanks for also giving us a complimentary chocolate tort for dessert (on the house as a birthday present).

Evening menu; short but interesting. We both had bruschette to start, which we enjoyed, although £10.50 seemed a bit steep. For desert my wife had Tiramsiu and I had the Tortino al Cioccolat again both enjoyable. For main course my wife had Sea trout which she thought excellent and I had the belly pork which was a disappointment. It was a piece of meat about 3 inches thick and it was overcooked. The crackling was fine (if slightly charred) but the flesh was very dry and the underside very tough (I struggled to cut it). However I did clean my plate so didn't bring it to anyone's attention. I wasn't driving so I had both red and white house wines which were good and good value.

Had a wonderful lunch here with my daughter for her birthday. What a lovely relaxing time we had, fabulous food, friendly service. Would totally recommend and will be back. But...as it’s small I would recommend booking. I emailed in the morning and reply was very prompt. Thank you so much x

Excellent meal, not your typical bistro. Fresh, imaginative, delicious, and well-presented dishes. Simple but memorable!

Truly Italian,as opposed to the chain Italian which replicate a McDonald's version for the English "palate ".

Perfect little Italian bistro! The staff were so lovely and bent over backwards to make our evening special. The food was amazing. Thanks so much. We will be back!

Amazing Restaurant, Lovely hosts and incredible atmosphere, I would recommend for a night out or just a coffee during the day. You'll miss out if you don't go!!