The Griffin in Chelmsford

Sunday lunch at The Griffin was faultless, one of the best roast dinners we have ever had. The portions were plentiful, the service was great, a lovely experience in this old, country pub which is also known as Luigis Al Fresco famous for authentic Italian cuisine. Not to be missed.

4 mates came here after golf…the kitchen at the golf club had already closed…the barman recommended this restaurant. Beautiful Italian food. I had the lasagna, one of my friends had the salmon pizza, one Enzo’s burger and one Calzone calabrese. We all thought it was delicious. Good range of beers, including bitters (which isn’t always the case in these restaurants), and not just lagers. Good service received as well. Can really recommend this place. Book up, you shan’t be disappointed.

The staff were lovely and welcoming. The venue is authentic and we both had the lobster linguine which was amazing and would recommend to anyone.

Good services great food and lovely staff, menu very large and portion sizes to match. Good friendly warm inviting dining area.

Luigi’s at the Griffin hosted us on 4th and as we were a large table (12) we pre-ordered. What a difference it was being served together! It was such a great experience, as always. The staff are attentive, the food is authentic and original and the atmosphere is superb. We couldn’t have wished for a more special location to celebrate a special birthday. Thank you again.

I can only confirm the wonderful reviews I read, I drank very well and ate even more. Outstanding staff you feel like you have known them for a long time, genuine quality food, if you are in the neighborhood you should definitely stop there. I recommend the lasagna or an authentic "pasta al pesto."

I booked a table for lunch for my husband's birthday. The website gave me a good impression. I ordered a salad and asked if I could add grilled chicken on the side (I said I was happy to pay extra). The waitress told me the chef refused. I was quite shocked as most restaurants are happy to oblige. (I didn't order a caesar salad because I don't like it, I just wanted the chicken.) I ordered a Pizza Board (which I discovered is just a smaller pizza on a wooden board, no side salad, olives, etc.) Sadly the pizza was so salty I just couldn't eat it, my tongue was stinging! The salad was very plain and thrown together. I didn't eat any of my lunch, which was really disappointing as I was hungry and I planned it as a birthday treat for my husband When asked how my meal was I told the waitress, (who was very sweet), that I couldn't eat it because of how salty it was. I will say, my husband was happy with his pizza The manager came over and apologised, he told me * the chef tasted my pizza and announced it was not too salty*.. I was told I was wrong, they didn't offer me any alternative food or take the price of the pizza off the bill. My husband and I left really upset about how we were treated. The manager discounted my lime and soda, but I left the restaurant upset that my husband's birthday lunch was an unhappy experience, I was really hungry and still had to pay for a lunch that I didn't get to eat. I do not usually leave bad reviews, I am a really friendly polite person and like to get on with people, but we weren't treated very nicely. The website gives such a nice impression, but so disappointing

One thing I really would love the owners to consider is whether or not Luigis is really a family restaurant. It’s no problem either way! But I know that I will not be returning again with children as I find it the most stressful place to take them. Steak knives were on all table places ( we booked for adults and 2 children) When requested for normal butter knives for the children we was told there are no other knives available. I know this isn’t the waiting staffs fault and they were kind enough to check. But a 4 and a 7 year old with steak knives is a mothers worst nightmare! It’s hard enough them being given glasses with juice as I’m so worried they’ll drop them! Food however was absolutely loved by us all and we had a really lovely waitress. I just think this is a perfect couples or friends restaurant and not set up or accommodating for children. If you offer a children’s menu, please also offer standard cutlery so no one ends their night injured!

There's nothing actually wrong with this restaurant but we've had better pizzas and better value elsewhere. It's not somewhere we'd rush back to. Living in Danbury means it is convenient for a quick meal but nothing special....

Having eaten at Al Fresco in Maldon, as part of our usual Sunday Breakfast motorcycle ride, we gave “at the Griffin” a go - Didn’t disappoint. Excellently cooked, really good produce and great coffee. Complimenti ai cuochi! Grazie.

Fantastic food, service & ambience. Pasta first class. Pizza wonderful, very large, shared between 2. Specials delicious I had mussels for starter & lobster pasta for main.

The most amazing lobster linguine. Lucius fresh lobster, cooked to perfection (most places overcook and /or don’t use fresh lobster so it’s always dry) not too much chile, just enough to taste, spot on!

We had an amazing evening at Luigi’s last night. The food was excellent and the staff were very friendly and attentive, especially Josh, the young guy that looked after our table all evening. Definitely worth a visit

Amazing place! Friendly staff and great Italian food. I had the salmon & zucchini pasta and it was totally worth the money. Will definitely go back again.

We have visited a good few times since Luigi’s opened at the Griffin. The food is home cooked Italian food not unexpectedly as it’s run by an Italian family. Pizzas are fabulous and today I had the specials of mussels and roast lamb. The food quality is lovely, beautifully presented and delicious. Faultlessly polite staff. Thank you.

Where to start, First we got sat down by a lovely lad but when we got to our table in the corner we got left to wait. Pizza sloppy and wait was ages. We got our bill for £97 except we got billed wrong.

First time eating here, we absolutely loved it The ambience, and the staff in particular Melissa who was fabulous We will be back Kim

Visited with friends, first time there. Overall an enjoyable evening with good food. Our friends had one of the specials, the lobster which she said was excellent, I had the Enzo burger which was very big and cooked lovely. The reason for only giving 4 stars was due to a couple of minor things - the menu was quite small, with not many choices and the service was a little slow. We waited 30 minutes on arrival for our order to be taken, there was a large group of people in the restaurant so it may be due to that. I would recommend a visit but not one of my first choices for Italian

Fantastic food, great wine, good atmosphere! Thanks for a wonderful evening, we will be back again soon for another great night!

We adore this place and come here often with family or friends. The team are always so welcoming, and so accommodating and kind with our smaller children. The food is fresh and flavoursome and completely moreish. Honestly some of the best pizzas we e ever had! The staff are so attentive and make the whole experience fun and memorable. Would come time and time again!!

Wonderful restaurant, authentic delicious Italian food. Family friendly, in a lovely location. Melissa served us and was very attentive, happy and friendly! My daughter Amélie said Melissa was “brilliant!”. Will be back again, thank you!

Lovely atmosphere, very tasty food and brilliant service. Mellisa served us and was very friendly ad attentive! Gluten free pizza and pasta available too

I honestly cannot urge anyone enough to choose this place (Luigis at the Griffin) if they are looking to celebrate a special occasion. I booked here for my Mums surprise 60th Birthday Meal, there were 16 of us and from start (initial booking) to 11:45pm when we left on the night of 29th March we were amazed!! We did a pre order for each of the meals as it was a large group booking and each person was handed their chosen food personally by name, it all came out at the same time (we really were SO impressed and do not know how they pulled it off) it ran like clockwork. I also took many, many decorations to the restaurant the night before and left many notes asking to set table according to a seating plan etc and when I arrived it was set out exactly as I asked for it to be set out (they even called me on the day to say it was all ready) I was absolutely amazed at the team on the night, one of the waiters was called Melissa, then there were another 2 men who were also working alongside the lady Melissa and they were a dream team. I asked for my Mums tea to be brought out in a special mug I had made and they did it for me, I also wanted to wait to do Birthday cake because we wanted to watch Mum open some gifts and even though it was getting late, they never rushed us AT ALL, they said we can do the cake anytime we wanted and we felt such at ease and relaxed the whole time. Nothing was too much bother, everything was SPOT ON and as for the food, it was honestly the BEST pizza we have tasted!!! Every guest commented on the food and my 90 year old Nan said the team made it for us and she has had many celebrations in her time. I feel I have found a hidden gem for life with this restaurant. My Mum who had the surprise celebration for her 60th cannot wait to come back and neither can I or my brothers. I honestly don’t know what to do or say to thank them for making our night one to remember forever. You all made my Mums birthday and for that I will be forever grateful. Cant wait to come back soon, am already craving the taste of the delicious pizza. Thank you so SO much to you all! (& to Louise, the manager who showed me around pre booking and helped me via email with my pre orders, thank you so so much) from Sarah (Diane’s 60th Birthday booking at 7pm on 29th March)

We booked a table here for my mother-in-laws 60th birthday and from the very start the team at Luigi’s couldn’t do enough to make the occasion perfect. From allowing us to drop off lots of decorations and following my fiancée’s detailed instruction on how she’d like the table to be set and everything was spot on. Liaising with the staff was a breeze including on the day with Melissa and a gentleman’s name I didn’t catch constantly on hand to make sure everything went like clock work including being incredibly attentive. They really are like a dream team and everyone commented on how great the entire staff were and they are a credit to Luigi’s The food was just the icing on the cake, everyone commented on how nice the food was and the portion sizes were excellent. They also cater for Gluten Free with pizza and pasta 👌 We honestly couldn’t recommend them highly enough. Small businesses like this really deserve to thrive! Thank you so much!

We visited here for my mums 60th surprise birthday for a party of 16 and I cannot speak highly enough of Luigi’s and their amazing staff, especially Melisa who couldn’t do any more to make this night one to remember for my mums special day! I would 100% recommend this for any and all occasions. Plus the pizza is without a doubt one of the best I have ever had!

Absolutely delish food and terrific service. The staff couldn’t be more obliging and friendly and made us feel so welcome. Environment perfect and it’s become our regular place to eat great food!!!

The food was amazing, particularly the starter Caprese Invernales! The staff were really friendly and knowledgeable. The chef even came out to give us a little italian 🇮🇹 lesson. I would highly recommend.

Delicious starter (caprese invernale), great wine (Avoglia) and delicious main - one of the specials - truffle tagliatelle… great service - thank you very much!

We had such a lovely evening, the food was really good and Josh, the waiter, made our visit even better as was so helpful and friendly

Lovely food, staff and atmosphere. Would definitely recommend it. Amazing pizza. Nice and friendly. We all had a very nice evening

A fantastic evening at Luigi's Griffin. Wonderful environment and atmosphere. Delicious dishes. Excellent service.

Great Pizzas !! Make sure you’re hungry and you won’t be disappointed- Josh our waiter was attentive without being pushy and made us feel really welcome 😀

Wonderful service and food was great. Staff were kind and accommodating. Special menu was delicious and very happy with the whole experience

We have been to the Griffin many, many times! The food and service is always lovely, particularly the pizza, probably the best pizza we’ve ever had! The barrata starter is so good! The cherry tomatoes served with it are always amazing. It would be nice...

An incredibly friendly authentic Italian restaurant, the staff can’t do enough for you and the food tastes very fresh. I bought my mother and daughter here for Mother’s Day and my brother was a surprise guest - the staff were very professional.. I wish I...

I feel terrible that it's taken me this long to review, especially considering how many times I've eaten here. But better late then never. Me and my friends came for a catch up and some food, and was once again blown away by the quality...

I took my mum here for dinner for Mother’s Day and what can I say, it was amazing. From the food to the service. My pasta was delicious and our waitress Melissa went the extra mile and has definitely encouraged a return visit.

She has a great smile, with the most amazing service. Very helpful with great recommendations and good knowledge of the menu choices. Made the evening an enjoyable experience!

Great food, great atmosphere and very friendly staff. The chocolate mousse was awesome matched only by an amazing tiramisu.

Lovely food and staff were all really lovely. Was served by Martin for most of the night and was absolutely brilliant. Would definitely recommend.

Best food we’ve had in a long long time obviously fresh beautifully cooked ingredients brilliant attentive service from the lovely Melissa Looking forward to a return v soon

Today visited Luigi's Alfresco for lunch with friends. This was our third time and was not disappointed with the food atmosphere and service. Our waitress, Melissa, was very friendly and helpful. She will be a good asset to Luigi's.

The whole experience was wonderful! We love Luigi’s in Maldon so thought we would try here. The staff made us feel so welcome and went above and beyond to take care of us. One of us suffers from a severe peanut allergy and they really...

Lovely food, genuine taste of Italy from home, definitely recommend. I was served by Martin for most of the night and he was amazing, very polite and made it even more of a pleasurable experience. Will definitely be coming again!

Fantastic meal @ Luigi’s last night. Staff very attentive, setting felt like you were in an authentic Italian, food was excellent, the pizzas were huge! Every table was full which added to an excellent atmosphere but the food came out quickly, was pipping hot and...

We had a lovely evening. The food was great and Laura B looked after us splendidly. We were very happy. We have been several times and always been looked after nicely.

Just had the best Italian meal we've ever had in Essex. Real authentic Real Italian.. such a huge difference between here and the "Italian" chains on the high Street.. world's apart. Couldn't not fault the service.. so friendly and helpful. The food was delicious..portion were...

We ordered takeaway pizzas, chunky chips and salad for a big group of us and a couple of our group went in to the bar to collect them. The service was superb, staff were really helpful and friendly and the atmosphere was buzzing. The food...

We had a lovely meal at Luigi’s. Set in a beautiful old building, great atmosphere and the food was incredible. Louise and the team looked after us brilliantly and nothing was too much trouble. Highly recommend a visit

Family meal, great service from Louise and her staff. Food and drinks flowed. Staff serving us made sure we had everything we wanted. Thank you all

We had a lovely meal to remember our dear dad’s 1 year anniversary of passing . This was the perfect place . Food was delicious & service was outstanding from Louise & her team . There was 25 of us & they went out of there way to make it special . Thank you Luigi’s Danbury x

Trip to Luigi’s to meet up with a friend for lunch. We’ve been before and the food was just as tasty as we remembered. Being 2nd January it was quiet but still had all the attention to detail. I went with the idea of trying something different but when it came to it just had to have the vegetarian brunch stack —-so tasty and beautifully cooked / presented. Well worth a visit if looking for somewhere to eat that is reasonably priced with very tasty food on offer

As I visit Italy 5 or 6 times a year I usually avoid Italian restaurants in the UK as they tend to disappoint. That’s not the case here authentic Italian food absolutely delicious

We had a lovely family meal last night. This is a cosy, friendly place with very nice food. The young lady taking our order was excellent and not fazed by our vegan questions. All staff were friendly. We would definitely return.

Attended Luigi's Danbury with friends following a concert rehearsal. The experience was poor for a number of reasons; Service was unattentive and slow throughout. We arrived just prior to 1pm and didn't finish our meal (without coffee) until 4pm. We had to ask for all drink/food orders to be taken, and it took 40 minutes for the first drinks to arrive. No draught real ales were available. From the Christmas set menu, there were 3 items for starters, 1 was not available, and a replacement for this item was not allowed. 3 guests ordered the risotto, it was very salty, it was reported but was not replaced or apology received. Payment of the bill wasn't as smooth as it should have been, informed wifi issues. There was an apparent lack of managerial presence overseeing kitchen/waiting staff. It is a shame, have attended Luigi's Maldon without any issues, certainly would not recommend or return until improvements are made.

The best Italian restaurant outside Italy. We went to Luigi’s for my (Italian) partner bday and was for sure the best I could gift him. The starters were amazing - shout out to the pumpkin soup; the risotto was perfectly done and the pizza tasted straight out of Naples. The all team treated us like kings and for sure we will be back. Highly recommended!

The best Italian meal we’ve had since we were in Rome! The portion sizes were huge! The mussels to start were to die for, pizza was delicious and the panna cotta….I could have eaten 10 of them! A little more expensive than what we would usually spend on a dinner but when the food is as plentiful and delicious as what it is, you don’t mind paying a little more! Our waitress, Elizabetta, was so lovely and friendly. Explained the menu very well, very attentive. We will definitely be coming back again and again! Loved it!!

What a shame … we had such high hopes for our evening celebrating a birthday in our party. The food was awful - I.E. the sauce for the mussels like coloured water, the side salad for the main dish swimming in water and the sorbet...

A complete car crash to be honest! The starters had very little taste and were quite weird to be frank. We then waited an hour for our main course only to be told at 10pm that they had run out of Lasagna. Obviously not home...

Warmly greeted and shown to our table. Lovely and warm on a cold miserable day. The tables are nicely laid and well spaced in what seems like an authentically beamed building. Service was excellent with a very helpful and attentive waitress ( Sorry can’t remember...

Looking at some of the reviews on here (some slightly OTT!), maybe we were unlucky. Our first visit for a family meet up dinner on a Friday evening. The place looks very nice, is spacious and well laid out. Food choice is ok, prices are...

Theres something really nice and authentic about this place, the food is great, the service is great and the atmosphere is also really nice. If you are looking for the best pizzas this is right up there!

Found this place to meet with a friend because it was mid point between us and we both like Italian food……….what a find. Went for lunch on a Tuesday. Quiet but bearing in mind the day not surprising. Very nice atmosphere with tables nicely spaced...

Love to bits this magic corner of paradise as what a delightful experience omg!!! So happy and so so privileged to discover this place as was my first time here yesterday evening for dinner with my lovely friends that invited me for dinner and I...

Excellent food, great service and lovely inside restaurant section. We knew the Griffin as a pub but hadn’t been in for a long while, so we were very happy to ‘discover’ it was now an Italian restaurant! First visit today but definitely not the last!...

The Italian food here is wonderful. It's freshly made and very tasty. The service is very good, the staff are helpful and polite. Prices are very reasonable, especially considering how good the food is. The friendliness of the staff and the red and white checked...

Food is absolutely beautiful, it was really busy on a Tuesday night as well which was great to see.

Amazing food and such a lovely atmosphere and friendly team. Definitely recommend this place for a great night out or even if you just want to pop in for a glass or two of vino! Since the Griffin new opening you can see that they...

We stopped enroute for a bite of lunch here and were met by a very friendly waitress who just wanted to please. We had a choice of areas to sit and decided on a room with the door ajar for a nice flow of air...

My second experience of Luigi’s at the griffin. The first time couldn’t have been better but unfortunately yesterday they let themselves down. We Waite over an hour for our meal and when it did arrive the pizzas were burnt. The time for the drinks to...

We came for my mum birthday as we heard it was a nice place and it didn’t disappoint lovely restaurant great food and great staff all the food tasted fresh and homemade Highly recommend we will be back

Had a fabulous first experience here. Excellent service and very friendly and attentive staff. Food was amazing. Will definitely be a regular here.

Outstanding service and food. best wood fired pizza i have had in a long while. This place will thrive and they also allow you to take away if needed. Brilliant

Brilliant evening for my birthday,food lovely and lovely staff too 😊 really good value for money nothing too much trouble, will be going back soon and probably sit outside as the space is lovely

Wow!! What a fantastic restaurant! We were celebrating my mums 80th birthday, Nothing was too much trouble, food was delicious, service was impeccable . Thank you to the manager Louise for making it a wonder experience from start to finish! We will be back!

Very nice pizza but nothing out of the ordinary. Service was inattentive and it was a very quiet day. Will visit again to try something else from the menu

What a delightful Italian restaurant. Food was excellent and despite the fact we were really late for our booking and ended up as a party of 2 as opposed to 5, the staff couldn't have been more welcoming. I'll be back

I wrote about allgeries on the form when booking a table and I was expecting to have to mention it (alot) but as soon as I came in I was told they were aware and spoken with everyone! It's the first time I've been able...

Went to this restaurant on recommendation, wow gotta say one of the best restaurants we been to fantastic food and excellent service, Would highly recommend and will definitely return. Many thanks to all the staff.

We were looking forward to our evening out, and we certainly were not disappointed. The staff and the food were excellent. The waitress was very attentive even though she was extremely busy. The whole place had a lovely friendly feeling, we we definitely be back....

Wonderful addition! Fantastic food wine and service. All of the staff were friendly and helpful and the pizza and pasta were amazing

Lovely experience great service staff very friendly and super efficient the food was lovely really enjoyed thank you.

Wow! Had really been looking forward to coming here and it didn’t disappoint. We had a lovely table in the bay window. Our waitress was lovely and helped one of my friends to choose her dinner. Fabulous food! We will be back!

Best Italian in the Essex. Honestly this place is a dream compared to years gone by. Second visit this week and can’t fault a thing.

Pleasantly surprised by this unique Italian restaurant local to me. Had a fabulous time with my family today. So pleased to have dined here. Food amazing authentic and served beautifully. My waitress was friendly and lovely she looked after us beyond our expectations. Can’t wait...

Awful customer service. Food was average, menu lacked variety. Staff treated us notably different to other diners, for no apparent reason… no one came over and asked if our food was okay, we had to ask three times for sauces, no one asked if we...

First visit. Was passing through the area and thought we’d stop off somewhere for a quick drink. Didn’t know anything about the place but saw the pizzas which were being served to other tables and thought we had to try one. Excellent pizzas - will...

Just celebrated my birthday at this restaurant. Food was absolutely wonderful, our waitress couldn’t do enough to make the evening feel special, she was wonderful! Definitely be going back soon!

Unhurried service by staff that quite obviously love working there. Everything was perfect. The food, the atmosphere, the service. PERFECT. THANK YOU - WE LOVED IT. I don't need to provide any more information, just to point out that we ate on a Tuesday evening...

Having visited Luigi in Maldon a while ago, and were impressed, thought we would try their sister restaurant and recently opened Luigi’s al Fresco at the (old) Griffin in Danbury. We decided on going straight for the main courses, my partner selected the Misto Scoglio...

I came to luigis last night for my 19th birthday with some family. The food and service was amazing with friendly staff. Myself and my mum had the pomordorino pasta with some added nduja which our amazing waitress recommended since I like a little spicy...

Lugi's Al Fresco at Griffin is a culinary haven that combines exquisite food, impeccable service, and a delightful ambiance. Whether you're celebrating a special occasion or simply looking for an exceptional dining experience, this restaurant will exceed your expectations. The dedication to quality and passion...

I have tried a few times to book this restaurant. And eventually booked. What can I say. I really wanted it to be better than our visit. But I’m sorry to say it’s just ok for us. Calling this a Italian restaurant is very difficult...

Thought we try it but won't be going back again. Average quality and high prices. Calling it Luigi's and using Italian words on the menu doesn't make it an authentic Italian restaurant. I have asked a few friends about their experience and most agree. Not...

Love what the new owners have done to the place. The whole experience was great, nice traditional Italian menu (with a couple of pub classics as well) . Service was excellent throughout, fantastic atmosphere (packed on a Tuesday night) - so recommend booking. Will definitely...

The people have recently taken over the Griffin and made it into an Italian restaurant and the presentation is very relaxed but stylish The garden with many tables and chairs are very roomy and relaxing Lovely experience of which I will be willing to do...

Nice food but bit over the top with the loud bassy music in the garden - couldn't enjoy when we could hardly have a conversation.  Service was very slow too.

Most uncomfortable seats I have ever used in a restaurant, I couldn't wait to get up after a couple of hours, felt like I needed run around the car park to get some feeling back into bum 🤣 They were normal wooden upright chairs but...

Fantastic Italian quality food, best pizzas in Essex. Very nice Italian atmosphere. All the staff are very kind and gentle. Nice sunset as well while eating in the outside garden. I recommend if you fancy an Italian romantic dinner or a nice family event.

We have been to Luigi’s on many occasions over the last few years. The staff are more than willing to go out of their way to please everyone. We can’t praise them enough even under pressure they provide the most authentic Italian food in style...