The Higgins Pantry in Bedford

Starters were bland and big. Bruschetta needed seasoning. Calamari was huge but no sauce. Had to send the cannelloni back as the cheese wasn’t melted. They did take this off the bill along with the bruschetta. The other main was prawns and calamari again no sauce/dip just a lot of fried food. The wine was also poor. Will not go back. A very disappointing meal. There are plenty of Italian restaurants in Bedford. Don’t go to this one.

We came because it was recommended. Restaurant inside the museum, very clean, small but welcoming. The food was really great, we ate some fish which was delicious. The meatballs tasted like the meatballs my grandmother made. Prices were average for a seafood menu. Recommended for those who want to feel like they are in Italy for a few hours.

5 star service and beautiful authentic Italian food cooked and served by real life Italian people just what you want if you're looking for a proper taste of Italy 🇮🇹❤️

We had delicious salads, once was a cannellini bean and broccoli and the other was roasted pepper and goat cheese. We were served by such kind and helpful people, including the (very) young daughter of the woman in charge. The atmosphere was very welcoming- clearly people coming in for all reasons, a nice lunch for two, family gathering or just a cup of coffee. We would definitely go back.

What a hidden gem! We love the pantry! The Italian food is to die for! The staff are so friendly. Always a great meal.

Great work lunch for pre Christmas meal.

Delicious food lovely people went there for a Christmas dinner and everything was delicious 😋 from staff to food 🍱 through singing and dancing I really enjoyed myself

Big group of us booked on a busy Saturday night with Xmas menu and entertainment, what a fantastic evening, food excellent, staff are great and restaurant has good atmosphere, highly recommend.

Best Christmas Party Ever! We had all a fantastic evening! Everything was perfect, the singer was really good and very entertaining, the food was amazing and the chef went the extra mile to make us happy. Thank you for the pasta “aglio e olio” surprise , that was the real bonus. Can’t wait to be back!

Delicious food, great service. Would deffinately go again.

Fabulous food, all served with a big heart and welcoming smile

One of the hidden gems of Bedford. Well worth a visit. Some of the best pizza I've eaten.

A hidden gem in Bedford. The pizzas are some of best I've eaten. The tapas are also very good. Menu is not overly extensive but each item is quality.

Simply the best meal I’ve ever had at any museum cafe. Delicious Italian food and great service.

We had my Dad's 90th family lunch here, the staff were so accommodating, the food was freshly cooked and delicious and the service warm, friendly and relaxed. I would recommend the Higgins pantry to anyone.

We were looking for a place to eat after visiting the Panacea Museum and walked into this family run Italian Restaurant. The four of us all ate very different choices from the very extensive menu; my wife rated the pizza highly; my lasagna was lovely too. The desserts were nice - I recommend the tiramisu. It was very reasonably priced, service was excellent and we will be back. Well done to all the staff.

Best food I could get at an Italian restaurant. Keep up the good work!

Great food,service had a fantastic night there was a small party of Italians celebrating a birthday ,and insisted we shared there spaghetti aloi and birthday cake great atmosphere along with the music will return soon

Great food, came out quickly and looked amazing, good value for money! but the place was so loud you couldn't hear the other people on the table. The music and with other tables practically shouting all evening we felt a little put off

Lovely understated place with fresh and tasty food and great, friendly service. Even a lovely sweet treat at the end. Grazie Mille.

Went here with the family and in-laws to celebrate our marriage, before the big ceremony. We all had a fantastic evening and were pleased with the staff and how welcoming they all were. The food was delicious, well priced and you get a decent portion, couldn't recommend this place enough!

This was definitely a mixed experience in terms of the quality of the food. We attended on a Saturday lunchtime and all ordered starters. The starters were all very nice and we all commented on the quality. I had ordered a veggie pizza for main which arrived three or four minutes before the other three main courses. I sat waiting for a couple of minutes before my friends suggested that I start eating before the pizza got cold. Unfortunately the pizza dough was what I would describe as undercooked. This may be my personal interpretation of what I would expect from an authentic Italian pizza but I informed the waitress and requested that I was cooked for a further 5 minutes or so. My friends’ main courses arrived which were also really tasty and enjoyable. My pizza was returned (which did appear to be a completely new one). Once again, it was soggy and appeared (to me) to be undercooked - to the point that I attempted to eat some of the topping but had to leave the dough. I made reference ti this when the plates were cleared. We declined desserts and ordered a coffee and two cocktails. A young waiter attempted to pass a cocktail over the shoulder of one of my friends, resulting in the cocktail being spilled down her trousers and top. One of the owners / managers appeared and offered a muted apology and we finished our drinks. I was surprised when the bill arrived to see that the pizza was still included on the total and I had clearly advised them of my dissatisfaction. Should I have advised that I would not be paying for it? I would suggest that this should have been subtracted from the total as an acknowledgment by the management team. There are also no acknowledgement of the spillage, which of course was an accident but will involve cleaning costs being incurred by my friend. Disappointed in this experience having been here before and enjoyed the food service. The staff were very pleasant and engaging but the little details make a big difference. This review could have been significant better with a different approach from the management team / owners.

Situated on the site of the higgings museam, nice place to have a coffee or a meal while visiting the museam

Great food, the cakes are amazing. Highly recommended.

Came for lunch with my parents. Delicious food, attentive staff. Will definitely be back!

Just awful unfortunately my son was vomiting after eating here . Terrible service too especially for the price .

An amazing Italian little gem in bedford! What can I say! Extremely helpful staff and exceptional quality food. Wow, this has to be hands down one of the best Italian restaurants by a country mile! For those that read my reviews when I say something is amazing, it is amazing! Try this place out and you won’t regret! They cater for kids and our little daughter loved her food! Warm, family vibe restaurant, a must for foodie lovers!

Nice Italian restaurant! Good portions, the arrabbiata was very nice. Service also very nice and friendly.

Polite and friendly, food was amazing and beautiful

Lovely place, great food and friendly staff

This is a wonderful place to eat in the pretty castle area of Bedford. The food is excellent and the staff are very friendly and efficient. We chose to celebrate our Golden Wedding Anniversary there with family and everyone intends to return. We were able to sit in the courtyard and were lucky enough to listen to Sergio singing and it really made our evening very special. Rosa and Vincenzo have worked really hard to make their restaurant one of the best eating places in Bedford. Well done to you all.

Love this place. Come here a lot. Always good food and friendly atmosphere. Staff are happy and can't do enough for you.

Great restaurant, great food and great atmosphere!

I went to the Higgins Pantry with a friend for lunch. I had the smoke salmon and avocado sour dough bread and it was very good. What made it a perfect trip was their tiramisu which I have never tried before and it is home made. This was beyond doubt the best dessert I have ever had in my life and a welcome surprise I was not expecting. I hope to return there in the future for a bigger meal. I am happy to recommend the Higgins Pantry to one and all.

My second time here and will definitely be back! Fantastic atmosphere with Sergio singing. We regularly attended the Italian Nights he performed at the Icon Hotel in Luton before COVID forced its closure and we're so glad that Higgins Pantry have him to provide such great entertainment occasionally. We had the set menu and, as before, the food was excellent! Can't believe how much food we had at such great quality and taste for £20 a head. We spent more on our drinks! 😊 Can't wait to return with other friends and family to share a fabulous night with them 👍

The best gluten free pizza I have ever eaten. Soft base ( not the usual gf thin, hard base) and very generous, tasty toppings. Service very helpful and friendly. Very pleasant restaurant.

Still a fab atmosphere, great food and easy on the pocket. Friendliest staff, Great Italian cuisine. Love it. Simply the best.

Once again a fantastic welcome and delicious meal. No wonder this place is always busy. The staff are genuinely nice and the food is delicious. We had starters mains dessert and drinks. Pizzas pasta’s calamari and the portions are so generous. 8 of us and it worked out to about 20 per head. Absolutely love this place. Cosy friendly atmosphere. Just can’t beat it.

Lovely staff, excellent (and unusual) foods, deliciously cooked. Very wheelchair friendly, ramps, and a disabled toilet. Great setup, family atmosphere. Will return!

Lovely service, we all had the pasta which was superb. Edit: Came again and forgot I had already left a review but I must say, I’m a pizza guy but when I come to the pantry I absolutely have to order pasta, best pasta I’ve had.

Nice tapas meal for mother's day. Very busy restaurant but good staff who worked hard and gave good service.

We weren't told it was an Italian night when booking so consequently very noisy especially as we were seated by the singer.. My friend & I hadn't met up for nearly 5months so were looking forward to a catchup but we couldn't even hear each other speak. Understand these occasions happen but should be pointed out when reserving.

Just had a fabulous lunch here! The decor is so mid-century modern with cozy fairy lights. The staff are so friendly and welcoming and the super cool thing is that all their sandwiches, pastas, and pizzas can be made gluten free! I had gf pasta with ragú and it was seriously as if it came from the old country. I believe the owners are Italian. The Higgins Pantry is definitely going to be one of my regular spots :)

Varied menu, great staff nice atmosphere. Italian ofcourse, we will be back. Recommended.

First time here as we were back in Bedford. Was really looking forward to it but was pretty disappointed tbh. I ordered the prawns and calamari which as bland and only assisted by some mayo. We were then forgotten about for a while as it got a bit busier and instead of waiting longer for the bill, I went up and paid as the staff were more focused on other areas. Im sure there are better Italians out there in the town.

I've made two visits and both have been very good experiences.

Great ambience and service. Nice cocktails and food

My friend and I had lunch here after visiting the museum. I had aubergine parmigiana. It was delicious. Nice cappuccino. Friendly staff and atmosphere.

Love this place food incredible..

Lovely food, and service was great. Quite an intimate setting, it was like being away in Italy! Will definitely come back.

We were sat in the marquee which we new about but were promised heating. We got one tiny ceiling heating. It was so cold none of us took our coats off for the whole evening. The staff weren’t really interested although we kept asking for extra heaters. We complained but were told nothing they could do. They didn’t even offer a complimentary drink as a softener. The starters were lovely but the sirloin steak was frying steak, 1/2 inch thick. We decided to get up and dance after the meal to try and warm up but we’re told it was finished, 11 o’clock. It was a miserable night all round. I wrote and complained but they weren’t interested and the reply was derogatory. They argued about the steak but none of us had ever had sirloin steak like that. They were very unsympathetic and brushed our complaint aside. None of us will ever frequent the place. They are obviously more interested in the money that good service

The customer service here is exceptional. I've only ever popped in for a hot chocolate when visiting the museum it's attached to but the service has still been noticeably good. I always receive the warmest of welcomes by the man who is regularly on the counter.

A fantastic place . Authentic Italian food, charming, attentive service, vibrant ambiance and great value for money, all in all, a memorable Sunday lunch.

Visited a couple of times for lunch. Does what it says on the tin - easily recognisable Italian pastas and pizza. Nice service. Some dishes stand out head and shoulders above others. Ham and mushroom tagliatelle very nice, spaghetti bolognese a bit boring. Side salad...

Visited The Pantry on a Sunday afternoon for my daughters 8th birthday. The staff were very attentive and ensured the meal was perfect. The food was delicious (especially the pasta e faggioli) and we all left happy and with full belly's Always a great visit...

What a wonderful meal. We were a party of 8 arranged to celebrate our son's birthday and the staff could not have been more friendly or helpful. The food was excellent and the portions substantial. It was a great family atmosphere on a Sunday afternoon...

Very friendly service, good sized portions of delicious Italian food

Food and staff are lovely. The restaurant was so cold it ruined the experience for me. I can't say I blame the heating being on low given the current economic situation.

Firstly I want to start by saying how fab the staff were - when the food isn’t very good you can tell a lot by how staff deal with it and they were excellent. Also the drinks were great - my Negroni was amazing, the...

Locale che si conferma al vertice nella ristorazione in Bedford. Dopo quasi 4 anni dall’ultima visita non posso che ribadire...

Great night celebrating my husbands birthday... 🥳🥂🍾🎂.

Great Italian food, friendly service, good value. Especially recommend the arrabiatta and tiramisu!

This is the best place in Bedford to eat italian kitchen.....the staf is amazing...i forget my wallet full with money and my wallet was very expensive brand but the waiters was so good and keep the wallet for me with all the money inside....i will never forget that....a great eavning in a great restaurant with a great staff..👌🌟👑

First time here. We had the Italian tapas. Probably not the best choice and wouldn't have again. Great service though and lots of regulars there.

Higgins Pantry is the heart of Bedford hospitality! After being welcomed with a big smile and a friendly atmosphere we indulged in the most amazing Italian food. Our main server, Tatiana provided laughs, high quality service and kindness with every moment we shared together. We...

Went with a large group service was good well done.

Always a pleasure to eat here! One of the best italian restaurants I've ever been to

Food superb staff very helpful and friendly best restaurant in town

Quiet and empty when we arrived but it quickly filled up and was very loud. Good options on the menu, food well cooked and very large portions. Enjoyable evening and would certainly recommend it.

Nice little spot, stopped for lunch on a Sunday afternoon, friendly service and tasty food, will have to return to sample the rest of the menu!

A atmosphere other restaurants would love to have friendly staff. lovely food. a place you take friends and family to sample real Italian food

Nice people very polite and portion sizes are great, however it's very run down, I ate inside a tent outside... I kid you not.. but like I said really nice staff so I feel bad.. but I'm being honest..

Really good selection of Italian dishes here, service was excellent all night, there are other Italian restaurants in Bedford which have a more authentic Italian feel about them, music, etc and we did go on a Saturday night night, the room was packed and there was a point it was so loud you couldn't hear yourself think. However it was still a very good restaurant. Parking is limited

Always like home.... really enjoyed the food and the atmosphere...

So I often spend time in Italy and I miss the authentic pizza I would get in Turin and Tuscany. Since moving to Bedford I would have never expected to taste this level of quality again! The food is amazing! The staff was fantastic and...

Amazing food, friendly atmosphere - a perfect place for a family lunch or dinner. We visited for the first time today and we will definitely come back!

Nice place bit pricey but like nearly all restaurants pricey but the pizza and bread with brownie was lovely

Non è facile trovare cibo italiano di questo livello in Inghilterra. Se vi trovate a Bedford e vi piace mangiare...

Non è facile trovare cibo italiano di questo livello in Inghilterra. Se vi trovate a Bedford e vi piace mangiare bene non potete non passare da Vincenzo per provare il gusto del made in Italy. Siamo stati qui a cena con amici e abbiamo provato moltissimi piatti, molto gustosi. Cito in ordine sparso: prosciutto e mozzarella, pizza buonissima, melanzane alla parmigiana, spiedini di pollo fritto, agnello e salsicce irresistibili; per poi passare ad un tris speciale: frittura di pesce, cozze e un misto di polipetti al sugo molto invitanti. Il tutto innaffiato da ottimo vino e birra rigorosamente italiani. Insomma ci sono molte ragioni per considerare questo "The Higgins Pantry" un ristorante tra i migliori di tutta la zona di Bedford. In più la cordialità e la simpatia di Vincenzo che ci ha raccontato con quanta attenzione sceglie i prodotti, molti dei quali arrivano direttamente dall'Italia. Insomma atmosfera e qualità autenticamente italiani. Da non perdere.

First visit and I love it!! The service in this establishment is worthy of the 5 stars and more. The food was excellent and the ambiance was great...the live music was definitely a nice touch. Will be going back for more of the same :)

Perfect food perfect service wonderful atmosphere and brilliant live entertainment. Very good traditional Italian food.

I've enjoyed a quick stop for coffee here while exploring the fascinating museum next door and evening meals. Service and food are good.

Great food and wine but no pizzas available

Very nice food, friendly staff.

Great food and service. Definitely recommend

Good good and service. Was caught out by the large portions of Tapas!

Great meal. Really good quality ingredients. Staff were brilliant. It's a loud place, so we felt a bit overwhelmed at points, but that's not on them, the place is really fun and friendly.

Good food, good value, clean, comfortable, friendly staff. Thoroughly recommend. The weekend lunches are particularly enjoyable.

Great little restaurant tucked away at the back of the Higgins museum. Great food in a super-friendly atmosphere and reasonably priced too.

Super menu, with lots of choices, in a relaxing atmosphere.Good service. Rather large salad ! Unpretentious.Pleasant staff. Good value.

This restaurant is owner-managed, which is perhaps why it stands out above the crowd. Five of us all had fresh and delicious meals, and when the owner came to check whether we were enjoying our food, you knew he really cared. The dishes were generous...

We wanted an Italian pizza and we found it here. Tasty and you will be not disappointed. Before I only tried lasagne for takeaway. Definitely need to return to try something else.

Fantastic food and service. Very happy with the food and the service. The staff did all they could to provide a sterling service. The food is very impressive.

We went today for an impromptu lunch and is was perfect, very welcoming by all staff, just the right level of service and an absolutely delightful waitress! We had a pizza to share but it was simply the best pizza we have ever had, delicious! Will definitely be back to sample some of the pasta and tapas dishes.

We have just had the best full English breakfast with the Italian touch by Vincenzo, simply amazing! Well done guys, keep up the good work!

Amazing food🤩🤩 great atmosphere cant wait to visit again felt like being back in Italy again...🙂🙂🙂

Lovely family run restaurant. A great atmosphere. I recommend you book a table as it filled very quickly at lunchtime. A great choice of dishes including gluten free & vegan.

Wow, how have I only just discovered this place?! Absolutely cannot wait to return. The pasta was incredible, so tasty and the perfect portion size, my fiance demolished his steak, and don't even get me started on the brownie, best I've ever had. The staff clearly love their job, very friendly and accommodating and the premises itself is great, lots of indoor and outdoor seating. Can't wait to visit again! X

Excellent food. Excellent service.

Amazing place to come for poetry tea party each month