Vesuvius in Maidstone

The food was very good, we were pleasantly surprised by the authenticity and quality - we would definitely visit again. The only improvement I would suggest is that upon entering, there was a strong damp smell, which should be looked at since it could put some off. But I would encourage everyone to give it a go.

Delicious food. Recommend booking as it was busy on a Thursday night which showed how popular it is. Would recommend 👍👍. Thank you to the team and especially the Chef's.

Excellent service, friendly and attentive staff I will go again

Love this place great food and friendly staff, great Italian food in the heart of Kent. Can't recommend this place enough

Great food, always feel welcome. Alessandro always happy to help and receive feedback. Family run, traditional. Say no more apart from see you soon. Chao 🇮🇹 🇨🇾

Had a friend staying who fancied some Italian food so thought we’d try Vesuvius. Well, so glad we did because we all really enjoyed our food - two had pasta dishes (loved the meatballs!) and one had veal escalope with mushroom sauce. We all said we would have to come back to try more dishes. For dessert we had pannacotta and affogato. Thoroughly recommend if you want good food and friendly service.

Really great food, very friendly staff. Our party of 3 had the seabass, swordfish and the chef’s special pizza - all were tasty, good portion sizes. For dessert we ordered the Panna cotta and cannolo which was excellent. This is a proper family run Italian restaurant, such a good atmosphere even on a quiet lunch time. Highly recommended!

Love this restaurant, food is always lovely, atmosphere is relaxed with music quietly in the background & never rushed by staff who are always very friendly & welcoming

Amazing food - everything was just perfect. Good for vegans

Beautiful food, beautiful vibes. One of the best in Maidstone. Worth a visit to enjoy authentic and family made Italian food.

One of the best restaurants in Maidstone - amazing food and atmosphere.

Came here based on the amazing reviews but was very disappointed. When entering I was hit with a very strong musty damp smell and it was incredibly cold in there. Service was very slow also and it wasn’t that busy. The food was poor. I expected a lot more given the reviews and I usually go to chain Italians but damn, our food took 40 mins to arrive and my meatballs were rock hard, cold in the middle and the spaghetti sauce was watery and just tasted like Passata with no extra flavouring. I couldn’t eat the meatballs they tasted and smelt horrid. I begrudged paying for any of it and I don’t usually feel that way.

Such lovely traditional Italian food! Was so fresh and tasty and the staff were really lovely Will definitely be back!!!

Service is very good. The food was nice was made very quickly.

Great food and great service. Little gem is worth a visit.

Our first visit to this restaurant. We felt we were in Italy. Great food, service and atmosphere. We will certainly be back.

Fantastic meal in a relaxed and accommodating environment

Very good meal, served by very personable & professional staff in informal & friendly setting. Recommended.

I brought my Mum here for an early mother's day lunch. The food was delicious - we both loved it. The owner served us and is such a lovely man and was so accommodating of us. I would highly recommend Versuvius.

Every time they cook here, it gets better and better!

Had a great time with excellent food, would thoroughly recommend

The restaurant had a good rep and was busy, so we were expecting good things. Whilst the food was OK if uninspiring and certainly reasonably priced, the wine (not cheap at £28) was full of sediment. When pointed out to the waitress she replied "Well it is old" and walked off! We won't be returning.

🍽️ Just dropped by Vesuvius Restaurant and here's the lowdown: - 🇮🇹 Ambiance: Stepping into Vesuvius is like a time travel to old-school Italy. Everything has a really vintage touch. It’s not exactly my cup of tea as I lean towards more modern settings, but it's got character! - 🤔 Service: Had a bit of an odd experience. The waitress seemed a tad unsure, not even asking for our booking name. Made me wonder why we booked in the first place. - 🍞 Food: The garlic breadsticks came in a packet, which was unexpected. I reckon serving them out of the packet might add a touch of freshness! The menu choices and the dishes themselves were a bit basic for my taste. However, the roast potatoes were a hit - not sure how Italian they are, but delicious nonetheless! Tried a bit of the carbonara and found it a bit bland. - 🍴 Overall Vibe: The place was buzzing for a Friday night, which was nice to see. Rating: 4/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ It didn't quite hit the spot for me, and while I might not head back on my own initiative, I'm open to giving it another go if someone else is keen.

I visited Vesuvius Restaurant in Maidstone as we were told to try it, so we thought we’d give it a go and unfortunately, my experience was far from satisfactory. Upon entering the restaurant, I noticed that it was empty, and the atmosphere was lacking. The temperature inside was uncomfortably cold, which detracted from the overall dining experience. The quality of the food was disappointing. The zucchini fries were excessively greasy, making them barely edible. Similarly, the lasagne was greasy and cold in the middle, indicating improper heating which I could not finish. My partner's carbonara was served in a small bowl no bigger that cereal size and was exceptionally dry, resembling the arid Sahara desert. Furthermore, the speed of service was surprisingly rapid. Our meals arrived within five minutes of ordering, which seemed too quick for freshly prepared dishes ??. This rushed service did not contribute to a pleasant dining experience. To add to the dissatisfaction, upon receiving the bill, we were charged for an item that I did not consume. This further soured our impression of the restaurant. Overall, our visit to Vesuvius Restaurant was unpleasant, and we will not be returning. Instead we left the restaurant and headed straight to La Viletta, our preferred Italian restaurant in Maidstone. La Viletta consistently delivers outstanding food, with a great atmosphere and excellent value for money. I cannot recommend Vesuvius Restaurant to anyone, including family and friends, based on my disappointing experience.

Always love this place, the food is amazing and the staff are ace!!!

This was our third time, invited my parents along this time and again we all loved it! Food and drink all so good, service always excellent and the price is fantastic too. Cannot recommend enough. The calamari, pollo ai funghi and the marble cheesecake are all delicious.

While the booking system did not work, the owner was kind enough to confirm availability of a table for lunch and even came in just for us. I just hope the booking system pretending it was fully booked did not lose them too much business. The food was excellent, the staff incredibly friendly and helpful. A real treat.

Authentic vibes, food is excellent, would definitely recommend.

Food was ok, slightly above average. What gets this place 3 stars is one of the waitresses who was one of the most miserable servers I've ever come across. Didn't catch her name but she was a bit on the short side with black hair. There had been a slight misunderstanding, where the table had been booked for 10 people rather than 12 and rather than getting on with it, she rolled her eyes!!! Add to that the tacky decor and poor location, we will be in no rush to return. Shame really as the rest of the staff were lovely.

A really nice family atmosphere to the restaurant with fantastic food. We were a group of ten with ages from 14 to 80 and there was choices for all, and all said how good the food was. The range of tastes in my Caprese and then seafood dish were amazing and the wine matched it. I would have liked service to be a little quicker personally but they were full and there was no second sitting, I just needed to relax into it. No airs and graces, lovely atmosphere and great food. Go expecting a down to earth family restaurant and you'll really enjoy it, I will be going back.

Nice place to eat out, very good food and very nice staff 👌 👍

Wow what a lovely evening, fantastic food and atmosphere. The staff are so attentive. This Restaurant is just amazing, walk through the door and your in Naples

Brilliant restaurant. Very busy with the Christmas rush but staff coped brilliantly and the food was excellent. Couldn’t fault the place

I was staying next door at the Stone House and wanted a bite to eat on a business meeting trip. On a Sunday night, there were many diners in but fortunately, they found me a place. I had Pizzabread as a starter followed by the Mushroom Risotto which was a)plentiful b)piping hot and c) extremely unctuous. I also had a couple of Flea Italian beers - highly recommended. Unfortunately, I left my wallet on the table and didn't realise until the following morning. I contacted the restaurant and thankfully they had it. Although the restaurant was closed on a Monday, the owner kindly agreed to meet me there to hand it back. What service !! Regrettably, I live near Hereford, so it is unlikely that I will return, but I urge you to go as soon as you can.

Ate here this evening. Cannot recommend enough, food was delicious and we were accommodated to very well! Always wanted to go here and will definitely be going again

Arranged a Christmas dinner for my football club. 15 of us arrived the place was really busy but we didn’t wait long for drinks or our food. All of it was perfect. I cannot recommend this restaurant enough.

Our first visit to the restaurant, both the food and service were excellent, but it was very cold which spoils any atmosphere

We've been here a few times and they never disappoint.

An excellent evening, surprise birthday party for my wife, 15 ladies in attendance. Everything went as smooth as silk, good food, great service, a big thank you to all at vesuvius for making an evening so special 😊

Great meal. Really enjoyed the desserts! Pistachio profiteroles were delicious. I think service could be a little quicker but staff were friendly, helpful and inviting.

Good quality food , and lots of it. Friendly service .

A great little find in Maidstone- little cozy family Italian restaurant with beautiful dishes, Loved the bruschetta for a starter with a lovely red Italian wine! Good service too. You will not be disappointed- stop here after a long day!

Lovely food. Great value. A good Negroni!

We visited Vesuvius on a brief trip to Maidstone. We wanted somewhere within walking distance of where we were staying and which had good reviews. Thankfully we had the foresight to book; it was very popular for birthday parties. The staff were very welcoming and ensured we had a good table. We ordered a bottle of the ‘house’ white wine which was a crisp and fruity Sicilian. Good start! We eschewed starters, going straight to mains. Husband had the gamberoni alla diavolo. Not being a fan of messing with shell on prawns, he asked for them to be shelled. No problem! My dish was spaghetti vongole. Both dishes were delicious. The prawns came with a generous side salad and toasted bread. Mine was loaded with clams. We left nothing. Desserts were the affogato with amaretto and cannoli. A great finish to a delicious meal. We were offered complimentary limoncello shots before we made our way home. We would definitely recommend this restaurant.

Really nice atmosphere and lovely staff. Location could be better but overall a great experience

Lovely authentic Italian, made you feel at home. Great food and wine. Would recommend the steak

Second time eating here,.. there will be a third-fourth maybe even fifth who knows.. lovely place,.. great food,. Friendly staff.. 5⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ recommended... thanks guys and girls..x

Lovely atmosphere with good food

I was looking for a family-friendly Italian restaurant that serves delicious food to celebrate my brother’s 44th birthday. My sister-in-law recommended Vesuvius. It was fabulous! Outstanding service and food. The owner and the waiting staff made us feel so welcome. We ordered the starter, 2 large sharing platters, various pasta dishes ( pesto, vongole, ragu, puttanesca & carbonara), risotto and the grilled sword fish dish. Everything was perfectly cooked, delicious and tasted authentic. Pasta al dente! We brought a homemade cake and the restaurant brought it to the table with the candles lit. They were just so obliging. It was a lovely family dinner. I have travelled widely and have eaten Italian food in many places including Italy, I would say Vesuvius is one of the best Italian restaurants I have been to in the U.K., the food is so much better than any of the chain restaurants you might find on the high streets these days. A gem in Maidstone! Eccellente ! Thank you so much!

Went here with a group of 10 I had Lemon Chicken and it was delicious. The staff are fabulous and so friendly. Would recommend you visit, I will definitely be going back again.

Was let down again for a girls night out so we headed to Vesuvius. Great food with great company

Really nice place. Food was nice, cocktails fabulous and they helped us celebrate my friends birthday...no matter how embarrassed she was...tee hee. Thanks for a fab night!

The service, food and atmosphere was outstanding but they put their own surcharge on the bill and had the cheek to say we were 41p short on a £17 surcharge....greedy!

Such a shame 😞 this place was a very firm favourite in our household as one of the vest restaurants in kent. Unfortunately our last visit wasn't up to the usual standard, cold calzone and warm white wine is not a true taste of Italy. The staff didn't seem to know how to handle the pressure as a usually faultless service was no where to be seen. Drinks left on the bar cold food re heated and still cold and it wasn't just my table others had issues with steaks and starters. Very much a lack of control or management then charged my bill plus 10% for the complete shambles that it was. I asked for someone to contact me 4 days ago and still no reply. Sorry guys but this was a huge fail.

Came here a few weeks ago with my partner, the atmosphere was really good, not busy and very spacious. The starter we received was a bit chewy and rubbery, and the mains were good. The servers weren’t as attentive as we would have liked. Water was not put on the table or offered, and questions about allergens were not asked. I would still recommend, only if the servers were a bit more attentive as it wasn’t a busy restaurant.

Fabulous, authentic food and friendly staff. If you haven't yet visited Vesuvius, you're missing out!

Very nice traditional Italian restaurant with traditional decoration. Good selection of traditional Italian dishes from starters, pasta, fish, meat and of course pizza. Calamari and pizza were cooked nicely and very delicious although I will asked to hold off the oil on the pizza next time. Nice selection of Italian specialty beers. Will come again soon for more.

Overall not a bad experience I recommend. x

We hadn't visited this restaurant for some time. I enjoyed by Bruschetta ai Funghi (mushrooms on toasted bruschetta), the lasagne was very tasty and my wife enjoyed her pizza. My Sicilian lemon cheesecake was followed by an Amaretti Coffee. We enjoyed the meal, the staff were excellent and we will return soon.

We had a meal here today (Sunday 30th July) fantastic food and service....its definitely a must visit! We will be back.

Great food, great service, very reasonable prices

Believe all the good reviews you read about this restaurant! I can't wait to go again, even though I live far away. It is well worth the drive to enjoy the amazing food and atmosphere!

The food was all very good, only thing I'd say is the pizza was a little crispier than I was expecting from a napolitan restaurant but was still very tasty, will definitely be returning!

No complaints here, all food was good and fair portion for the price, Staff very friendly and welcoming, will be back again for sure

I went here for a Birthday meal with my friends. A big menu for both food and drinks, lots of variety and very tasty! Me and my friends ordered starters, mains and desserts and the presentation of all was incredible and better than what you’d get at one of the larger chain restaurants! Well deserved rating, will visit again!

Fantastic birthday meal for my wife. Excellent service and food to match

Amazing place to go! I went here for my 18th last night and it is incredible food. Fresh and delicious, service is brilliant! Lovely menu, and always a hit with my family and we go whenever there is a family birthday! Cannot recommend this place enough!

First time ordering lunch at Vesuvius. Mirabella was very friendly and polite and took our orders. Cannot wait to try their food. If their food is as nice as their customer service, we are in for a treat.

The staff were attentive but not overbearing. The drinks were plentiful, and the food was something else. The flavours and the authenticity is what makes this place stand out from the rest. Will definitely return. Must try the arancini and marble cheesecake!

Pleasant experience. However I was quite surprised to find that their Carbonara was made using cream, which is very American. I did ask the waitress if they did it the traditional Italian way, to which she responded that cream was the traditional way. Quite surprised to hear this from a supposed ‘genuine’ Italian restaurant. Disappointed on that front, but the meal was still pleasant and enjoyable regardless. Did enjoy the Parmigiana, though the Tiramisu wasn’t the greatest I’ve experienced. A free shot of limoncello was well received.

We had a lovely meal very pleasant service ,the meal was a thank you to my family ,my daughter recommended it

Great service,we weren't rushed and the staff accommodated my son who has special needs very well. All the food was amazing 4 starters and mains and all delicious. We all really enjoyed our dinner.

Great meal. Very friendly staff again.

Had a great lunch on Easter Sunday. Very good, traditional Italian cuisine. Friendly service with smiles all round. Going back next Saturday evening for dinner. Excellent.

Fantastic food, friendly atmosphere. Well worth a visit 😊

Very bad service in relation to deliveries. Ordered via Just Eat, didn’t get what was ordered (got a shellfish thing instead of a pizza). sent it back and called the restaurant who said the pizza was ready to be delivered and was a mistake etc…. After 30 minutes still no pizza arrived and when we called them again….the restaurant claimed the driver didn’t return with the shellfish thing and to contact Just Eat. Extremely disappointing service and now need to try and get a refund off Just Eat.

It was busy. The staff are really nice and friendly. Tasty food.

The carbonara was to die for! The tiramasu also top drawer!

We've been coming here for 10 years. It only gets better! Great food, great service and a positive buzz! Food that simply brings you joy.

A group of 10 of us went for dinner, booked for 7pm and meals pre-ordered. The starters took 90 minutes to arrive with 2 missing, when the mains then arrived the Puttanesca (which was ordered as vegan) came with anchovies in. Our server was polite but there was apology for any of the issues although the Puttanesca was removed from the bill, it wasn’t really good enough.

What an unbelievable place, amazing food, friendly service and good prices. Fantastic local restaurant, would thoroughly recommend

Having had two so so meals in Maidstone I wasn’t expecting much but this place was a little Italian oasis. Absolutely fabulous stone baked pizza with Italian real ale - just perfect. The front of house was charming and the restaurant had a real family Italian feel to it. I watched regulars greeted in a warm Italian way and felt totally at home. Always a good sign to have so many regulars on a quiet Tuesday night. So much better than the big chains it may not look fancy but the food was perfect I loved it and I’m going back!

Versuvius is a freindly, family run traditional Italian restaurant and this shines through with the quality and taste of food, good hearty Italian food and served by freindly staff.

We have been hear a number of times, it's the only place that feels like I am in Italy eating othentic traditional food. Friendly service and large portions well worth the money. Would recommend this resturant to anyone. My father is Italian and he is so fussy but could not get enough of the food and always talks about it.

Lovely evening, great food. Thank you

The food was great and the staff was lovely :)

Delicious pizza with authentic Italian ingredients. We loved the desserts too, and the staff was so kind!

Very nice independent Italian Restaurant with an excellent selection of dishes, pizzas starters. This is not a chain like Weatherspoons etc thus much nicer and unique.

Good selection of vegan options and always well looked after by the friendly staff.

This is a great little place and we went for valentines day , The food was great and the atmosphere was nice, however during the night the service slowed considerably and we were left waiting for 35mins for our dessert and coffee which wasn't nice considering they charged us a service fee which I believe should be optional as the service degraded.

What a discovery - authentic Italian food here in Maidstone! Our first visit to Vesuvius and it certainly won't be our last. Thank you to Alessandro, his partner and team, who have created something unique in Maidstone. Having enjoyed traveling in Italy, we love Italian food. Vesuvius doesn't only serve fantastic food but the atmosphere inside feels like a little bit of Naples right here on our doorstep. Our food choices included aubergine, seafood, and steak, which were delicious. With the steak, the recommended wine was Gragnano, a sparkling red served chilled, imported from a spot close to the foot of Mt Vesuvius itself. It paired perfectly with the steak - an enjoyable surprise! The dessert menu was another thing too - my wife is a bit of a tiramisu expert, having tried many throughout Italy, and was delighted. For me, the hot dark chocolate pudding with white chocolate inside... Safe to say, we're looking forward to our next visit! ... updated a few visits later and I have one word to add: panettone!!

Popped in at opening on a Friday evening following a recommendation. To be honest didn't expect it to be busy bearing in mind it's location. How wrong was I, they were fully booked. They thankfully managed too squeeze us in. Pizza was amazing and the desert and coffee really delicious. I'm not normally agreeable to pre added service charges but was happy not to quibble the 10%. Very soon after we started eating the restaurant filled up and people still kept coming. I'll be sure to book for my return visit.

We went to the restaurant for a Valentine's dinner and had a thoroughly enjoyable meal served by excellent waiters who know their menu and their wines. I started with the Parmigiana - finely sliced aubergine in cheese and tomato sauce, followed by melt in the mouth and flavoursome swordfish. Then I couldn't resist a bit of Christmas with the special panettone dessert! My other half had a mixed seafood starter which he loved, followed by a perfectly cooked steak and the waiter recommended the Nero di Troia red wine which was the perfect accompaniment. It's not cheap but nowhere is these days, not if you want quality, and that's what you get here. I marked it down by one star because we weren't very warm.

awful service grub took 2 hours to arrive, upon arrival it was warm but standard. if in doubt sit in dominoes half price collection safe

Worst service ever, we were asked if we wanted bread and then waited an hour for the bread to be put on the table. Then had to wait another half an hour for food. Waitress was horrible and moody and no help whatsoever, even when trying to pay the bill and we asked how much was left she said “I don’t know”. Would not recommend to anyone, not a friendly environment and to top it off the food was meady.

Bro how am I supposed to be waiting an hour for bread. That's crazy. Two and a half hours for food is nuts. Dead gaff. Food was certi not cooked by an Italian granny. Limoncello was free doe so plus one star

Great evening out with friends at this lovely gem of a restaurant. Really good food and very attentive staff.

Great eve with family and friends! Food delicious and service spot on! Never disappoints! Almost feel you’re in Italy!

Been there several times now, the staff are lovely as is the food and at a very reasonable price for the quality. One of my favourite restaurants at the moment

My wife and I dined here this evening. The food, atmosphere, and service was excellent. Would definitely recommend and we will be going again.