Villa Romana in Liverpool

We’ve been loyal customer of Villa Romana since it first opened in the 90s. Always consistently good - buzzing with energy, great food, and staff who made you feel genuinely welcome. Sadly, our recent visit left us disheartened. The staff, who once seemed attentive and enthusiastic, now come across as disinterested and inattentive. During our latest meal, Sunday 13th October, the service felt rushed, with little eye contact or engagement. It was almost as if they were doing us a favour by serving us. We waited an hour to be asked about desserts, and eventually gave up. In that hour we watched staff stand chatting to each other and three waitresses push napkins and glasses around an empty table. It’s such a shame to see how much the place has declined. The food was still decent, but without the warm atmosphere and attentive service it used to be known for, the experience felt hollow. We won’t be returning anytime soon, which is disappointing after so many years of good service and food.

Lovely atmosphere, great food and great service. What more could you ask for! We didn’t have a table booked but they found a place for us no problem. Would fully recommend!

First visit to this restaurant today but it definitely won't be our last. Delicious meal , great staff and lovely atmosphere .

This very popular restaurant seemed to be well known. Our party of 11 was booked in for 5.30 pm when the doors of the restaurant opened, soon all the tables were occupied. The restaurant was well staffed and efficient, although no obvious gluten free menu, a member of staff quickly outlined options and how the kitchen would cater. We all had a lovely meal and left in plenty of time for our theatre trip.

I've been dining here for over twenty years, and never been disappointed. Beautifully prepared food, and friendly and efficient service (attentive without 'hovering'). On my most recent visit, I was almost rendered speechless by the superb panna cotta. Never tasted one so good!

Great Italian Restaurant in the centre of Liverpool with quite an extensive menu and very well laid out dinning area. The staff were very attentive without being overly familiar which made for a quick service turnaround. We had a couple of starters , Bruschetta and deep fried goats cheese whilst not very inspiring and they were quite average but tasty none the less. For mains Mrs W had the Pollo Villa Romana which she really enjoyed and I had the Pollo Alla Cacciatore with a tomato based sauce which was very tasty indeed. We were then ‘ambushed ‘ at the table with a dessert trolly displaying ALL the available desserts that evening and just could not resist a large portion of Cheesecake , with two spoons , followed by Mrs W’s obligatory double espresso which went down a treat. All in all a great dining experience with great staff and all at a reasonable price. Well worth a return visit next time we are in Liverpool.

Villa Romana is easily located in the main center by central station. A few yards up Wood Street. The restaurant is decorated extremely well. Quite spacious inside but with a nice warm friendly feel. Really nice. The food was absolutely divine. We had lobster ravioli for starters. Very tasty. We each had a different main and every one was a taste sensation. I couldnt possibly tell you the dishes names for incorrectly spelling them, but one was cannelloni which was so tasty. Then there was the desert trolley. The staff where all very polite and very helpful. All in all its top marks. Highly recommend.

Met friends for a midweek evening meal and the place was very busy. From the outset got the feeling of being in Italy. Restaurant decorated like a traditional trattoria. Nearly all staff Italian. Menu had plenty of dishes to choose from. I had porcini risotto to start , followed by penne amatriciana , both dishes superb. Service from the staff could not be better, very efficient and friendly. We all agreed that this restaurant is really, really good. Can’t wait to go back.

This place has the most kindest , caring staff. Let you have time to talk and eat your food. Pasts was out of this world 10/10 . Definitely call in for food, pizza looked amazing too

Loved this spot for dinner. Food was lovely and the dessert trolley was a great idea! Only downside was that it took a while to catch a waiter's attention to get another drink. Definitely would return!

Very boring and mediocre I had fuesulli villa romana already cooked chicken warmed up with pasta and creamy sauce. One small piece of ham. Awful really. I could make it better with my eyes closed.

This was an exceptionally busy restaurant, but the front of house and waiting on staff were certainly of the highest standard. The food was wonderful and very reasonably priced. Atmosphere was - 'Liverpool on a Saturday Night' - Special.

Just not a great experience. The food wasn’t good at all. We didn’t receive a check back from the waiters and even when we finished no one questioned the fact the meal was barely eaten. The person who brought the bill asked how things were and when we said not great she just said sorry which was a bit confusing- Why bother asking if you can’t do anything about it.

Heard a lot of good things from a lot of different people and I understand why. For the price, the food is amazing. We had the cheesy garlic bread, the carbonara and the salmon spaghetti and shared all of them and we both loved them. It's very clear all the staff members are experienced and know what they're doing, we had finished our starter in about 20 minutes of arriving and had our mains just a few minutes later. Great service and really great food and the bill only came to £55 for 4 drinks, 2 mains and a starter. Will go again :)

Been going here for years Always great food Great atmosphere Always busy you normally need to book Never had a bad experience

We booked Villa Romana after searching for recommended Italian restaurants for a Christmas visit to Liverpool. How pleased we were to have ignored the few negative reviews because we have nothing but praise following our visit on Saturday. We arrived at 19:30 for a 20:00 reservation but were shown straight to our table. It was busy but our drinks order was soon taken and the waiter was so friendly, making time to chat while he opened and poured the wine. There was a short wait before our food arrived but we were early and it was busy, so it wasn’t a problem. It was a lovely atmosphere and the restaurant was so tastefully decorated for Christmas. The food we ordered .. mozzarella garlic bread, lasagne, cannelloni, rosemary seasoned potatoes and veg was delicious. The flavours were amazing and can honestly say we haven’t tasted better Italian food . Although very full we couldn’t resist the dessert trolley … what a hard choice because everything looked amazing but we settled for Black Forest gateaux and gin and tonic cheesecake and weren’t disappointed. We weren’t rushed , were made to feel welcome and had a lovely experience. Thank you Villa Romana, we will certainly be back.

We had our recent Christmas Works Party meal at Villa Romana and it was very good. My first visit and was not disappointed. Nice warm welcome and an authentic themed restaurant with a nice ambiance. Large menu with a great choice of food. Friendly and efficient staff, a great Italian restaurant and fully recommended.

We attended villa romana today for our lunch myself and my son and it is such a beautiful place the decor is lovely, friendly and attentive staff. The food was absolutely amazing and such good value for money we honestly can’t fault them at all it was Impeccable service from start to finish, we will definitely be returning and recommending to family and friends.

Stunning building with authentic interior. Very efficient service but did feel a bit rushed when looking to order. Lasagne was nice but for me personally was a bit too much cheese but the tiramisu was amazing. Staff work hard to be efficient but we did seem to wait a while for our bill. Overall I will be returning & I would definitely recommend to anyone wanting an authentic Italian experience

This is one of my favourite restaurants in the city - up there in my top 3! Me and my boyfriend come here every year for our anniversaries and birthdays, etc. I've even brought my family here for other occasions and my friends. The prices are worth it for what you get - the portions are really big (sometimes too big for me to finish!) so you get more than enough for your money. The staff are lovely and accommodating, it's a really busy restaurant so I'd recommend booking in advance so you're confident of a table when you get there. Every time I've been the staff have made our experiences personal and they're all lovely even though the place is heaving with big tables. The atmosphere is great and I'll always keep coming back here. It's really sad to see negative reviews about this restaurant. It's very clear some people have never worked in hospitality before, never mind such a well-loved, busy establishment like this one. It's a lovely place with great food, I've been countless times and will continue to do so :)

A lovely visit and experience at Villa Romana. A warm and excellent service, and the food was extremely tasty, not to mention the amazing desserts! Definitely worth a visit, and beats all those chain restaurants who try to achieve authentic Italian food. We'll look forward...

I wish I’d read the poor reviews before we went, it would have saved us a few quid. Overall, not a pleasant dining experience, felt rushed, an example being our starter plates were removed whilst still eating. Mains served within minutes of finishing the starters...

Unfortunately we’re amongst those people only write a review for places when we’ve had a bad experience, so apologies for all those place where we’ve had a wonderful time but this was definitely the worst experience we’ve ever had in a Liverpool restaurant – ever!...

We have been going here for a few years now, a little expensive, however the service and quality of the food is top notch.

Thank you for fitting us in earlier than we had booked due to the rain. Fabulous food lovely staff and best ever puddings. Xx we will be back. Xx

Have visited here on previous occasions and had always had great food so headed again on a mid week evening meal. Many customers waiting for the restaurant to open at 5:30pm which is always a good sign! The garlic bread with cheese for starter is...

Excellent food. We were a table of 8 couples good variety of food was ordered. Pasta steak and pizza all excellent. Portion sizes are generous too. I will defo be frequenting Theo’s restaurant more often.

Very nice place, warm and friendly. We all got very good pizza, one of the best. The waiters was also very nice.

Lovely food and friendly staff. We ordered a mix of pasta dishes, pizza and steak and all the meals were delicious. The Restaurant was very busy even though it was a Tuesday evening so would recommend booking. We went for my sons 19th birthday and...

Yes lovely traditional settings feel like you are in Italy the food was delicious our waiter with his parmesan cheese and black pepper was very funny it seemed he was determined he shared them with the customer he was great with some children who were...

Visited here for evening meal with a hen party. Staff very attentive and friendly. Great choice on the menu and the food was fantastic, couldn't fault it. We had decided to leave a tip but we were quite surprised to find they had already added...

I have nothing negative to say about this elegant, professional Italian restaurant. It suited us perfectly and we left in a happy mood. Staying near to the Royal Albert Dock, we had been struggling to get away from burgers and pub food, when we turned...

What an amazing restaurant food out of this world owner Gerry an absolute gent staff very friendly and welcoming it was my birthday and I was treated like a queen from the time I went in to the time I left again the food was...

Lovely authentic Italian restaurant- food was really nice- I had the Carbonara and Tiramisu - delicious ..and staff were very friendly and efficient. Would highly recommend

We went for the first time on Saturday night after wanting to go for years. Although we had booked in advanced we were left waiting for our table without any time frame given to use, there is no waiting area by the main desk so...

The first time we went I had seafood pasta, the seafood was overcooked and I could finish the dish because of the taste of it. As my partner's dish was okay, we decided to give another chance to this restaurant. Next time I asked for authentic carbonara, without cream. I expected that in an Italian restaurant, - it wouldn't be a problem. Well... apparently it was. I got pasta with some olive oil, garlic and paper. No sauce is to be found. I don't think this restaurant deserves a third chance.

A wonderful authentic Italian meal. Service was good. Never seen a sweet trolley like it. Filled with amazing desserts.

This busy restaurant provides a great range of family style food. The staff are efficient without being intrusive, the wine and drinks lists are good and food is great. The dessert cart is worthwhile looking at as it has a good range of tasty treats. Well worth considering if you’re looking for value for money dining.

We have had so many disappointing and poor quality meals at restaurants recently I felt quite dubious about going there in case it was yet another waste of money. I couldn’t have been so wrong. The food was absolutely gorgeous! Large portions, superb quality, and...

This restaurant was a hidden gem, I'm so glad we found it! The food was to die for and the wine was delicious. Very good portions and so reasonably priced, what's not to like?! The restaurant itself was so authentic and absolutely beautiful. Staff were...

Excellent authentic Italian. great pasta dishes and very good pizza. well priced for the quality. Didn't have dessert but they looked to die for.

This Italian restaurant has a very warm welcome, very attentive staff and the most beautiful fresh food! Service is excellent, the cuisine is superb and I heartily recommend it to everyone!! We paid £160 for a three course meal with drinks for four people and...

Fabulous lunch The food is authentic so delicious and the service superb 👌 Been coming here since it opened almost 30 years ago. Our family love it family our children and grandchildren Enjoyed many a celebration here with friends also It never fails to deliver...

I was mildly concerned by some of the reviews and responses but we went anyway. Who knows the truth? We shared a garlic bread with mozzarella to start. Which was beautiful. I m glad I didn't have a whole one as I d have eaten...

It had been a long time since I had been to the Villa Romana, we visited on this occasion for my sister in law’s 60th Birthday. Whilst the service was good and each course came in good time, the general consensus was that the food...

We came here for our daughters graduation meal. This restaurant is lovely. The staff are very friendly, polite, and attentive. Great choice of food and reasonably priced. I would highly recommend to family and friends and when in the area I will visit again.

A Very stylish restaurant. Very friendly staff. Plentyn of choices on the menu. Beautiful Italian food. I highly recommend Garlic bread pizza, spaghetti Bolognese and a glass of Gin and Tonic for £23. 05💕

This was a family meal at the restaurant. It had just opened for the evening service Nice food with fresh ingredients. Staff were attentive but seemed to miss parts of our drinks order. However will return

Felt very rushed. I had calamari to start it was very stringy so put my off right away. Husband had meatballs which he enjoyed. I then had Pollo Alla Cacciatore it was nice but very average. Husband had the seafood pasta which was very disappointing....

Where to start? This is not only the best Italian restaurant in the city centre but probably THE BEST restaurant in the city centre. After my fourth visit in as many months, both the food quality and quantity were exceptional. The staff went all out...

Went straight from Theatre with 2 friends. No problem with food or staff, until a severe downpour caused water to seep in around our table and completely soak my friends long dress. We called over a member of staff, who called over the manager. Eventually...

Food was absolutely gorgeous. Atmosphere was great too. It was just a sham that one of the waiters was really abrupt and rude! The rest of the staff were lovely.

If you visit this restaurant take your wellies! Having a lovely meal after a visit to the theatre when one of my friends realised the hem of her dress was soaking wet -needed to wring it out as dripping everywhere. Staff moved us and we...

Un desastre la comida. La pasta estaba pasada, la salsa fea. Hicimos reclamos y no nos dieron ninguna respuesta

Starter: Crespella di Pollo Main: Scallopine di Vitello Saltimbocca Starter: A well made pancake with perfectly seasoned bechamel sauce were the most positive aspects to the beginning of the meal. The mushrooms were also flavoursome. Some parts of the chicken inside however where either old,...

Very late but felt like it was needed!! Best Italian in Liverpool, lovely fresh, favourful food, we will be back!!

Had a lovely Friday lunch with a friend, we’ve been a few times before, always enjoy it and this time was no exception. Service was friendly, quick and efficient, and the food was excellent. Pizzas are lovely- fresh dough, light and tasty. Good value for...

In my experience, this is the worst restaurant in Liverpool. Visiting this place is a mistake I won’t be repeating. Abysmal service, rude, obnoxious…I think the waiter eventually realised that his manner was about as well received by me (in front of my family) as...

Marvellous old school Italian restaurant. Service impeccable! Food delicious! This is a well oiled machine. They know what they do best and they excel at it. Even the lovely desert trolley to end the meal in style…the old fashioned way. Busy Friday night is always...

We had a fantastic meal in lovely surroundings with polite and attentive staff. It wasn't expensive for what we had, freshly prepared, tasty food. The desert trolley looked amazing, we just regret not leaving room!! Definitely don't hesitate to eat here, highly recommended.

The restaurant was busy, the Saturday evening of Easter weekend, but despite that, the service was spot on and friendly; the staff were certainly working hard! We enjoyed the food and it was a real throwback to see a sweet trolley in use; makes a...

Excellent lunch. Ordered special 2 course menu and lovely meal and good portions. Desserts were delicious

Beautiful food. Superb value for money at lunch time, with great portion sizes. Great service. Staff all very friendly. Highly recommend.

This restaurant was supposed to be one of the best in Liverpool. But it wasn't.we had a table booked for 8 30 we arrived 5 min early we felt rushed and the food wasn't up to standard. Won't be returning at all for what we...

Brilliant visit to Villa Romana. Booked in for 6.30pm on a Saturday evening. The restaurant was busy but that didnt stop an amazing service with equally as good food. Food consisted of garlic bread with cheese, king prawns, garlic mushrooms, fillet steak rossini (which was...

This place is spot on. I had the pancioti and it was the best pasta I have ever had. The staff and atmosphere was superb.

Good food great atmosphere and service. The bill was the problem loads added that we hadn’t ordered or got £110 more sorted eventually but not good

It has a lovely atmosphere and the staff were attentive, friendly and organised. We didn't have to ask for their attention once as they were so on top of things! We hadn't booked but were seated and served quickly. The food was tasty and the...

It was a close 5. Party of 14 for my 50th Birthday celebration. The pre booking service was fine. Booking reduced from 16 to 14. That was fine too as had paid a deposit. The food was excellent. First class. The service was really good...

Really fantastic restaurant, the staff are great, very attentive and helpful. The food was fresh, hot and delicious. The menu choice was extensive in todays times. The bathrooms were spotless. The dessert trolly was totally awesome completely un resistible. The place is beautifully decorated and...

We stopped here for lunch and had a lovely meal. Plenty to choose from on the food and drink options. Very helpful and attentive staff, it also had a lovely buzz about it.

Firstly want to say that the staff were brilliant and that they provided us with lovely service. We hadn’t booked yet they still found us a table on a fairly busy evening, and I can’t thank them enough for that. The food was ok, I...

The food was amazing, they have the best garlic bread i have ever had, the service was fast and well organised, all of the food was just amazing, We were shocked on how cheap it was for all of our food and drinks. Must Go...

We were a group of 4 we all had different meals and enjoyed the food very much unfortunately can’t say the same about the staff they we’re very miserable didn’t smile or speak just plonked your food down and walked away. We felt like the...

Poor reception on arrival having booked would have expected to be shown tko a table instead of a wave of a hand and sit where you like steak i ordered was minute for the price older staff made you feel like you where in the...

Authentic Italian food. Good service . Good value. We all enjoyed are meals.Very full so recommend booking.

Lovely early evening meal with my sisters and nephew. We hadn’t booked but were lucky enough to get a table - so pleased, as this is probably my favourite restaurant in town. The staff couldn’t have been nicer. One of our group is a wheelchair...

As always Excellent Food very tasty and plentifull served by lovely attentive staff in nice surroundings i would recommend booking as it is always very busy

The restaurant was very busy, the service as excellent and the food absolutely delicious. Would recommend a visit if your visiting Liverpool.

Visited here in September with friends and decided to return with my husband for his birthday. It was amazing. The restaurant was so busy but this didn't affect the service or the quality of the food. We both really enjoyed our meals and will definitely...

17 of us on 23rd December and not one complaint! All enjoyed every mouthful of food! All served expertly and with great friendly service. Wide variety of foods ordered and cooked to perfection. Kids enjoyed their meals and made to feel special. Villa Romana is...

We went out as a family for a evening meal, party of 9. The waiter was initially surly but then mellowed. The food and atmosphere was good.

We visited here in the run up to Christmas as a stay in liverpool with a pre booked time. We did arrive early and despite a really busy restaurant they managed to get us seated earlier than our time. Drinks are a very reasonable price....

Haven’t been to Villa Romana for a number of years but after yesterday’s visit, won’t bother ever again especially when there are so many other, better restaurants in Liverpool. The problem wasn’t the food, it was the older staff. They were rude, made you feel...

A group of 6 of us met for a Christmas get together yesterday. The food was nice and the young staff were lovely. Although the restaurant itself is welcoming, the senior/older staff weren't (no agism here, we're all in our 60s) - we didn't feel...

Worth 10 * if I could give ❤️ We found this beautiful restaurant quite by chance and think we were very fortunate that they could accommodate us as a walk in . Very busy Thursday evening but we were seated quickly next to the gorgeous...

The most rude waiters we have ever been served by- we stood waiting to be seated without being acknowledged, we did not think too must of this as they were busy. After standing for over 10 minutes (we booked a table) we were finally seated...

Lovely setting. Food was amazing. Very good service. Managed really well to cope as it was busy. Best pizza I have tasted.

I visit fairly regularly, and enjoyed this visit as usual. Service was good despite the restaurant being very busy, food was excellent. Only minor gripe, we had to ask if they had a lunchtime special menu (they have in the past but there was no...

After we had dinner at this restaurant, I felt obliged to write a review about our experience. We were so impressed with food. Our starters and mains were top quality in every way. Portion size, presentation and most importantly taste. The staff were extremely helpful...

I’ve visited this place twice and I can honestly say it’s the best restaurant I’ve dined at. Food is exceptional and the quantity is good. They’ve got a wide range to choose from and there’s something for everyone. Please visit. You won’t leave disappointed.

We were visiting Liverpool today with a group of supporters of The Kirkwood, a hospice in Huddersfield. I had booked a table for six people for 3 o’clock. My husband and I arrived 30 minutes early as we had finished our shopping and the temperature...

Dined here on a Saturday evening in Nov, its popularity means that booking would be recommended, its popularity due to the excellent authentic menu and wonderful helpful staff, I personally had a mushroom tagliatelle which they were happy to add chicken to, it was a...

Wonderful restaurant in centre of Liverpool. Great food, nice atmosphere and very friendly staff. Would recommend for families.

Ate here recently as a group of five. The restaurant is so pretty and very authentic. Staff are really friendly and efficient, service was quick. The food was fabulous we all really enjoyed our meals. I would highly recommend this Italian and I will definitely...

The food was amazing and very authentic Italian. The service was great and restaurant beautiful inside. Great find and would definitely visit again.

Italian Food a hidden gem down the back street of Liverpools hussle and bussle. Tasty food, service was a little slow for early evening, 6.30pm. Portions good, highly recommend the Fungi Trifolati and Calzone it was packed with meat. Not sure about the desert trolley...

Another one of TA’s trusted reviewers recommendations. We hadn’t booked however they managed to fit us in, it was really busy early on so I would really recommend booking. The food was excellent, a varied menu with loads of choice for all pallets, our pasta...

I have visited Villa Romana 3 times in as many months & each time I have felt very rushed. We didn’t even get to finish our starters this time before the waiter was stood at the table with the mains. I was just about to...

A wonderful meal. Chose this restaurant because of the reviews. Everything from the welcome to the wine and the wonderful food. Made the evening special. Highly recommend this restaurant and all that goes with it.