The best restaurants serving Italian food in East of England

My wife and I decided to give Luigi's a try last night and I must say, we were extremely impressed with the food. A basic bread and oil appetizer to start with homemade bread was a great indicator that this restaurant does not simply order in the basics. Simple, yet very well done. For the main, I opted for the carbonara. This dish is the standard I judge Italian restaurants by, an extremely simple dish that when done well, is outstanding. When done poorly, it summarises all you need to know about where you're eating. Luigi's provided the best carbonara I've had in years! The homemade pasta was served al dente and the sauce was made to perfection. Glossy, creamy with an optimal salt content provided by the protein finished with a healthy helping of pecorino established this dish as an instant win. My wife chose a stone baked pizza with mushrooms and olives and vegan cheese. The dough, again, was perfection, the sauce and cheese blend couldn't have been better and the crust was soft and light yet had the perfect crisp outer layer. My only criticism would be that maybe the center of the pizza could use a little more structure as it was quite limp but that's a completely personal preference. The restaurant itself is very small and personal, the decor is reminiscent of classic Italian eateries with the red and white table layouts, old tins and trinkets surrounding the walls with a tasteful throwback to the old country. I would suggest maybe Italian music and lower light levels as my one criticism was the radio was playing upbeat almost club like music and that really did take away from the ambience that could've made this experience a solid ten. If you love Italian food, Luigi's is a must. The carbonara truly made me remember why this cuisine is my favourite and the wonderful staff made this restaurant feel like I was in a friend's home. Luigi's Al Fresco, you will see me again. And again. And again.

This is a little gem of an Italian restaurant. I cannot speak highly enough about the amazing food & superb service. Would definitely recommend it as the atmosphere is perfect for couples or groups.

Service slow as only one member of staff serving and it was very busy. One meal, too salty. Another meal, salmon, over cooked and dry. Other meal, to be fair was very good. To be fair this is the first disappointing meal we have had here over many other good visits.

Great vibe, quality good. Recommend it.

(Traducido por Google) Camarero muy amable y servicial ya que este lugar estaba ocupado desde 615 en. Sin pretensiones, pero totalmente fácil, descansa en robusto italiano y no es nada caro. Perfecto para entre semana (Original) Very friendly and accommodating waiter as this place was busy from 615 on. Unpretentious but totally fine easy drop in robust Italian and not at all expensive. Perfect for midweek

Went for our 2 year anniversary dinner and had a lovely time. The service is exceptional, you can tell the staff are very attentive and make sure everyone is happy and comfortable. The food was good, tasteful and filling. My husband loved his calzone. I had the calamari and seafood risotto and it was nice, I enjoyed it. The calamari was a bit chewy but I loved the sauce/dressing that came on the plate. Overall, it's a cozy place to have a nice dinner for a special occasion or just an evening out.

What a super place this is. Great atmosphere and excellent service along with tasty appetisers and delicious main meals. The gamberi starter and the seafood linguini were so good I didn’t leave a morsel. Definitely recommend and will be back in January 2025.

Managed to get us a table for 5 so busy! We had a great time and the food was lovely with a good kids menu and colouring in for our little one.

Little gem in billericay large parking area great food at reasonable price if you live nearby avoid busy high street and try this italian restaurant 😀 staff very polite and attentive

The pizza is truly exceptional, crafted by hand to order. It should undoubtedly be considered the top choice for pizza in Ipswich. Additionally, the staff are incredibly friendly, making the overall dining experience even more enjoyable. I highly recommend this place.

Realmente no sé por qué, pero la masa de pizza se ha cambiado, ya sea eso o no mezclado como de costumbre, ya que ha estado tan seco e insípido en los últimos dos pedidos. Fue como cartón en nuestro último pedido, tan decepcionante como que los ingredientes siguen siendo generosos y sabrosos, pero no puedo comer la masa como está ahora. Espero que lo cambien de nuevo a la receta original.

Had a lovely meal for my birthday

We have been here before and thought it was great. However, this time we got there to find the restaurant was shut? We had pre-booked our table via their website?? Google said open. Their website opening hours said open. Completely threw us and wasted our time walking there. No signs saying it was shut or anything lights completely off, no one inside and couldn't open the door. This was on 19/07/2024.

This was the craziest and most entertaining afternoon. Prosecco, beer bottomless lunch. Great food and service, followed by DJ set right up there....... All time great experiences

Probably the worst pizza I have ever ordered. Dry, barely enough cheese with an overwhelming amount of tomato sauce. How can you burn a cheese pizza? Lmao chewing this cardboard was a nightmare. The cardboard it came in was thicker than the actual pizza.