Great place: nice atmosphere, fantastic food and very friendly staff!…read more The visit started with friendly waiter showing us to our table. The menu is quite extensive, and on top of that you have dishes of the day. The staff were also very happy to advise us on the choice when we weren't sure and to explain differences. Portions were quite generous, and the food itself so yummy! Whatever I couldn't finished I took away with me in a box to have a treat for lunch the next day. I would definitely like to come back one day!

TL;DR - Truly authentic Neapolitan pizza, without the queues…read more When did Manchester become the place for some of the best pizza of your life? I've no idea, but I'm not complaining. We called into Noi Quattro for lunch after a friend recommended it, and found the place completely deserted. I've no idea why it was so quiet, but it is tucked a little out of the way and I suspect the nearby Mackie Mayor swallows up a lot of passing trade. The venue is large and modern, very nicely decorated. We were seated in the window which gave us a great view. The menu had a good variety of pizzas on it (several of which catered to vegans) and there were a couple of specials up on the board... I went for a mushroom pizza, Sparky went for an anchovy and olive one. Both were really delicious and we washed them down with a couple of beers. Pizzas here are truly authentically neapolitan - let's be honest, most people will compare these pizzas with those offered by Rudy's, and they are easily on the same level. I gave Rudy's 5 stars, and I'm giving Noi Quattro 5 stars too. The pizzas are really delicious and I really don't understand why people weren't queueing out of the door here like they do at Rudy's.

We ordered chips, three pizzas (margarita with olives, spicy salami one and the one with the…read moreaubergine and peppers) and a couple of drinks each. The pizzas were all well cooked and full of flavour. I particularly liked the base. The waiter was especially lovely to our 3 year old kid and went out of his way to talk to him about what he'd been up to today. The place was bright and airy and it had a good feel to it. There was one table with four swings around it. There's plenty of regular seating too. I'd definitely come again for a pizza fix.

A nice neighborhood spot for a solid wood fired pizza! We visited at lunch and were seated…read moreimmediately.

I was FINALLY able to try Rudy's, even though the universe seemed to be against me the whole time…read morebut I finally got in. I've wanted to try this place for some time now, and every time I see people in Manchester asking about the best pizza places, Rudy's is always peoples number one choice. I made a point to want to go there on this visit, so I did everything I needed to do in the city, and then headed over for when it opened so I knew I would be able to get a table. A few people went in before me and the staff member was talking to people a little bit so I had a feeling something was wrong. When I got to the them, it turns out the pizza oven wasn't turning on so there would have been a minimum of 30 minute delay, I could be seated but they couldn't do any orders until the people in had sorted out the problem. I decided to go off and do something else (there's an amazing coffee shop around the corner so I went there for a bit) and then return when, hopefully, it was all fixed. I was gone around 40-45 minutes and when I walked down the street, alongside the extractor vents, I could smell pizza so knew it was all working. When I got in, there was a lot more people inside so it must have been fixed pretty quick and people were going for food. I got seated at the bar area, which was actually where a group of chefs were making the pizzas. I was in front of the one shaping the dough into the pizza shape. I felt a bit awkward looking at them so did it a bit slyly out the corner of my eye. They weren't looking at me so maybe it was as uncomfortable for them as me ... or maybe its just me being an awkward person at a new place. Looking at the menu there was a lot of choice. All of it seemed authentic Neapolitan pizza which Ive never had before so it was new to me. The menu was extensive and I decided to go for good old fashioned basic. HOWEVER, it turns out I ordered even more basic as I got the marinara rather than the margarita ... I did order that but didn't realise the marinara was without cheese. SO that was a shock at first but MY GOD it was delicious. Perfectly cooked and I could see them cooking it, perfect amount of garlic shavings and basil and the sauce and base was to die for. I can see why people say its the best, and there was a number of delivery or to take out orders as a staff member was constantly going out with piles of boxes. On the table where I was there was a tomato tin filled with the cutlery and napkins and a giant pizza cutter which I thought was pretty cool, so I was able to slice my own pizza into whatever sized pieces I wanted. Obviously I ate it how it should be eaten (in my opinion)... into slices and picked up and folded and it was great. I also got a jug of water before my order was taken which I love, and went for a simple blood orange san Pellegrino which came with ice and an orange slice. The pizza was around 9 inch I think ... a good size either way and all in all it only came to £10 which was a bargain. I will, for sure, return and maybe get some cheese on it this time ... and maybe mushrooms as the fungi pizza looked amazing (the guy who sat next to me ordered that) and when I can finally move up to Manchester, I shall order from there more often.

Located in Manchester's city centre on Clarence Street, just off Princess Street and close to St…read moreAnne's Square, Croma is an "independent gourmet pizzeria", with a few branches around Greater Manchester, with this being their only city centre location. Having been impressed by their Prestwich branch, where I most recently awarded it a three-star rating (previously a four!), I decided to try this out after stumbling across Croma on UberEATS. Originally the app didn't allow me to specify gluten free - this is something which needs addressing however after a quick call with the store, the manager seemed friendly to assist and make sure my order was gluten-free and I could still get my food. The restaurant its self is an impressive old building, it is up a couple of steps to get in - which could be a problem for some. I ordered a Gluten Free Americana pizza, the pizza its-self was quite good quality, the passata was a little runny at times but overall the pizza was a decent pizza, especially for gluten-free, much beating most other takeaways I could have had including Domino. The overall prize was good too for delivery, my pizza came delivered the short half a mile journey to the Hilton Manchester Deansgate for £11, the delivery free was set by UberEATS and cost around £2.50 in that total. The pricing for eating in, however, is pretty much average, with it being a small restaurant they lack the offers which bigger chains do, meaning it could work out slightly more expensive than rivals, including (but not limited to) Bella, Pizza Express and Zizzi. The menu selection is pretty good too, if you like pizzas but maybe not so much for everything else. is this somewhere I'd order from or visit again? Yes, and it does definitely warrant a solid three-star rating, issues with pricing when dining inside, selection other than pizza including starters and sides, and the access issues mean I sadly don't feel I can go any higher than a score which would match Croma's other branch I've visited in Pretswich, of three-stars.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE the food here. I have become a regular customer now. Wish I had found it…read moresooner as I now live in Birmingham so I'll be missing it when I go back to uni. But I love it really authentic and quirky.

Salvi's Mozzarella Bar is an independent, family run Italian in Manchester. It is located in the…read moreCorn Exchange and can be accessed through the entrance with steps outside, or by being escorted through the basement by security if you require a lift, which is the case for the majority of the restaurants in the Corn Exchange which have a basement other than Pizza Express. Manchester as a city, one of the main and major cities of the UK is dominated by chain Italian restaurants who have multiple branches to each of their names, so Salvi's is a refreshing change and although the pricing is slightly higher as you'd expect from an independent (they have two branches in the city) with a lack of offers you'd normally receive from the major chains, one could say it is justified due to higher quality food and service than the average Bella, Carluccio's and Prezzo etc. They do have some gluten-free options such as the risotto which I opted for, priced at £14.95 this is perhaps slightly above average but based on the quality and portion size it is justified, however, I do feel a smaller portion perhaps at a lower price would have been a good idea, or perhaps with a side dish such as some form of potatoes, as these were proper Italian sized portions which alongside the traditional Italian decor, reminded me of being back in Rome. (Large A5 menus too!) I ordered the Risotto Ai Funghi, it was seasoned perfectly with a mixture of the parts of the mushroom which made it taste fresh, with good, juicy pieces of the vegetable throughout the dish, added with the saffron it was quite enjoyable. The rice could have been slightly softer similar to other risottos I've had such as at the Radisson Blu Edwardian Hotel, in Manchester but all in all the taste, freshness and seasoning was all very good. The staff throughout did seem quite nice, there was slight confusion at first in taking my food order but this was sorted quickly, I also liked that despite being a naturally gluten-free dish they wrote gluten-free on my receipt and when sending my order to the kitchen which of course let them know so they'd cook it separately etc. It would have been cool to see a gluten-free menu or a member of staff talk to me about more gluten-free options (being able to order pizza and/or pasta would have been fantastic), but they still did a good job. I also liked how attentive the staff were in ensuring I was never out of the water, the water was presented in a premium jug which I also liked, it felt as posh as tap water could get. The spirits and booze are also priced well here if you fancy a drink at around £6 for a double mixer. Moving back on to the overall feel - a slightly dark and cool vibe, similar to what one would expect at a proper Italian restauraunt reminding me of being back in Rome also made this a much nicer place to be in than the typical chain Italians which dominate the city. Other than the food quality, I also found the takeout containers to be good quality, with the portion being so big I had to take home just under half of my risotto, it took a few minutes to come back from the kitchen but it was once again presented beautifully in a Tupperware dish and brown paper bag, this is compared to messy, dodgy cardboard boxes and bowls I'm usually given so this was a nice gesture again. I would have liked to see risotto on the menu with meat hower, with the only two I noticed being a saffron and mushroom or seafood risotto, but that isn't meant to take away from the good quality risotto I did have and enjoy on my visit. Also adding more gluten-free options such as pizzas and pasta and talking gluten-free guests through them would also be nice. The main issue I had during my meal was an issue with the grated parmesan which I normally have with my Italian food eating out, I was told it contained gluten which confused me as it is cheese which is naturally gluten-free so I'm not sure if they add something to it to give it flavour, but if they do it certainly doesn't need it and the fact they're adding gluten to cheese really makes no sense, but then again this could have been a rare mistake from the staff member. One of the few good quality Italian in Manchester city centre, not without its flaws such as those previously mentioned and the restauraunt feeling a tight squeeze (despite being large, they seemed to sit all tables next to each other - I understand why they'd do this to improve service and cleanliness but even a gap of one table between customers would have been so much more relaxing and comforting), but overall this is a great, yet not perfect place but the quality of food and service definitely deserves a four-star rating, this once again goes to show how good this place is like the lowest it has ever been rated on Yelp is numerous four-star ratings.

I very much enjoyed the sight of distressed overheated Italians joyously realising that this place…read moreis about as close to being in the piazza back home as they are going to get in Manchester. Aperol Spritz is the best in town and the food looked and smelled amazing, especially the garlic prawns. Am excited to come back to eat. Only thing is they need to get some outdoor furniture - people sitting on the high chairs from the bar in side that were lowered to a uncomfortable level weren't as relaxed as they should have been in what otherwise is a delightful slice of la dolce vita overlooking one of the smartest, if not exactly picturesque, areas of the city centre.

Definitely a good choice if you are attending a concert at Bridgewater Hall. Gio offered a prix…read morefixe menu and was quite expedient about service so concert goers can get to the show timely. Food was good, too. Overall a solid performance. We'll definitely be back.

On a wet fall Manchester day, the urge of a good charming little Italian restaurant was on the…read morelookout. Walking on Oxford street and not finding anything until I spot a little place in the corner of my eye. Seemed inviting at a distance therefore took it upon myself to give it a fair look. The closer I was getting, the more it was telling me to walk in. Standing in front of the main entrance, drenched and wet, I decide to walk in the place. First thing, the person at the reception tells me "What happened?" What he really meant to say was, "you're soaking wet". I instantly felt the warmth of the place and got emerged in the Italian family spirit of the place. Sat down at a table and the rest was history. I believe that it's a family owned business with true speaking Italian people. The food was typically Italian, good, plenty of flavors, all of what I enjoy of an Italian restaurant. The rest of the evening was history. A must place to go. Good as a single or family supper.

Lovely food, central location and quick service, what else could you possibly ask from a…read morerestaurant? I went in there for a lunch time meal, which is a great way to save costs without quality compromise. Despite the limited selection the choice was fantastic and I don't think you can go wrong. I have to mention that a charity donation has been added to our bill without asking us wether wanted it. I haven't made up my mind yet whether it's a good thing or not. As one hand if you can afford a restaurant maybe you can afford to donate a pound to charity, on the other I don't like when others decide what should I spend my money on.

Food was excellent, but overshadowed by poor service. Our appetizers were delivered but the…read moreappetizers plates were not, until we asked, and even then only kids were given plates despite there being adults. We were given a small glass of water when we were seated and they were not refilled until half way through dinner. The restaurant owner brought by a small carafe of water soon after he started making rounds, but our waiter's attention was elsewhere.

I came here to celebrate a friend's birthday. From the offset the service was highly attentive…read more Complimentary bread , olives and dipping oil were first served . I can take or leave olives but these were so moreishly flavoured. The menu consists of the usual Italian segments. Meat, fish , pizzas and pasta. The Meat and fish were really pricey so for starters I opted for a antipasti without the bread for and a seafood risotto for mains. My friends ordered a garlic bread to share and pate while I scoffed the antipasti which consisted of various parmaham, artichoke, prawn salad, cheese and chorizo. This was well presented and tasty..definitely manageable for one person! Next the risotto..again this was cooked beautifully and went well with a large glass of malbec. My friends ordered a simple carbornara which looked really rich. To finish we ended the meal with a liquere coffee. Overall this was a nice Italian..I haven't had much luck with the ones in Manchester! But yes quite pricey if you want something other than a pasta or pizza dish..and they do try charging you a optional service charge. Decor and ambiance is classic Italian with bold reds and "romantic. " I might be back after I've checked out the others .

We ended up at this restaurant completely by accident. Somebody had recommended Don Giovanni's to…read moreme, but I'd just remembered that it was at the end of Oxford Street and had an Italian sounding name (my hair isn't even that blonde), so we found ourselves in Giorgio, just across the road. The restaurant has more of an Italian feel to it than pseudo-Italian restaurants such as Felicini, and the staff were Italian too, which added to the air of authenticity. Prices are pretty standard - ranging from £6.50 for a margarita (but who orders a margarita?!) to £17.50 for the sea bass. We stuck to pizzas, which were delicious, but for the more wealthy and adventurous there is quite a varied menu including duck marinated in orange liqueur and several variations on the fillet steak. Vegetarian choices are not quite so exciting though there are still a couple of pizzas and pasta dishes to choose from. So, it's an authentic Italian restaurant with good reasonably priced fare. Why only 3 stars? Well, we were sitting not more than 20cm (I kid you not) from another table. I usually quite enjoy a good eavesdrop, but this was too close for comfort. It felt like we should've been sharing food and chatter with the couple next to us. Of course we're British and were too polite to complain as the restaurant was busy at the time, but this little predicament has encouraged me to head over to Don Giovanni's next time I'm on Oxford Street and in the mood for an Italian.

An Italian restaurant situated in the quiet back streets of Manchester's poshest shopping area…read more Staff are experienced and courteous and the menu takes its root in food from north Italy. With a delicate array that can draw in the most difficult of eaters to the more complex appreciators of grub! The place is cool and trendy with streamline service. A good wine list is provided and I'd personally highly recommend the steaks which are always perfecttt. Saturated in olive oil, lemon juice, herbs you name it, it's awesome quiet simply. Not the cheapest place to get Italian food (bella italia, down the road, gulp) but you can often justify it from the food quality alone.

Went for lunch at San Rocco. The restaurant is on a side street so slightly hidden from view. The…read morerestaurant was nicely decorated with a leather sofa seating area near the door for customers waiting to be seated. We ordered garlic bread with cheese, ribs and cod & crab fishcakes to start. All were good quality but at £7.50 for 2 fish cakes I was expecting better! Main course was pizza which was so-so. It was tough to cut, not enough cheese on it and the tomato base didn't taste as expected. Next time...I'll get a pasta dish instead :-) Dessert was the hazelnut ice cream with amoretti biscuits and the special of the day, pannacotta. Both were very nice :-) San Rocco do a 2 courses for £10.95 set menu Mon - Fri which sounds well worth it. We paid normal price so I thought it was on the expensive side. Service was pretty good on the whole. The waiters appeared to be experienced and professional and of Italian origin too which adds to the authenticity. Overall I enjoyed the food and atmosphere here, but I'd recommend going for the £10.95 set menu Mon - Fri since that's a good deal for the quality of food.

Great deal on Monday nights here (two for one pizza) and I would definitely recommend the…read moregorgonzola, parma ham and pear combo. Pizzas were cooked perhaps a hair too long and the toppings ended pretty far from the edge leaving you with quite a lot of crunchy base but overall they are a good example of authentic Italian pizzas. I'd like to come back and try one of the risottos - they had some really interesting options. Service was fine - a little slow on some things and inevitably given the size limitations of a pizza oven, not everybody's food came out at once (for a large group I'd recommend getting some snacks to share to stave off hanger). Unfortunately the restaurant became almost unbearably hot as the night wore on and it filled up - I actually had to go outside at one point (and I don't normally overheat). Hope they can figure out some way to combat that.

Amazing pizza! I took advantage of Insolito's 2-4-1 deal on a Monday night (between 5pm and 7pm)…read morewith my Italian friend, as we are on the hunt for the best pizza in Manchester. This is certainly a prime contender for that title. The menu has a spectacular selection of classic pizzas and on this occasion I opted for the Siciliana, which was tomato sauce, mozzarella, onions, salame napoli, origano, and olive chilly, with chilli flakes sprinkled all over it. The dough was a compromise between Neopolitan and Roman, but cooked well, although in an electric oven - my preference is always Roman. I love a thin and crispy crust. The pizza itself was ginormous! I thoroughly enjoyed it, and it had a great combination of fresh flavour from the mozzarella, salame and olives with the prefect level of spice. One of the things I loved about Insolito is the Italian authenticity - it is managed and staff by Italians and is really pleasant to see, and the staff are extremely friendly and provide great service. The pizzeria is situated perfectly on Mosley Street opposite the Manchester Art Gallery and near the recently re-developed St. Peter's Square. Inside, it's eloquently decorated with large floor to ceiling windows, which opens up the pizzeria.