I have to admit I do rather like it here. I was super confused the first time I came here and found it hard to understand the staff's thickly laid Italian accents. Fortunately I ended up with an absolutely delicious pasta dish. After a few visits I noticed the signs above them staff. Take your time before you head to the counter so you know what you think you are ordering. Aye OK it comes in a cardboard box but this is the fast food Italian so you can whip it away with you if you're in a hurry. There's also an outside kiosk window for even more quickness. I like to sit in, although it's not the comfiest seats the stools do the job and there's various adapters and power points for you to charge your phone. Once you get the hang of it you can get some really tasty Italian dishes here. I love the pasta best. I love it so much I tried to replicate it at home. It was well... interesting and just proved how good Via Italia is. I have also signed up for the Swipii loyalty card, I've still to reap the benefits but look forward to it and also in my other favourite Swipii places. It's definitely worth popping in and trying, it's quick, fresh and handy with it being right next to Glasgow Central Station. Maybe too handy. Hehe!! PASTA!!!!!! Yum! read more

Via Italia - Tasty tasty pasta!!! - Italian Near Me - City Centre, GLG

Not my cup of tea in terms of food, too much of a "fast food" for me - but i often pop in for a coffee (their espresso is one of the best in Glasgow) or a wee slice of cake. They also have ice cream (Porrelli). Their location is ideal and right next to Central Station, so it is always packed, especially during the weeking. They have few tables outside, and that's where my boyfriend and I had a wee break yesterday, enjoying the sun. I had a coffee frappe and he had a peach granita and a slice of caramel cheesecake - delicious, didn't expect it! read more

Via Italia - Coffee Frappe, Peach Granita and Caramel Cheesecake - Italian Near Me - City Centre, GLG

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A fast and furious pace but my goodness the food was amazing. I had the calzone which was simply delicious - spicy sausage my favourite - I've never been to Italy but sitting here is how I imagine it to be! Then to finish a lovely cannoli (or 2). Italian music in the background - good times. Staff helpful and the place spotless. I'll definitely return. read more

Via Italia - Italian Near Me - City Centre, GLG

I've passed this place loads and never thought about going in. This time I did and I'm glad. I had a pizza slice. That was nothing special that had mushrooms. I also had Arancini, 3 different kinds. Although the Arancini is not made The authentic way, as filling should be at the centre, I forgave that, as it tasted great. I think next time, I'll skip the pizza and just Get Arancini. Means little oranges just to share my Italian food knowledge. This is worth my visit again. I'm sorry. I can't fault this place. Looks great inside too:) read more

Via Italia - Yummy - Italian Near Me - City Centre, GLG

I finally got round to trying out Via Italia for lunch. I've been passing it by day after day for the past week, eyeing up the staff and clientele. I tend to do this with anything new so if you see me floating around a new store in town, come over and reassure me that it'll all be okay... Anyway...as this joint is the latest establishment to bolt the hipster-ish 'street food' label on its front door, the place was packed (with young office types - me included) from the door right round to the till. They operate a Subway style serving system where you can choose between a piata (tortilla wrap), spaghetti bowl or salad bowl. i went for the pasta and was then shuffled on to the guy doing the fillings, of which there was a good choice. "Italian style salt beef for me, please." I was then shunted along to the extras so I chose some black olives, red onion and shredded carrot, which all proved fairly bland and pointless. Oh and I had the not-so-fiery arrabiata sauce. Why label something as 'hot' when it doesn't at the very least make your nose run!? I wasn't offered a side so had to shout across to the wee guy that I'd take a pizza slice too. it looked delicious but by the time it had come out of the oven was a bit soggy. All in the pasta was okay, the beef was nice enough if too little portion-wise and the pizza slice was a disappointment. I grabbed a can of that Italian style fizzy lemonade too as it was the only juice they had to offer. This is Scotland people. Irn-Bru should be a mandatory stock item! Pizza, pasta and juice.........£10.40. I find that a bit steep for 'street food'. On the design of the place; it is pleasant, very deli-esque on first glance and it has benches to sit at, which I reckon would probably be nice if it wasn't so stowed. I've decided I'm really not a fan of the conveyor belt style like this place and Subway so it's unlikely I'll be back. I think I'd rather go someplace like La Laterna and enjoy genuine Italian food. read more

Ah Via Italia! I really struggled whether I should give this place a 2 or 3 rating. Since I want to review the whole place/price/food I decided on a 2, and here's why. I pass by this place EVERY SINGLE DAY on my way to work and it smells like a little piece of heaven - the smell of garlic, basil and tomatoes is amazing and when you smell it on an empty stomach it's difficult to walk away - with that said it still took me a while to finally go in. The reason I did go in is because they were handing out menus on Saturday and I read through it, it sounded nice and I went on Monday for lunch. I walked in and there was a small queue but I don't mind waiting if I'm not too hungry - as I had seen the menu before I knew what I wanted yet when I asked for it the woman seemed confused. THIS IS WHERE IT GOT A BIT ANNOYING! I told my order to the woman who was warming up the wrap (piada) and she was confused, I then had to repeat my order to the guy who was putting the spaghetti on my wrap (yes carbs wit carbs) then I told ANOTHER person that I wanted veggies (opted for veggie as I was a bit skint and it was the cheaper option). Then the woman was serving me again only briefly then for me to have to tell ANOTHER guy what I wanted (sun dried tomatoes, mushrooms, cheese etc). There were so many options though I took a minute and he seemed annoyed. Then when I was finished they heated it up (which I didn't know was going to happen) so I was a bit confused as I waited. There was no friendly banter or smiles and at one point the manager was having a heated conversation with the staff (um, hello awkward). On to the food. It was lovely! A bit unusual (I mean, it is spaghetti in a wrap) but the flavours were all really nice. I had the veggie piada and next time I think I'll try it with chicken to see what it's like. Food - good but different, can't see me eating it regularly Atmosphere - the place looks nice and the decor is lovely but it's a bit confusing when ordering. Toilet - didn't need a wee so dunno. read more

Hmmm a tortilla filled with spaghetti, well here goes nothing. I came here one dark and dreary night, more so to get out the rain that anything else, although the thought of Italian street food in Glasgow made me happy. I had a pulled pork piada, which is essentially a tortilla filled with spaghetti (so it's Italian of course) after you pick you protein it reverts to the same type of options as Subway or Pinto and you pick what you want to fill your Mexican-Italian lovechild . The selection was good though and there were lots of cool ingredients like sun blushed tomato along with mozzarella etc, so that part seemed pretty true to its Italian roots. My piada consisted of pulled pork along with peppers, onions, mozzarella and sun blushed tomatoes. I also had two different sauces, hot melted parmesan and cold was something tomato based, two sauces is apparently standard as you have the option to pick a hot and cold one. Given the fact you're having pasta in a tortilla it didn't feel overly sauce, nor was it to dry so despite my initially misgiving they seemed to have it right. I sat in to eat it and grudged paying 20p more for my can of san pelangrino (sic) although I did get a plastic cup with ice which made it infinitely more civilised. All in all all it was nice, but at over 7 quid when all I really wanted was a snack it was a bit steep. I would go back and I think it is worth a go if you haven't been, but personally I wouldn't rush back. read more

Was a bit disappointed with Via Italia. The idea behind it is similar to places such as Pinto or Subway, they build your dish up as you work your way along the counter and by the time you get to the till, there's your food. However, due to the cramped layout, I found the queuing system counter-intuitive and judging by the other people who were jumping in and out of the 'queue' at various points, I wasn't the only one. Food itself was good, hot and pretty tasty but definitely overpriced. I'd maybe try again when it wasn't a Saturday afternoon but there are better places to eat in central Glasgow. read more

I actually liked this place when it opened up and became a fairly regular customer. Yes the pasta and sauce is quickly heated in a science oven and its an unconventional approach but for a while for me it was o.k. For me it serviced a need, I wanted takeaway food for a long train journey that I could eat at an easy pace unlike burgers that get cold. Food was simple but effective however they know the market and the price reflects this rather expensive for what it is. I used to enjoy a salt beef with hot sauce and some arancini balls. This would always last the long trip to London. It was good not delicious but good. All of this sounds positive so far doesn't it. Well I have to say most things are on an average until you get to the service. The service was never good the usual hap hazard approach to compiling the dish mean't I had to check I got the right thing every time as often they would mix up the dishes. Particularly annoying when I opened the box on the train and had completely the wrong dish. The final nail for me was when I received what can only be considered appalling customer service from the manager. I placed an order for two dish special offer only to have the order rung through at full price in my haste I had entered my pin before I noticed. Anyway upon checking my receipt I had been charged for full price dishes I brought this up and questioned the offer clearly on display on the menu and on the wall. I was told that I needed to specify that it was the offer I wanted beforehand. Drum roll I will get the manager for you ... The Manager was nothing more than completely arrogant and placed all the blame for the mix up on myself. I did admit that i hadn't checked the total properly before putting in my pin but stated that I would expect offers like this to be either automated or highlighted at the til. After much humming and hawing he offered me a couple of free deserts which I was not keen on so I said i would rather have the money. Much to his annoyance I waited until eventually he gave me the difference back. Luckily for me this was my last trip to there and I won't go again. Unfortunately I have had friends also experience similar unprofessional service from what appears to be the manager of this place. If you can put up with the average pasta it may be o.k. for you as long as you are prepared for the pitfalls state exactly what there offers are to them and don't expect a great service. read more

I popped in here after a Yelp event when I was craving a late night dinner. The piadas looked interesting (a wrap with pasta, meat, cheese & toppings!) and so I opted for 2 of those to take home to my other half. The chicken one was delicious! Very similar to eating a spaghetti carbonara with tasty bacon, garlic croutons & rocket. We also tried the Salsiccia and it was quite spicy but full of flavour. The pepperoni mayo was brilliant however had to discard the jalapeños due to the spice! Overall, I would say this is a great alternative to a late night trip to the chippy! However... It is 3 stars out of 5 due to price- slightly expensive for what you get. read more

I used to love Via Italia and would pop in for lunch regularly, but I can't help feeling like their standards have slipped. Portions are really well sized and the quality of food is typically high however on my more recent visits I've found some small issues that are letting me down. It's tiny things really, like soft croutons, slightly overcooked pasta and not so crispy chicken that have been the issues for me. My typical order is a pasta box with crispy chicken, pomodoro sauce, mozzarella, cucumber, croutons and green pesto which is more than enough for a quick lunch. Really good concept and I do visit regularly, just needs a bit of polishing! read more

Visited here for lunch yesterday having heard about the pasta burrito wrap, also known as a paneada. Also known as carb loading that oddly works. The concept of the wrap, is choose your pasta, sauce, protein, vegetables and dressing. I had a crispy chicken with penne and goats cheese and spinach and tomato with arabiatta sauce and green pesto. It shouldn't have worked but it really really did. Eating it neatly was slightly difficult. A bit pricey at £6 for a wrap but it filed me up all day and was a nice change from salad. The coffee is apparently quite good according to people in my office! read more

I'm with some of the other reviewers here - I was super confused when I popped into Via Italia for a quick bite of lunch after an interview. Luckily, it was post lunch time - I'd probably had avoided if I had gone in earlier. Glad I didn't! It took a little while to confirm that the Piada wasn't made with lard (a visit to an Edinburgh contemporary proved fruitless due to my vegetarian sensibilities); and I made my selection (roasted vegetables, salad, dressing) and to my surprise, toasted in the oven so it was warm when handed over (warm salad? Whatever next!). The result was a monumental Italian burrito/wrap aka piada full of veggie goodness that I dug into on my train home to Edinburgh, washed down with a peach iced tea (can't forget the tea, that was absolutely delicious). Kinda glad I don't work in Glasgow, else I'd probably have to move in here. read more

I don't care if it's authentic, it's delcious! Yes, the menu is a bit confusing and yes it is slightly on the expensive side but if you battle the menu in the right way it is worth every penny. Personally I would ignore the menu and go with what your heart wants. Today I opted for the salt beef with the tomato sauce, spaghetti, goats cheese and mushrooms. It was yummy and of my own delicious invention. My best advice is treat this like a posh Italian subway and invent your own piada. The bonus is that it is open late and can be your drunken snack home instead of the Greggs across the street. (Also I would have included pictures but at the end of the day hunger won ) read more

I've always had a bit of an issue with Italian themed eateries, the price of a bowl of pasta in many of these places boggles my mind whilst most of the things on the menu I can make a decent fist of myself in the kitchen. That said I needed somewhere to eat after a few jars that was on my walk back to Central so it seemed like a good time to try something new. I wasn't really sure what was expecting when I walked in. I go by it everyday on my walk home from work and it always looks fairly lively.In essence it's a bit like Subway in that you pick a carb and a protein and then pile on the veg. After a bit of confusion about how I was meant to order I plumped for a Sweet Chilli King Prawns with Fusilli and Arrabiata Sauce. The portion was generous however I was more than a little taken aback at my £7 bill. Seven quid for blinkin' fast food pasta! It really serves me right for not having done a big shop yet but come on...Anyway price aside I found it very tasty as I sat at my table doing a bit of people watching. The pasta was cooked well, the sauce had enough of a kick to it and the prawns tasted of prawns (an achievement not to be sniffed at). I'd also recommend getting the peppers as one of your veggie options they were pretty good. Overall a really tasty and generously portioned pasta dish. However my mental issues with pasta pricing mean I can't give it five stars. Sorry, not sorry. read more

In short, I like this place! I also like the idea of wrapping spaghetti in piadas!! Saves you the fuss of using cutlery lol Some lunchtimes I tend to not to have much and don't really want to go to a restaurant sitting there waiting to be served as it always takes at least an hour. For a quick yet nice lunch I frequently opt to come here. They only have three basic sauces for all the pastas. Parmesan Bolognese and arrabbiata. You can pick up to four sides from roughly 15-20 options. Simple but enough to satisfy your Italian craving. However, it's a bit overpriced to me as burritos from pinto are cheaper. read more

I have only been here for coffee (£1 before 11am!) and it is amazing. Real Italian coffee - mmm. I have yet to try their food but will do for sure and would highly recommend them for a coffee and sweet (bit like baklava). Staff are friendly and helpful and nothing is too much bother. There are phone charging stations on the wall as well. I'll be back before long to try their food for sure. read more

I've been coming here since they opened. In that time, I've seen the layout change, and the standards drop. The quality of the food, like other reviews, is always outstanding. The seating arrangements work. It's not perfect, however it is a small food shop that bills itself as selling Italian Street Food, so I really shouldn't be complaining. My main issue is over the last while, the once impeccable standards have dropped. The staff, no matter if it's busy or quiet, just rush you through your order now. I usually order a Piada with a variety of toppings. I've lost count he number of times it has t been wrapped correctly so the bottom falls out. I've even changed my order to make sure it's not he sauce that's causing the issues. The fillings, although placed in a quick oven, seem to be always cold, and on a few occasions I've had some wraps that have been significantly harder than the norm. I just hope it's one offs and they're not leaving them out overnight. The staff are always friendly, however as mentioned they seem to rush you through. The skills at making Piada's properly appear to have fallen. I hope someone reads this and attempts to fix the (admittedly small) issues. read more

Simplistic concept to Chipotle--where you have a choice of salad or pasta as a base and then add a meat (vegetarian options available) and then up to 4 toppings. It's your basic Italian food for on the go. I was craving Italian food in a city full of sausage so this place really hit the stop after a while of looking for Italian food. Wasn't fancy at all and prices were reasonable. Would definitely go again! read more

So with this being new I thought yeah im up for trying this. Went in the morning and unfortunately there were no piadas yet. Back at lunchtime and got served. The locale is very convenient and the interior decor is reminiscent of italian buildings and such, very nice. I spotted a novel idea while I waited in the queue, a free phone and tablet service. Great idea! I have rated this a 3 as its my first visit and only their second day open, food is great but saw some problems. Firstly the menu gives you all your options of what to have and what toppings, extras and sides you have and gives you a price, but doesnt specify if you want more toppings and such if it is any extra. Secondly as much as they had like 6 or 7 people behind the serving stationsit still took a long time to be served, almost 25 minutes, (new job, new shop and the possibility of it being overbusy taken into consideration), as people were generally doing one job such as cooking the wraps, making the pasta, adding veg or toppings a'la subway. Now this is all fine and dandy but when there is so much choice and lets say the veg station has nothing to do they just stand there staring around the place. Also one or two had some trouble with the speed or the accent too which i can only imagine will get better with time and exposure to the weegie slang. Food however is very nice, tasty and as it should be, succulent chicken, tasty wrap, good selection of menu items and also the choice of making one yourself could lead to some interesting combinations. I had the wrap (piezo sp?) with ckicken, crunchy bacon and some rocket and mozza cheese! Must say it was immense but slightly on the small side for 4.95. The ingredients are a major selling point to this as its all very fresh looking and the smell hits you from across the road. To tie up its a very interesting place with some good ideas, its a 3 almost a four on my first visit and if they sort our the problems im sure they could well be on the way to a long lasting relationship with the Glasgow punter, very nice indeed! read more

I have been here enough times to try 99.9% of what I want to try in this place and I feel conflicted by the rating I have given. If I had written this review after my first visit 2 years ago I would have easily have given it a 4/5 out of 5. Blind sighted by the fact it smells brilliant when you walk past it every time and I am a sucker for italian food. So after putting one foot in front of the other in rhythmical fashion, I believe its called walking, I made it to this Italian fast food made easy establishment....or so we are led to believe. Food: The salted beef is my personal favourite but as I have drooled over their sneeze card many a time I have been so conflicted as to what to get with what at times Ive just asked for it all! I describe the meals as Italian burritos or Piadas as they are referred to. It is a wrap with pasta, choice of sauce (carbonara, arribiatta or pomodora which is your standard tomato sauce with any italian meal), fillings and then oven toasted. Fillings from pancetta, crutons to fresh basil or mozzarella the food itself is really good. The cannolis are brilliant! Nice and big and filled with team and topped of with chocolate *drools on keyboard*........anyway...If this review was just about the food then as stated it would be a 4/5 out of 5 but I have had the luxury of attending this place over the course of a few years. Price wise in short, just a little too expensive for what it is considering I could go to taco mozama for a burrito and a beer for less than this place. I must have been blind to the price because of my love for Italian food. Staff: One or two of the staff seem to be shit hot and know what they are doing behind the counter while the rest vary from time to time. It varies from looks of "would you just hurry up and pick something" to "I have no idea what you just said so I am just going to stare at you as if it is your fault". Maybe I am being a bit to harsh, however, at times there has been heated arguments between two of the Italian staff, usually a manager looking type and employee, in full view of customers. So my leaving thoughts.....mmmmmmmmmm cannolis......erm......It is a very tasty food stop en route home or just before a drinks night out but the price for what you are paying for gets old really fast. read more

Dont listen to the negative reviews before this.. I love this place. Friendly Italian staff and quick service. Love their Piadas. There are lots of fresh ingredient choices to custom make the Piada you want so cant go wrong. They toast it for a minute at the end so its the right temperature when you eat it. My favourite lunch when working and akways what we crave when hungry. The price reflects the size, amount and freshness of ingredients. You also get a free Piada with every 11th piada purchase when you use the loyalty system which is great. Glasgow needs more places like this rather than prepacked sandwiches etc that are on offer everywhere. Well done Via Italia! Aimee read more

UPDATE I gave this place another chance recently, hoping they'd learned from their lost customers. Had two very different experiences, outlined below. 1. On Sunday night, went in and ordered a "Piada" (a wrap) and it was possibly the best thing I've ever eaten from there. Plenty of sauce just like they used to offer when they first opened and I'm sure there was even a little extra toppings (mainly cheese). Practically inhaled it! If it wasn't for the prices still being out of control, I'd have went straight back for another one! 2. Earlier tonight, excited after my experience on Sunday, I went back again and ordered the exact same item. Total disappointment! Back to the more recent 'skimpy' approach - dry and starchy, difficult to eat and barely any flavour due to lack of sauce. The chicken was dry, pasty and overbooked. I can't see me going back anytime soon, for definite this time. On both nights, there seemed to be different managers in, maybe this is why the quality was different? Best case scenario is they're just plain inconsistent, which is bad in itself. ORIGINAL REVIEW (still applies) This used to be a welcome addition to the city centre, in some ways. It still is but as the prices increase, the quality of the food and choice of selection decrease. They've even reduced the a amount of sauce and charge £1 for a drop more, as a result the food is extremely dry and (particularly the "piadas") difficult to eat. More than once I've almost choked on bits of uncooked (dry/packet) pasta. Their new tables are pretty uncomfortable, due to the oversized bases being in the way of feet. Their wifi also doesn't work. They're basically just phoning it in now... read more

Via Italia is just over the road from work so I've popped in a few times for a munch. The first time was a little confusing as to how the ordering process worked but after the first time it's a breeze. I love the the piada/wrap and spicy sausage, add some arrabbiata sauce and abit of cheese and it's perfecto! It's reasonably priced given that these days just a McDonalds or Burger King costs £5+. Will defo be making regular visits for lunch and trying the other options in the menu. Go on give it a try! read more

Italian fast food concept - you pick your type of pasta, sauce, veg/type of meat, and your toppings from a selection, which is then heated. I had the mediterranean veg arrabiata pasta to take away and wasn't very impressed with it, bland and disappointing, though the arancini was nice. Plus points are that it's convenient for Central Station, seating is available if you don't want to eat on the go, and it's open late, but there are other places nearby I'd rather go to for much better food and service at similar cost. read more

The food was cold when i eventually got it, toppings not what i wanted but let it go anyway as the girl was not very good at english and i didn't want to embarass her. The man in charge was very rude to the staff working and made me a little uneasy, i caught him calling the guy making coffees useless which was a little innapropriate. All the staff seem very scared and withdrawn which is not what i would like to see at all! I wouldn't say the place is a disaster but i don't think i will be visiting again anytime soon. read more

The decor is good, the place looks very nice. my main concern is the way the staff are treated by a very angry boss they seem terrified by him i heard him shouting at them from the back room making comments on what they are doing, they seem so uneasy and worried about their jobs it is so noticeable, he is so arrogant. It was the owner that served me i said nice place are you just open, he said yes what do you want not in a very nice tone i told him then asked if he was the owner he said yes and he does not have time for conversation he is so busy. The way he said it was shocking, so for all these reasons i won't be back EVER. Don't want to give my money to someone who is so nasty to customers and staff and that only cares obviously about lining pockets and nothing else. read more