Despite not eating pizza or pasta, Italian restaurants are my favourite kind; if it's authentic…read moreenough, there's always a great atmosphere and the promise of something tasty and, quite simply, a wonderful evening. Gusto always appealed to me, the tinted windows always inspiring a voyeuristic stare and suggesting a restricted exclusivity. I wanted in. The classic Italian food is ideal for lunch or dinner and the restaurant itself, while sophisticated and quite refined is rather laid back and tere is a very informal feel here which is appealing. There is a mix of salad dishes, appetizers and specials available. Insalata dell'Orto e del Mare or Seafood Salad went down a treat; the ingredients were so fresh and tender and only £5. divine. I was really impressed. Forgot to mention- the desserts are AMAZING; Tuscan biscuit; apple tart; pancakes; sorbets there's so much to choose from!

We're in Southport again! I just can't keep away. And yes, it's another Italian! #And I can't fight…read morethis feeeeeling anymooooore#, I'm obviously obsessed with Italian food no matter how much I protest the reverse. This place is packed to the rafters on weekends, after all it's in a prime Southport location on Lord Street where all the very nice shops are and the lovely architecturally historic buildings and the beautiful branch of Waterstones set in an old bank and whatnot. So no doubt hoards descend upon it of an evening, thus you'd be wise to book in advance if you fancy a pizza or pasta here. It's classic rustic Italian fare with a sprinkling of creativity. The salads as starters wind up being absolutely ridiculously huge, and would easily do as a main course despite being only £5.95, and the pizza here is the stuff of legends. Everyone in Southport seems to rave about it and rightly so, it's crisp, fresh and exactly as you'd expect it in Italy with lovely simple thin toppings and doesn't leave you feeling like a doughball by the end of it. There are plenty of pastas to choose from too, and the one with artichokes and truffle oil is just divine. Meanwhile if you're catching lunch there the sandwiches can be made with foccacia. Could I be any more sold? The cheese platter with pears is a glorious way to finish off the meal with a sweet and savoury combo, but if you're in the mood for something far more indulgent there's the quintessential tiramisu, chocolate crepes, pistachio ice cream, apple tart or caramelised fruits with amaretto and marscapone which I really couldn't resist - try it and see what heaven really tastes like. All in all, reasonably priced with great service and a superb wine list in a gorgeous setting. Nothing to complain about here.

As you can probably tell from the name, Salvatore's is not a bog-standard Southport chippy, or a…read morelocal kebab house. Instead it is a lovely, family-run Italian restaurant on Southport's busy Lord Street. Offering its customers a comfortable and casual dining atmosphere with lovely indoor and outdoor seating, Salvatore's is a great place to have a tasty, home cooked Italian meal whilst experiencing quality service whether you are a regular or a first-timer. Their menu is varied and wide ranging, including the usual pasta favourites as well as a good selection of meat and fish dishes, all of which are well worth the price. Salvatore's also has a table d'hote menu which gives customers the chance to have two courses for twelve pounds or three for fifteen, representing great value for money if you're looking to dine out without spending too much money. There are a lot of sub-standard Italian restaurants around these days so it can be quite hard to be enthusiastic about many, but Salvatore's is well worth the plaudits.

Situated on Lord Street and close to the Southport Floral Hall and the Southport Conference Centre…read more There is a very friendly and relaxed atmosphere to Casa Italia. For an italian, the prices are a bit steeper than others I have been too. However, the food is tasty and service very good. The restaurant makes a promise that the meat and fish that appears on their menus will be of the highest quality and sourced from local butchers and fishmongers. That they will NEVER use pasta that is of inferior quality or 'out of date'. That their vegetables (which are bought in daily) are fresh and from local producers or market fresh from Liverpool. So maybe this is way prices are slightly higher? Quite a promise to make. Why not try them out and see for yourself? They have a takeway menu (since 2009), so you can even check it out in the comfort of your own home.

I will be honest, Southport was not looking promising. Then we found this little place among a…read moreplethora of Italian pizzerias offering fresh fish. We ordered the seafood platter which looked heavy on frying but excelled in the cold preserve. A quite excellent crayfish linguini was topped with a small portion of cheese and a highly agreeable port. Lovely service, highly recommended.

Great Italian restaurant. You MUST MUST MUST get the garlic bread (it's the thinest pizza ever and…read moreis perfect for two to share while waiting for your dinner) Staff are helpful and attentive. The food is consistently good. I enjoyed seafood risotto - awesome. Pizzas are great. All kinds of specials. The pannacotta with fresh raspberries is worth saving room for and I"m not a big dessert person! Just two minutes walk from Birkdale train station :) open through the day with interesting small plate options during the afternoon.

Fresh decor, friendly and efficient waiting staff. All dishes well presented, prawn starter…read moredelicious, needed a chunk of bread to dunk in the sauce. Slightly mixed comments on bruschetta as some liked focaccia and some found a little soft in texture but flavours great. Calamari fresh and great texture. Mains of lasagne, sucking pig, lamb and beef All flavoursome, absolutely loved the polenta mash and vegetables perfectly cooked. Puddings of pannecotta, zabaglione, and cappuccino ice cream and cake, all excellent. Bonus points for having Strega to accompany. Highly recommended

I'm not sure who Tony actually is but whoever he is, he must be pretty pleased with his business in…read moregeneral. Tony's is a restaurant and pizzeria that offers its customers a range of Italian dishes that are available to takeaway or eat in their comfortable restaurant setting. The shop is split into two, with the takeaway being situated on the ground floor whilst the restaurant is upstairs, enabling the diners to be able to enjoy their meal without being distracted by the comings and goings downstairs. The restaurant menu features a good selection of pizzas and pasta dishes as you might expect, with all the usual suspects like carbonara, lasagne and margherita making an appearance as well as a few specialities too. The selection of main dishes on the menu is a bit small but does contain some interesting options, including a delicious Bolognese risotto, all of which are very reasonably priced considering their quality. The take-out menu is a bit less varied as to be expected but the quality of food does not decrease, meaning Tony's is a great place to visit for a sit down meal or to grab a pizza to take home with you.

Called into this place looking for lunch while in Southport last weekend and it was so good I felt…read moreit warranted a mention here. Great food, great service, nice atmosphere and reasonable prices.

Amazing Aglio Olio & Peperoncino spaghetti. Had that instead of fries with burger! Pure bliss.read more

It was our first visit to Robert's and we found the food and staff excellent also there were a lot…read moreof vegetarian choices available. The only reason we gave Roberto's three out of five was that they took so long to bring the bill and then you had another wait for them to bring you the change. We would definitely return to Roberto's again and hope they take this review on board. They do a roaring trade because they even have to turn people away as it is that full.

I give this a 4 star because when I ordered napoli, Spagetti, they gave me pasta when i…read morespecifically said spaghetti. Other than that, it is amazing with amazing service.

Sorrento under its previous guises had been a regular haunt of my friends and I through the years,…read moremainly due to its great offers for lunch. However, those restaurants would leave as quickly as they entered and it's most recent incarnation has never really gained back our regular custom, possibly due to the rise in popularity of other cheaper lunchtime venues such as the Left Bank. However, I decided recently to take the plunge and visit Sorrento, for lunch again, and I was not disappointed. Whilst it's not the cheapest in the village, they offer a 2 course meal for £8.95 at lunchtime or 3 for £11.95, which represents great value for money when you consider the dishes you get. I started with the Spaghetti A'matriciana which had a brilliant blend of flavours as well as a spicy kick. For my second course I ordered tuna steak cooked in garlic and white wine, which offered an interesting mixture of flavours that tamed the palate nicely. It might not be the cheapest, but if you're looking for somewhere a bit more sophisticated than the Left Bank and you have some time on your hands I'd recommend Sorrento, particularly on a nice day when you can sit out in the delightful outdoor area they have.