Fresh User Reviews for Italian in Canberra

4 Below Average

Food  7      Ambience  5      Service  1      Value  3     

Went to Mezzalira with four friends last night (25 May 2012) to celebrate three birthdays. Service was very poor with (mainly) surly wait staff sometimes deigning to 'do a favour' for patrons after numerous, successful attempts to (deliberately?) avoid eye contact.

Food was of a good standard, but serve size for mains was mean, even for nouveau cuisine. Ambience was good until the front door opened and the gentle five degree wind blew into almost the whole restaurant. Overall value for money was low, saved from very poor by the quality of the food.

May 26, 2012

2.3 Not Recommended

Food  3      Ambience  3      Service  1      Value  2     

The food isn't great but it's really the bad service that put me off the most. My husband is gluten-intolerant and we picked this restaurant because it has gluten-free pasta available. We requested gluten-free pasta when ordering the dish but when it came it was clear that it was not. When I asked the waitress if it was gluten free she replied 'I dunno' so I asked her if she could check. When she came back she said it wasn't (making no apology) and when I told her we had ordered it gluten-free she shrugged and said 'Does it have to be?'.

I explained that my husband is gluten-intolerant and she then rolled her eyes and said 'You have to ask for gluten-free pasta'. Despite explaining that we had requested gluten-free she offered no apology. Such appalling service we would never ever go back.

May 09, 2012

1.8 Not Recommended

Food  1      Ambience  2      Service  3      Value  1     

Had occasion to dine there on Friday 04 May 2012 and my meal was innedible with no offer to replace or refund, Seafood Basket, crumbing burnt and overcooked. Very disappointing as I then ended up having no meal that night.

May 08, 2012

4.8 Average

Food  6      Ambience  4      Service  5      Value  4     

We dined here recently on a Friday evening after our friends made the booking three weeks ahead. We were expecting a great dining experience. To sum up the evening "good food, Very crowded venue, expensive prices, Very noisy venue, erratic service, uncomfortable chairs, all in all an over-rated eating experience". We would not choose to eat there again. Being packed in like sardines, sitting in uncomfortable chairs and having to shout to talk to our friends was not my idea of a pleasant dining experience.

There are many other, better eating establishments around Canberra where you can get great food for less than half the price and not have to wait three weeks! We'll be going there instead of Italian and Sons.

Apr 28, 2012

8.3 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  8      Service  8      Value  8     

I agree with 'The Canberra Pizza Critic'. The best pizza in Canberra. I've tried lots of pizza's in Canberra and often have been very disappointed esp with several places in Kingston. La Posada has great pizza at very reasonable prices.

Apr 22, 2012

7.3 Recommended

Food  7      Ambience  8      Service  7      Value  7     

My husband and I ate dinner here on Saturday night just gone. We were staying in house and wanted a quick bite to eat before heading out to a show. We didn't book (which could have proven fatal) but fortunately they "squeezed us in".

The place or, perhaps, the wait staff seemed somewhat disorganised. There appeared to be some mayhem playing on around us. However, the order of a pasta dish each and a rocket salad came out very quickly for us.

I had the marinara which seemed quite good. My husband had another pasta dish that contained prosciutto which he thought was tough and tasteless. The rest of the dish was satisfactory however.

This would not put me off coming back for a more leisurely dinner at another time. My tip, however, is to ensure you book!

Apr 16, 2012

9 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  9      Service  9      Value  9     

I have really enjoyed myself every time I have eaten here (3 times), the service was really good, we had a hand from the manager selecting a really beautiful wine. The food was timely and not lacking in taste! It's rustic, fresh and packing flavour. I would recommend this lovely little trattoria to anyone.

Apr 15, 2012

2.8 Not Recommended

Food  1      Ambience  4      Service  4      Value  2     

Hideous pizza. It is hard to make woodfired pizza badly but these people succeeed. Too thick, too sloppy, too much stuff on top. Just awful.

Apr 02, 2012

2.3 Not Recommended

Food  2      Ambience  3      Service  2      Value  2     

Very disappointing. Spaghetti Marinara served in a white sauce! When I questioned the very grumpy waitress whether a pomodoro sauce (as per menu) was tomato-based, she kept saying "I'm not going to argue with you". No argument, it was just a question. One other meal had mushroom added (not ordered). We were offer it to be recooked and could see the kitchen staff through the kitchen door picking the mushrooms out of the pasta with his fingers! Very very disappointing. Won't be going back.

Mar 27, 2012

6 Average

Food  7      Ambience  4      Service  7      Value  6     

Came here on Friday night. We had booked a table which was probably a good idea as the place is quite busy and noisy.

The service was prompt, no problems there. Wait staff looked a little disinterested but we were served, and had our meals delivered efficiently. We had the Giro Italia, which is a serving of cannelloni, a serving a schnitzel and a portion of lasagna. It tasted Ok.

We also had a osso bucco which was a Huge serving. 3 pieces of beef osso bucco and heaps of potato, carrot and celery plus 2 slices of bread. It was the size of two mains. Once again, the taste wasn't bad, just nothing to get too excited about.

The kids bolognese looked Ok, but the pasta was cold when I tasted it 15 minutes after it was served. Maybe the sauce was warm. My son ate it anyway.
Perhaps, the osso bucco could have been half the size and half the price and I would have been more enthusiastic. I prefer veal osso bucco to beef osso bucco. Price was Ok for the amount of food.

Mar 26, 2012

8.3 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  8      Service  8      Value  8     

How did Canberra get so lucky? We came from Sydney to eat here. This is a marvellous, lively trattoria with exceptional food. No cliches here. They take many a traditional dish and inject it with such flare and serious skill. The wine list should also be commended. Please open an Italian and Sons in Sydney!

Mar 19, 2012

7 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  6      Service  7      Value  7     

Great food, great flavours, really enjoyed the ragu. Service was a little erratic but understandable as it was full. Definitely will be back.

Mar 18, 2012

5 Average

Ambience  5      Service  5     

I had a flat white coffee at 11.45 a.m. on 14 March. The coffee was appalling; it was weak milky and not warm enough. I mentioned this to two staff members who appeared quite indifferent to my complaint. (No offer to provide a better cup or overlook the charge.) It was a disappointment as on numerous other occasions the coffee had been very good. I invite management to contact me.

Mar 14, 2012

6.5 Recommended

Food  7      Ambience  6      Service  7      Value  6     

Made a reservation, however, no table available for 20 minutes. Staff busy, but helpful and friendly. Noisy when we were there 8pm, not the place for a quiet dinner for 2, great for larger groups, but Do book for weekend.

Mar 14, 2012

3.8 Below Average

Food  5      Ambience  6      Service  2      Value  2     

Service staff lacking in communication with each other and us, entree took over an hour to arrive, bread/dips arrived after the entree (no staff apologised for the wait and/or gave us any update as to how long it would take)...pork belly crackling tasted like burnt fat and from our table the highlight was the mussels, steaks were good and sauces interesting.

Overall would not go back as not value for money at all. Training of the staff is required to get up to a standard where the price charged matches the experience, well under expectations at present.

Mar 13, 2012

2.8 Not Recommended

Food  4      Ambience  2      Service  1      Value  4     

I used to be a big fan of this place, but the last few visits in the last couple of years have been less than satisfactory. On the last visit, and it will definitely be the last.

The service was absolutely disappointing, the bread order took over 50 minutes, when finally arrived the order was wrong and it arrived with the main meal, we had to ask for wine glasses, an ice bucket and even serviettes! The last straw was when the obviously untrained and very rude waitress came and took the parmesan cheese from our table to give to someone else without even asking if we had finished with it!

I used to be happy taking interstate guests to La Dolce Vita, but never again, you would think they would pick up their game especially when this type of business would be struggling to keep customers in this ecconomic climate!

Mar 07, 2012

9 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  9      Service  9      Value  9     

We had 5 vegans and the chef made up a special menu with 2 items each for entree, main and dessert. The written menu was attractive and the meal excellent. Well done. We will certainly be back again.

Feb 27, 2012

7 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  7      Service  6      Value  7     

Great Family dining in the city and excellent quality meals are indvidual have kids ones too not too posh and kids welcome here.

Feb 24, 2012

4.5 Below Average

Food  3      Ambience  6      Service  4      Value  5     

A group of friends and I went out for a lunch break for a quick catch and was very disappointed with the service. The staff were very rude. They rushed us to place the order. The food was below average, and would agree with a review placed below, tasted like it was out of a freezer! Staff had no product knowledge either.

Feb 22, 2012

8.8 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  9      Service  9      Value  8     

Wonderful! Great ambience, thoughtfully prepared but unpretentious food, good choice of Italian wines, very happy.

Feb 21, 2012