Pretty great Italian food for being in the middle of Bloomsbury, London! I had the Linguine alle vongole (w/ clams). Perfecto! Great consistency with the linguine, not overcooked and not too raw. The white wine sauce was on point with garlic, and the clams were pretty much fresh. Service was excellent, and the place is pretty lively for a Sunday night in London filled with people. Most restaurants are closed on Sundays in London, but this one is poppin'. Oh, it's def legit when the piano guy was playing the Godfather's theme song and had the whole restaurant do the singalong. Too legit!! read more

In such an expensive city, this place was a relief. It's very affordable but also quite yummy. Typical Italian, nothing super creative or fancy, just good quality simple food. If you're looking for good food that's affordable, I would recommend this place! read more

We always nearby when we visit London, and look forward to coming to Ciao Bella with the kids. This place is everything we want from a neighborhood Italian restaurant: cozy and bustling, good pizza and pasta, fast service. The tables outside are pleasant on a spring day. It's a great family place. read more

Huge portions at prices which put the Carluccio's around the corner to shame! The place gets really busy in the evenings and at lunchtimes and I've never seen it more than a couple of empty seats. Well worth making a reservation if you're planning to come with more than one or two others. The starters and the calzone, in particular, are delicious. Service is attentive and good-humoured and the meals don't take that long to arrive, particularly given the number of people ordering. I've been there plenty of times in the past and will undoubtedly do so again in the future! EDIT: definitely book ahead, especially on a Friday night, which I've seen get fully booked 2 days in advance. Also had a bad experience with mussels here, but once in 10/15 visits leads me to believe it was more of a one-off. read more

This place is so packed even 10pm. Service is a little slow but the foods were good. Definitely enjoyed our dinner. read more

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This is place is always very busy so that's a very good sign. it's in a lovely part of bloomsbury and has some very good pubs nearby (Lamb and flag next door is superb). The food is fairly priced and of good quality considering the amount they produce. I do prefer a more intimate venue (like L'osteria) but saying that there is nothing wrong with Ciao Bella. read more

Food is very delicious, definitely worth the price ( and it's not pricy as well). The staff are all very friendly and the atmosphere is great. Must try their lobster pasta, very rich and full of amazing flavor. Will definitely go again. read more

Ciao Bella - Lobster pasta, very delicious. - Italian Near Me - London, XGL

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Never disappointed with this place. Authentic Italian. Relaxed atmosphere yet always buzzing with people. Lovely ambiance and exceptionally good Italian food. Go To place read more

I love this Italian - it's on one of my favorite streets in London (the very quaint Lamb Conduits Street) and the food is always excellent. I'm not alone though - it's get very busy and even on a weekday they're turning people away. Probably has something to do with the cheap prices in this part of the capital, the staff, the complimentary olives and breadsticks, authentic ingredients and the fact that you can guarantee a great (and pretty lively) meal any night of the week. Try the tiramisu. It's homemade and won't disappoint read more

Lovely italian restaurant, my first 'local' in London. Always busy, slightly frantic staff but a really warm atmosphere. They're generous with the food (classic italian) and it's really well priced for London. Even though it gets busy towards the end of the week, they usually try to fit you in and if you're faced with an hours wait there's always The Lamb pub next door, The Rugby Tavern or The Perseverance down the road. It's worth the wait. read more

Ciao Bella is an unassuming Italian restaurant nearby. It is always busy whenever we walk past it so today we made a point going there for lunch. Food is good, reasonably priced and huge portion. The service is very friendly. The waiter gave us complimentary drinks when they confused our take away. Will definitely come back read more

Ciao Bella - Lunch at Ciao Bella - Italian Near Me - London, XGL

First we were told no tables for 90 minutes (although half the place was empty) then we went back five min later and they rudely said nothing tonight unless we immediately took a table after we ordered a drink next door at the OUTSTANDING pub The Lamb. Never ate their food but rudeness goes a long way. Do yourself a favor and skip this place - head to the lamb!! Super place!!! read more

We are staying at Saco and went there as it is close. I have to say it is awesome. The only downside it is small and the seating inside is tight. You will need a reservation but the food is great!! read more

If you are looking for an enjoyable dining, then Ciao Bella is the place. The food&atmosphere were very good classic Italian. It was just a lovely dining experience!!! read more

We are from Canada, Toronto to be more specific where we have a plethora of Italian eateries. Visiting London , as we do every year, has made Ciao Bella our favourite place to eat. After walking London for hours every day we seem to always agree: "Why take a chance, dear, let's just go to Ciao Bella" . It is a friendly place where the food is ALWAYS good. My favourite is the Cannelloni Spinaci/Ricotta. Can't wait to get back this year. Yummy ! read more

Excellent neighbourhood Italian. Broad range of choices and very affordable. The food is tasty but the best part of this place is it's atmosphere. Always busy and has a wonderful electric vibe. The staff are friendly, attentive and the pianist really adds to the ambience. read more

Pretty solid food. Very good portion size and price. I was just looking for some good pasta to go and when I was stuck between two options they offered me half portions of each which was perfect. I'd definitely come back. read more

Friendly staff and lively atmosphere! I have had take out several times while I've been in London from Ciao Bella and I really enjoyed all the dishes I've had so far. read more

I have been to Ciao Bella on many occasions ranging from romantic dinner for two to a full takeover of the terrace for a birthday celebration one Sunday that ended with my friend at the baby grand piano and a grand old singalong. Fabulous! Everything I've tried on the menu has been delicious, especially the pizzas, but my favourite is the seafood spaghetti pasta that is cooked in the oven in a paper bag and then brought to your table and tipped with an aromatic flourish in to your bowl by an over the top Italian waiter. You do have to book ahead Friday and Saturday, Sunday and even Thursday evenings. It does get very busy which is great if you're upstairs enjoying the hustle-bustle but not great if you end up downstairs which is a little claustrophobic and en route to the loos. If you meeting people, start your evening at the Lamb pub right next door, an award-winning delight of a boozer. But my advice is to plan ahead and book a table outside for you and your friends to while a whole Sunday afternoon eating more carbs than is ever good for you and getting slowly drunk on red wine and the inevitable Grappas. read more

I had a successful romantic date here last week. Without prompting or reserving we were given a nice candlelit table in the corner of the downstairs room. We got a neapolitana pizza and gnocchi with salvia, both of which were excellent. The house wine was merely passable, but then, it's house wine innit? At the end, after tiramisu and coffees the bill was pleasantly low. If I was visiting again I would try and nab one of the outside tables, particularly if the weather was in any way nice. The street it's on is a quiet one and it would make for an atmospheric meal to sit out and take in the city. read more

Solid Italian food, solid wine selection (across all prices), decent service, decent value overall. Wish my lamb main-course had been a little larger. Busy atmosphere with a pianist playing an eclectic mix of classic and pop hits. Sit upstairs if you want to enjoy the music! read more

Excellent food and big fun! Bf and I are in town for a few days and staying in Bloomsbury. I've never stayed in this hood, so was excited to check out spots. The high star reviews are fair and appropriate. Firstly, the spot was packed and buzzing when we arrived at 10 or so. Very good vibe. Seemed that every seat inside and outside were taken-we were happy to get sat immediately. As we walked in, the person who turned out to be our server was NOOOOOTTTT happy with the hostess, let her know and continued with her busy tables without missing a beat. Was awesome. As we sat munching on breadsticks (bf munched on the olives placed on the table-he said they were delicious), I marveled at the packed house; some two tops, four tops and a few huge parties and how they were all being served with ease. The spot is very West Village...buzzing with Italian being yelled across tables, fabulous aromas, good looking wine and American cinema kitsch EVERYWHERE. So much to see! Love the Stevie Wonder piece above the piano! Oh yes-when we arrived, there was this cat crooning as he played piano. Very cool. I can't agree about what others describe as "noisy", but then again-I'm noisy. Bf and I were all in the business of the couple next to us-I can't tell you how amazing the pizza looked! I mean...we wanted to ask for a bite. We only didn't order pizza because I felt like having pasta for the first time...dunno. Months easy. I never eat pasta. I ordered my fave-linguni with nothing but steamed broccoli. The broc (my fave food) was seriously just picked. SO fresh!!! Bf said his lasagna was amazing. Finally, it's so freakin' beyond reasonably priced. Cheap. The dessert menu was pretty cool. I never eat dessert, but was happy to see some mainstays that reminded me of old school Italian spots when I was little. This spot is a must. read more

My friends and I recently came here for a friends birthday. We didn't have a reservation, but they allowed us to sit outside. It was chilly and raining outside, but they had heaters and an awning that made it comfortable enough to sit outside. I can't give this place the best rating because the service was really disappointing. After standing awkwardly in the doorway while the waitress chatting with another employee, she finally acknowledged us. After telling her we didn't have a reservation, she made a noticeable sigh and told us that we should have one - sorry.. Then when she said we could sit outside, our waiter was noticeably annoyed to be serving us. He took our order in a hurry and didn't even ask what we would like to drink - we had to remind him. He was also incredibly hard to get the attention of. Granted the restaurant was very crowded, but then he was obviously overworked and someone should be helping him manage all the tables! We also asked for our check multiple times until finally a different woman brought it out for us. The seating outside is incredibly crowded as well. You can't get out without bothering everyone around you. The food is this place's redeeming factor however. I got the pasta w/ clams, and it was very delicious. All my friends got either another pasta or pizza, and they all were extremely satisfied as well. Overall, the food was good enough to make us forget about the subpar service. read more

classic little italian in a great location. went here based on the huge number of decent reviews. i'll back them up. £35 for olives, bread, cheese, 2 pastas - the clams were plentiful, the meatballs may have had more breadcrumbs than meat (reason for 4 not 5 stars) but the spaghetti was beautiful and the sauce big on the garlic...hmmmm. and the house red was perfectly drinkable. service classic italian style, simple enough, pleasant. could be part of a perfect evening in bloomsbury, hitting a few stores on lambs conduit, bite to eat at ciao bella and a few beers to wash it down in the local pub. nice. oh the al fresco seating was plenty warm enough to watch the street go by. read more

The staff is really lovely, the pianist is so talented, the food is generous and delicious, its a great location. We've been multiple times and always love it. The pizzas and the pastas are delicious. (My friends gets the carbonara every time and she always loves it. Might want to make a reservation if you're going in the evening! read more

This place is ace. This is an Italian as a family-run Italian restaurant can ever get, guys. The most appealing aspect of this venue is that it caters to a wide range of budgets and tastes. When I was a broke student, I went there for their hearty and flavourful under-£10 pasta offerings and now I appreciate their really extensive wine list (representing every wine growing region of Italy!) and finer offerings such as their Trout in Almond Sauce - on the bone (or as our Italian waiter said - 'As God made it') - and Duck in Orange Sauce. The seating is certainly cramped given how popular the establishment is but it adds more to the intimacy than to the annoyance really... this place is a gem... read more

Went here one night with the wife and had an excellent and romantic dinner. The prices are very reasonable for London. However the food is fantastic! Be sure to start off with the "garlic bread", which is more like a pizza with just marinara sauce, perfectly crispy and delicious. We also had their pesto linguine which was very tasty. The wait staff can be a little rushed, but the place gets packed, so you can't blame them. Try and be ready with your order when they arrive. Oh yes, the decor is worth mentioning, they have murals painted on the walls of popular italian sites. Very memorable experience and can't wait to return again! read more

Ciao Bella is a great venue for a dinner with friends, it's always busy and has a great atmosphere but it wouldn't be my first choice for a more intimate evening. However the foods is always good and the house wine's excellent, all for a reasonable price. Service is good but can be a little slow on busy nights, but when having a meal out with friends I don't mind this too much as it gives you a chance to catch up and enjoy more wine! read more

The food at Ciao Bella is good...not great...but their dishes are big and filling, so it's nice to go with a group. There are lots of cute boutiques around the area too, which are worth checking out. read more

Within two weeks of first visiting, I came back to Ciao Bella. Everything I said in my first review holds true, and what follows here are more details from a second visit. I can't say enough good things about this place: it's a great atmosphere; it's local; it's good food; the servings are generous; it's well-priced (pizzas and pastas for £7); they give you free starters of olives and parmesan. Contrary to many Yelp reviews, I find the waiters here to be amiable and efficient. This time I ordered the canneloni with spinach and ricotta, and it was as hearty and flavorful as my pesto linguine was. A friend ordered a pizza, which had a medium-thick crust and a robust tomato sauce. The pizzas and the calzones are big enough for two kind-of-hungry people or one hungry student. House wine starts at £12 per bottle. We barely got in without a reservation on a Friday night around 7:30, so make sure to book in advance if you want to go on the weekend. On a weeknight, however, it's less crowded and you needn't make a reservation. read more

Went here solely because the Yelp reviews rated this place so highly. If you don't have a 'booking,' they stick you in the crowded basement where you are basically on top of the neighboring table. No complaints about the food, but no raves about it either. It is fine. The service leaves a lot to be desired. Try La Bardigiana. It's closer to the Underground, and the food and service is much better. read more

We use this restaurant all the time as a place to come for work do's. I've enjoyed it so much I've introduced my friends and family to it too! The food is cheap and tasty and the portions are large. There is so much choice on the menu and the waiters are efficient but friendly. The place is always packed. in summer it is nigh impossible to get a table after 7 unless you have booked, on any day of the week. Rupert Everett, Jon Snow and the red arrows have all been spotted here (by me and others) over the years! Couldn't recommend it enough except to say, book early, ask for the table outside and order the cheesy garlic bread to start! read more

As you would expect from a restaurant in town, this place can be loud, crowded and a bit rushed but it has the candlelight ambience and tasty food that could transport you to Italy for a few hours of romance. read more

Man, oh, man, this place is fantastic. So hearty, so tasty. Such a great neighborhood place. Wish there was a cookbook by the folks that run this place. Don't think twice - just go. read more

The plan was to meet at the pub next door, then pop over to Ciao Bella for a low-key bite. And what an experience! There's seldom a vibe that can be matched by a bustling cheery Italian restaurant this place was absolutely heaving, filled with happy, chatting people and fuelled by the boisterous waiters rushing about despatching plates to tables with a certain brash informality. The piano player was over on one side of the room, standing behind his upright piano (no room for anything else in here!), and making his way between lounge standards and old songs that everyone knows though you could scarcely hear him over the din. I wouldn't give this place any awards for the food, that's for sure. But you get the feeling it's more designed as the Cheap & Cheerful student haunt or casual meal spot and who complains about a starter being a plate of microscopic previously frozen prawns in sauce when it's only cost you £6.50, and you've got access to bottles of house red wine for £13.50. In Bloomsbury! Spaghetti Carbonara is a bit like the Sweet & Sour Pork equivalent of Chinese food it's probably not particularly authentic or subtle, but you can get it almost everywhere, and I really like it: so that's my Italian yardstick. And on this occasion it was different. Not bad at all, but certainly not what I was expecting. But again for £8, and accompanied by wine, good vibe, and excellent conversation, I'd go back in & have it tomorrow! The piano player belts out a chorus of Old MacDonald's Farm from the piano, totally unnoticed by anyone. We applaud at the end: he looks up with surprise that anyone's paid any attention and smiles at us, where many others in the room stop talking to see what the fuss was about, and several suddenly realise there's a piano there. The restaurant was full when we arrived, and people are still arriving as we leave. How have I not heard of this place before? read more

Lamb was to die for. Service didn't meet my expectations for such place.

Great Italian restaurant and I can only echo the reviews of others here. The portions were very large, the staff remarkably good humoured, especially dealing with large parties of people (I was on a table of 12). The food was served speedily with no problems at all. We had an early sitting, so unfortunately couldn't take advantage of the piano bar, but I would definitely go back again & settle in for a late night & enjoy the warm atmosphere. read more

This restaurant does good, large pizzas and other Italian dishes to the accompaniment of loud and uplifting live piano music. I would recommend sitting outside on summery live music nights if you want to hear your conversation. The music is good and still reaches your ears! Or sit inside for a lively, old fashioned music-and-meal. The food is excellent, atmosphere busy and cheerful. The sort of place you can take family, friends or colleagues to. Good for long pizza lunches too. read more

Spectacular for maintaining a feel good Italian grumpy smiley local cosmopolitan organized chaos with good ingredients. Will eat there again. The proprietor's son's haircut is a sensation! Wondering if he will survive the fallout. read more

I'm not from the area but was traveling through the area. I'm originally from California and was in need of some Pasta.... I found that Ciao Bella was much more than just pasta, it was an assortment of great tastes and excellent food delivery. You start off with complimentary olives and cheese...and for someone who doesn't like Olives, these were delicious to my surprise. I highly recommend Ciao Bella for anyone looking for some real flavorable dishes. read more