Old Town Italy Umhlanga — Restaurant in KwaZulu-Natal

I've had years of fantastic experiences, but over the last 6 months the experiences have been extremely disappointing given its reputation. Our margherita pizza was basically baked (burned) tomato sauce, flavourless, and with the odd 1cm sprinkling of cheese. I have never seen a pizza like this anywhere in the world, and, neither have I seen it like this in prior years at the same restaurant. You would have thought we ordered a burned pizza without cheese. We asked to speak to the chef, someone came over and defended the pizza to our astonishment. I showed him photos of margherita pizzas they served before, as well as their own public photos, we were then offered a replacement, even that was disappointing. One order of chicken livers didn't arrive. It seems they had forgotten to prepare it somehow. Ticket management? Flies were constantly buzzing around us. The ginger frappe was hopeless, very underwhelming in flavour. The chicken pesto pasta was ok, but only OK. Every once in a while I order brioche buns for home, traditionally they are brilliant, and they are certainly not cheap. A few months ago, I received buns and on taking them home, again the brioche flavours were lacking and somehow the buns tasted 2 days old. I don't understand how, especially if they are apparently baking every day. The buns had to be thrown the next day. It will be a long, long time before I return to this establishment, I hope it finds its...

Old Town Italy is a restaurant I would gladly rate 4 out of 5. While it’s not quite a five-star dining experience, it offers a very pleasant and enjoyable atmosphere that keeps me coming back. The setup is reminiscent of some of the top spots in Johannesburg and Pretoria, like Melrose Arch and Menlyn.

One of the unique features of Old Town Italy is the active store where you can pick up some authentic Italian groceries—a nice touch that adds to the experience. The availability of fresh gelato is another highlight, along with a great selection of different gins and tonics, including sugar-free options. The food is absolutely divine, with rich, flavorful dishes that make for a top-notch dining experience.

However, in terms of fine dining, it deserves a solid 4 out of 5. This rating reflects the fact that while it’s not the pinnacle of luxury, it’s still a restaurant I would visit again and again.

The ambiance is delightful, with fantastic music setting the mood. That said, they sometimes feature live performers who can be a bit loud, which can be disruptive if you’re looking for a quiet dinner. For those who enjoy peace and quiet, it’s something to keep in mind, as it can get noisy in the evenings. However, the noise tends to die down later at night.

Overall, Old Town Italy is a wonderful place to dine, with a family-oriented vibe, great food, and a welcoming atmosphere. It’s a place I’ll...

We used to frequent Old Town Italy when they first opened. Service used to be great, food used to be great, ambience used to be great. This once lovely place has significantly deteriorated in food and service over the past few years. The restaurant is infested with flies. In actual fact, there are more flies than customers. Furthermore, the waiters are nonchalant and careless. I had placed an order for a Ferrero Rocher milkshake and was brought 2 scoops of Ferrero Rocher ice cream. I told the waiter that I ordered a milkshake and not an ice cream. 15 minutes later, the milkshake did not arrive (they were not busy). I had to get up from my seat, walk to their gelato/milkshake counter to ask the staff member there if my milkshake had even been made… I was ignored. My milkshake stood there waiting. I returned to the table and the waiter shortly followed with the milkshake - bear in mind, this was 20 minutes after placing the order. The waiter did not apologise. If I did not go to the gelato counter, I’m not sure when I would have received this milkshake… This is not the first time I have been disappointed with my experience here in recent times. The bathrooms were in a disgusting state. We will not be returning. This establishment is a shell of its...