Prezzo Italian Restaurant Cambridge — Restaurant in Cambridge

So, this place is an interesting one.

I’ve avoided it for years since moving to Cambridge around ten years ago — just because it was a ‘chain’ ?

But I’ve literally tried every single pizza place in Cambridge, and I’m not ashamed to say I think I’ve finally found my place, lmao. I’ve lived all over Italy —Milan, Rome, Florence, Venice, Bari, Trani, etc.— and I’m not expecting a 100% facsimile / identical / italian pizza here in the UK. But even just a bloody SLIGHT approximation would be… acceptable. Somehow, though, that has seemed impossible to find for some reason?

Anyway — this is as close as it gets, I promise :3. The crumb is pretty impressive… there are actual 15mm high bubbles in the base, and it’s tangy, sour; a little bit sharp. I’m not sure what the term is in Italian (my ex used to say it all the time, but alas, I’ve forgotten…), but there’s just, uhm… that taste!!!!! Hahahah.

They also cater to any dietary requirements, which, tbh, no Italian would ever do hahahah. But interestingly, I asked for what was essentially their garlic bread with mozzarella — made like a pizza? I had something like this from a hole-in-the-wall place after clubbing a few years ago. It was so simple and basic… but if you source the core ingredients right, it’s just heaven. And Prezzo do it. And they do it perfectly. 😳

What it came down to, I guess, is actually being listened to by the staff. I was properly looked after by a chap called Dillon/Dillan — I don’t know how it’s spelled / I didn’t hear it properly. But he really took the time to carefully understand all the requirements, and the pizza he worked out with the chef, along with my mozzarella-garlic-bread-thing, was just… perfect.

I’m still low-key embarrassed to recommend Prezzo to my friends… But I’ll keep getting my pizzas from here.

And I hope no one else realises this is a gorgeous little ‘slice’ (sorry!!! hahaha) of Italy, right here in Cambridge… BUUUUUT, with addee rly attentive polite staff too — i’m JOKING, italians, PLEASE DONT @ ME hahahahaha.

But like anyway, yep, best...

Visit Overview: We recently dined at Prezzo Cambridge for a family meal and encountered a mix of impressions. While certain dishes stood out positively, others did not meet our expectations.

Hits and Misses:

Crab & Lobster Ravioli: This dish earned praise for its delicious flavor. However, the portion size was quite small considering the price. Spaghetti with Devon Crab & Chilli: This dish unfortunately missed the mark. It lacked any real spice or flavor, and even basic seasoning seemed absent. The staff's suggestion to add salt didn't significantly improve it. Sticky Toffee Pudding: We were initially excited to try this dessert, as it's often a crowd-pleaser. Unfortunately, the pudding itself was a major disappointment. Instead of being moist and sticky as expected, it was dry and lacked the characteristic texture. The gelato, however, was good.

Service: The staff’s demeanour was warm and accommodating, especially when recommending the sticky toffee pudding, despite the dessert not living up to its reputation.

Overall Experience: The amiable service was overshadowed by the food’s inconsistent quality. Prezzo Cambridge shows promise as a family-friendly venue but requires attention to detail in portion sizing and flavour consistency.

Ambiance:

The restaurant offered a pleasant and familiar ambiance, consistent with the chain's style. There were no wait times for service or food, which might have been due to the weekday evening and rainy weather keeping crowds down.

Value:

Considering the portion sizes and some inconsistencies in food quality, the price point didn't feel entirely justified.

Recommendation:

I would recommend Prezzo Cambridge with some caveats. The delicious Ravioli and quick service were positives, but the other dishes mentioned fell short. Diners should be aware of potential portion sizes and consider these points before...

Avoid!! We went here yesterday after pre-booking weeks in advance for our table of 20 (13 kids, 7 adults). Firstly, pizzas and chips were lovely! Happy weekend the the good. Toilets, DISGUSTING! Worst I've seen in Cambridge restaurant. Maybe Llamas land public loos are cleaner. Shared with men and woman too. My 7 year was bursting and cane back out and said they're too dirty. They were filth. Waiting staff, dreadful. Fake, saw them talking behind my back because I'd kindly asked them to do their job and finally clean our table. I even had to ask for the spray and blue roll, at which point she said reluctantly and with a sour look, no she'll do it. The waitresses did not clear our table of plates and drinks and me and the mums had to clear it. She told us she has other tables to serve. Miserable looking woman, not one smile. Bar man miserable and could barely string a sentence together. Such a dull atmosphere. It was my daughter's birthday party and not one of them chatted to the kids, asked who's birthday it was. No colouring pencils of paper menus. Our bill was over £300. They slapped on over £30 service charge, ha what a joke. Prezzos around the UK are great. This one let's them down. They said I could bring in our own birthday cake as they couldn't sell me one. I asked for plates and didn't get any, so had to serve it to the children on our own napkins which luckily I'd brought. Please management improve the dining experience...