Ristorante Favoloso — Restaurant in Colchester

On Saturday, 9th December my friend and I went to Ristorante Favoloso. What an awful experience. We had a table booked for 7pm but, even though we arrived on time, we were not shown to our table until 7:40pm because someone was still occupying it!! We were not provided with any complimentary drinks or snacks whilst we waited. We were just given the menus and then asked for our orders whilst waiting for our table to come free. It was only when we finally got to our table, we could see that there were specials up on the board. Because we had to chose what we wanted from the menu in the reception area, we didn’t get an opportunity to chose from the specials!! When our starters came out, we had to send one back as it wasn’t what we ordered. When the main courses came out, one of them wasn’t great so was left uneaten. The tables in the restaurant were packed so tightly together that the noise in there was ridiculous. By the time we’d finished our mains, we couldn’t hear what the other was saying and, even though we wanted dessert and another drink, we just asked for the bill so we could beat a hasty retreat. We asked for a reduction on the bill due to the inordinate delay in waiting for the table, plus the fact we didn’t get a chance to look at the specials, plus the fact one of the starters came out wrong. We were told, categorically, no!!! We begrudgingly paid the bill (we didn’t leave a tip) and left there and went somewhere else to get dessert and a cup of tea. I can honestly say, that was the worst dining experience...

I'm very surprised at all the excellent reviews which makes me think perhaps we went on a bad day.

My husband booked this restaurant for our anniversary and we were looking forward to trying somewhere different. From the outside, the restaurant looks run down but the inside was much nicer. We were surprised to see that it was virtually empty at 7.30 on a Saturday evening but the staff sat us right next to a large table. As the tables were cramped together, it was difficult to get out to use the bathroom. The waitresses looked bored and didn't smile once in the whole time we were there. The starters were OK, nothing spectacular I ordered the seafood risotto which tastes like rice, tinned tomatoes and seafood. Not very exciting at all. My husband ordered a rare steak which was overcooked. The whole meal, including paying the bill took 45 minutes as there was no time to pause between courses, as soon as our cutlery was down, the next course arrived. The bill came to over £100 which we thought was steep given the good was OK at best and the staff were not particularly attentive. Overall, a disappointing evening and will not be...

I have been to Favoloso multiple times, and they have the best seafood in Colchester. Everything is fresh, cooked to perfection, and the sauces are boldly flavoured without being too rich or cloying.

When scallops are on the menu, they're amongst the biggest, sweetest, and cooked until most yieldingly soft. The smoked mozzarella is gutsy and intense. The pasta practically vanishes from the plates.

The chef and maitre de are incredibly friendly. Every time I've been, they've come over for a chat, and have had to pull themselves away. This is neighbourhood Italian done right - fresh ingredients, presented simply and cooked well.

The prices can seem a bit steep (although mains under £15 are possible, many clock in over £20), but you're getting huge portions of meat, fish and pasta, with generous helpings of vegetables on the side. I've never left hungry, or feeling light...