Gusto Italian - Liverpool — Restaurant in Liverpool

This place is somewhat of a local legend. I’ve been meaning to come here for a while, but I’m quite lazy and I haven’t stayed down near the Albert Dock recently, so it’s had to wait until that came around again.. Anyhow, that time has now come and so I took the opportunity to visit on a grey and windswept summers day, as squalls whipped across the dock and tourists ran for cover.

The restaurant itself is in one of the dockside Pavillions - if you’ve been here, you’ll know the score. Beautiful brick buildings that were rescued from dereliction in the mid-1980s; former warehouse buildings, they have brick vaults, low ceilings and loads of character. Some of the refurb is a bit 80s’tastic, as you’d expect, but it has mainly stood the test of time well. Gusto itself is in one of the first pavilions that you come to as you come in the main gate opposite the Hilton, next to the Dockmaster’s office. The entrance is discrete, as they all are here, with corner signage and an inset door. Inside, the restaurant is dark, although there is a wall of glass dockside, with views of the water and the boats.

Seated straight away on what appeared to be quite a busy night, the service was good and drinks etc were offered quickly. They had Noam, which is quite a fancy beer that I’ve only had previously in Gaucho - it’s a German-style beer that comes in quite a fancy bottle. Love a fancy bottle.

I wasn’t actually very hungry, so I was focussed on smaller meals that packed a punch in terms of flavour, rather than a pizza or something like that (their pizzas are good though - had one in Edinburgh). To start, I chose the arancini - this was an excellent portion, three little arancini with mozzarella and saffron aioli. Big flavours and very rich. Hit. For a main, they had a three-meat lasagna, which sounded good - I actually saw someone else having this, so knew the portion was reasonable. A bit weird it didn’t say what the three meats were - I assume pork, chicken and beef? - but overall the flavour was good. The waiter seemed to think I would need sides, but it really didn’t need sides - I guess I could have had garlic bread, but it didn’t need it. Some people might order chips with it, but that would be greedy.

No pudding on this occasion, as I was full, but they do a very nice tiramisu - as I recall from Edinburgh, they serve this from a big bowl at the table. I mean, that’s a degree of theatre I don’t necessarily need in my life, but it does presumably demonstrate that the tiramisu is freshly made in house. That’s nice.

Overall I would definitely eat here again - this is a nice restaurant, the food was pretty good value and the service was efficient and friendly - if you like cocktails etc, then there seemed to be a lot of that going on as well behind me, with much rattling of the cocktail shaker. I think next time I’ll have the garlic mushrooms to start and the salsicca pizza for a main - I will even splash out the 45p to make it a diavola with the addition of fresh chilli. Well done, two paws up....

I recommended this restaurant to my parents for my mother's birthday. Both of them had diarrhoea afterwards as they ate the same meal. My mother said she waited over 15 minutes for the drinks and the foods took a long time to arrive. She said the salad they both ordered had hardly any chicken in them and she struggled to eat the lettuce as the lettuce where not cut up and my dad gave up and picked up the lettuce by hand due to it being too difficult to eat. I emailed Gusto explaining the disappointment, anf the manager Danny immediately put me through to the food poisoning team, who sent my parents forms to fill in. Basically Gusto thought I was trying to get money out of them for food poisoning, which wasn't the case atall. Because my parents couldn't supply a stool sample to the doctor to confirm food poisoning as per requested by their forms, they said there's nothing more they can do and closed down the complaint. Not once did Gusto call up my parents to apologise for their experience, not even for the sickness but for the waiting times and poor quality and efficiency of the food. I emailed Danny to explain my disappointment in how this had been dealt with and would he contact my mother, but no reply and a week has past. I used to work for living ventures, I worked, managed and consulted in the hospitality industry for over ten years. I'm really quite saddened with how Gusto have handled this. My parents have told me they'd never come back here, not just for their unfortunate sickness, but for the quality of food and lack of care from the venue....

Discretionary service charge with no way to opt-out without making a fuss is disgusting.

Edited after the owner replied*

The lighting in the restaurant is terrible and very dimly lit. I didn’t see it written anywhere on the menu and although i will not dispute it being there I never saw it and struggled to read the menu at best as it is.

It may have been written on the menu but would a customer receive the same service upon request if one said ‘I’m not paying a service charge, please can you take my order.’ - i doubt it.

Also, unpon receipt of the bill; a customer saying ‘I’m not paying a service charge’ in full view of other customers and having to then have a brand new bill generated without the expected service charge is embarrassing. I believe you (Gusto) prey on that and take advantage of the customer.

The staff get paid a minimum wage and a tip should not be expected or tricked out of any customer. Without the customers there is no Gusto. That is disgusting.

The food was lovely and worth the money.

The service was not worth 12.5% of the bill.

Gusto could, alternatively, pay their staff 12.5% extra instead but they don’t/wont; therefore the customers should get a clear op-in / opt-out service charge not tricked out of it.

We’ve been here quite a few times and have never noticed this charge before although I’ve probably paid it unwillingly - another thing Gusto prey upon. As i said above, without returning customers there would be no Gusto.

I won’t be returning if that’s your attitude.

Shame on...