Santa Maria Pizzeria Ealing — Restaurant in London

Santa Maria Pizzeria in Ealing continues to be one of our favourite family-friendly pizza spots in London, and our latest visit proved exactly why. The restaurant has recently been renovated, and I must say it looks even better than before. The space feels brighter, more inviting, and very welcoming for families and groups.

From the moment we arrived, the service was warm and attentive. Every member of the team made us feel at home, but a special mention must go to Sana, our waitress, who looked after us with genuine care and a friendly smile throughout the evening. Yannos (I think that was his name), the manager, also came over to check on us and offered some excellent recommendations. That extra touch of hospitality made the whole dining experience stand out.

We started our meal with the Mozzarella Garlic Focaccia, which was absolutely delicious. Light, fluffy, and full of flavour. Yannos suggested we drizzle some of their chilli oil over the top, and he was spot on. The spice from the oil balanced beautifully with the soft cheese and garlic, lifting the dish to another level. It set the tone perfectly for the rest of the meal.

For the mains, my children went straight for the Santa Margherita pizza, a classic made with Mozzarella Fiordilatte, tomato sauce, and parmesan. The pizzas were cooked to perfection, with that authentic Neapolitan-style crust that Santa Maria is well known for. Lightly charred, soft in the middle, and packed with flavour. The kids loved it, and it was clear why this pizza remains a timeless favourite.

We also tried out a selection of dips with the pizza. Each had its own character, but our favourites by far were the Garlic Mayo and the Slow Cooked Tomato & Onion Sauce. The garlic mayo was creamy and smooth, with just the right amount of garlic to complement the pizza without overpowering it. The tomato and onion sauce had a deep, rich flavour that paired perfectly with the crusts. It was the kind of sauce you just want to keep dipping into.

No meal is complete without dessert, and Santa Maria did not disappoint. I had the Pan di Stelle, which was a treat both in taste and presentation. The combination of mascarpone and Nutella mousse, topped with the classic Italian biscuit, made for a dessert that was rich yet light enough to enjoy after pizza. Every spoonful was indulgent and satisfying.

My son chose the Nutella Doughnuts, and his reaction said it all. They arrived warm, dusted in sugar, with a generous Nutella filling that oozed out with every bite. He couldn’t stop smiling and declared them “amazing.” It was the perfect sweet ending for him and a dish we will definitely order again.

Overall, Santa Maria Pizzeria Ealing offers more than just great food. It’s the combination of quality, authenticity, and service that makes it one of the best pizza restaurants in London. The team clearly cares about the experience of every guest, and it shows in the small details. The newly renovated setting adds to the charm, and it feels like the ideal place to enjoy a family meal.

We will absolutely be returning soon, and next time, we plan to bring along the rest of the family so they can enjoy it too. If you’re looking for excellent pizza, friendly staff, and a relaxed atmosphere in Ealing, Santa Maria should be at the top...

We arrived around 8pm on Easter Monday and the place was packed. It took around 5mins for us to be seated, even though there were a couple in front of us. The whole place was buzzing. We often frequented the old venue down the road in Ealing, and this place has a wonderful ambience as it’s predecessor did. The service was inconsistent. It may have been due to the venue being full. But it seemed that one waitress in particular was not pulling her weight as much. It took a long time before our orders were taken, so much so the lady at the pass, who was plating and packing all the orders, stepped in and took our order. She wasn’t as friendly whilst doing this, and looked to not be paying attention to us ( as she was giving eyes to the other members of the team). But we later realised that she was probably annoyed at the staff at having to step in. She later made up for this initial interaction by being very pleasant, attentive and smiling. Throughout our meal, pizzas were flying out the door, so there must have been an immense pressure on every one at the time. Unfortunately for us, the homemade limonata was not available due to no more lemons being available. So we opted for the branded sodas. The meatballs were very meaty (not much breadcrumbs/fillers) which was a nice surprise. They were dense, but the fresh tomato sauce balanced them out well. The bread accompanying the meatballs was nice and chewy and soaked up the sauce nicely. The salad was large and could be a lunch portion not a side portion. Both pizzas were delicious. The bases had a light chewy texture, the sauces were fresh and light and the toppings were well balanced. I added Parma ham to the rucco, and that probably made my pizza a bit too salty, so I would recommend having it as it comes. The Catalina was just right, spicy, meaty and a smooth tomato sauce. When we left all the other restaurants in Ealing were empty, and Santa Maria was still packed to the brim. I would return. One star deducted due to the poor service we had. There were other tables waiting as well and looking for someone to take their order or get their bill. This was unfortunate, but the lady at the pass packing and plating pizzas made up for the other staff members. I hope this was a one-off and they were short staffed or having a bad day, and they improve the service the next...

Food was ok . Pizza had too much cheese for authentic Neapolitan style and one pizza cheese not melted ( dairy free ). Service was horrible . 4 of us were dining and 2 of us were gluten and dairy free. One allergic person was 3 years old . Waiter had to be asked to write down the order to ensure allergy safety . We ordered 2 gluten free starters to share and then 2 gluten / dairy free and 2 normal pizzas . All the gluten free items starters and pizza were brought together so rushed we couldn’t enjoy or finish our starter . Then the normal pizzas didn’t show up for another 30 minutes later . In the meantime the 3 year old child had to leave as couldn’t wait and watch us eat the other two pizzas as she had already been sitting in there for an hour . When I spoke to the waiter to explain what an unpleasant dining experience it had caused, we were made to feel it was our fault for ordering some gluten free stuff . It’s pretty simple really Santa Maria , starters come first and when people are done then you bring the mains . People go out together to eat a meal together not stare at each other eating with no food of their own and then expect small children to wait around another hour while the other two people eat . No apology, discount or effort to acknowledge our dissatisfaction was offered . To be honest we only went here because Vita Mia was closed . Never again. Not to mention it was a late Mother’s Day treat for a very special mother and grandmother visiting from Canada. Sloppy and defensive service with the wrong attitude. Seem to take lightly people dropping £110 for 4 mediocre pizzas, 2 focaccia’s and 4 non alcoholic drinks and a pre added service charge they did not deserve. Not a nice experience. You can see A LOT of reviews about the poor level of...