Italiana Fifty Five Didsbury - Italian Restaurant Manchester — Restaurant in Manchester

If you’re thinking about dining here, I strongly suggest you think again. Our visit was a total disaster from start to finish, and I honestly regret wasting my time and money.

We were a large group and had pre-ordered our meals weeks in advance, but when we arrived, they had completely lost our order. We were told there was nothing they could do, and we had to wait while they tried to sort it out—no apology or explanation, just confusion and frustration.

Things only got worse from there. No one came to take drink orders, and when we finally flagged down a waiter, they acted as though we were bothering them. This set the tone for the entire evening. We were forced to reorder drinks multiple times, which, at a decent restaurant, should never happen.

To make matters worse, we had to wait over two and a half hours for our main courses, despite having pre-ordered! That’s beyond unacceptable. On top of that, when we asked to change tables, as we were awkwardly crammed around small round tables, the staff acted irritated, even though they had initially offered to move us.

When the food finally arrived, it was nothing like what was promised. The steak I ordered well-done was served rare. I sent it back, and they just slapped it back on the grill and returned it looking like the same piece of meat. As if that wasn’t enough, the cutlery was dirty—my fork had food residue on it. The pasta sauce tasted like it had come out of a jar. They never brought us all the food we ordered, and acted like they were doing us a favour by taking it off the bill even though we never received it.

We spoke to the manager about everything, but instead of addressing our concerns or offering any form of compensation, he was rude, dismissive, and seemed completely uninterested in resolving anything. It felt like they couldn’t care less about providing a decent dining experience.

When the time came to pay, we were told they couldn’t find proof of our £10 per-person deposit. After arguing with them for several minutes, they finally accepted it, but it left us all feeling completely disrespected and unheard.

Overall, this was a chaotic, frustrating, and disappointing experience. The food was subpar, the service was appalling, and the management couldn’t have cared less. There are plenty of better options in the area—save yourself the trouble and avoid this place...

Italian fifty-five in Didsbury has become my favorite restaurant, and I've frequented it several times. Each visit has been a delightful experience, marked by exceptional food and superb service.

Last week, we chose Italian 55 to celebrate my son's birthday. Upon our arrival, Amelia, the manager, warmly welcomed us at the reception, having already noted the celebration in my booking. She graciously invited my son to choose his preferred table. Once settled, a thoughtful touch was added when a young lady adorned our table with balloons in honor of the birthday celebration.

Our server, Connor, not only exhibited a delightful sense of humor but also demonstrated professionalism throughout our dining experience. He ensured our orders were accurate and seamlessly executed.

For starters, we enjoyed the calamari and beef ribs for two, which were so delectable that we couldn't resist ordering an extra serving of calamari. Our main courses, the tagliatelle reggiano and linguine aragosta, were equally impressive. The table-side service for the tagliatelle reggiano, where Connor expertly mixed the spaghetti with cheese, added a delightful interactive element. The linguine aragosta was divine, with a perfect balance of lobster and tomato sauce.

Despite feeling comfortably full, we couldn't skip dessert for a birthday celebration. As we perused the dessert menu, Connor surprised us with a tiramisu accompanied by fireworks, much to the delight of the birthday boy. My son thoroughly enjoyed the dessert, having found his favorite. We also indulged in the souffle al cioccolato and Millefeuille. While the pastry of the Millefeuille could have been crispier, the souffle al cioccolato provided a satisfying conclusion to the evening.

I express my heartfelt gratitude to the team at Italian fifty-five for turning this birthday dinner into an extraordinary experience beyond our...

Not for those who don’t drink. Not for those who like wine. Not for those who like Italian food. Definitely not for vegans.

Asked for an alcohol free beer; 30 minutes later was brought a non alcohol free beer with no explanation. When I realised I asked the waiter who shrugged and said “well, we don’t have any alcohol free; do you want it or not”.

The group ordered wine. After 20 minute we were told that they didn’t have that £25 bottle but they’d recommend a £70 bottle. Turns out that 9 or the 11 wines on the menu weren’t in stock. We had to go through the process of ordering most of them to learn this fact.

Order puttanesca panzeroti described as dough triangles filled with capers, olives and herbs. Was brought tomato pizza. When I asked whether it was vegan I was told they’d check with the chef; 10 minutes later was informed that it probably was. Asked why I was brought a pizza and not what I ordered I was told that “its dough isn’t it, when you cut it up it’ll be triangles”. Asked about the capers and olives and was told they they were hidden under the pizza. I checked, they weren’t. They couldn’t guarantee that it didn’t have dairy so took it away. No replacement offered. The main came; risotto. I asked whether I could be assured that there was no dairy. Surprisingly they asked why I would question it. They said it was. I have an allergy. 24 hours later I became aware that I had been served dairy. At the end of our meal the manager attended. He honestly told us that neither he nor any of the team had ever seen the vegan menu. We had Italians in our group. They advised that puttanesca panzeroti was certainly not the same as pizza. The manager told us that if we wanted real Italian food we should go to Italy. Out of interest we asked the manager where the best Italian food in Manchester was. He said, with absolute sincerity. You guys should check...