Simply Italian — Restaurant in Rother

A Taste of Italy in the Heart of Rye – Simply Perfect!

My girlfriend and I are both passionate about Italian cuisine and love visiting Rye. Over time, we’ve dined at Simply Italian three times, and it has quickly become our favourite restaurant. From the moment you arrive, you’re warmly welcomed by the chefs, along with an inviting display of fresh pizza ingredients. The aroma alone is enough to make your mouth water!

The atmosphere is authentically Italian, from the rustic stone walls and wooden beams to vintage metal plate signs, a classic moped, and beautiful paintings of Italian landscapes. Your table is set in the iconic red-and-white Italian café style, and the background music, featuring accordions and violins—transports you straight to the heart of Italy.

One of the highlights of our visits has been the personal touch from the general manager (whose name, unfortunately, I don’t know). On our second and third visits, he greeted us warmly with a “nice to see you again,” a small but thoughtful gesture that made us feel truly valued as returning customers. My girlfriend loves Prosecco, and we were pleasantly surprised when we saw the manager instruct the bartender to pour a generous glass, far from the stingy measures we’ve experienced elsewhere. It’s small touches like this that make Simply Italian stand out.

Now, let’s talk about the food, because what more can I say? Fresh, flavourful, and beautifully simple. As Gordon Ramsay would put it, simplicity in food is key, and Simply Italian delivers exactly that. I’ve tried the seafood spaghetti, carbonara, lasagna, ham and mushroom pizza, a selection of cheeses with Parma ham, and the mozzarella garlic bread. On my most recent visit, I had the tagliatelle in a white wine and mushroom sauce, which was absolutely divine. The portions are generous, the prices are fair, and every bite is bursting with flavour. Not a single crumb was left on our plates!

The service is always warm, attentive, and delivered with a genuine smile. On Valentine’s Day, we were delighted to receive a rose and a Ferrero Rocher at the end of our meal, such a thoughtful gesture that made the occasion even more special.

If you haven’t been to Simply Italian in Rye yet, do yourself a favor and visit. Treat yourself and your family to a wonderful day out in this charming town, and make sure to enjoy a delicious meal at Simply Italian. We’ll certainly be returning many more times...

We turned up at about 5pm on a Saturday after the King’s Coronation after having been turned away from several other restaurants and pubs for not having space - there were 4 adults, 3 kids and a baby. It wasn’t very full at all, though it did fill up quickly.

The staff were really friendly and helpful and guy making the pizzas recommended the pizzas ☺️ We ordered a couple of cheese, tomato and ham pizzas, and chicken strips and chips for the kids - all of which went down a treat.

I didn’t go for pizza in the end (though I did sneak a slice of one of the boys’ pizza - it was good!), but instead we shared the fried seafood (thumbs up) and I had the vongole which was excellent. I’d definitely recommend going for pizza or pasta if you go here.

The decor inside is really lovely and the staff were really great with one of the kids who was a small ball of hanger. They got him a pizza dough stick which cheered him up no end. The baby wasn’t in the best of moods (teething) and was noisy - for me, there’s nothing more stressful than trying to settle an unsettled baby, especially when you feel like you’re impacting other diners’ experience. However, I was still made to feel welcome and I really appreciate that.

I was a bit gutted we couldn’t stay for pudding (we had a bus to catch) as I’d have either had the tiramisu (can never pass up the opportunity for a homemade tiramisu) or a toffee sundae. Or both! 😃 Would definitely love to come back and try more...

We read the reviews and went along looking forward to the authentic Itlalian food that everyone else seemed to have found. Instead we found really bland food and an owner that invites reviews and then gets extremely aggressive when you give them. If you like food that tastes like a mircowave meal this will do you just fine. If you want authentic Italian food, even the owner will tell you that they don't cook it here! Here are some extracts from the messages he sent in response to my review on trip advisor saying I was disappointed that they didn't serve authentic Italian food .....'I dont sell myself as authentic as there are too many guests like you that jump on you straight away! ' 'My trattoria does not scream italian at all! A few italian signs and a few check tablecloths thats it! You didnt try any of the other food so how can you even say that! The likes of you have just such a high opinion of themselves and the expectation and entitlement you have!' ' You dont know how to be a nice guest!' 'The likes of you just think you are always right'.

I guess he only wants reviews if you like...