Zizzi - Worcester — Restaurant in Worcester

I went last night as part of a meal out for my Mother In Law's birthday. They were very clearly understaffed which led to long wait times but the wait staff were trying their best. My major problem was the food. I ordered the calamari to start which was unbelievably bland and not worth bothering with. I ordered the lamb rigatoni for my main course and when it arrived it had SO MUCH rosemary and pepper on it that it was entirely inedible. It was so bad that even with my attempts to scrape it off the pasta, the ONLY flavours you could taste were rosemary and pepper. Since I obviously couldn't eat that, we complained to our waitress who was clearly upset by this and offered to replace it with something else. With this in mind I ordered the Pork and Garlic meatballs. Nowhere on the menu did it mention that this would contain copious amounts of chilli. When the meatballs finally arrived, everyone else at my table had finished eating and I went through 2 large glasses of coke trying to work my way through it out of sheer hunger despite the overpowering chilli. Unfortunately I barely managed to get a third of the way through it before I gave up on the dish entirely, choosing instead to let my stomach rumble and to go through a drive through on the way home. Additionally, we asked for a jug of water for the table 4 times and only got it AFTER we'd all finished eating and I spent a good 20 minutes trying to flag someone down to order yet another glass of coke while I was battling the chilli meatballs. By the time I did manage to order one I had already given up on the food entirely.

I will certainly not be returning here and I recommend that no-one else who values their taste buds...

First experience of Zizzi in Worcester left me with mixed feelings. We were sat in the rear room, next to the open plan kitchen, which was quite nice to see. However this made the room extra warm, on a warm evening. The service staff were polite, efficient, and welcoming. We were served quite quickly, albeit it was a quieter dining time. The food arrived at the table. The sides (rosemary and salted chips, sweet potato fries, garlic bread) were delicious. The kids really enjoyed their pizzas. I must say the Rustica pizza is better value for the money. The spaghetti bolognese was average, which was slightly disappointing for an Italian restaurant. The main reason for the lower rating is a couple of the kitchen staff let the establishment down. Being an open kitchen we were privy to conversations that customers shouldn't hear. Such as a couple of the kitchen staff being quite rude to the service staff. Our experience of the service staff was excellent, yet they were being told they weren't quick enough and needed to speed up, and to be there when needed. The manner this was delivered was rude and undermining to the service staff. There were also conversations between the kitchen staff which were delivered in an aggressive manner. I have never worked in a kitchen, and potentially this is acceptable in a closed kitchen environment. However an open kitchen environment is not the place for such conversations when customers are trying to enjoy a relaxing evening. Thank you to the front of house staff, you made our evening more comfortable than it would have been. Personally I won't be...

There’s nothing worse than going back to a restaurant you once loved, only to find it has completely lost its way. That’s exactly what happened to me recently. What used to be a go-to spot for great food and service turned into a frustrating and underwhelming experience.

From the start, things felt off. The menu looked the same, but when our starter arrived, something was missing—a key component, no less. And did anyone bother to tell us? Of course not. No explanation, no apology, just a plate that was clearly incomplete. When we asked, the staff casually mentioned that they had run out. No offer of an alternative, no adjustment to the dish—just a take-it-or-leave-it attitude.

And then, the final insult: a 12% service charge automatically tacked onto the bill. Are we in America now? Since when did restaurants here start assuming they’ve earned a tip before even delivering decent service? It’s one thing when service is exceptional, but when staff can’t even be bothered to communicate something as basic as missing ingredients, it feels like a joke.

What used to be a reliable, enjoyable dining experience has turned into yet another place that’s given up on quality and customer care. Safe to say, I won’t be...