Rating: 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌗
A gorgeous restaurant situated at the heart of Cheltenham. This little piece of Italy is unmissable for fine dining.
Walking through the tree-branch archway, you’re hidden for a moment of what is to come, until it’s revealed to you on the final step when you’re greeted by a smiling, warm waitress. The grandeur of the church really takes your breath away, with its stained-glass windows, the cream white columns and the little kitchen at the front with a wood fired oven for pizzas. The gorgeous painting of horses on the walls adds a little piece of Cheltenham in an otherwise all-Italian ‘il ristorante Zizzi’ which is a nice local touch.
The waitress takes me to one of the available tables, asking for any allergies on our way over, handing me a navy-blue menu with specks of shining gold that is the essence of every Zizzi restaurant. After having a brief glance of what they have to offer, I immediately see something that I would enjoy – the Penne Pomodoro. Zizzi describes this dish as “a vibrant, velvety number made with tomatoes and bufala mozzarella,” which I thought would be a classic light dish for the evening, pairing nicely with a glass of Merlot.
Waiting time was surprisingly short, just enough time to have a little catch-up with a friend before the food arrives. When the dish was placed in front of me, I noticed how wonderfully presented it was and I immediately snapped a picture.
This dish was a little overpriced for my liking at £10.75 for a tomato and cheese kind of pasta, but the atmosphere of the church-based restaurant, the service and the taste made it worth paying a little bit extra, just for that gourmet dining experience.
The gorgeous sound of a grand piano filtered through my ears, David Leach the pianist playing a classical song in the background at a level that doesn’t interrupt the hum of conversations in the vicinity, adding a nice touch to a sophisticated ambience.
After the light dish, I fancied something a little sweet to finish the delightful evening with, so I opted for the chocolate fondant – a warm dessert which melted on my tongue, the rich chocolate oozing from the centre, served with vanilla ice cream at £6.15.
Overall, I would highly recommend paying Zizzi Cheltenham a visit, not only for the wonderful Italian pizza, pasta, risotto or calzone options on the menu, but also for the highly classy atmosphere. The church setting will wow you and the service won’t let you down, so pop down to Zizzi yourself and experience the little piece of Italy at the heart of Cheltenham.
