Bucci Italian Restaurant in Wandsworth

I tried Bucci for the first time for a midweek dinner after work. The place had filled up by 7.30pm and I can understand why it is so busy. The staff are very friendly and the food is great. They have a lovely wine list and their portion sizes are very generous. I will definitely be back again

This place wasn’t what it used to be. Traditionally we used to go here just before every Christmas in the 90s-mid-2010s. Unfortunately that European-wide Mafia sting that this was linked to destroyed the reputation of this place. For starters, the atmosphere was all wrong; the lights were far too harsh and bright and when another patron asked for them to be turned down the mood became much more relaxed. The service was very rushed, like order-serve-bill. No real time to relax. We were not told the specials nor had any friendly joshing with the waiters. The food was pretty slapdash, it didn’t taste fresh, I ordered the pasta and I wasn’t offered any black pepper or cheese, not to mention there was no additional service (where was the complimentary limoncello?). A disappointment all round from what was a great local institution, they should take a leaf out of Cassio’s book on how an Italian restaurant should be. Edit: 29 December 2024 a response: Why did you assume I made the booking? Someone else in our party did and we do not have the same surname. If it helps for legitimacy, our meal was booked for 19:30 on Monday 23rd December. A two-star review, while disappointing and down heartening to some, is not the end of the world and improvements can easily be made.

One of my best italian experience restaurant, well done guys!

Bucci, a gem of a restaurant in the heart of Balham, flavors and traditions. I recommend the fried calamari and sea bass filleted at the table obviously with Giuseppe's touch. Thanks to Fabio for accommodating us on a super full evening

One of the few authentic Italian restaurants left in London. Food was great

Had a lovely meal here last night. Superb quality, great service and very atmospheric. Highly recommend. Grazie mille 🙏 bellissima 🥂😍

Came to Bucci for work Christmas lunch. From beginning to end the service was fantastic. They tailor made a menu for us and every course was gorgeous and generous portions. Fabio was excellent at organising, Giuseppe was a brilliant host and very attentive and funny and Luigi made the best drinks. Thank you all for a very memorable Christmas lunch.

Good food. Good theatre. Great service. Beware of the over selling 😂🫶🏽 your mother might enjoy but your wallet won’t 🙏❤️

The food - particularly carbonara - wasn't great and the service was worse: waiters were frenetically running around bumping into each other creating an atmosphere of tension, hurrying us to order off the menu instead of letting us take our time, dismissing one of our orders - extra £1.50 tomatoes in an already tomato-based dish - because "it does not make sense" (by Italian food standards of course... but at the end of the day, if that's what the person wants and is paying extra money for it then I don't see why the waiter should get to decide what is/isn't allowed), and at one point my partner was bluntly asked "do you have a problem?" because she was taking the lemon slice out of her glass of water. To be honest, overall they just weren't very nice or accommodating people; I would avoid if you would like service from people with nice hospitality and good manners!

Fantastic restaurant! The team went above and beyond to accommodate our Christmas party; great food with generous portions and lovely staff. The frutti de mare linguine was incredible and the tiramisu was fantastic as always. Everyone left very happy! Thank you Fabbio and Giuseppe for a great evening, we will definitely be back!

There service delivery is exceptional.

Amazing experience, the best food and the staff are so accommodating!

Amazing food (and huge portions), great service, great atmosphere and great cocktails!

Delicious food and amazing service!

Jazz evenings once s month are amazing. Lots of atmosphere and great food. Service is always good

Food was delicious especially the linguini

Good food, calzone was well stuffed and pizza good amount of toppings but found it quite doughy. Very loud inside (music and talking) and needed one more staff member as service was quite slow. Had to ask 4 times to get water but alcoholic drinks came quickly. Staff all lovely but unsure if would come back because of the noise and slow service.

Best local Italian in SW London! Me and 5 friends had a slap up meal and 4 bottles of wine for a very reasonable price. Would highly recomend and can’t wait to go back!

The manager was lovely and Abraham was great too. The rigatoni was fantastic really enjoyed the meal. The margarita was very strong but not complaining. It was great. I had a fabulous time.

Wonderful customer service, delicious food, and good portions. Will definitely be coming here again.

Had the most gorgeous dinner at Bucci last week - excellent service from Tessa and Guiseppe! They really looked after us and make sure you order the managers special Espresso Martini🤎

Fabio is the most amazing host , the food was so flavoursome. If you want 10/10 experience go to bucci 💕💕

Such a great experience every time. A family restaurant with the best quality food and wine

What a great little find! Great food, service and atmosphere. Can’t fault it, everyone was super friendly and attentive.

One of the best Italian restaurants in south london! Bucci went above and beyond hosting my bday. Food was great, service was quick and efficient, atmosphere was lovely. Will defo be coming again ! Thank you Bucci

We had a fantastic evening took my friend Faith here for her birthday the staff were incredible; they came out with a cake and sung happy birthday. The food was out of this world, the linguine ai frutti di mare was to die for. Giuseppe was an absolute legend as well grade A service will definitely be back

Went above and beyond for my friend’s birthday! Service felt like family❤️❤️❤️

A fantastic meal from start to finish! Could not recommend this place more, Jiuseppe is a legend and brilliant service from Abraham! Will be back soon 😃

I recently dined at Bucci and it was a delightful experience from start to finish. The atmosphere is warm and inviting, with a cozy and intimate ambiance that makes you feel right at home. The staff are incredibly friendly and attentive, making sure every guest feels welcomed and well taken care of. The menu is filled with a fantastic selection of classic Italian dishes, all prepared with fresh ingredients and authentic flavors. I highly recommend the pasta – it was perfectly cooked, with rich, flavourful sauces that transported me straight to Italy. The pizzas are another standout, with a thin, crispy crust and generous toppings that are truly mouthwatering. Whether you're looking for a romantic dinner, a family gathering, or a casual night out with friends, Bucci is the perfect spot. I'll definitely be returning soon to explore more of their delicious menu! Highly recommended.

Generous portions but in a chaotic and disorganised environment. Expect to wait a long time for someone who is allow to take your order to arrive, ditto with paying the bill.

Yesterday I went for my girlfriend’s birthday and they were so kind. The service and the food EXCELLENT! 🖤

exceptional. very dog friendly.

Fantastic, excellent food, excellent ambiance. Wonderful music, great host. He made the whole experience!! Must recommend.

Great meal, food was excellent, service was great and the atmosphere has a real buzz to it. The seafood risotto was delicious, good selection of gluten-free options, real good size portions for your money as well, would definitely recommend. Paid c.£40 for starter, main, a dessert and a couple of soft drinks

Comida encantadora, aunque nos tomó 10 minutos de sentarnos para recibir un menú. Reservamos en línea para 7. 15 pm y el personal prometió nuestra mesa a los huéspedes en la puerta para las 8 pm - ¿quién tarda 45 minutos en comer? Los invitados consiguieron una mesa a las 8. 15 pm y irrumpió y nos dijo que deberíamos haber salido como teníamos su mesa - tan grosero! El personal lo manejó bien, pero eso nos ha pospuesto volver a este restaurante.

Giuseppe made our visit extra special. Making the effort to chat to us and make us laugh, the food was amazing with quick and friendly service. Would recommend and will definitely be back 😀

El bullicioso viernes por la noche fue una gran vibra. El personal es encantador, como lo era la comida, especialmente la pasta de mariscos era increíble

I went with a group to dine here last Friday. It was honestly impressive how quickly the head waiter was able to ruin our experience. We had not even managed to order drinks before becoming distracted by the cacophony he was making. This was an achievement in what was already a very bustling restaurant, but his voice projected loud and clear as he berated and gesticulated at his junior staff. I can appreciate that he was busy, as he was clearly frazzled and overwhelmed. However, the demeaning and degrading nature of his behaviour was absolutely shocking to see, and we had a front row seat. One poor waitress almost lost her head when the aforementioned headwaiter wildly swung a plate of food as he passed through the tables. The environment was very stressful, to the point that we did not want to stay and eat. As we got up to leave, our night having been ruined by this spectacle, the head waiter questioned us as to why we were leaving. When I informed him that we were leaving because of the shocking yelling and maltreatment of staff that we witnessed, his response was along the lines of 'I'm Italian, this is how we do things'. He became confrontational, putting his face right up to mine and then continued to say that his behaviour clearly had no bearing on the high reviews this restaurant recieved. The junior staff here deserve better. I will not be returning and I would recommend management reconsider their decision to continue employing him as he is a liability to this establishment.

As soon as we entered, the staff were so welcoming. Despite the restaurant being busy, they took time to talk us through the menu and ensure we was confident with our orders. The food was delicious, I was compelled to order more for takeaway. Overall a 10/10 experience, I can’t wait to return.m.

Fantastic service and amazing food

Giuseppe is an absolute legend. Fabio is fine even though he is a Juve supporter. Best Italian food in London.

My favourite Italian in Balham! Fabio and Giuseppe went above and beyond to make my 30th birthday special. Good value, delicious food and wine, 10/10 service with a smile and great atmosphere. They even took the trouble to make me a tiramisu cake! Thanks to the full Bucci team, everyone loved it.

Relaxed, informal, local Italian. Great service and food. Brilliant 30th birthday celebration.

Food was good however if you are an ethnic minority do not go as you’ll be treated and served differently. Disappointing behaviour I’ve never experienced before.

La comida era buena, sin embargo, si usted es una minoría étnica no vaya, ya que será tratado y servido de manera diferente. Comportamiento decepcionante que nunca antes había experimentado.

Nos alojamos en el área de Balham para el festival inalámbrico este último fin de semana y anoche tuvimos hambre y también queríamos ver el partido, así que encontramos a Bucci. Comida muy amable, sabrosa, muy buenos cócteles. Sin duda volvería si nos encontramos en esa zona de nuevo.

I arranged a dinner at Bucci with my family, who were visiting from Los Angeles and from Plymouth, and we had a wonderful time. Not only were the food, wine and cocktails delicious, but the staff were friendly and lovely to interact with. My husband and I plan to again as soon as we can. A wonderful evening.

After years of saying should really try Bucci, my friend and I had a spontaneous night here. The staff were super friendly and it really is like being in Italy. Before the espresso martini phase was in we ordered espresso martini’s. They didn’t have the ingredients so went to the local tescos to see if they could buy them. Fast forward 8 years, the food is still wonderful and the staff are just as friendly and welcoming. The food is delicious and the espresso martinis are now on the menu. They were very much worth the wait. Looking forward to my next visit.

The food was outstanding , Renato was amazing and help us to choose the best wine for our food. I highly recommend this restaurant for dinner or celebration in Balham

Delicious food, wine and ambiance! Lovely outside seating and we really enjoyed the calamari and the pasta! We will be back, Renato was great!

Lovely place, excellent food and service. Will definitely visit again

¡Buena noche! Deliciosa comida y un servicio maravilloso. Teníamos Lasaña y un hongo silvestre y pasta de salchichas que era delicioso, grandes porciones también! Sin duda volvería : )

The food was delicious and service was excellent.

Had a beautiful meal and was served by beautiful people - extremely pleasantly surprised with how amazing everything was

An incredible, authentic Italian restaurant in London! They treated my group of friends and I with so much so much kindness! The waiting staff are so vivacious!! Grazie Mille!!!

Fantastic food and service! Great vibes all around!!! Love love love, GRAZIE!

Fabulous meal, better service, also got holiday recommendations for Puglia. Grazie mile.

We had the most amazing time here, we was warmly greeted when we arrived and was offered a choice of tables to sit at. Good job that we booked as it got very busy which we took as a good sign. We was promptly given the food and drinks menu and given time to peruse them. There was a slight mess up with the 1st drink order but we think the waiter was new but it was all sorted out. The food was delicious we had calamari and garlic bread to start, My mum who has food intolerances was able to make changes to what she ordered with no fuss and the other dishes we ordered pan fried chicken and lamb cutlets were superb. The service we received from Giuseppe and Renato was fantastic we will definitely return and I have already recommended people to go here.

Love this restaurant. Great food , atmosphere and service for the whole family. Local favourite.

Food is very very delicious. Good wine, good food and good service.

The number 1 restaurant in Balham ! Authentic Italian cuisine, cooked to perfection and with excellent service. You are well looked after here. The food is delicious and very reasonably priced. 5 stars.

Our favourite restaurant in Balham! The food is high quality with reasonable price. I order the mixed seafood grill almost every time. It’s fresh, tender and delicious! Highly recommended!

Full to the brim with people, yet the service and food were amazing, super great atmosphere there.

A hidden gem. Great food, Great service!

This Italian restaurant in Balham has a very very good atmosphere The patron was exceptionally good. He has a great character. The food was excellent The service was excellent As was the cleaning, said that the restaurant would recommend it to anyone

We had a lovely dinner here this evening. The service was outstanding, staff were so attentive and really cared about everyone having a great experience.

Food and service was amazing. Can be a bit noisy.

Great for celebrating your birthday

What a strange experience. The way the lead waiter was speaking to his staff was absolutely horrendous. The younger waiters who were clearly doing their best in a high pressure environment were being shouted at with aggressive hand genstures in front of the customers. It ruined our evening and we wont return.

Excellent food in here as always 😁👍

very tasty accompanied with great service! I strongly recommend!

New to the area, my partner and I wanted to try local Italian food. Bucci was recommended and was highly impressed by their Valentine’s Day menu. We were greeted with a glass of prosecco, and the mixed fried fish starter had great selection of seafood and was fresh. Grilled ribeye steak for my main was cooked to perfection.

Great service and great family restaurant! Love the atmosfere, cheerful yet attentive. And complement to the chef!

Incredible pasta a la Norma & parmigiana. Excellent friendly service & atmosphere big recommend!

Amazing genuine Italian food! I’ll be back!

Just had a wonderful meal. Great food.! Giuseppi was a real host. Thank you.

Large portion sizes for the two pasta dishes we had but the quality was four stars - didn’t quite pop. Bancone and Officina 00 have cheaper prices for pasta dishes which are top notch, although smaller sized. We had to ask for the bill four times which was a disappointing end to the night especially as it wasn’t that busy.

My experience at Bucci was fantastic. Greeted extremely well as we entered the restaurant, food was incredible, I would recommend the sea food platter. Waiters had great humour and know their wine to a tee. Thank you, will definitely be going to Bucci again soon.

Staff were friendly but so busy that we had to wait 45 minutes before being asked if we even wanted a drink. Our bruschetta starter came quickly and was nice, but when the mains came the pizza was below average and we received the wrong pasta. It was so hard to get the staffs attention that we just had to eat the pasta anyway. Won't be returning and wouldn't recommend.

Very friendly and generous portion sizes

Authentic Italian restaurant. I really enjoyed my dinner at Bucci in occasion of my bestie Birthday. The venue make you feel at home as it is very welcoming. The food option for vegetarians is vast and so tasty( I am vegetarian) also the staff is very attentive. Great job! Will definitely recommend

We were surprised to be seated between 2 parties! One of 32 and one of 16 which made for a very loud atmosphere! One we adjusted to the noise we were able to enjoy the evening. We were served our drinks straight away and ordered our food. We were a table of 4 who began by sharing the antipasti meat platter and the beetroot starter. But were absolutely first class. The flavours were amazing and we all thoroughly enjoyed. The main courses were first class. We had the mixed fried fish, seafood linguine, salmon and sea bass. We would highly recommend all 4 of these dishes. The flavours and the cooking of the fish was perfect. We would highly recommend all 4 of these dishes. The staff were attentive even though they were run off their feet with the big parties. It looked like everyone in the room was having the best time (all to be 30 again). We would like to return here again next time in London but hopefully next time will be a little less hectic. We really enjoyed finishing the meal off with a limoncello. Thank you.

Our favourite Italian restaurant. We were delighted to note that it has recently reverted to the original management and the quality of the food has noticeably shot up. Last visit I started with tomato and mozzarella, which may sound rather basic but the flavours were fantastic. My main was Sea Bass which tasted really fresh and delicious, accompanied by fresh seasonal vegetables. Wines are reasonably priced, with the Pinot Grigio being perfectly acceptable. Service is great, albeit in a slightly frenetic way. Expect a lively atmosphere as it usually seems to be busy. Probably a good idea to book in advance.

Lovely restaurant with delicious food and very friendly staff. Gluten free pasta very nice

One of my favourite Italian restaurants in London. Very good prices, lovely food and the staff are all friendly too.

Very clearly not enough staff on shift. Some of our drinks came and we had to ask twice for the remainder. We then ordered more drinks, but they didn't arrive. Our starters arrived within a reasonable time, but after waiting well over an hour for our main meals and still not having received our second drinks order, we had to ask several times before the meals and drinks eventually arrived. When they did, the pasta dish was cold, but by then we all had had enough and just wanted to finish and go. We were disappointed with the service and said so. The last few drinks were taken off our bill, but I won't be returning.

Lovely atmosphere very good food and service

I love Buckingham but from a few tears ago it was amazing then My experience on the 19th August was drastic wine order 15 mins food order 45 mins later starters served 20 mins later table cleared 20 mins main meal 30 mins later In my opinion only 2 waiting staff 1 drink staff over worked under paid not good enough And just 1 more opinion certain foods were minimul Not sure I would go again and it's such a shame as at one time it was the best italian

A very disappointing experience from a restaurant that is nowhere near as good as it used to be. We arrived at 7.30 on Saturday night and by 9.30 we had been served a single drink and a starter. While the Calamari and white wine were both quite good, our main courses, and the pasta dishes in particular, were extremely poor in comparison to many other Italian Restaurants in London. In addition we found it was almost impossible to get anyone’s attention for the whole evening and so had to wait for drinks, our food, and even to get the bill.

Great staff and manager. Food and service is fantastic. Highly recommended

EDITED: thank you for your response. I agree you make lovely fresh food and the adult food was worth it. I have amended my score to reflect that. I did not see the itemised bill until we had left and got home. I would have raised issue with £10 for a small portion of plain pasta had I realised. If, as a parent, I choose not to add fruit juice and ice cream to my child’s dinner, then I would expect an option to pay for their main course and not a fixed kids menu. I would just like to know if you think it’s fair to charge £10 for a half portion of completely plain penne? ************************************ Lovely meal. Tasty food (albeit very slow from the kitchen) But totally ruined by them charging us £10 for a half portion of completely plain penne for our toddler. The adult pastas start at £10! My other son had a kids spaghetti with tomato. Also £10. So £20 for two small kids pastas. We spent a lot of money on the rest of our meal. Starters and main courses for the adults. So not like we were trying to feed us all on a shoestring. Spoilt it

Reviews /10. 3 mini starters: Goats cheese and red onion 6-7 Nonna meatballs 3-4 Calamari 7-7 Seasonal ragu 6-6 Seasonal aubergine 6.5-6.5 Friendly service. Average value for money.

Homely Italian place in Balham. Friendly staff. Good pasta. I had the carbonara and my wife had the ragu. Both hit the spot. Ordered a tiramisu to finish it off and it did not disappoint. Great value for money as well at £25 per person. If you want a local Italian spot in Balham for decent Italian food, look no further.

The food was okay. I had ordered seasonal dish for this summer. The taste was not as strong. The service was good.

Delicious food and friendly service Popular restaurant, it was fully booked!

I had my first dinner at Bucci last night while visiting our daughter, and thoroughly regretted not having discovered this little gem while still living in London. Service was nothing short of top, with Graziano taking super care of us with super charm, great sense of humor and good advice on food & wines. Being Italian we generally avoid Italian restaurants, but were glad to make an exception to celebrate my father in law b’day, and be treated to a high quality “home made” cuisine, like you only find in few “family run” restaurants. I went for Melanzane alla Parmigiana as appetizer, and two mains on a “share basis”, i.e. spicy shrimps and balsamic calamari. All of the dishes were cooked to perfection, generous portions, tasty and high quality ingredients. All of this was accompanied by a nice blend of white (Sauvignon and Chardonnay grapes) recommended by Graziano, which again made everyone happy. Forgot to mention, I was finally prepared a nice and proper Negroni to begin the evening with, which again is easier said than done in most places in London. Thx again for treating us to a great evening of great food in a warm, friendly and joyful environment.

The restaurant was very busy when we had a table booked there. We placed our food and drinks order together. We received our starts before the drinks were even served. We waited patiently for our drinks but they never turned up. So after our starters we chased them up. They were very apologetic and gave our first drink for free, which was very nice of them. Our main course took along time to come out as they were so busy. Our food was very nice and the staff were friendly and very welcoming. We also had a limoncello at the end of the meal complimentary. Thank you for a lovely meal Bucci

Food very good - bill presented and encourgaged to pay - found query on bill when home - emailed and messaged to query possible over charge on 12th June - still waiting to an acknowledgement or answer - which is such a shame - Query all now resolved - Email details updated - Thank you Bucci for your response

We love Italian food and were introduced to this place by family and friends. And we loved it. This is Italian food at its best, completely authentic. Italian food at its best isn't rocket science -mit's simple, fresh and tasty. And this was that! The family owners and staff were friendly and helpful, almost like being in Italy! We would go out of our way to go back to Bucci again, it's that good and although we have eaten good Italian food all over the world, this is exceptional and we can't recommend it highly enough.

Really lovely evening. Food was delicious, we had the Bucci speciality pasta and pizza. Did some really good deals on wine/meal combos throughout the week which made it very affordable. Nice atmosphere and lots of little touches from the staff made it perfect.