Pinocchio's in Canterbury

Last night, we dined at this restaurant and ordered three starters, which were quite good. However, I ordered spaghetti alle vongole (clams), and calling it "terrible" would still be generous. The pasta was overcooked and completely lacked flavor. Additionally, we ordered extra bread, which was served raw in the middle. As an Italian myself, dining at an Italian restaurant and encountering such a poor standard of cooking was deeply disappointing. Given the high cost of the food, one would reasonably expect the quality to match the price, but this was far from the case. When the waitress checked on us, we expressed our dissatisfaction, but her response was a dismissive "sorry about that." It was evident that she was not engaged or interested in addressing our concerns. When we requested the bill, we noticed that nothing had been adjusted, even though it was clear that the two plates of pasta had barely been touched. I had to personally approach the waitress, who appeared to consult with her manager. The manager's response was equally dismissive, and he quickly retreated to the kitchen. Eventually, the two pasta dishes were removed from the bill, but only after this additional effort. I will not be returning to this restaurant, and I cannot recommend it to others.

Disappointing. Rely heavily on pasta and pizza, which unfortunately does not make it an Italian resturant. But cannot say we were swept away by the food or the atmosphere. Not what it used to be unfortunately.

A delicious dinner to celebrate my birthday on a cold January night. Delicious calamari, and mains were very good. Chicken was beautifully cooked although the roast potatoes were very big and a bit under roasted. Tiramisu was amazing!

I'm gonna write a review on their pasta and chicken wings not their pizza. The chicken wings were actually quite good and I think we got six wings for five . The restaurant was full. Service was good tables were nice. They're outside. The pizza looked very good so we had a Alfredo with shrimp which was good shrimp or nice. There were probably four or five of them in there and then we had a lasagna which was horrible and just microwaved, minced meat with pasta and carrots I would skip that. 15% tip is included with all orders. I don't think it says that on the menu.

I first visited this restaurant in 1990 when my very young daughters were fascinated by the life size model of Pinocchio in the front window. I have subsequently visited this authentic Italian restaurant many times. The food is genuinely Italian with home made bread and pizza, pasta and meat dishes, with good Italian wines and international spirits and cocktails. A hidden gem away from the main shopping area of Canterbury, well worth a visit

One of the waitresses seriously needs some training in customer service. She kept interrupting our conversations at the wrong moments and was rude when it came to the bill. Description of her: young waitress with dark skin and long hair that she keeps tied back

Consistently good charming and welcoming service, great food and a good varied menu plus carefully selected wines that complete the experience. Like visiting Italy for the evening!

Great little find after seeing other great reviews Home cooked Food amazing staff great Wine even better what more can I say well worth a visit

This restaurant has to be one of the best in Canterbury. Every visit never disappoints. They maintain the same exacting standards on every visit. Wonderful friendly service from every member of staff. The food is absolutely superb. A great place to dine and excellent value for money.

Utterly delicious pizzas from Pinocchio's three authentic delicious pizzas delivered in really good time.... Via delivaroo

a gorgeous little Italian restuarant that is small but definately worth a visit. From the service to the amazing food we loved this place. All the staff were helpful and friendly and it was so reasonable. Go and enjoy you won't be disappointed.

Lovely authentic Italian restaurant, food was delicious and a reasonable price. A good selection of wine and cocktails too. Plenty of really lovely staff, never had to wait too long for anything, well done to Sal and his fabulous team. I would throughly recommend this little gem.

We had a delightful meal, with excellent and authentic Italian food! Strongly recommended! We can’t wait to be back tomorrow!

What a beautiful restaurant. We had 3 children with us and the staff looked after all of us well. The food was very good and we will go back again when in Canterbury. God value too.felt like a special occasion.

Excellent food and service. Good welcome. Interesting venue. Quaint location. Would love to visit again when next in town.

Best Italian restaurant in Canterbury!💗 Friend and I heard amazing things about this place so we decided to try it out and were unbelievably impressed - we had the gorgonzola gnocchi (best gnocchi of our lives) and the pizza “napoli”, followed by the tiramisu and creme brulee for dessert. Everything was incredible and we cannot wait to come back again to try their other dishes (although we’ll definitely be ordering the gnocchi again too). Service were professional and very lovely and the food came quickly✨

A real genuine Italian restaurant. Food was freshly cooked using fresh ingredients and extremely tasty. Mature staff friendly, welcoming and helpful. Highly recommend 👍

Had a fabulous meal here on September 18th. Lovely restaurant

I love Italian food but the menu seems to have lots of things that I just don’t fancy! My wife felt the same, and ended up having spaghetti bolgnese..🤦‍♂️

Originele, lekkere gerechten op de kaart! Binnen is er ook nog een bord met suggesties. We genoten bij ons eerste bezoek van een heerlijke moot zwaardvis. De dag erna hadden we voor de lunch ravioli met truffel en eekhoorntjesbrood. Ook heel lekker! Het restaurant ligt in een rustige straat maar toch dicht bij het centrum. Het interieur is gezellig, de bediening vlot en vriendelijk.

Absolutely fantastic food. Fresh, flavourful and well priced. The service was great. Portions were perfectly sized. We will return.

Overpriced, bad service At Pinocchio’s in Canterbury, our experience was less than satisfactory. We ordered swordfish, ravioli, tiramisu, sparkling water, and a cappuccino, with the bill totaling £69. When the tiramisu arrived, we felt it would have been better with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream. We requested one scoop, but instead, we were served three. We politely asked for the excess to be removed, but the server rudely refused, insisting that ice cream was only available in a three-scoop serving. We were not informed of this policy beforehand, and had we known, we would have declined the order entirely. Being forced to pay for something we didn’t want left us feeling cheated and diminished our dining experience. Although the manager later agreed to remove the charge from our bill, the payment had already been processed. By then, the stress had already ruined what should have been a pleasant evening. The server’s dismissive attitude and lack of customer care added unnecessary frustration. Overall, we found the meal overpriced for the quality and service received. Given the experience, we wouldn’t dine there again.

Passing through Canterbury en route to France we happened upon this excellent Italian. We hadn't booked but were accommodated. Very friendly attentive service and good portions of tasty food.

I visited with my friend we had an early evening booking as we were off to the theatre afterwards. The restaurant was very pretty and the staff friendly . The food and drinks were very good . Only negative being we were served very quickly with hardly any break between courses .

Excellent Italian cuisine, a salvation with a small daughter. Very fresh fish and relaxing environment. The pizza is also good. Highly recommended

Pleasant restaurant with English style, eaten in the passio Excellent cuisine, very very good Top service

An ABSOLUTELY Gem in Canterbury!!! The place is very cosy. Fresh ingredients, professional waiters. Definitely recommend!

Delightful service from Francesca, very attentive and accommodating.. specials were explained and I chose a mozzarella salad and the ravioli special. So delicious and flavoursome.. will definitely be returning

Had a fabulous meal. The food was fresh, well cooked and tasted fantastic. Great atmosphere and well priced. Would return anytime we return to Canterbury. Staff were charming.

Food was amazing, staff were friendly and attentive. Music was just enough in the background to create a lovely atmosphere.

Best dinner I have had in UK and we have been in the country for a few weeks now. Food was prompt, service was friendly. 10/10 experience!

Brilliant lunch, fresh good quality food with real Italian flair. Reasonably priced and good sized portions. Very light sourdough pizza crust and excellent seafood tagliatelle.

Great atmosphere. We went for dinner. I have the gnoccis my husband the linguini with gamberoti( shrimps) . You can feel the pasta and gnocci is hand made and not from dry pasta. Authentic italian cousine. For dessert we had the tiramisú. Just perfect. Highly recommended. The personal was very attentive. The natural light adds a fresh sense to the ambient. If you go to visit Canterbury this is the place to have an authentic italian dinner.

We were warmly welcomed by two members of staff. The staff the whole evening was attentive. The food was outstanding! Everything was cooked to perfection. The dishes had so much flavour in every bite! We would highly recommend eating here!

A truly delicious meal, enjoyed every mouthful! If we lived nearer we would definitely be regular diners!

Lively , friendly ambience, smiling service, lovely Italian roast potatoes, great wine (a Rosé ) & dessert ( affogato). For starter I had the Gamberoni al vino which consisted of 2 shelled prawns atop a slice of bread in a rather insipid sauce. I followed this with swordfish which was tasty. My husband was disappointed with his pizza. He had the El Gusto which he didn't find very tasty & was not crisp enough for him. In fact he left a lot of it which is very rare as usually he leaves his plate clean after eating a pizza. Maybe next time he'll have to ask if he could have a crispier pizza.

Wonderful Italian restaurant with really outstanding food, very friendly service and relaxed ambience. Highly recommended

Wonderful Italian restaurant with really outstanding food, very friendly service and relaxed ambience. Highly recommended

The sword fish special tasted amazing

Really nice Italian restaurant close to Canterbury downtown. A 5 min walk. Super friendly service and excellent food. We had a pasta and a risotto and were super impressed with both. And of course a tiramisu for desert. Definitely worth a visit. Enjoy!

This the very first time I can leave such a review. Born and bred in Italy, travelled around the world for 15+ years and... Pinocchio's was the first place to make me enjoy Italian cuisine outside homeland. Italian take few things seriously and, be sure, food is not only among those but reigning over'em all! I approached the restaurant with my skeptical toffee nosed attitude and, guess what: it pleased my buds more and better than many places back home. I had the swordfish and the fried squids, felt like eating it right off the boat for how fresh they were. Ruta and Salvatore beautifully guided my tour through the wine chart and the menu Giulia, the chef, cooks daily honoring the religious care and devotion Italians give to their meals. Be sure to try their fresh fish and home made pasta: you ( and your buds) will be amazed. Freshly baked sourdough pizza and bread were supreme. Damiano and his team have gained the rare prize of not only spreading the Italian taste and culture but also serve food that has few rivals even back home.

Delicious food, quick service and friendly staff ❤️

The restaurant has nice and warm atmosphere but the food we had was average. We had 2 starters, 2 mains and one desert to share. The calamari starter was a small portion and nothing special, no condiments either on the side salad that comes with them. The grilled prawns are served on a very buttery warm sauce which is almost a soup and overall it was okay but again nothing great about it - I would not re-order it. We then had the salsiccia risotto and the linguine mare. Both low in seasoning and the risotto felt as if it was microwaved.. The tiramisu however was nice. The Italian wine we had was nice. Price wise it’s a good choice but food overall is average - 6.5 if I could rate from 1 to 10. The service was great from start to finish, the staff is friendly, welcoming and nice.

We had the best pasta and cheesecake. Highly recommend.

The best Italian restaurant in town. Beautiful atmosphere and yummy food.

Restaurant recommended by our hotel. Super nice, cozy, great Italian atmosphere. Lovely, consistent dishes with good products. Friendly and fast service, fair prices.

I love going abroad and enjoying the local culture, I also love finding some typical Italian places, really run by Italians and being proud of our culture exported abroad. This is the case of pinocchio's restaurant. A typical Italian restaurant where you can feel at home or, for those who have not yet been lucky enough to visit Italy, immerse yourself in a real and traditional culinary experience. Giulia and Damiano are excellent hosts, Giulia, the chef, takes obsessive care of the preparations with fresh and excellent quality ingredients, the olive oil is excellent and its cellar varies for all palates. Fresh clams as if you ate them in Amalfi and the aubergine parmigiana is just like grandma's. Salvatore and Ruta, the two maitres, will take care of you, expertly advising you on combinations and combinations. The best place to eat traditional Italian food, not just in Canterbury but in the whole of the UK. See you soon.

We visited on a Friday evening and it was a nice, busy atmosphere. Service was friendly and efficient. The food was really good.

This is my third visit here, pure authentic Italian food which is amazing. Highly recommend if you love Italian food.

Amazing authentic food, great service in a lovely little restaurant. We'll be back!

An excellent dining experience. The staff are so friendly. Better make reservations, it's a popular restaurant.

Fabulous restaurant and Italian food. Great service

Amazing food great wine and a really nice atmosphere. Amazing for a romantic date.

If only one could afford it, one would surely be a regular customer. The only downside is the place always being full of Canterbury's wealthy geriatric folk, some of whom are more enlightened than others.

Excellent for a date night. Hearty food and nice wine.

Petit restaurant cosi, chaleureux service et tres bonne cuisine

Had a lovely meal, really good pasta. Highly recommend.

Excellent service. Food was hot and fresh. Don’t bother with the calamari. No flavor.

This is a great little restaurant a little off the beaten track which is great. The food is authentic and amazing quality. The team are very attentive and friendly. I have now found my new favourite Italian restaurant when I am not in Positano of course!

Booked a table there during a trip to Canterbury without knowing anything about the place. We had an absolutely delicious dinner. The gnocchi with gorgonzola and walnuts were amazing. The staff was very friendly. Overall would recommend.

Totally wonderful Italian family atmosphere ❤️ and food

Wow! What a hidden gem in Canterbury! If you want authentic fresh homemade pasta and pizza this is the place. The staff are amazing and super friendly, the atmosphere is in-line with a dining experience. I ordered a pizza margarita which is probably the best I ever tasted and my daughter order tagliatelle bolognese which was fantastic! Make the effort to bd this place and enjoy!

The BEST gluten free pizza and garlic bread I have EVER had. The non-gf people I was with said it was excellent too and thoroughly enjoyed it. My 16yo nephew (who is not gf), said it was the best garlic bread he’d ever had. I’ve been coming to this restaurant with my family since I was a tiny tot, and seen it change hand a few times. The new owners and their team are incredibly lovely and their food is great. There’s always a fish special and the seafood dishes do not scrimp on the portion size of seafood, like so many do. I can’t wait to go back. Just the thought of the garlic bread is making me drool.

Oscar … recently went to this restaurant for the first time. And only live just around the corner.. had the olives and the mozerlla salad for starters.. chicken in ham and mushroom sauce for mains.. and tiramisu and crème brûlée for dessert.. finished off with decaf coffee.. food exceptional and service was efficient.. my only criticism was that the apple juice was from concentrate.. but am probably being a bit to picky.. will definitely see my custom again.. thank you and well done

A fantastic, genuine, Italian restaurant, with great food

Best Italian in Canterbury. The decor and menu is a little dated and that's what I love. Always an interesting special and old school favourites. Doesn't try too hard and delivers perfectly what you want. We really enjoy it here and it's my go to Italian outside of Italy

A delightful Italian restaurant. Traditional food. Crisp, linen tablecloths. This is food that comforts the soul. Reasonably priced. A must if you live or visit Canterbury. We’ll most definitely be back!

Ate here for evening meal start of Summer holidays. I had clams, husband had pizza, daughter had gnocchi. Fabulous very tasty. Lovely atmosphere, great quality. So very glad we ate here as beautiful independent Italian restaurant. Friendly fast service.

Excellent food and service. Great drinks and very good prices. Highly recommend you stop by for a delicious meal!

I'm often in Canterbury for one reason or another but this is the first time I have been to this restaurant. The food and service are excellent, and I shall be returning as soon as I can.

Diese Pizzeria besuchen wir seit vielen Jahren wenn wir nach Canterbury kommen. Jedesmal sind wir aufs Neue begeistert.

Cibo prelibatissimo e personale molto accogliente! Eccellente cucina italiana!

Beautiful little Italian, with lots of character. Staff were so helpful and food was absolutely delicious. Would 100% go back and recommend to others.

Tasty food in great location ... after exploring adjacent historic buildings and beautiful riverside gardens

This was a great Italian restaurant! The food was in big portions. Tasted great! Easy walk from where we stayed. Service was excellent!

Incredible service, wonderful dining experience

Very cosy restaurant with prompt and friendly service. The ravioli was fresh and extremely tasty!

Really lovely neighborhood Italian. Super friendly serving staff. We enjoyed the food. Highly recommended.

Nice little restaurant serving quality food

Sehr gemütliches Ambiente, extrem freundliches Personal und das Essen war sehr lecker. Nur frische Zutaten. Klare Empfehlung.

Excellent atmosphere, outstanding food and great service.

Had a nice evening at Pinocchio's, food was very good and the staff were very friendly. Was not rushed in any way despite the place being busy and was made aware when booking that your table is available for 2 hours. Would happily recommend and will be returning.

My husband and I felt like Italian food as we've had plenty of fish and chips over the past few days. What a treat to find this quaint, Italian restaurant. Like others have shared, it's tucked away outside the business of the center. I had the tagliatelle Bolognese and my husband has the had the Ribeye tagliata. Superb is the best way to describe our meal. We each had dessert...mine was the pistachio cheesecake and hubby's was the creme brulee. The staff couldn't have been more attentive to us. Would definitely visit this restaurant again 💓

I N vEN T I v E Menu. AL DENTE Pasta. VERY FRE SH fish. Tomato sauce seemed a bit ketchupy, honestly. I live in Philly usa and been to Itally many times. I know my gravy! It did have some subtle flavors so maybe I don't get it. Try the pistachio cheesecake.

Prima Italiaans restaurant. Lekker eten. Goeie wijn.

Exceptional food..very Italian traditional food to the best quality . Service very good also . Actually felt I was in Italy . Certainly will be coming back and also highly recommend to others .

Never been there before but glad we did. Food was delicious and pretty good value for money. Lovely atmosphere too.

Our favourite Canterbury restaurant! Amazing food, fantastic service and a lovely atmosphere whenever we visit.

Nice setting, superb food...friendly & attentive staff...highly recommended

Always book here when we visit Canterbury from London. Great quality food, service and value.

Lovely Italian restaurant in Canterbury. Helpful staff. I have mobility issues and use a mobility scooter, which they made sure was safely parked before we went in to enjoy a lovely meal. They are not really able to cater for people with disabilities as space is rather limited. They were friendly and helpful, food was lovely and the atmosphere was perfect.

This little place has got to be one of the best Italian restaurant we have been to in a very long time. From the moment we walked in it was as if we were being warmly welcomed into their home. When the food came out, it looked amazing and tasted delightful. They even had an incredible pistachio cheesecake that is a must-try dessert!!

Happened upon soon great Italian food here, reasonably priced. This is a lovely family run place, with friendly staff. Kids size portions also available.

don’t go - pasta had no seasoning at all and left us very disappointed Ruined our trip

First visit here lovely lunch Cod Loin & mussels was delicious 😋

It was a rushed visit. We arrived at 8.40pm on a Tuesday night and were told to order quickly as the kitchen closed at 9. We only had time for a main course and a drink. It was ok.

An excellent restaurant serving superb food in a lovely atmosphere with excellent sevice. A lovely place to spend an evening.

Family-owned vibes, good meal all round.

We had a lovely meal, great service, good selection of dishes. The risotto potrtion size was a bit on the small side.

I think this may be the best Italian food I've had in England. The restaurant is quite small (in a good way) and has a lovely atmosphere. And the staff are lovely.