Vincenzo’s Pizza House
address: 71A Park Street, Bristol, BS1 5PB
tel: 01179 260 908
Vincenzos is somewhere I’ve always walked past with a bit of a snigger, the sky blue building on the corner of Park Stret with a restaurant full of flags, doesn’t really scream “classy establishment” which is why I was surprised when one of my workmates recommended it.
I know from experience that appearences are often deceiving and after all its the food and service which matters, so after drinks in Browns one evening we decided this was the perfect opportunity to try it out.
So we arrived mid week on a Wednesday to find the restaurant nearly empty. Choices of seating were either the terrace (with the flags) or more inside the restaurant which had a wood cabin type feel. We went for the terrace which I later felt was a bit of a mistake, whilst I’m sure that when full of people it would have a cracking atmosphere, with just the two of us it was somewhat cold and a bit lacking in atmosphere. The floor was concrete and somewhere near my feet something was leaking which wasn’t great.
Looking through the menu, the dishes on offer were traditional Italian – I decided to go for breaded chicken stuffed with garlic (effectively a chicken kiev) and Becci went for the steak.
There wasn’t too long a wait for the food, and when it arrived it certainly wasn’t lacking in portion size – both plates were huge (too big if I’m honest I don’t think either of us finished our portions). The chicken tasted nice although I was left feeling a little stodgy once we finished. Becci’s steak was pretty good too, although again, her portion was way too big and food was left.
Verdict: The food was tasty but really nothing to rave about. Vincenzos just didn’t quite seem to capture the Italian family business which holds so much appeal for these restaurants; instead it felt a bit tired and soulless. I don’t think I’ll be rushing to go back as a couple but would be happy to try Vincenzos again if I was with a larger group when I can imagine the terrace with its novelty flags would be good fun.
I have eaten there on a Saturday and there was a good atmosphere, average food but large portions which my BF loved! If you are looking for more authenticity try Mumma Mia on Park Row. Run by an Italian family, the food is cooked and served by Italians. Delicious! You get a real sense of the history of the place from the images on the walls. The floor boards upstairs are a little wonky but for me this just added to the character!
Hi Laura – couldn’t agree with you more. We have a post on Mamma Mia waiting in the wings – I really loved it when I went there. Watch this space for our review!
Gemma x
this is one of the best and 1st italian resturant in bristol. the staff is very good and the food my god…. real italian food…..
I’ve eaten here a couple of times and each time the food was fantastic and the service friendly. The retro italian decor is perfectly in keeping with the family retro vibe and the terrace is a great location for dinner in the summer months.