Prezzo Italian Restaurant Stevenage Leisure Park
Walking into Prezzo feels like stepping into a small, blissfully air-conditioned corner of Tuscany—if Tuscany were attached to a Cineworld and a Nando’s. The décor is all exposed brick, warm lighting, and the kind of rustic charm that makes you forget you’re literally a stone’s throw from a roundabout. You half expect a nonna to shuffle out and pinch your cheeks for not eating enough pasta. Instead, you get a very friendly human who just wants to know if you’ve booked a table.
And here’s a jaw-dropping, party-trick fact: Prezzo actually started way back in 2002, but the chain’s roots go much deeper. The founders, Jonathan and Iain, came from a family that had been running fish-and-chip shops in Scotland since the 1960s. That’s right—your posh Italian pizza is being served by the descendants of the chippie kings. Talk about an unexpected plot twist. It’s like finding out your fancy sommelier used to be a wino, but in a really successful way.
The Main Event: Pasta, Pizza, and Panic
Let’s talk about the menu. It’s a glorious, carb-loaded epic poem. You have your classic pizzas, baked in a proper stone oven until the cheese is doing a dramatic, stringy jazz-hands move. The pasta is reliably al dente—which is Italian for “not mush.” If you order the Spaghetti Carbonara, you will be hit with a wall of creamy, smoky, bacon-y goodness that could probably solve a minor argument between your kids. It’s that powerful.
But here’s the real secret: you must pay attention to the specials board. They often have a dish called the “Rustica” pizza, which is basically a normal pizza that has been to the gym and bulked up on toppings. One slice is a meal. Two slices require a post-meal nap. Three slices and you’re legally considered a contender for a food-eating competition in a small Italian village. Do not underestimate it.
Prezzo Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2UA - Menu, Reviews (139), Photos
What about the starters? The Garlic Bread with Mozzarella is a mandatory religious experience. It arrives looking like a golden, cheesy raft of happiness. Dip it in the house tomato sauce, and you will suddenly understand the meaning of life. (Spoiler: it’s garlic and cheese.)