La Cucina

Popped in for a pre-drinking session dinner with a friend and was pleasantly surprised with this place. Staff were very friendly, decor was nice and atmos buzzy without being loud. I had a very tasty and generously proportioned Calzone (looking as it did like some giant sea creature's fin!) which benefited greatly from the inclusion of artichoke. My friend's vegetable pasta was less of a success - pasta was well cooked but there was far too much tomato sauce making for a very wet slightly flavourless bowl of food. I blame her for being a vegetarian mind you!

Menu all-in-all is well priced and offers all the staples plus there's usually some tasty looking specials on - sea bass with samphire particularly caught my eye. Seems like a very reliable place where more often than not you can get good food without breaking the bank.

Joe B (Unverified), 02/04/12

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We consider ourselves very lucky to have moved closer to some of Oxford's best restaurants and I certainly count La Cucina amongst them. Dining again last night was another chance for a shining example of a great restaurant ticking all the right boxes. The food is unbelievably fresh and the open-plan kitchen a welcome addition for any foodies that enjoy watching their food being created for them!

The specials are just that: special. A little pricier than the most items of the main menu, they are still well worth sampling. I've had a great venison stew, a delicious quail dish and two fabulous (albeit artery-furring!) cheese starters. There's usually game on offer when in season, which delights me, and it's always very good. On the other hand, my partner has ordered the same dish every time we have eaten there! Despite my protestations that ordering simple spaghetti with chili and garlic at a restaurant is just wrong(!) he insists that it is some of the nicest, simple spaghetti that he has ever had. Not sure what that says for my cooking...

Puddings are good - I'm a massive fan of the desert wine that comes some little almond biscuits for dipping and R likes the apple tart. Of course if you've had a starter you probably won't need a pudding, but La Cucina is one of those restaurants where the food is so good, it would be rude not to over-indulge!

Dr Mukti (DI User), 11/03/12

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Visited Oxford today with 2 other adults and 4 kids. Popped into La Cucina for a quick lunch and were warmly welcomed by all the staff (a nice change when you've got kids in tow!).

They couldn't do enough for us and it was genuine friendliness and good old customer service that is so often lacking in this country's restaurants. Great atmosphere, great food and all at reasonable value. A bonus was a very friendly chef in an open kitchen so we could all see the pizzas being made and talk to the chef about the massive vegetables on show (you have to see them to believe them!).

La Cucina made us so welcome that I had to go online and give them a great review! Thank you.

Kate K (Unverified), 26/10/11

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Went for the first time last night and the pizzas were delicious and the service was excellent. Can't wait to go back!

07/09/11

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Rather shocked: we've been going to La Cucina for a while now; the food has always been hit and miss, but the charming kitchen made up for any flaws. I called to book a table for 7-8 people and asked if we could bring a birthday cake, as it's a birthday celebration. Much to my surprise, I was informed I'd have to pay a cover charge as we 'really don't want people to bring cakes'. I don't know, and have never heard of, this policy anywhere else. They've lost my booking, and my business, which is a shame as we always spent quite a bit of money there.

Mrs Peeved (Unverified), 14/06/11

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This is an excellent restaurant. In a different league to the chains. Everything we have eaten here has been perfectly cooked, using fine ingredients and beautifully presented. Last week we had sea bream with samphire and new potatoes: unusual, seasonal and delicious. Also fantastic is the side dish of grilled vegetables: substantial chargrilled slices of aubergines, courgettes and peppers dressed with pesto. A great complement to a pasta dish.

CR (Unverified), 29/05/11

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My girlfriend and I visited early on a Friday evening. To reiterate the previous reviews, the staff were absolutely fantastic. Polite, extremely efficient and very friendly. They were attentive during the meal without being at all imposing. The restaurant itself has a pleasant ambience, it was busy and bustling without being noisy or oppressive.

The wine was extremely palatable (we opted for the Chianti) and reasonably priced. The standard menu is what you'd expect from a modern Italian restaurant and once again, the prices are very competitive in comparison with larger national Italian chains. We shared an appetiser (Rustic Foccacia with Olive Oil & Balsamic Vinegar) which was substantial and tasty without being filling. My girlfriend had Gnocchi dish from the main menu which was freshly prepared and very tasty. I went for the Roast Duck Breast with Dauphinoise Potato from the specials board which was a little more expensive than the main menu dishes, but it was spectacularly nice. The duck was cooked to perfection and the potato was subtle but tasty, complimenting the meat perfectly.

All of this came in at £26 per head, including the wine. Considering the quality of the service, of the food and of the experience in general, this price was a very pleasant surprise.

My new favourite restaurant in Oxford.

jonnybiscuits (DI User), 08/05/10

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Went there for dinner with some friends during the week and found the place excellent. Fantastic value for money, huge portions and extremely friendly service. The place has great food and even though it was a tuesday night was still jam packed. The food was brilliant from simple pizza's and pastas to more complex dishes like the stuffed quail and lamb shoulder.

Very highly recommended, even if we all felt stuffed to the gills afterwards!

anh (Unverified), 11/04/09

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I visited here many times when working nearby - usually during lunch and just for pizza, which were always very good and typical Italian in style. A colleague of mine who knows the owner said recently - try the specials there. I did and they are very very impressive rustic dishes, my friend's Sea Bass was declared excellent, I had the Steak Tagialia - sliced beefsteak in peppercorn with rocket and parmesan accompaniment. And, they stock Averne - which, if you haven't tried it, is a lovely Italian digestif. Good good stuff indeed.

bp (DI User), 30/12/08

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What a pleasant surprise! I visited la cucine on Saturday night with a group of and had an excellent time. You are immediately greeted by friendly staff, and the restaurant is beautiful around the back or ‘in the kitchen’ as the waitress called it!

Our table was by the window overlooking the open kitchen so we could all watch the chefs preparing the food and tossing pizzas. Our waiter, who was excellent – always available and smiling, told us the selection of specials, and some sneaky ones that weren’t on the board at the time.

We started with some freshly baked bread and olives which was adequate for everyone. The table ordered a mixture of pasta dishes, specials and pizza, which was one of the freshest pizzas around. And we were all very satisfied! I had the skate wing with potato and capers which were cooked perfectly, a really nice piece of fish. The leg of lamb looked nice although maybe a little pricey. The wine wasn’t bad either and went well with the meal. Overall, a fantastic night had by all. Nowhere else in Oxford could you find such good food and friendly service on a busy Saturday night.

03/11/08

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I must say we were disappointed, because it promises a lot when you walk in. As mentioned before, friendly staff, open kitchen, all the ambience is there for something special. Unfortunately the prices promised something that didn't really happen, and even then most of our party felt slightly hungry afterwards. I'd give it another go sometime, but if this is representative of the normal food I wouldn't recommend it. There are plenty of other options in the area. We'll take our chances.

crouchingbadger (Unverified), 06/09/08

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We visited la Cucina two nights running on a recent visit to Oxford: the quality of the food on offer and the excellent service plus the resonable price made it an outstanding choice for dinner.The pizzas were huge and packed with wonderful ingredients and the clam special was to die for. Would highly recommend.

jw (Unverified), 08/08/08

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The staff deserve all the plaudits they have received in previous reviews - they're friendly and very professional.

The kitchen is one of those open affairs with all work being performed in view of the customers; as well as being fascinating in itself to catch glimpses of whirling pizza bases and steaming pasta, it's a great advertisement for the honesty of the food on offer. A tip: don't sit too close to the kitchen area on a warm summer night.

The menu is compact, and some may find it restricted in range, but it means you know that what you're getting is freshly made, rather than pre-cooked. Furthermore, the menu is augmented by a number of interesting daily specials, presumably depending on what's available in Oxford's excellent produce market. Of the five members of our party, four of us went for specials, including an outstanding spaghetti a la vongole and a wonderful grilled sea bream.

And very reasonable prices: look to pay on average about £25 - 35 per head with a drink or two.

All in all, it was a pleasure to dine at La Cucina and I look forward to going there again soon.

PJ (Unverified), 06/08/08

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My husband and I visited La Cucina this weekend. The atmosphere was wonderful and the staff polite and knowledgeable. My husband chose the calves liver main from the specials board which was superb and divinely melt in the mouth. I was equally impressed with my seasonal asparagus starter and a wonderful gnocchi. I would gladly recommend this place and would certainly return.

HR (Unverified), 27/05/08

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Me and my partner recently visited La Cucina on St Clements and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. We had a very attentive young waiter who was friendly and knowledgable with regard to the excellent range of specials. We enjoyed a crab starter to share and some of the homemade rustic bread before moving onto halibut for myself and the gnocci for my husband. We were able to see the chefs prepare the food which made interesting viewing and it tasted wonderful as well. It's nice to see a reasonably-priced Italian clearly doing so well (judging by the number of people eating) and a waiter that was clearly enjoying his job. Overall a very pleasurable evening and we look foward to eating there again shortly.

K8 W (Unverified), 22/04/08

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I really recommend the specials in la Cucina - my boyfriend and I went there for a night out and our starters, mains and desserts were all the evening's specials - they were delicious. The staff were very friendly and attentive and the chefs were incredibly accommodating. We were seated near the open kitchen and I watched an aged couple ask if they could have main courses from the specials but starter-portions so they could have various dishes and nothing was too much trouble. The meal was very reasonable and the atmosphere was just what you'd want. We had a fantastic night!

chickabee (Unverified), 15/04/08

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Visited here a month ago with a very large group of people and was delighted with both the level of service and the food. This is not your average mid-price Italian - I had a vegetarian gnocchi dish which was one of the best I've ever eaten - and my fellow diners were similarly delighted, especially by a lamb special. The wine was very reasonably priced, too, but the highest praise has to be reserved for the waiting staff, who were very attentive for such a busy restaurant.

Katy (Unverified), 29/03/08

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La Cucina is a nice restaurant: good food, service, and atmosphere.

I do have one complaint, though. For an Italian restaurant this place isn't as veggie friendly as you might expect. Other than pizza the menu has 2-3 veggie mains - but they are all pastas with heavy cream sauces so there is nothing to choose from if you're not into cream. And the specials board never seem to have any veggie options. It's not that a vegetarian will find nothing to eat here - but a lot more variety would be welcome.

Jessica (Unverified), 25/03/08

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A great, reasonably-priced restaurant. I have been several times with friends over the past few months. Whether it's from the main menu or the specials board, the food has always been consistently of a high standard. The pizzas are enormous and the tiramasu is such a treat. Try it with Amaretto! Well worth a visit.

L and S (Unverified), 19/12/07

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I have been to La Cucina three times in total, including twice to have lunch with my friends when it had just opened last summer - we were always happy with the food and service. We returned for dinner with friends last Sunday, but unfortunately the quality seemed to have fallen a bit. There was a peculiar and surprising incident with the impatient waiter grating parmesan onto our dishes in a slightly aggressive fashion - and when the bill came, it had been printed wrongly by adding dishes that we didn't order. We weren't very satisfied!

24/11/07

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La Cucina is a lovely restaurant with very friendly waiting staff and very good food! The desserts are excellent, especially the cheesecake and the apple pie. Yum yum!

14/11/07

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I have now become a regular to La Cucina - I tend to dine there twice a month and have only recently ordered from the main menu. The specials board is always outstanding and I cannot recommend this restaurant enough.

The whole atmosphere and service are spot on. I now like to book a table to avoid disappointment and would visit with both friends and business associates alike.

The staff are always obliging and the chef is always more than happy to adjust a dish to assist with food allergies.

10/10 - and guess where I will be going for my birthday celebrations again this year!

K (DI User), 20/10/07

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I have visited this restaurant a number of times now recently, for meals, snacks and just coffee, having heard some variable reports on it before I decided to try it myself. I have to say I have been so impressed with this restaurant - its honesty, authenticity and its lack of pretention . It has great food, it has great atmosphere (full on Monday night in early June) it has high calibre staff who are well trained, attentive and knowledgeable. The owners are delightful and it is great to see the place doing so well. Pizzas are superb (try the seafood one) - and far superior to many so called 'pizzerias' in oxford, or the offerings of other italian restaurants . The specials boards provide great value out of-the-ordinary dishes that you don't find commonplace in other 'Italian' restaurants. I shall be going back again and again. It is very high on my value for money rating too.

Peter Mcgunnighle (Unverified), 27/06/07

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This is a lovely italian restuarant hidden away in a corner of St Clements but the restuarant is light and airy - the windows are wonderful, designed to let the light in.

The decor is magnificient, warm and friendly, - La Coucina means 'the kitchen', the open plan kitchen is visually a work of art, with a clay oven at the epicentre, and one can see the chefs working away, the pizza chef preparing the pizzas like an old master skilled at his craft - facsinating to watch if you are waiting for the other guests to arrive at your table.

The five of us were seated comfortably with plenty of 'elbow room' to spare - no feeling of being crammed into a tiny little space, and the atmosphere was very relaxing, the staff friendly, the food delicious, and freshly prepared on the spot within moments of ordering.

Don't forget to look at the specials board - some real gems hidden on there.

I will be re-visiting this restuarant many times - it's the kind of place you want to stay, to drink and talk, even when you have finished your meal!

Ruth (Unverified), 07/06/07

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We discovered La Cucina a few months ago and it has become one of our favourite places. We are always greeted with a warm wlecome and the service is quite good. My husband loved the pasta with pesto sauce and I enjoy trying the specials.

The prices are average and the tira misu is not to be missed.

We always have a such a nice dining experience at La Cucina.

Anita (Unverified), 11/05/07

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Consistently delivers good food, friendly service and good value for money.

BigGav (Unverified), 07/05/07

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I went to La Cucina full of hope. I love pizza and have been saddened that Oxford lacks a pizzeria that I have really warmed to. I went with my girlfriend and another friend at 8.30pm last Friday. It was packed but didn’t feel over crowded. The atmosphere was both lively and welcoming. Our table was right at the back of the restaurant, nicely close to the open kitchen.

We ordered two starters to share -- calamari fritti and prosciutto crudo with vegetables -- and a bottle of house red. The starters arrived before the wine -- but that is a minor complaint; it came soon after; and when it did it was pleasant if slightly warm (although no more so than in lots of English restaurants). The calamari was excellent: the batter crispy and light, the meat succulent. The other starter tasted great, with a lovely artichoke; but it looked rather weird, with a ‘mustard drizzle’ that made it look as if it had been squirted with bright yellow hot-dog-van-style mustard.

The disappointment was the pizzas that followed. At the heart of the place is a wood burning pizza oven (I think). And they looked great (and relatedly were big!), even if they were rather sparsely topped. The problem was the base: too thick and more importantly definitely not crispy enough.

I really want to like this restaurant, and I think that I might well at some point give it another chance -- I am toying with the optimistic thought that perhaps the problem with the pizzas was somewhere caused by the fact that it was so crowded; maybe they were put in the wrong place in the oven, or not left in long enough? (I don’t know!). I should also say that it is very reasonably priced -- our bill for three came to £48.

JK (Unverified), 13/01/07

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I've been to La Cucina 3 times since it opened this summer, on one occasion with a hen party of 18 girls!! - I had the monkfish from the specials board & it was delicious. Another time I again chose from the specials board; I had the red snapper & my friend had the halibut. Both meals were fantastic. The service has always been excellent, the atmosphere is friendly, buzzing without being too noisy & you can see the chefs preparing your meal from your table (it's always a pleasure to watch a man cook!!)

I always recommend it to my friends & I would go back again & again! :-)

Kam (Unverified), 20/12/06

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Great service, even from when I phoned to make the booking, although perhaps a little 'over attentive' (if there can be such a thing!). I was very glad that we booked ahead on a Sunday evening as the restaurant quickly filled up, although turnover of tables is pretty speedy due to the nature of the dishes being served up.

Food I absolutely could not fault. Two of us shared the rustic bread as a starter, which was flavoursome, tasty and relatively light. I then followed up with the proscuitto salad turned into a main, which was fantastic. A very generous serving of everything, and I thoroughly enjoyed each mouthful, tasting so many different flavours. My companion had the funghi pizza, which was again, fantastic.

We sat at the back of the restaurant, right next to the open kitchen area, which was great as we saw all of the food being carefully prepared with fresh ingredients right before our eyes, and so we knew before it had even arrived that it would be delicious. Having the chefs within such easy reach was also great, as we saw people on other tables communicating directly with the chef asking for more chilli oil on their spaghetti. A lovely, informal atmosphere.

Excellent value for money, and a very welcome addition to an area which is fast becoming Oxford's main restaurant hub. Would recommend to all, and will definitely be going again.

ALS (Unverified), 21/09/06

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I agree with all of the statements regarding service - very friendly and the atmosphere was great on a Tuesday night. My friend
and I had 'pasta' main dishes, no starters. The gnocchi were lovely
but the risotto with 'garden greens' turned out to be a somewhat stodgy rice mixed with broadbeans and peas. Not quite what I expected & I'm quite a fan of risotto.

The pizzas looked nice and smelled delicious (from a distance ... wish I had ordered one!), and the tiramisu we had was a triumph. I'd try La Cucina again but I'd probably go for the pizzas.

DGM (Unverified), 19/09/06

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Thoroughly enjoyable evening at La Cucina, food, wine and service all impeccable. Would happily recommend it. Even on a Monday evening the place had a happy buzz and the staff are very attentive. Definitely worth a return visit....or 2....or maybe more, the tiramìsu is the best I have tasted in years (and I consider myself an expert!!)

MCJ (Unverified), 12/09/06

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I agree with the previous review: a pleasant surprise. Went with my partner last Friday night. The service was excellent. Atmosphere was lovely (and very busy!). The wine was great. The olives & bread that we had as starter (we weren't hugely hungry) were really good too. Chris had a ribeye steak cooked exactly the way he wanted it: VERY pink and melting in your mouth. This came with vegetables. I had duck in a white wine sauce which was also very tasty. Want to go back and try the pizzas now. They looked amazing!

DD (Unverified), 23/08/06

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La Cucina is a welcome addition to St Clements. On both my trips there the food has been tasty and well-prepared. I was very impressed with the service, with the waiters unfazed for a request to remove ingredients from one of the dishes (due to allergies) and a request for a wine which wasn't on the menu (but it turned out to have just arrived in stock).

The foccacia as a starter is to be recommended, the freshest bread i've had in Oxford for a while. The gnocchi with cheese, nuts and marjoram was light and fluffy, bearing no resemblance to the heavy lumps available in most supermarkets. Meat-eaters will not be disappointed with the specials board which included swordfish and lamb. If you're feeling hungry then the pizzas are very large and there is a range of unusual toppings. I'm planning to go back to try the pizza "O Sole Mio" with asparagus, mozarella and an egg on top!

The appearance of the restaurant is very sleek and the open frontage was very welcome on a hot July evening. The place appears to be full almost every night and the atmosphere is very inviting.

Go and try for yourselves!

F's gang (Unverified), 28/07/06

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