Il Forno

Went here for a colleague’s leaving do, and was very pleased with the service. We booked for a large party of 13 people a week before, but when two extra people decided to join us the day before we had the booking, the restaurant were very accomodating and pleasant, and even waived the extra deposits.
Food was perfect, service was quick and pleasant, and the prices, while on first glance quite pricey, for 15 people, it came to just over £300. That is £300 for 15 main courses, several starters, desserts, wine, soft drinks and coffees. My partner and I paid jointly, we had each had starters, beer and wine and coffee afterwards, and it came to around £35 each, which for the quality and service, is extremely reasonable.
I should also say, we had someone in our group who normally can’t go out for a meal because of a host of very inconvenient lactose, egg and nut allergies, and they had absolutely no problem either.
We will definitely be visiting Il Forno again.

I love this place. So much. I’ve been god knows how many times and it still never fails!
I admit sometimes it can be very busy and sometimes the service is slightly slow but the yummy food compensates for it.
The waiters/​waitresses that I’ve had are professional and some are even funny too!
I would advise booking a table beforehand because this place can get so busy.
The décor is nice too, very inviting and you can even see the giant pizza oven! (:
Highly recommend!

Landed here by accident with the family waiting for a concert at the cathedral. With no expectations I was hugely impressed by the quality and variety of the menu.
I love more than anything to watch other peoples orders go past and wish I’d ordered every one of them. As a family we ordered starters to share an antipasti selection with olive bread. Easily enough for the four of us with so many lovely flavours and textures.
Our mains were a bit of a rush order on our part as we knew we didn’t have a lot of time. I was the only one who didn’t order a pizza lol. I had braised veal shank on a base of risotto which was a delight. Everyone looked at dads dinner with envy but that said the pizzas were heaven too. Cooked in a wood fired pizza oven with top quality ingredients each was something very special. We all did swaps and mopped up the leftovers.
Desserts were based around generous helpings of gelato with fruits amaretto etc with some cheese cakes and other delights available. Everything looked too good to eat and tasted even better.
So that was the food, the restaurant is lovely too. Very smart with an incredible pizza oven with a face on its front. The deserts are displayed in a long bar as you enter. It feels very traditional, old fashioned in a good old days that never were kind of way. Top marks!
Staff excellent. Loads of them our waiter was always close by and had his eye on us whenever we needed him. We blitzed through 3 courses in the limited time we had. We all had a great time. All fully stuffed for our short uphill walk to the concert.

Il Forno is a gorgeous Italian restaurant and easily one of the best that Liverpool has to offer. It is always very busy and it’s easy to see (taste?) why.
First off: book a table. It’s packed on a regular basis, even popular with celebrities. Not that I care about that sort of thing, but it does mean you’ll need to reserve your place. This doesn’t mean it’s cold and sterile though — the atmosphere is very welcoming, warm and relaxed.
Now that that’s out of the way and you’re in the restaurant, the menu lights up your eyes. There is a wide range of delicious, authentic, Italian dishes to choose from. For starters, why not have Bruschetta Piselli e Mozzarella Parmigiano (Baked bread with garden peas, mozarella and parmesan), or Focaccia with salt, rosemary and extra virgin olive oil?
The menu goes from strength to strength, featuring delicious soups and a HUGE range of antipasti. These are all an excellent choice and, in my eyes, they’re so good that they’re often one of the main highlights of the meal. I cannot stress enough just how nice the antipasti selections are — you could quite easily sit and just munch your way through these all evening.
The main dishes are made up of winner after winner. Homemade pasta is combined with sun dried tomatoes, pine kernels and anchovies. Risotto accompanied with pumpkin, pancetta and parmesan. The Penne All’Arrabbiata is breathtaking and you can add tasty, fresh, Italian sausage.
Even the pizzas here are phenomenal. Thin and cooked in a traditional oven, they have that Italian ‘essence’ that is often missing from pizzas elsewhere. A favourite of mine is the Pizza Il Forno, featuring buffalo mozzarella, spicy salami, porcini mushrooms, grated potato, parmesan and rosemary. The Calzones are equallly as good.
There are lovely desserts too. The whole range seems good but I’m always drawn to one of my most favourite dishes of all — Tiramisu. Real, proper, tadty, Tiramisu. Unbeatable.
I have no REAL negative points for this restaurant. It’s expensive, so you could include that… but if you are aware of this beforehand and know what to expect, you’ll soon realise that this place is well worth every extra penny you’ll spend. It’s a kind of posh-​rustic restaurant, an interesting combination.
The service here is great, everybody is friendly, chatty and helpful. They aren’t too quick about things, which fits the Italian eating vibe perfectly. Don’t come here for a quick bite, expect to stay quite a while… but you’ll enjoy every second, every morsel. Highly recommended indeed.

Meh. Did not have a good experience here. We had 3 different waiters in a matter of a few minutes. The waiter we ended up with was rude and inappropriate, informing us when we ordered the meat and cheese board that women in Italy don’t usually order this item (I was there with a female coworker). Food was sub-​par, dessert was the only redeeming quality. Will not be returning for sure.

Hanging with the Silver haired boy.
Excellent Italian food. Good value. Excellent décor and very comfortable.
We had three focaccia, five pints of beer and three main courses and one dessert at a cost of £70. We really enjoyed it.

Came to Il Forno with a few friends for a mid-​week meal. The décor is nice, and the menu offers a selection of Italian-​esque dishes, that when the food finally arrives at your table is just — o k. Nothing really to write home about.
What does stand out however is despite there being a fair amount of uniformed people who seem to be on staff, there was only a single waiter available for the entire restaurant. This means it took more than 20 minutes after the dessert menu getting dropped off, were we able to flag down someone who could actually take the order. Another 20 or more minutes later the dessert arrives, missing a few ingredients described in the menu. Without any staff around to discuss this with, all we had left was to do was wait (another 20 minutes) for the bill to arrive, where you get to discover that for this prolonged ordeal, you’ll be paying what translates into over 50 US dollars a head for a less than mediocre meal. The small watered down soda your friend ordered turns out to cost more than five bucks. Yikes!
When I’m paying for a fifty dollar a head dinner, at the very least I expect excellent service, let alone better than average food. «Meh» indeed.
At least the Il Forno coat check staff and service was nice.

Authentic classic Italian restaurant!
Dont forget to try the risotto di mare (with seafood) or the tiramisu!

Reading the other reviews is very informative and partly the reason we chose to pre-​book our table
Myself and my wife finished off here during a shopping visit to Liverpool.
A menu with an average price, although when you buy a Prawn starter for nearly £10 you expect more than THREE King prawns!!! This prawn starter was spiced HOT and then menu did not mention such!
I had the Scallops Starter, and again, you would expect more than THREE Scallops for nearly £10!!!
A 175ml glass of red wine costs £6.50.
So a moan about the quantity of food you get and the price you’re made to pay, I do have to mention that the food was excellent,(when not spiced up without the menu saying!), and we did feel full at the end of the meal with a dessert.
We were shocked at the price of the Bill when it arrived, we’ve never spent that much on a meal out for two before! The the whole experience was fantastic! The waiters are very responsive and the service was quick!
The noise level in the restaurant was noisy, so it’s not for those who want a very quiet meal out.
There is a cloakroom facility and we were able to she’d the load of our coats and many shopping bags from us and concentrate on having a relaxing time with our meal.

It might be a bit pricey, but it is worth it.
Food is great, staff just can’t do enough.

Ein echter Geheimtipp für italienisches Essen in Liverpool. Hier stimmte einfach alles: Das Essen war fantastisch. Die Bedienung war wirklich gut. Die Karte war übersichtlich aber mit sehr guten Speisen, bei denen jeder fand, was er wollte. Die Location war edel und schick, ein offener Kamin, der auch ein Steinofen war, schmückte den Raum.
Geheimtipp: Limocello trinken! Italienischer kann Italien in Liverpool nicht sein.
Fazit: Hier stimmte alles! Hingehen!

A fabulous independent on Duke Street, Il Forno is one of Liverpool’s most popular restaurants with locals and visitors. It was always bustling at weekends but since The Times cited it as one of the best Italians in the country its popularity has increased ten-​fold. Tables are scarcer and you’re just as likely to hear a Scottish or American accent as a Scouse one now.
The reason customers can’t get enough? Aside from the lovely staff, great customer service and inspiring open kitchen, Il Forno has a genuinely warm atmosphere. Go in and you’ll find families and groups of friends tucking into hearty bowls of pasta, risotto and gnochi next to lovestruck customers sipping champagne and sharing crispy calamari. Speaking of sea-​food, Il Forno’s menu includes eveything from scallops, grilled sea-​bass and meatballs to spaghetti, steak, calzone, raviolis, warm salads and over 25 different pizzas.
Yes, you heard me right, Il Forno offer over 25 deliciously thin and crispy pizzas adorned with a mix of tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella, parmesan, ham, salami, aubergines, capers, anchovies, chillies, rosemary, basil and grated potato. Prices are higher than local trattorias and chains like Pizza Express but boy, it’s worth it when you taste the flavour.

Superb meal, atmosphere and staff! Can’t rate it higher cause the scale only goes up to 5!!! We went with 2 kids (11 & 7) and the staff were really great with them and extremely helpful/​courteous throughout!
Excellent and I’m hard to please/​impress! Tiger prawn starter a particular highlight but all great and clean plates across the board! :)

Dominated by a gaping maw of an oven, Il Forno is a bustling Italian restaurant with an expert eye on just why people gobble down food from the foot-​shaped peninsula by the cubic tonne.
Although home to the sloppiest thing I’ve ever eaten, a pizza that slid into pools of grease just because I looked at it, the pumpkin soup added to the menu was a delicious treat and an excellent enhancement to the Halloween Eve I spent here in the company of friends and that guy who played Jimmy Corkhill in Brookside. I was starstruck.

Il Forno is an award winner and it doesn’t take long after you enter this establishment to realise just why that is. Everything about this place really screams professionalism and authenticity and this is quite a combination.
When a restaurant has been critically acclaimed by The Times then you know to expect good things and this is exactly what you get here at Il Forno. I used to have a favourite Italian restaurant at home in Birmingham and thought it could not be beaten in my eyes but Il Forno has easily outclassed it.
The variety is astounding and the food never fails to impress as well as the service being of the highest quality.
It is not cheap here but you get what you pay for and that is an experience of the highest calibre. Il Forno is a place for a special occasion and if you feel like a treat then check it out.

Il forno means ‘the oven’ in Italian, and you will see why they have chosen this name for their restaurant as you enter… the pizza oven is a giant sun, it’s gold mouth open ready and waiting for food (an impressive piece of artwork in itself!).
I’d say that it has a rather intimate and cosy feel to it and so would be a good choice for a romantic meal for two or small groups. With a classic Italian menu and adventurous specials which change weekly, Il forno push all the right buttons (at least according to The Times!).
The décor is sharp and modern, laced with marble, fine leathers and a deep maroon backdrop to sooth you into a warm relaxing evening of fine dining.
The calzone was delicious and although the bill was rather extensive it was worth it! The only issue we had was that the service was a little slow… (perhaps they’re running on Italian time?) but it only adds to the experience.

Il Forno prides itself on being Liverpool’s first and only authentic Italian restaurant. You’ll find a real ambience and attentive staff waiting to welcome you. The restaurant even boasts a deli and traditional Italian ice cream parlour.
I am a big fan of Italian cuisine and the luxurious Il Forno along Duke Street did not fail to disappoint. For my main course, I decided to go for a classic Italian pizza of margarita which basically had a topping of tomatoes and mozzarella. This came at a price tag of £6.95 which is quite expensive considering it was as plain a pizza you can get. However, I was very impressed by the pure Italian pizza (very much the same you would get in Italy); it was sublime! The service was also fantastic which you would expect for a top class restaurant of this type. The waiter/​waitresses always made sure you were satisfied before, during and after the meal.
There is a romantic mood about this place, so it is great for couples and groups alike. One thing to keep note of, is that you are paying a lot for quality and not quantity.

As my previous reviews suggest I am a massive fan of bringing authentic slices of various different cuisines from around the globe into our local environment.
When the Times selects you to be in the top ten most authentic Italian restaurants in the UK, you must be doing something right.
In the wake of not so authentic Italian restaurants rearing their heads everywhere, Il Forno is a refreshing original for lovers of Italian cuisine. The philosophy behind the restaurant lies behind the view that enjoying fantastic food and fine is one of life’s purest of pleasures. Thus the passion of Italy can be consumed along with your food and drink when you dine here. Virgin olive oil is a central part of an Italian kitchen and Il Forno has its Oil produced exclusively in a remote mountain village in South Italy. Now that’s what you call commitment to provide athenticity.
I highly recommend this gem of an Italian restaurant in the pool. The family friendly atmosphere the fantastic Italian Pizzas and pastas will have you coming back for more, again and again.

Il Forno is definitely my favourite restaurant in Liverpool, but be warned. It’s pricey! Situated amongst the Iliad restaurant quarter on Duke Street, this place is better than most of the Italian restaurants that I ate in when travelling Venice!
Everything from their authentic Italian marble décor to their native Italian staff is fantastic. They have a huge marble head that acts as a centrepiece to their open plan pizzeria area and you can watch you’re pizza being prepared and baked either from your table or from a perch around the pizzeria area itself.
I’ve had the pleasure of celebrating two birthdays and an anniversary at Il Forno, each occasion was nothing less than exceptional. I would personally recommend the Bruscetta as it’s the best that I’ve ever tasted. I’m also very partial to the linguini with clams as the clams are fantastic.
Although they offer an inclusive menu, Il Forno is very costly. One evening me and a friend went in for a glass of wine and a Tiramisu each, the bill came to no less than £20.00! This said, you do pay for quality at this restaurant.

Yet another Duke Street restaurant, and this is a goodie. Beware they do have a tendency to be a bit finicky about you having pre-​booked, even if the restaurant looks half-​empty. I don’t know if this is to give off the vibe that the restaurant’s always busy, but still, it can be somewhat annoying. Meanwhile you get generously proportioned meals, all very rustic and Italian in flavour and theme. Calimari is good for starters, and you’ll find all your favourite pastas on the main menu as well as some delicious thin-​based pizzas.
Nibbles include mixed olives and the rosemary salted foccacia, which are all delicious little appetisers and you’ll be hard pushed to avoid ordering seconds. There’s a really extensive wine list and the staff are really knowledgeable when it comes to that, pointing you in the direction of the most complementary ones as opposed to the most expensive. You won’t feel rushed here and the service isn’t invasive at all, just friendly and efficient.
It won’t be a bargain but it’ll certainly be worth the extra pennies. Treat yourself to a glass of delicious Prosecco and find a strawberry balanced on the edge — a lovely touch. Less amazing are the desserts which taste a little mass-​produced; same goes for the soups as starters. There was me, trying to be healthy. Well, at least I’ll be avoiding puddings here from now on. All in all those small scruples don’t really let it down and it’s a very well rounded restaurant, great for couples and groups alike.

I was taken to Il Forno as a special treat and the meal was incredible from start to finish. We were seated around the corner from the main part of the restaurant (where the pizza oven is) which was a little disappointing but not a major issue.
The starters (calamari for him, carpaccio of beef for me) were glorious and generously proportioned. The main courses (carbonara and lasagne) were equally as lovely and were both proclaimed ‘the best ever’. We didn’t make it to dessert as the portion sizes had been so large. We had possibly the best bottle of red wine that I’ve ever had (recommended by the very knowledgeable waiter) and the whole meal just felt really special.
Service was efficient but not obtrusive and we didn’t feel rushed at all, which can be a problem in many city centre restaurants.
It wasn’t a cheap meal by any standards but it was well worth it.