Casa Italia Liverpool

Whatever the weather in central Liverpool, dining at Casa Italia is always rather like lounging on a balmy Italian street. With lamp posts lining its walls, chequered cloths on its tables, and pizzas and pastas filling its menu, the restaurant has offered a taste of rural Italy in the heart of the city for almost 40 years. Outside, Eleanor Rigby’s famous bronze statue sits sadly on a bench opposite; inside, families and friends tuck into hearty Italian staples served by gloriously avuncular waiters. Highlights include focaccia bread dripping with olive oil, and pizza dough that’s made fresh each day; the pescatore (with seafood, capers and peppers) is just one of the many classic toppings available. Baked tortellini arrives with slivers of chicken in a rich béchamel sauce, topped with mozzarella. We accompanied our portion with house wine, served by the half-litre carafe. Well worth braving the peak-time queues. 

Casa Italia has been open since 1976, serving the people of Liverpool with authentic Italian food and a Mediterranean spirit ever since.

Start your meal with antipasti that consists of pork and beef meatballs in a tomato sauce, or an Italian Caprese salad with basil leaves, sliced tomatoes and fresh mozzarella drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and the thick bruschetta alla Mario. When it comes to pasta, all of the sauces are freshly prepared every day, and there is gluten-free pasta available. All of the classics are on the Casa Italia menu, including a rich bolognese, classic Napoletana and spicy Amatriciana with bacon, along with some house specials. The Sorrentina tagliatelle comes with pancetta, capers, onions and peas, and the penne Genovese is a freshly made pesto pasta with roasted pine nuts.

For a really hearty dish, try the oven baked options, such as the tortellini alla panna with chicken, bechamel and mozzarella, and the spinach and ricotta tubes. All pasta dishes are available in piccolo and grande sizes, and bambini portions can be ordered from the adult menu in a little portion. Similar to pasta, pizza dough is made fresh in-house every morning, ready for the day ahead. There are so many pizza topping options to choose from at Casa Italia, so why not try something a bit different to your usual? The verdura is topped with peppers, mushrooms, spinach, red onion and cherry tomatoes, and the nicoise is a pizza with tuna, capers, olives, anchovies and egg.

If you fancy something indulgent, try the quattro stagioni di carne, made with four different meats – pepperoni, chicken, spicy beef and ham. Casa Italia has some really delicious desserts on the menu to round off your meal, including tiramisu, chocolate fudge cake and a zingy lemon meringue pie.