Ponte Vecchio

Spring Gardens Road, Bath, BA2 6PW

01225424800

info@pontevecciobath.com

Parking: In nearby public car parks

Disabled access: Yes

Gazette ratings:

Food: 8/10

Choice: 8/10

Décor: 7/10

Customer service: 8/10

Main course prices: From £8.95 to £25.50

TripAdvisor rating: 4.5/5

DRAINED from a full day of shopping in the buzzing streets of Bath, my boyfriend and I wanted nothing more than a tranquil spot to enjoy a hearty meal before making out way back home and Ponte Vecchio, a little Italian tucked away next to Pulteney Bridge and Bath's rugby ground offered just that.

You could easily miss the modern two-storey restaurant hidden under a winding staircase beside Pulteney Bridge but from the moment we walking through their doors we were greeted by friendly Italian staff who showed us past the cocktail bar and up the stairs to our seats in the classic dining room under large wooden beams and fairy lights.

We were sat a few metres away from the kitchen instead of the window overlooking the beautiful River Avon which I thought was odd, considering we had booked a table in advance and the restaurant was mostly empty on arrival although we did get to watch in amazement as the kitchen staff tossed their dough in the air and made our food right in front of us.

The menu, which boasted authentic Italian food from steaks, fresh pasta and pizza, also had a whole range of gluten free and vegetarian dishes for the fussiest of dinners which we consulted over a pint of San Miguel and jug of water.

After consulting the specials board, which featured a variety of fresh of fish dishes and a mushroom risotto, we both decided to share a plate of tomato and mozzarella stuffed panzerottini fritti (£6.95) before moving onto fresh lasagne (£15.50) and a caprina pizza (£12.95).

Our dough balls starter arrived fairly quickly and while they looked most appetising served on a bed of rocket and were packed with flavour, we were both disappointed with the uneven fillings that left you lusting for more.

Shortly after finishing our starters, the waitress came over to clear our table and topped up my water before arriving a few minutes later with our main courses.

I usually think Italian restaurants are either hit or miss but from the first taste of my lasagne I knew this was a winner. Combined with rocket, the fresh pasta and meat sauce medley was delightful end to my end to my evening while Chris enjoyed the flavours of his tomato, mozzarella, sun-dried tomato and goats cheese pizza on a thin, crispy handmade base.

The size of the dishes were very different and while mine was the perfect size, I had to help Chris finish his gigantic pizza which filled the large plate it was presented on.

Both stuffed from our main courses, we decided to skip dessert and soak up the ambiance before grabbing the bill and heading home.

In total our meal came to £39.95, which we felt was great value for the food and service we received. I look forward to coming back to Ponte Vecchio in the future to try out one of their highly recommended Sunday roasts or for a quick bite to eat before heading next door to the Rec for a spot of rugby.