Honest Mum & Family’s Love for Carluccio’s Italian Restaurant

I was lucky enough in my career to work with the legendary late Antonio Carluccio OBE and several times over the years too, hosting his exquisite recipes on the blog and even attending his 80th birthday party in the York branch not long before his passing.

I loved Antonio’ energy and passion for food. He famously said, ‘Food is an act of love’ and I learnt a lot about Italian food, and cooking with seasonal, simple ingredients thanks to Antonio. Just look at his dreamy carrot cake!

My kids are utterly obsessed with Carluccio’s and always have been (we’ve been eating there since they were babies) and it’s the first place they ask to dine at, whenever we’re out and about be it in Windsor, London or Leeds and Sunday just gone was no different.

We popped into the Waterloo Station branch (one of my faves) on our way back from a busy day out in London… We’d kindly been invited to the nostalgic wonder that is The Tiger Who Came to Tea at Piccadilly Theatre and then enjoyed some sandy fun in St James’s Park (you must visit the playground there, the children never wanted to leave) so had worked up quite the appetite which Carluccio’s met with ease!

Their spag bol is the boys all-time favourite.

Even my fussy eater, Oliver, 8, gobbles it up every single time and just look at 5 year old Xander’s face!

My husband Peter loves the Penne Giardiniera and as with all their pasta dishes, you can opt for gluten-free too if you like.

I uncharacteristically not hungry (think it was due to the heatwave) so after my tasty starter of bruschetta (more on that to come) , I tucked into delicious side dishes spanning roasted potatoes in garlic and rosemary and green beans and spinach in Extra Virgin Olive Oil  (how healthy huh?).

Next time I pop in, I’ll be trying their vegan Riso Nero dish with black rice, chick peas, soya beans, peas, broccoli and vegan mayonnaise which looks amazing on the website.

I follow a plant-based diet and love how much I can eat at Carluccio’s, my go-to is always the tomato bruschetta which is simply bursting with yellow, baby plum and beef tomatoes, basil and garlic piled high on grilled bruschetta. YUM.

Sunshine on a plate.

Happy days.

Thank you Carluccios.

This is the second year Carluccio’s have kindly given me a VIP card but as always my words and opinions are honest and my own.

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