Mancini

It all started with my graduation about three weeks ago; me and my fiancé had planned to take my parents for a nice celebration meal but earlier that day, both of us being last minute people, realized we had not made reservations at all… After a few minutes of panic he suggested we called Mancini and check if they had a spare table for us, luckily they did.
We arrived a wee bit early but they happily received us and gave us a table. From the outside it does not seem a very big place but once you get in you realize how spacious it is, candles and dimmed lights complete the cosy and romantic atmosphere.
Service was very good, price reasonable and food was just awesome: Minestrone soup, pizza and lasagne al forno were amongst the things we had all of them brilliant. Although, I must say my favourite were the accompaniments, chips and garlic bread with cheese, yumm! Finally dessert arrived and didn’t disappoint us at all; a crème brulee with raspberry coulis and a brownie with ice cream suggested by the helpful staff… absolute yuminess… For a special occasion or even just a dine out Mancini is definitely worth a try.

Ring ring… ring ring…
‘Oh Hi, I was just wondering if you were able to accomodate to small portions of havoc and four adults
We have high chairs, crayons, colouring pads and ½ portions
And what about for the kids?‘
Funny am I.
I’ve lived near this place a few times during my time in Sunny Glasgow, but just never taken the plunge and dropped in for a bite to eat. Having some family staying over for a few days, I thought it the perf opportunity to change that.
We booked a table for 5:30 but to be honest we could have just popped in as it wasn’t that busy, that’ll be a Tuesday night for you. Despite the emptiness of the joint you could tell from the lighting, décor and background sounds, that it hold a crowd nicely.
Service was kick bottom from the word go. Ladies were Madam, dudes were Sir… pure felt all grownded up did I.
Grub was first class. Potato soup with bacon and caramelized onions to start, with a chirozo and roasted pepper pizza for main. Soup was awesome, pizza top notch.
Price wise, the early dinner menu (which we ate from) offered a two course for just over 10 notes. Reasonable given the quality of the fare on offer.
I”m a wee bit snobby when it come to italian restaurants as I feel we have so many in Glasgow that just go through the motions. These guys however obviously care about the not just the quality of the food, but also about the ambiance of the visit to what is a genuinely comfortable and aesthetically pleasing location.
Me like. Very muchly indeed. 4 on the wooft scale.

Ok so I’ve had a few Christmas dinners this year including some gatecrashing and yes this is another gatecrasher.
My dad attends a brallie class and this was his Christmas lunch. I was only popping in to drop some stuff to my mum and dad because I knew they were coming in. Well the lady who organised the meal insisted that I stayed, a couple of people had pulled out as couldn’t make it due to the snow. Why not?! The place was booked and set out so might as well join in.
There was no option of traditonal roast turkey but only what was on the normal menu. My mum and dad aren’t fans of the Italian cuisine but fortunately I am. We were disppointed that there was no special deal Christmas menu on offer. They managed to get by without pasta or pizza but felt it was a bit too pricey. Also no crackers either, not happy with the lack of crackers this year. One of the group members, Rose, remarked ‘There’s nothing like a good meal, and this was nothing like a good meal’. They might not be able to see but they have excellent taste buds and Rose is definitely a wee cracker.
It was a tad disappointing but maybe if I had attended in the normal capacity I may have enjoyed it better. I can’t complain too much though as I did get an unexpected meal and mine’s was ok.

Italian food, when done well, can satisfy any hunger. And even better you can take all night to enjoy it! We wandered in to Mancini on a cold winter’s night and asked for the wine list right away (it’s proven to warm you up… proven) and a lovely bottle of Argintinian Malbec. Lovely.
The service was really nice and relaxed and the restaurant was warmly lit. I opted for the black pudding salad with crispy bacon and cherry tomatoes. Very nice and there was just enough black pudding without filling me up or pasting my palate. My girlfriend went for the chicken liver pâté and was seriously happy with it — the Malbec went beautifully with both of them. For my main I decided on the mushroom and tarragon pasta with grilled chicken. Very nice indeed and given it was such a big portion, I did my best to mop up every last drop of the yummy sauce! Lovely
My other half then decided to get a desert, and I made the mistake not to. So I just had to eat half of hers! Only fair, right?!
Mancini is definitely worth a visit and is one of the best little Italians in Glasgow — and reasonably priced as well!

Every time I visited Mancini I always enjoyed a delicious meal in a homely and festive atmosphere. I always appreciate the list of daily specials, particularly the dessert. The best dessert I have ever tasted was a special in here; strawberries with shortbread and balsamic vinegar. Mmm…
Mancini recently added an adjoining bar with a flat screen TV. To me, this takes away the ambiance of the restaurant somewhat but that’s just my opinion.

As someone who would very rarely opt for Italian when dining out, Mancini’s is the one restaurant I would make an exception for.
Offering spectacularly tasty Italian food, as opposed to the fairly safe fare you get in so many Glasgow Italian restaurants, this über-​stylish West End haunt has developed a strong reputation for its fantastic stone-​baked pizzas and meticulously-​selected wine menu.
Cosy and unpretentious, it is as appropriate a venue for a lunch-​time snack as it is for a romantic dinner for two.
However my one concern is the gradual morphing from being primarily a restaurant with a tiny bar area to being almost 50/​50, with a large screen with Sky Sports now occupying a fairly substantial space on the main wall.
I mean, I’m quite happy with a soundtrack of Jeff Stelling during an anniversary meal, I’m just not sure my girlfriend would be.

i came here years ago when it was in a different part of great western road, but we ate there this week and it was just as good as always. there were 4 of us in the party including my 6 yo son and we all left happy and full which is what you want really! the staff were lovely, the food was great, nice sized portions and the service was quick. it’s not exactly fine dining but then it doesnt advertise itself as such. we all had 2 courses and drinks and i was surprised to realise the whole thing only cost us £11 a head. that included a mussel dish and a seafood linguini. definately worth going for a nice cosy wee dinner. big thumbs up from us!

From outside the restaurant Mancini’s looks a bit more like a wine bar or coffee shop than a restaurant; lots of outside seating and large windows, contribute to this but upon entering this perception is suddenly changed. Mancini’s is calm and quiet stylishly decorated with a very nice bar, low lighting and candles contribute to the laid back ambience. The staff are friendly and the menu is very creative. There are several areas to sit accommodating for all types of parties.

Mancini’s has recently expanded with the addition of a new bar in what used to be the adjoining shop. It’s smart, stylish and a welcome change to the more studenty bars typical of Great Western Road.