A Taste of Italy in Hyderabad – Restaurants in Hyderabad
Tours Travelwhat you see – Have you ever wondered why Little Italy only serves vegetarian food? Well, we think we have the inside information. It is because the owners of the company are Gujaratis.
Now here’s another background piece. The brand was actually started by an Italian chef named Don Giovani 17 years ago when he visited the Osho Ashram in Pune. He then started something called La Pizzeria which still operates in Pune under the same name. Little Italy was started later in time.
The brand has now expanded to multiple cities like Mumbai, Goa and our very own Hyderabad. And while Giovani no longer owns the business, he makes sure to come to India to advise on the menu and cooking style. After all, Little Italy is known for its authentic Italian cuisine.
Little Italy in Hyderabad reminds you of a small country house. Homey in appearance and minimalist in decor, this restaurant with bar allows you to dine indoors and outdoors.
What you get – Now when you take a look at the menu here, don’t be embarrassed if you can’t pronounce most of the names here. And by the way, try to ignore even misspellings like “mouse pie” instead of “mousse pie”. Ask the captain and he will guide you. We chose Zuppa Di Pomodoro (we told you, don’t let the names fool you…it’s just tomato soup), Chiller, and Pasta Barberesca.
The tomato soup was ordinary, the Chiller (a mint based drink) was refreshing and the Pasta Barberesca (pasta with creamy tomato sauce, tomatoes, broccoli, peppered Parmesan and garlic) was amazing. Well, we didn’t leave anything on the plate. Of course, besides the taste, the small amount could be one of the reasons to do it.
When it comes to prices, Little Italy charges a bit more (probably because of the rich cheese and herbs they use in the dishes). So the Chiller or any other non-alcoholic drink would cost you around 130 rupees, a main course around 260 rupees, soups around 100 rupees and desserts around 120 rupees. a Passary, within a month, imported wine will also be on the menu.
So the bottom line is that the food tastes great here and is a must try when looking for something beyond the ubiquitous Naan and Paneer Butter Masala. However, the areas where they could improve are regarding the interiors and the service. The walls look like they need a fresh coat of paint.
In fact, Little Italy also has a boutique inside that has ethnic clothing, bags, and accessories designed by Vinita Passary (yes, she’s Vikas’ wife). There was also no sales executive in the boutique which gives you the impression that the things there are just for display and not for sale.
The verdict – We recommend that you dine outside to watch the chefs prepare those pizzas for you. Vikas Passary, the brand owner of Little Italy in Hyderabad, actually says that it is these pizzas that are the best sellers in the restaurant because nowhere else in the city can Hyderabadis get to taste wood fired oven pizzas.
And the service? Well we had the wrong dish at our table. And did we forget about the parking space? It can only fit about 3 cars and 6 two-wheelers. Now that’s not enough for Little Italy!