Santa Maria Kew Gardens

I wanted to like this place more than I did. The service team were friendly and welcoming when we arrived. That’s where the positives mostly ended. The wait times were ridiculous. We’re talking frustratingly slow between ordering and food arriving. Not busy-restaurant slow. Just inefficient. The arancini starter was overcooked. The exterior had gone past golden into burnt territory. Shame, because the filling showed promise. Pizza was acceptable. Nothing special. Decent base with proper leoparding on the crust. Toppings were fine. But you can find better Neapolitan-style pizza elsewhere in the area without trying too hard. Drinks were standard. No complaints but nothing memorable either. Here’s where it gets annoying: they overcharged us twice on the bill. Different items. We had to go through it line by line and contest both errors. That’s sloppy at best, opportunistic at worst. Check your bill carefully if you go. The tiramisu saved some face. Genuinely good. Light mascarpone, proper coffee soak, well-balanced sweetness. Probably the best thing we ate. I’ve been to better Italian places with sharper execution and honest billing. This felt like a kitchen and front-of-house having an off day, but the billing errors suggest deeper issues. Would I return? Probably not. There are too many other options doing it better.

Ive had an amazing experience here in Kew garden branch. The food, the atmosphere and the service is beyond expectations. It is the quality of Napoli in the heart of London. The manager has been so welcoming and gave us the best recommendations on the menu. Will definitely come back.

Check your bill before paying because the restaurant overcharged us for the additional goat cheese topping on the Santa Carmela pizza. When I pointed out that the amount should be £1 instead of £2, the staff member insisted it was £2. I said that the menu displayed £1, but she stood her ground and told me that the menu said £2. My dad chimed in, as he also remembered that the menu stated £1, and it was then that she said, “Alright, I’ll come back with your money.” It was a peculiar reaction, like she just caved suddenly. When she returned with the refund, she claimed that it was a “system error”. As for the pizzas, they were underwhelming. When they arrived at our table, the pizzas were not piping hot, but lukewarm at best, which was disappointing, since they turned cold quite quickly while we were eating. Had they been served promptly from the oven, they might’ve been more impressionable. Combined with the billing incident, our first experience was unsatisfactory and I don’t see myself returning.

Really great find after a day out at Kew gardens. Right next to the tube station which is handy. Really happy to see so many vegan options on the menu! Some clearly marked as vegan and others marked as that you could make them vegan by swapping the cheese and leaving other things off. I went for the chilli aubergine bruschetta and my friend went for the San Carlo pizza which were both vegan by default. The bruschetta was quite a large portion for the price. Was super pleased with that. The aubergine itself tasted quite nice. It felt a little oily at first but not overly so throughout, and could taste it was quite nice olive oil that was used. The bread itself was delicious, crispy on the edges but soft in the middle and had soaked up the juices from the aubergine tomato mixture. The chillies on top were of varying spice levels but none too hot that you couldn't eat them. They added a nice crunch and freshness to the dish which I enjoyed! The only thing I might add is something like fresh tomato, drizzle of balsamic, or fresh herbs to lift the dish a tiny bit more, but honestly it was really nice as it was. My friend said the pizza was quite nice too. Prices were quite good and reasonable, especially for London. And everything seemed quite fresh, especially the pizzas which we could see being made in the oven from our table. Would definitely visit again if in the area! Thank you

OMG! I’ve got a classic napoli pizza( marinara) tomatoes sauce, garlic, anchovies and oregano 😍😍😍 was delicious. This pizza is napolitan style, not thick not heavy also cooked in properly way. I’ll be back definitely!

We happened upon this place on our way to the Christmas lights in Kew Gardens at the start of December. It was busy but the staff were great and squeezed us in. I'm vegetarian, my husband isn't and there was plenty of choice on the menu for both. I only took a picture of the starter as I was too eager to get stuck into the pizza! The food was really tasty and the service was good despite being busy. If we are ever in the area again we will definitely be stopping by for a feed.

Really enjoyed a meal here. It was a Wednesday evening about 8pm in January, so really quiet. But meant the food came quick and steaming hot! Staff were very friendly, helpful and happy to help. Had a lovely time!

Best pizza place in Kew and surrounding areas! A huge and super delicious pizzas followed with their own brand of soft drinks! You’ll lick your fingers off 👏🏻