Il Giardino

We ventured to Il Giardino for the first time yesterday; it's been on my Peckham bucket list for about 2 years now and it did not disappoint; friendly staff, a small but cosy dining space, and a tiny little garden which looks out over the church garden on Blenheim Grove and Peckham Rye station.

The service was good, although the waitress did have a hard time understanding us, and the food arrived quickly and seemed fresh, though it was quiet at the time.

I ordered the mushroom tagliatelle and my friend a tomato and mince version and they were both delicious with a decent portion size. However I thought drinks were a bit on the pricey side at almost £6 for a single mixer but the wines seemed much more reasonable upon checking the menu.

I think I might start frequenting this place a bit more when I have that Italian food craving, as it certainly hits the mark, and is conveniently located being right in the middle of Peckham.

I like this little spot right by Peckham Rye. The furniture is ugly and it looks a bit cheap and haphazard. But look past the slightly 80s feel, and you'll find a lovely italian spot with good service, nice, low priced wine and reasonable food. Quite romantic once it's dark and a candle is lit on your table - a good spot for a date (especially since you're a stone's throw from a couple of decent bars for afterwards).

Food was good, I wouldn't say out of this world, but certainly tasty, and it arrived hot. The pizzas looked good, but we didn't try. I liked the olives, but was less keen on the sardinian bread (go for normal bread instead, you won't regret it). The staff were super friendly, without being invasive. I felt very comfortable here and felt we were looked after really well.

You can book beforehand, but we chanced it and got a table without too much trouble. That said, it was busy, so if you want to guarantee your place, call ahead.

Good for pizzas although they were a bit salty and took a long time to come out as we were in a rush for the theatre nearby.

If you have a bit of time to spare, it is a good restaurant hidden in the heart of Peckham.

I came here for a romantic meal with my partner, trying not to be too soppy but still have a nice setting. It was perfect. It's dark and cosy and the staff were great. I see a lot of people go for a casual meal with friends so it's definitely not overly candle-lit and coupley or formal. I had a lovely meal, but since I ate seafood at the time I had a bit more choice and variety as opposed to being vegetarian now, with a preference to eating vegan. But of course I can't expect every place to cater for that! All around a must visit for people living locally or people stopping by looking for a cosy and very affordable dinner.

Dreadful restaurant. We waited 45 minutes and paid dearly for a budget pizza with an inauthentic taste and a distinctly average pasta. We had to send back the house wine because it was watered down - it literally tasted like Ribena. Basically this restaurant was just trying to economise on every single ingredient. The ice cream was overly sweetened budget factory ice cream - almost inedible and the service was extremely slow. To top it off they brought us the wrong bill!

You could easily walk past this and not notice it but don't because it's great! The place is very cosy and you're often squashed in a bit, but excellent Sicilian food is served here, especially the seafood, which is a bit unexpected for Peckham! They also have a special board with ever-changing, tempting choices. The prices are very reasonable too, and the service is very good. A very hidden gem of a place.

A hidden gem indeed. We noticed this place recently after walking past it many many times and decided to give it a try. Inside its a little dark, small but very quaint. It wasn't at all busy, but the candles on the tables made for a lovely atmosphere. The waiter was very polite and was attentive without being a pain - a fine line between the two. The food was beautiful, i had the poussin roustic which tasted fantastic and my partner had an equally delicious tagliatelle. The wine wasn't that great, but we did opt for the bargain bin of a jug of house red, so possibly to be expected - but the wine list was pretty extensive.
Overall we had a great night in here, lovely atmosphere and fantastic food. We'll be going here again for sure.