Authentic Italian in the heart of Upminster

this is the best restaurant i’ve ever been to! the food was a DELIGHT, i enjoyed every last bit. i got the pollo ai funghi and i devoured it! even my family, who aren’t very fond of mushrooms, thoroughly enjoyed trying my dish. the staff are phenomenal and are extremely social, making the experience very comfortable. would 100% come again!

Sorrento Upminster This was surprisingly our first visit to Sorrento which is a long and well established Italian restaurant in Upminster , Essex. The reviews that we’d seen have been mostly good so we thought it was about time to see for ourselves. We decided to go for an early evening dinner on saturday and due to being fully booked were given a time for the table to be returned which for us was fine. We arrived and was given a friendly welcome before being asked where we’d like to be seated. We chose a table next to the bar which gave us a great view of the restaurant. The rustic feel of the restaurant does remind you of the old days but the nice thing is that you do think you are in a little village in Italy. The staff were very friendly and just like the Italian way are constantly chatting to each other. We started with a drink while we looked at the extensive menu as well as a great selection of dishes on the specials board. Starters - We decided to start with the Grilled Sardines from the specials board and the Polpettine Napoli which were meatballs in a tomato sauce with toasted ciabatta. When the dishes arrived the presentation was very basic but the most important thing was that the food was delicious. Mains - Now on to the main course where my wife chose the Sea Bass all’ Aglio which was sea bass fillets with butter , garlic and tomato. For myself I opted for the Veal T.Bone with butter and sage of the specials board. We also ordered a side of Zucchini Fritte. Now here is where we were a mixture of highs and lows. Let’s start with the highs. The Sea Bass was delicious and my Veal T.Bone was a definite 10/10. Unfortunately the lows were the bland selection of vegetables (cabbage , carrots and broccoli) that seem to come with every meat or fish dish. It really was a shame. Desserts - After a nice little break it was time for desserts and we chose two from the specials. They were the Lemon Delizia a lemon sponge cake filled with a lemon custard and the Pasteria an orange flavoured neopolitan tart. Both desserts were a delight and a nice way to finish. We finished with a coffee to bring to and end a delightful visit to Sorrento. The food was very good and yes does take you back in time a bit. The staff were excellent and their friendliness is hard to beat. So yes if you don’t want modern but want to enjoy good food in a nice friendly atmosphere then yes I would recommend a visit. As I said the only little downside was the vegetables served with the main courses. The average price for 3 Courses is £45 so good value for money. Thank You for a lovely evening and hope to see you again soon.

We went here for lunch so it was quiet but we enjoyed the authentic Italian ambience and décor. The starters was delicious, especially the fresh, warm bread. Food was really nice and good portions. We didn't give it 5 stars as the menu was a bit basic and we expected a bit more; would have been nice to have more options. Good, friendly service.

The four of us had a range of dishes across the menu and we all enjoyed, (Seafood, escalope, liver and bacon etc.) only slight hang-up was a little more truffle oil was needed on one dish but otherwise straight up delicious and filling. No desserts were tried so can’t vouch for those. Attentive and friendly staff and a nice relaxed dining experience. Molto piacevole.

I’ve been here twice now on a recommendation.. tiny place always packed. The service and the atmosphere is lovely with dean Martin playing in the background. The food is to die for.. give it a try you won’t be disappointed