Mamma Mia, Chepstow

My wife and I went there on New Years Eve and booked in for 9.30 (the earliest available slot). It was a set menu with a limited choice at £20 per head. I was undeterred as the last time I had been there the food was superb, but I have to say that this meal was below par.

Starters v.basic and poorly seasoned, a pizza with a choice of 3 toppings which when arrived was not different to a Tesco job. The Penne dish was absolutely average.

An embarrassed head waiter offered us liqueur coffees instead of a sweet which frankly would have been the last straw. Good on him but not enough to earn a tip.

Mamma Mia, Chepstow obviously has a chef there somewhere but he was out on the beer on 31-12-10. When we were there in the Autumn with friend we raved about it afterwards and now they have sold themselves out for NYE profits. A poor move and short gain will see long term loss.

What a difference 6 months makes. I ate at Mamma Mia in June 08, food and service then was excellent. This time - Jan 09 was a totally different experience 7 months down the line. The service was very slow - the management of staff serving tables seemed unco-ordinated at best. We were given 3 bills - delivered throughout the evening - and had to refuse 2 glasses of wine which took 40 minutes to arrive at our table, we were unable to drink it as we had booked transport home. I would not recommend this restaurant to anyone at the moment.

I first visited this fine cuisine one night for my birthday meal with my family. Everyone enjoyed it the staff were very pleasant and were always very punctual with the food and drinks.

I then returned a few weeks later for a lunch and on a hot summers day it was lovely to come have a nice quiet lunch with my wife and the children and not too expensive either!

The atmosphere was always vibrant.

I would definitely recommend people come here and try this fine italian cuisine where the food is delectable and the staff are delightful. The food is not over-priced either in fact its peanuts for the quality of it.

Decided to try Mamma Mia during a two night stay in Chepstow having read favourable review here. Enjoyed it so much on night 1 we booked table for second night as well. Staff friendly, informative and hands-on. Atmosphere informal and relaxed and when our meals came, they were excellent - presentation superb and not over-garnished. Just the right amount of herbs and spices used to enhance the food without overwhelming it. High quality ingredients, cooked to perfection and impeccably presented with friendly and accommodating service. Will definitely recommend to others and hope to visit again.

I was with my family and the experience was such that I will not return to Mamma Mia.

The restaurant manager offered to replace my steak. However, his inabilty to deliver what he personally promised (= an edible, very expensive fillet steak cooked to a Medium Rare specification) spoilt the whole experience of the family event.

If I had accepted his offer for a replacement steak, it would have meant that I was eating my meal after my family had finished their own.

I paid for all meals consumed other than my steak meal.

We love it and always come back!

Mamma Mia in Chepstow is an excellent restaurant! The food is always fantastic, the service attentive and the prices very reasonable. They've accommodated all our requests, dealing professionally with parties of various sizes, including an all-female party which would have terrified many establishments. Recommended.

I had the chance of a lunch in Chepstow, a lovely old town, on the Welsh border thanks to work. I have been to Mamma Mias once before - in the evening - and having enjoyed thought I'd try again.

I was pleased by their lunch time menu - £6 for one course, £8 for two. It's quite restricted and the full menu is available.

Front of house was the manager - and only the manager - who dealt wonderfully with a fairly full restaurant of 30 or so diners. He was super courteous and genuinely Italian - I managed to try a few well rehearsed phrases from this year's summer holiday in Venice.

I was in a rush so opted for one course only - a pizza with a choice of up to 3 toppings - not bad for £6!!!

Service was unhurried and my fellow diners who were mostly mothers with children or older ladies at lunch seemed to be enjoying as much as I was.

The pizza was super crispy along the edges with a generous amount of topping - though not quite what I'd ordered! I'd suggest that the manager uses a pad to record orders rather than memorising (a big bug-bear I share with Times critic, Michael Winner).

It was too good though to turn away and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I could hear gasps of "my goodness" at other tables as dishes arrived - the portions are generous!

I eventually rolled out, just £10 the lighter (including tip) feeling that I really should return again shortly.

Bella!!