Family Feast at Fratello's! 

Our Swindon Mum about Town enjoys lunch & pizza-making Italian-style!

 

Eating out with the family can be tricky at the best of times.... but when your husband declares his lasagne as the 'best ever' & your daughter is all smiles after making her own pizza, I'd definitely consider it a success!

 

That was our experience of Fratello's in Swindon town centre and we'll certainly be returning.

 

 

Famous for its wood-fired pizza oven, this has always been a popular place for people in Swindon and with thoughts of sampling their delicious looking menu full of classics like bruschetta, lasagne and carbonara – it’s very easy to see why.

 

Myself, my husband and daughter visited there last weekend as I was also aware that they offer gluten free pasta options; knowing the dishes are always prepared with the freshest ingredients is enough to tempt any parent to take their kids there.

 

First off, though, the thing I especially rate about this place is the fact that the staff are so very friendly towards children and everyone is made to feel welcome (you would think this is a given for all restaurants but you would be surprised how many places get it wrong by the attitude of the people at work.)

 

 

As soon as we entered Fratello’s, I noticed the open kitchen where I could see the chef at work and this is always a good sign as you can witness how professional the workers are; I also like the fact that there are three tiers to this place so you can always find a quiet corner or a busy area, depending on the mood you are in.

 

After we took a seat downstairs, not far from the wine cellar (so tempting!) – we consulted the expansive menus and quickly decided on our choices; margherita pizza for the little one (which she was even invited to help make herself!), classic lasagne for the hubby and gluten free pasta with a rich tomato, garlic and basil sauce for me.

 

It wasn’t long at all before the dishes arrived (all piping hot) and we got stuck in! And wow!... I have to say that the portions were so generous that not even my heavily pregnant self could finish my dish! (and that’s a first!)

 

I could tell that my child adored her pizza fresh from the oven as she didn’t talk the whole time she was eating (not a regular occurrence!) and my husband declared that his lasagne was the best one he had ever tasted (and we have been to Rome!)

  

   

He said it extremely tasty and packed with so much flavour that it made his mouth water just describing it to me. There wasn’t even enough room in my belly or my husband’s for dessert but our daughter made space by deciding she would take half of her massive pizza home with her for a later treat; she went for the chocolate souffle for her sweet dish choice which was accompanied by her favourite thing ever – ice cream!

 

As she broke her souffle with her spoon, a rich stream of chocolate oozed out onto the plate and my husband also helped himself.

 

 

It’s good to know that Fratello’s are now delivering because now that we have a baby on the way - we will be indulging in using that service as soon as possible as we might be a bit house bound for a few weeks whilst we get used to being a family of four.

 

Their fantastic lunchtime offer is also very appealing because you can choose any pizza, pasta or rice dish for just £7.95 per person and when you're a family on a budget, this is a welcome price.

 

And after a sneak peak at the salmon (see below) being enjoyed by the table opposite us, the a la carte menu look fantastic too!

 

 

So, after going to this town centre eatery the other day, our love for it was renewed and we will definitely be visiting more often in the future - most probably after a cinema trip.

 

It's great that we have many more restaurants popping up in Swindon but don’t forget Fratello’s – a true Italian independent gem that screams quality from every one of its pores.

 

Kelly