Inside: Review of Prezzo Italian, Stevenage. Press visit.
We were invited to Prezzo Italian this week to experience their collaboration with the new movie The Magic Faraway Tree, and I have to say… it couldn’t have come at a better time for us.
The end of a school term always feels like a bit of a sprint. Packed lunches, PE kits, homework, remembering who needs what on which day, it all builds up, doesn’t it? And then suddenly you reach the finish line, slightly frazzled, wondering where the weeks went.
This term in particular has felt full. The children have worked so hard, and parents’ evening brought such lovely feedback that I found myself wanting to pause and mark the moment in some way. Not with anything extravagant, just something that said, we see you, we’re proud of you, and let’s enjoy this together.
So an evening out as a family felt like exactly the right kind of celebration.
Easy, Relaxed, Family-Friendly
One of the things I’ve always appreciated about Prezzo Italian is that it feels easy.
There’s no pressure, no sense of rushing you in and out. It’s somewhere you can go as a family and actually relax a little, which, if you’ve ever eaten out with children, you’ll know isn’t always guaranteed.
When we arrived, the kids were given colouring sheets and crayons, which immediately gave them a focus and something to do. Even the older two enjoyed it as they love a bit of gentle colouring. It’s such a small detail, but it makes a huge difference, especially in that window of time before food arrives.
There were also grow-your-own tomato seed packs for the children, which I thought was a really lovely touch. Something to take home, something to nurture, something that lasts beyond the meal itself.
The Magic Faraway Tree Collaboration
Going into the evening, I was curious to see how the collaboration with The Magic Faraway Tree would come to life in the restaurant.
In reality, it was quite subtle.
Aside from the themed colouring sheets and the tomato seed packs, there wasn’t a huge amount of visible connection to the film. There weren’t any obvious references around the restaurant itself, and if I hadn’t been aware of the collaboration beforehand, I’m not sure I would have immediately recognised it as a themed experience.
The one element I was particularly interested in was the special “Fizz Pops” dessert mentioned in the press information, but this actually wasn’t listed on the menu.
I ended up asking about it specifically (only because I already knew it existed), and it was available on request. My youngest chose it, and it did feel like the most “magical” part of the evening, custard-filled doughnut balls, white chocolate, and popping candy, which he absolutely loved.
But it’s probably worth noting that without asking, we likely wouldn’t have experienced that part at all.
The Food
That said, where Prezzo really shines, and always has, in my experience, is the food itself.
It’s reliable in the best way. You know what you’re getting, and it’s done well.
The children’s and adult menu had plenty of choice, which meant everyone found something they were happy with, and everything arrived smoothly without long waits or any stress.
We started off with a sharing board to get the evening started. We love having sharing platters at home – something you can enjoy together, a whole sensory experience.
We all then had delicious mains, from pizzas, to chicken burgers, to amazing pasta dishes.
And as well as my youngest having the Fizz Pops dessert, we enjoyed a whole host of other treats too.
I always have to have their lemon meringue – it is just divine. And the girls both enjoyed the Quadruple Chocolate Cookie Dough, which looked as incredible as it sounds. And by all accounts it tasted as incredible too.
A Simple Way to Celebrate the Movie
If I’m honest, this didn’t feel like a big, immersive themed experience tied to a film.
It felt like something better suited to real life.
A relaxed family meal, with a few thoughtful touches for the children, and the space to slow down for a couple of hours.
And sometimes, that’s exactly what you need.
We don’t always need big days out or elaborate plans to create meaningful moments with our children. Often, it’s these smaller pauses, marking the end of a term, celebrating their efforts, sitting around a table together, that stay with us the most.
If you’re considering a visit to Prezzo over the Easter holidays, I’d say this:
Go for the ease.
Go for the good food.
Go for the opportunity to sit down together and just be.
And if the children enjoy a bit of colouring, planting their tomato seeds at home, or fancy trying the Fizz Pops dessert, then that’s a lovely added bonus.
For us, it was a gentle, joyful way to close out a busy term, and a reminder that it doesn’t take much to create a moment that feels special.
Book a table today at www.prezzo.co.uk