Ristorante Il Boccone in Centrum

Very good food, decent portions, attentive service

Unfortunately, we must conclude that the service and the quality of the dishes were well below par. After our order was taken, the service was lacking for a long time. Tables arriving after us had already finished their main course and dessert before it became apparent that our table had been overlooked. When the dishes were finally served after a significant delay, the quality proved to be insufficient as well. The fish exhibited a pungent odor indicating a lack of freshness, rendering the dish inedible. This evening failed to meet basic expectations, either organizationally or culinarily.

The best Italian food of very high quality, and fantastic accompanying wines! Homemade Tiramisu and very friendly Italian service!

Had a delicious meal! Friendly service, cozy atmosphere with delicious wines and tasty food. Definitely recommended :)

We had a reservation, but unfortunately we couldn't order a piece of focaccia with our beer to calmly think about the rest of the menu. Everything had to be ordered at once; that is "policy" and "better for the kitchen." But not for the guests! We finished our beers and left. A shame. Disappointed, because everything has to be in English...

Best pasta in 11 years in the Netherlands!

Had a really delicious meal. Very flavorful and good dishes and a nice, extensive menu. Waitresses mostly English-speaking.

Great people, real Italians, so naturally real Italian food too, and you can taste it. Delicious.

Delicious Italian food and tasty wines. Friendly staff and a good atmosphere. Highly recommended for Italian lunch or dinner in Arnhem.

Had a delicious meal. Very tasty wines. It's a shame the music was so loud. Nice terrace.

There was a really nice waitress there. She saw that I was with my friends and I wasn't eating because I'm a Jew who eats kosher and she didn't know about it. So she brought me free food. Lovely people. They deserve all the compliments in the world.

Wonderful place. Delicious food and wines, friendly staff and amazing atmosphere. Felt like small trip to Italy. Absolutely loved it.

We stumbled upon this small but cozy restaurant by chance. We opted for the 4-course surprise menu, which is highly recommended! We had a delicious meal! The portions were generous and the staff very friendly and welcoming. Definitely worth a visit, but do try to make a reservation because, due to the intimate atmosphere, there isn't always space.

Pasta of the absolute top class.

We had a delicious meal here. All the dishes were exquisite. The tables are quite close together, though, and when it's full, it's difficult to communicate with the people at the table. The service is cheerful and friendly.

A small but incredibly good restaurant. It is recommended to make a reservation to ensure you have a spot, as it is often busy. The food is incredibly tasty and the prices are reasonable for the quality. A very cozy atmosphere.

Unfortunately, we found ourselves facing a closed door. Your website states that you are open from 10 PM on Mondays. We had been really looking forward to a delicious Italian meal. Perhaps you could adjust this to prevent further disappointment.

Fast and warm service, delicious food and drinks for a very reasonable price. It's a shame I only have one stomach, otherwise I would have ordered more. I will definitely come back here!

Average food. I don't understand the reviews. The pizza was okay. The tomato soup had a good texture but wasn't very special otherwise, and the dessert with cake and pistachio ice cream: bad! A chemical green pistachio ice cream, with whipped cream and chocolate sauce on top. I expected much more. Not again.

Nice little Italian restaurant in Arnhem. Friendly Italian staff and delicious dishes!

Unfortunately, there is no connection with Italian food. Only the name is the same, but the taste is far from the real thing.

Cozy restaurant, always full. Although everyone is positive, I'm not blown away by it. I found it way too expensive and not remarkably tasty. The service was also slow.

Eaten there a few more times. Always good!

The food was fine, but note that tap water is not served if you ask for it. For me, that is a reason to avoid this restaurant.

High expectations, but unfortunately a disappointment! The staff is very friendly and helpful but does not speak Dutch. The restaurant is a bit reminiscent of a living room. It is small and cramped, but cozy! Noisy restaurant... The biggest problem is the ventilation in the open kitchen, which does not work properly. By the end of the evening, your clothes stink. The dishes from our 4-course surprise menu were disappointing in terms of taste. Every dish needed pepper, and the meat we had was cold on the inside. Nice to visit once, but not again. If you are in a wheelchair or have difficulty walking, you should absolutely avoid this restaurant.

Delicious food and friendly staff!

Great italian food, lovely waiters and the portions were bigger than expected (which is a plus)!

Excellent food! I was here with my parents and we had one of the best carbonaras ever!

Tasty food, friendly and knowledgeable staff. They took allergies into account. I had expected a bit more for the price-quality ratio; unfortunately, there was also sand in the mussels.

Delicious food and friendly service. The tables were quite close together and the noise was very loud. But I will definitely come back here again.

The carbonara with truffle was TOO delicious, I couldn't take a picture because it was gone so quickly.

Italian food, but with a twist. We opted for a delicious three-course surprise menu. The price might be a bit higher than your usual Italian restaurant, but the quality is definitely worth it.

Never been here before, but so happy with the discovery! Just had a quick dinner with a friend 'cause we didn't make a reservation and it was quite busy (on a Tuesday no less), but we were both very pleased. Everything was so tasteful - the bread, olive oil, wine (verdejo), main courses (we both had pasta), everything was delicious. The ambiance in the restaurant itself was also great. What a gem. I had never been here before, but I will definitely come back. Staff was very friendly and helpful. Definately recommend! Grazie mille!! :)

We've eaten here before, but this time it's our second time, and the experience is different. The restaurant has become very commercialized, which is a shame! Even though we had plenty of time, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., you could still feel the pressure. I wanted to order a focaccia first and then browse, but that wasn't possible. I had to order everything at once. The focaccia also came with a starter. The food was fine, and the restaurant has a nice atmosphere, but you no longer feel the warm atmosphere you'd like.

What a wonderful Italian restaurant this is! The food is truly fresh and delicious. The portions are also certainly generous. The price-quality ratio is excellent. The interior is small but atmospheric. An open kitchen allows you to hear and smell everything happening. Your clothes do smell of the food, but that's beside the point. We personally found some tables a bit close together. Which is understandable, of course, but if you're not a fan of it, it might be a bit distracting. The service was excellent, but we felt the dishes came out a bit too quickly. A bit un-Italian, if you will. But all in all, Il Boccone is a very good, authentic Italian restaurant.

Seriously delicious pizzas. I had them delivered, truly top quality. Enjoyed it.

We ate there today for Valentine's Day. The restaurant is nice but small and cramped; at times the waiters had to squeeze through between the tables. The food was good, the portions were generous, and the dessert was delicious. A lovely Valentine's Day gift was a flower, and thank you for that.

High quality of food and service

It’s been a year that I’ve been looking for a GOOD Italian restaurant in Arnhem. I tried to come without reservation a couple of times without success. This weekend I finally managed to reserve a table and my expectations were high (as it’s always full and looks lovely!). I was not disappointed! Service was good, everyone very attentive and with a smile, the food, you can smell Italy AUTHENTIC food on its way out of the kitchen to your table! I had a cocktail that was really good too (Spritz Boccone)!!! I had pizza this time will definitely will come back to taste every single thing on the menu! Very, VERY happy to have tried it out and it definitely won’t be my last time! Totally recommend! Complimenti!

Fantastic, the food was very good and the quality-price ratio was very, very good.

Had a delicious meal in a lovely atmosphere.

We ate here on Christmas Day. It's a small, intimate restaurant. We arrived a bit early, but that wasn't a problem; they simply rearranged the table. We enjoyed a superb Christmas menu. Everything was fresh and delicious! A generous and delicious amount of fresh truffle shavings instead of that chemical truffle oil stuff you see far too often and that wipes out all the flavor of your dish. The staff is Italian and cooks with Italian passion using quality ingredients. The wines are also excellent. And the Grappa selection is worth a try. All in all, a Michelin-star-worthy experience! We will definitely be back.

I had high expectations based on the many reviews praising this restaurant. Perhaps I was there on the wrong day, but unfortunately, my visit was quite disappointing. The dishes are ordinary at best and poorly prepared at worst. The pasta vongole was watery, bland, and lacked any depth or love for the dish. This has little to do with differences in taste; it simply wasn't cooked well. The reviews often emphasize that there are "real Italians" in the kitchen. But that in itself doesn't mean anything, of course. I'm also truly Dutch, but that doesn't automatically mean I'm a good cook. Authenticity isn't about origin, but about craftsmanship, technique, and taste—and that was completely lacking here. On the positive side, the service was friendly and the atmosphere pleasant. But ultimately, you come for the food, and in that respect, this restaurant disappoints. With a little more attention, quality, and respect for Italian cuisine, this place could achieve much more.

Il Boccone in Arnhem is a cozy and welcoming restaurant with friendly staff, but unfortunately, the food is disappointing. The pasta vongole was watery and flavorless, lacking any Italian flair, and the pizza arrived limp and not crispy. Considering the price, you would really expect more quality and authenticity here.

From starter to desert awesome food

Authentic Italian restaurant. Authentic Italian cuisine. Due to its popularity, please book in advance. The service and kitchen run like clockwork. Friendly and welcoming.

We arrived on a Friday evening, hungry, and had heard good things about this restaurant. But our experience was anything but good. As an Italian, you expect a lot, especially from the classic dishes we chose. An inedible parmigiana; an arancina, which was also good but served in a mixed mushroom cream that took away the arancina's crunchiness; a plate of ravioli with mushroom cream and truffles with a nauseating amount of cream. The pizza had a heavy crust, although the combination of salami and mascarpone was a pleasant surprise. As is almost always the case, you enter an Italian restaurant and are left disappointed. When I pointed out that the parmigiana was inedible, the waitress said, "Have you ever eaten at an Italian restaurant abroad?" As if to justify the food, which in my opinion was not at all worthy of the price. The only positive note of the evening was the Sicilian cannoli and the fairness in removing the parmigiana from the bill.

A truly authentic experience at Il Boccone. It's served by true Italians, and the food is cooked by true Italians, which is evident in the food itself. It's like bringing a piece of Italy to the Netherlands. The food is so authentic, you can even ask which wines pair well with your meal, and so far, they've been excellent every time. My girlfriend and I will definitely be back. So if you want real Italian pasta or pizza, come to Il Boccone.

Delicious food, authentic flavours, friendly service and a nice cozy atmosphere.

A cozy and very welcoming restaurant. We both chose the all'amatriciana. The menu listed it with spaghetti, but it was easy to get it with penne. The tomato sauce could have been a bit spicier, but the portion size was just right, and there was plenty of Pecorino Romano. We will definitely be back. Reserving in advance is recommended.

Many Italian classics. One of the best in Arnhem.

I wanted to celebrate something personal with my friend a few nights ago. Since we already had an early dinner (and she is picky with her food), we just wanted to get a glass of wine and some focaccia before we head home since it’s her favorite. We were greeted around 9pm and we made our order. Then two waitresses had to come and ask is that all and explain how we MUST order a main dish. Mind you, the prices are above average but the food definitely isn’t. The focaccia was more like a pogacha, if you know you know. It wasn’t real focaccia, just bread. The white wine was super alcoholy and had a super sour aftertaste and it wasn’t the cheapest on the menu. The whole time we were there we felt pressured to order more items + the waitresses were staring at us, so impolite! I was very kind, even when I felt uncomfortable, but I did feel judged. We left more than €30 just to be shamed for it. Outrageous behavior and ridiculous service. Super overpriced, I’m glad I didn’t order a main pasta dish for €29, I’m almost sure I would’ve regretted it. Super honest experience, unfortunately not the spot for me or anyone who wants to have a drink and enjoy some quality time with their loved ones. Pass.

From start to finish, everything here is so delicious!!!

Not a pleasant experience and we won't be back. Eight of us came for dinner and were forced to pay €22.50 each for an appetizer platter we didn't want. That was €180 for something we didn't order or eat, and this wasn't mentioned ANYWHERE in our reservation. We'd never experienced anything like this before. The platter consisted almost entirely of meat, even though five of us are vegetarian. When we pointed this out, they didn't offer any assistance or make any adjustments. We ended up leaving without eating, but were still charged for our drinks, which weren't even finished. It was incredibly unfriendly. We were also crammed into a table of five or six, where there was clearly no room.

We had an excellent meal, especially the carpaccio was very tasty.

It was delicious, but I hate sea bass. I would leave the lemon to the people themselves. Sometimes a bit too sour for me. But otherwise, we had a great meal and will definitely come back.

Very good restaurant and great cuisine. Sometimes the pasta portions are small.

Loved the food. Will return to the place.

Very tasty pizza or pinsa. Even gluten-free. Perfect. 👏

My favorite Italian restaurant in Arnhem. Everything Italian, and you can taste it!

A lovely, extensive wine list, friendly staff, and a well-balanced menu. We had a fantastic evening!

The food was good, the atmosphere was nice, and the employees were so kind in helping with the birthday surprise. I really enjoyed my birthday dinner with friends there.

We came here to celebrate our anniversary and I'm not disappointed. I think this is one of the best Italian restaurants in Arnhem. This is a very nice restaurant that offers really tasty Italian cuisines. Restaurant is quite small, so reservation in advance is important. They have pasta and pizza with a perfect portion. I normally couldn't finish my plate since the Dutch portion is mostly quite big, but this one I actually can finish up all my pasta. The service is also nice and friendly. I definitely recommend this restaurant!

The food is decent, but the flavors are bland/watery. The price isn't good value for money. Nearly €6 for a bottle of tap water is ridiculous. The restaurant is packed, making it noisy and cramped. Staff sometimes have to squeeze past tables. The staff is very friendly and service-oriented. We asked for a piece of bread with the pasta sauce but had to order a full starter. There are better Italian restaurants in Arnhem.

From the moment we walked in, we were embraced by a warm, intimate atmosphere that set the perfect tone for the evening. The arancini and the tenderloin were nothing short of spectacular — each bite a refined explosion of flavor that lingered beautifully. The staff was exceptionally attentive and genuinely kind, adding a personal touch that made the experience all the more memorable. We’re already counting down the days until our next visit to indulge in more of their culinary delights.

Fantastic, highly recommended. It feels like you're on vacation in Italy. Friendly service, and they're Italian too.

The food is really good, but the receptionist was mainly interested in whether we'd leave on time, which is unpleasant. Too bad...

I've been here 10 times now, and it's truly excellent. I live in Amsterdam, so we were looking for a good Italian restaurant, and Il Boccone didn't disappoint. They cook like real Italians here, not the mediocre Dutch restaurant experience you often get. The food is delicious, and the service is very friendly. The house limoncello after coming here several times is a nice gesture. The prices are low for the experience; to my knowledge, this is the best Italian restaurant in the Netherlands.

Says it is open until 23h but kitchen is closed at 21:30

Last week, we had a reasonably priced meal at this cozy restaurant with super friendly service. We went for the surprise menu, something we always do when dining out. It had a great variety and dishes you wouldn't normally order yourself. Unfortunately, with our six-course dinner, we received two prawns, two lobster dishes, and one salmon dish. The only dessert wasn't fish. It's a shame there's so little variety, and I think you should expect a surprise menu to offer some variety. A la carte is apparently fine, but in our opinion, the surprise menu isn't.

Il Boccone is undoubtedly a culinary gem in Arnhem. An accessible restaurant with a well-balanced Italian menu. The wine selection complements the food perfectly, and the price-quality ratio is simply excellent. The restaurant has become very popular (understandably), making reservations in advance a must. If that's not possible, I recommend having lunch at Il Boccone, because it's truly fantastic! The staff is very friendly and clearly has Italian roots, which definitely enhances the restaurant's atmosphere. Not everyone speaks Dutch, which sometimes takes away some nuance from communication, hence the one star deducted for service, but it should have been a quarter star. Il Boccone is highly recommended!

I finally managed to eat at Il Boccone. Usually, I think about it too late, and by then it's already packed. It's a small, cozy restaurant. A real Italian. The staff even all speak Italian. At least, I think they do, because I don't understand it. I had a risotto ball as a starter, which is highly recommended. For the main course, I had a calzone, which was deliciously tender. For dessert, I had a scroppino. Legend 1) Terrible! I don't recommend it, I'll never come back! 2) Too bad, below my expectations, I won't be back. 3) Okay, nothing wrong with it, but nothing special, nice for a one-time visit. 4) Fine, worth coming back. 5) Excellent! I recommend it, I'll definitely be back!

Great food, highly recommended TOP

Delicious pizza and pasta, and even though we hadn't reserved a table, we were still welcomed for a while. Good food and excellent service.

We had another wonderful meal here. Authentic Italian food. Delicious pasta and meat dishes. Affordable wines. Quiet yet very centrally located. Small-scale. Italian clientele. Very friendly service. Delicious melon liqueur afterward.

WARNING: Avoid this restaurant EVEN WITH A RESERVATION!We booked for 5:45 PM. Their own policy states they hold tables for 1 hour. We were only 15 minutes late. Unbelievably, they canceled our reservation just 10 minutes after our scheduled time!** While we were frantically rushing to get there! Upon arrival, the staff was extremely unfriendly and turned us away. **We drove an hour and a half for NOTHING!*This restaurant is clearly too busy and cares ZERO about customer experience. They blatantly disregard their own website policy. DO NOT COME HERE! Don't waste your time and effort like we did!

Calzone pizza & salmon tagliatelle - delicious 10/10. Great atmosphere!

Fantastic, we will definitely come back again, very tasty, friendly staff, cozy atmosphere. 👌🏼

Delicious food and friendly service.

Food is excellent, but the wines we drank (Fiano and Primitivo) were disappointing and the 2 bottles of water we had (carrying a lable telling its ‘genuine’ tab water) exessively expensive (€6 a piece).

Italian… with a stopwatch We had a great meal in a small but atmospheric Italian restaurant. It started off promisingly: a delicious carpaccio as a starter — thinly sliced, well-seasoned and lovingly prepared. The pasta vongole was delicious. Then came the fish ravioli… Unfortunately. Dry, tasteless and as un-Italian as ketchup on your carbonara. Fortunately, the mushroom ravioli made up for it: creamy, full of flavour and completely “mamma mia”. The coffee? That was great. But then… the eating time rules. Seriously? A table lock from 6:00 to 6:15 PM? So un-Italian!!! Too bad, because the atmosphere and some of the food actually invite you to linger. In short: nice place, friendly atmosphere, varied food — but hopefully they will soon remove the stopwatch when making reservations. Italy is about la dolce vita, not la dolce deadline.

What a lovely restaurant! The atmosphere, the food and the service are great. The food feels like real classic Italian. The location is in the heart of the city, but still in a quiet place. If I have to mention a small point, it is that the space around our table is a bit tight and I could not easily pass the others, but that certainly did not spoil the fun. I will definitely come back here! My compliments to all the employees of the restaurant.

Amazing place! Super delicious food and very caring personnel. Surely would like to come back in the future. If you want to eat and not just to have drinks – make sure you arrive earlier than one hour until they close .

Last Thursday my girlfriend and I had reserved a table for 2 at 7:30 PM. We were not helped quickly so we decided, when the waiter finally came, to order our starters right away (both a carpaccio). According to the waiter this was not possible, the intention was that we would order our entire order including main course/dessert at once. My girlfriend and I had not looked at the menu yet so I asked the waiter to come back soon. Again this took a long time, so long that my girlfriend and I were not that hungry anymore and decided to just order a starter. When we finally told the waiter this we were told that this was not possible. My girlfriend and I did not understand what the waiter meant exactly and asked for an explanation. He told us that if we only ordered a starter we could leave. My girlfriend and I could not believe it, did not feel comfortable with a discussion and left the restaurant immediately. Incomprehensible!

A great restaurant👌 Took the chef's surprise menu. Everything was very tasty and the quantity was more than enough. The service was also very good, very friendly. I would like to eat there often. Please keep it up 👌

Very tasty, very friendly, nice atmosphere, would love to go again!!!

Cozy, busy restaurant with authentic Italian food.

Be careful if you go with a group of +6 people. We had made a reservation for 10 people but in the end 2 people were prevented at the last minute, so we arrived with 8 people. We were then told that, because 10 people had been expected and 2 people had not cancelled, we would be charged for 10 people. This surprised us because this was not announced in the confirmation email or on the website. Discussion led to nothing and preparing less food was not negotiable. We paid for 10 people and unfortunately this left a bad taste in our mouths. The food was otherwise fine.

Everything perfect! The quality of the food is very good.

Very nice place with friendly service and good Italian chef. Delicious food in a relaxed atmosphere. Popular place so reservations are recommended!

I really don't understand why it's not always packed here... What a gem of a restaurant in a tucked away spot! If you want real and super tasty Italian food, this is the place to be

Excellent food. Everything was so well put together and very tasty. Can wholeheartedly recommend!

Had a lovely meal yesterday. Staff is very friendly. Too bad the tables are so close together.

We had a really nice evening at this restaurant. The staff was very friendly and welcoming, they made us feel at ease straight away. The food was excellent, really tasty and well prepared. The atmosphere is very pleasant, so much so that we wanted to stay for hours more to chat and relax. We will definitely be back soon, it was a really nice experience!

Wow! Incredibly delicious: fresh, tasty and in fine portions. And that with exceptionally sweet and nice service and in a very cozy ambiance. Our kids also loved it (even our eggplant 😉). We would love to come back again.

Awesome. One of the view authentic Italian kitchen tastes in NLD

Very annoying situation with tables too close to each other, giving absolutely no privacy (especially on the terrace). I can hear people talking uncomfortably close to each other and have the feeling that we are actually sitting at the same table. It casts a small shadow over the delicious food and friendly staff.

Very tasty. Lots of vegetarian and vegan choices on the menu for an average Italian.

Absolutely fantastic, lovely restaurant with wonderful food and incredibly good service. Very rich dishes and their pork shank was really tender and delicious.

The food was very good and the service was nice