Ristorante Pizzeria Messina in Rotterdam Centrum

Attention!! Please check your bill before leaving the restaurant. Unfortunately, I have to give this one star while also warning others. The owner rang up a couple in front of us, and the man immediately realized he'd been overcharged and confronted him. When we paid, the same thing happened to us. My husband overpaid by almost €10, and by the time we noticed outside, they had already closed the door because it was 10 pm. I tried calling them a few minutes later, but without success. Then I sent an email to the restaurant, but I haven't received a reply to this day. I think it's really awful to cheat and rip off customers like this.

Still delicious after the first visit 25 years ago.

What a gem in an unlikely location. Not only do they have a good selection of pizzas and pastas, but they also have a whole list of specials. The Italian background of the staff adds a special touch, of course. That gives it that little something extra. Unfortunately, we didn't have much time, and they were very accommodating, but I'll definitely be back!

We came here for a coworkers dinner and the food was delicious from start the finish. The Mediterranean antipasto starter was a great way to start the meal, and the truffle pasta mixed tableside was a favorite. The staff were incredibly friendly and made some great recommendations.

A truly perfect experience! The ambiance is beautiful – cozy, stylish, and simply inviting. The food was one highlight after another: fresh, authentic, and bursting with flavor. You can tell that the chefs cook with passion. The service was equally impressive – incredibly friendly, attentive, and yet pleasantly relaxed. In short: Everything was fantastic! We will definitely be back and highly recommend this Italian restaurant to everyone! 🇮🇹✨

Good atmosphere, delicious food and very friendly staff.

A very tasty and fun evening with the Italian who talks like Rocky Balboa!!

Warm service, a wonderful, welcoming atmosphere (with a view of the Erasmus Bridge), delicious and authentic food – just what I expect from a good Italian restaurant! The house white wine was very tasty, as were the two pasta dishes! Excellent value for money! I highly recommend it! I would also recommend making a reservation during the week!

Eating at a real Italian restaurant

Pizza was average, the pasta was good but the swordfish dish lacked flavor. The owner (assuming he was the owner) was very welcoming and attentive so that’s a plus.

Fantastic food, wonderful people and a warm, inviting atmosphere. Highly recommend!

Amazing Italian restaurant. Carbonara and truffles pastas were awesome. Huge quantity and the owner is super nice. We will definitely come back.

Delicious food and friendly staff. A great lasagna and pasta from the cheese wheel!

A great option for enjoying authentic Italian food. Delicious and very generous portions. A very welcoming place. Very friendly service, and the chef is very attentive and interested in whether we are doing well. Good value for money. I loved it and highly recommend it. I will be back!

At Ristorante Pizzeria Messina, I enjoyed a delicious lasagna and a good, classic Margherita pizza. The restaurant boasts a cozy atmosphere and friendly, attentive service. Prices are mid-range – not cheap, but absolutely reasonable for the quality.

What delicious food and what wonderful hospitality! Highly recommended.

Great pizzas, and we had a truly wonderful evening. Highly recommended, THE BEST IN ROTTERDAM. The Pizza Messina is also highly recommended. Thanks for the food.

We had a wonderful meal at a real Italian restaurant. The owner was very friendly and funny. We devoured the pasta bolognese and Parmigiana classica down to the last crumb. It was delicious! We finished with limoncello and a lollipop for my daughter.

Everything is great, the food is amazing, and the service is simply amazing. I really enjoy coming here.

The food an absolute dream and the service, just as amazing. We were warmly welcomed and treated with genuine care; here, the customer truly is king. Everything from the service to the atmosphere and the food was outstanding. If you ever find yourself in Rotterdam, this place is an absolute must! Warm regards, Lukas and Selin

friendly and good service and very tasty food

Classic Italian dishes, really delicious! Pasta truffle was so yummy!

What hospitable people and above-average food. Highly recommended.

Food, service, everything is just great!!!

Crazy good, friendly staff. The small portion of tiramisu at €9.50 was a downside.

Let's start by saying that the owner is Italian (which isn't a given abroad), and that can make all the difference. The chalkboard featured a few off-menu dishes: among them, I chose "Cerasoli al salmone" and bruschetta while waiting. Unfortunately, everything arrived at once, which I pointed out, and the waiter apologized for the inconvenience. I must say, however, that the bruschetta was very tasty, with quality ingredients. But let's talk about the "primo"—ravioli filled with salmon, in a creamy salmon sauce, flavored with dill leaves. I thought I detected a few hints of citrus here and there; this dish was delicious! To finish, a semifreddo soaked in "Strega" liqueur, reminiscent of Sicilian cassata: strawberry, but especially pistachio and almond, with the obligatory candied fruit, garnished with strawberries, mint, and blueberries. A perfect ending! The price was fair, considering we're in the Netherlands. Italian quality, very satisfied!

Highly recommended!!! After 10 days of international food touring the Netherlands, not only did we find superb Italian food (far superior to many Italian restaurants in Italy!!!), but we felt right at home! Thank you, Gianni, because your cooking is SUPERB: from spaghetti with clams (with garlic and chili pepper, of course!), to the pizza our daughter had, to the linguine with shrimp, to the tagliatelle with truffle, the signature dish!!! We went back the second night. Excellent value for money too.

Here is the result + a detailed explanation on why we had such a bad experience in that small reataurant which we wanted to get to know Pasta. 2/10 Fish. 2/10 Service 2/10 The owner was supposed to be offering the best service , but was actually responsible for a very uncomfortable situation , especially with my wife We were not very hungry, so we asked if a Fish would be enough for two people ( and it was ) . He desperately fos Sales changed his face immediately and said “no no , its for one person only !!! “ already treating us differently . Based on his suggestion we decided to order spaguetti as well and we asked for some bread while the food was being prepared Bread never came . Forget about it ! Food was not warm for some reason The spaguetti was tasting more like cheap palm and seeds oil. ( instead of olive oil which would be normally used in a good Italian restaurant ) The fish was over grilled , skin burnt and with an overall bitter burnt flavor Ok a surgeri was performed to make it possible to eat some fish , once we were there we had to make that work somehow But the WORST situation was when the OWNER came to our table and said “ Wow , you were hungry “ That was such a lack of class and politeness that me and my wife were speechless and totally outraged ! We’ve paid an expensive check for a cheap food and immediately left the place due to the lack of class from the owner Definitely NEVER coming back !!! Just posting this review to try to feel some releaf after being treated so badly and not saying anything

The food was excellent, and the atmosphere was warm and friendly. I recommend it!

TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE Here is the result + a detailed explanation on why we had such a bad experience in that small reataurant which we wanted to get to know Pasta. 2/10 Fish. 2/10 Service 2/10 The owner was supposed to be offering the best service , but was actually responsible for a very uncomfortable situation , especially with my wife We were not very hungry, so we asked if a Fish would be enough for two people ( and it was ) . He desperately fos Sales changed his face immediately and said “no no , its for one person only !!! “ already treating us differently . Based on his suggestion we decided to order spaguetti as well and we asked for some bread while the food was being prepared Bread never came . Forget about it ! Food was not warm for some reason The spaguetti was tasting more like cheap palm and seeds oil. ( instead of olive oil which would be normally used in a good Italian restaurant ) The fish was over grilled , skin burnt and with an overall bitter burnt flavor Ok a surgeri was performed to make it possible to eat some fish , once we were there we had to make that work somehow But the WORST situation was when the OWNER came to our table and said “ Wow , you were hungry “ That was such a lack of class and politeness that me and my wife were speechless and totally outraged ! We’ve paid an expensive check for a cheap food and immediately left the place due to the lack of class from the owner Definitely NEVER coming back !!! Just posting this review to try to feel some releaf after being treated so badly and not saying anything

Great food, great service. Ticks all the boxes for a friendly neighbourhood Italian restaurant. Five stars minus one: the "medium" sized beer is still ridiculousy small at a ridiculously high price ... not worth it!!

So, clear agreements and a long-lasting friendship. There are many Egyptians in Milan who make much better pizza.

Really tasty food and super nice personnel ☺️

Great ambience, very good pasta, very friendly owners

We had Spaghetti Bolognese and a Pizza Salami, and both dishes were absolutely delicious. The service was very attentive, friendly, and made us feel really welcome throughout the whole evening. The restaurant itself has a cozy and pleasant atmosphere, which made the experience even better.

The best Italian restaurant in Rotterdam! Delicious food. The pasta and pizza are excellent. The service is attentive and genuinely welcoming, making you feel right at home.

We were very well attended to by what seemed to be the owner of the establishment. A native Italian, who spoke loudly, haha. It conveys the message that the food is truly Italian. In the end, the food was perfect. Generous portions and incredible flavor. On the way out, we were even given a gift by the waiter (whose name I'm sorry I don't have) who was super friendly and gave us a small dose of liqueur to celebrate our honeymoon. It's not a touristy restaurant, which brings peace of mind to us tourists 🫶

Great restaurant, the owner and staff make you feel welcome and the food is great, and certainly not expensive, relatively speaking.

Amazing atmosphere, very fine service, worth waiting for, delicious food!

Nice restaurant in a strange place but found after a bit of searching. Nice owner and friendly hostess. Nice food and excellent wine. We had not made a reservation but a table was quickly arranged despite the crowds.

Perfect pizza, great lasagna, friendly service. So why only 2 stars? Because €5.50 for a 0.25l beer is simply too much — and they call that Medium size. Hold on: a medium beer is 0.25l and costs €5.50? That’s a no-go. Despite the delicious food and good service, we won’t be coming back.

Lekker eten, attent en aardig personeel, top Italiaanse avond. Mijn vriendin en ik aten bij Messina en hadden de Italiaanse Antipasti voorgerechtenmix besteld. Daarna de fettucini met porcini en truffel in de parmigiano regiano bereid. Zeker een aanrader. Gianni en zijn personeel zijn heel aardig en het eten was top!

It's the best Italian restaurant in Rotterdam. The lasagna, bruschetta, and osso buco are delicious.

Comida deliciosa, aunque las porciones no son las más grandes que jamás encontraría, precios razonables y en general un buen servicio. Los canelones eran muy agradables.

A great restaurant with very good food!

We came to celebrate our engagement with my partner. We were very well received. I had a primitivo by the glass which went very well with the truffle pasta! The value for money is incredible! I fell for a homemade tiramisu which was excellent! Go for it go for it

The best Italian restaurant I've ever been to!!!! The food, the ambiance, the perfectly chosen and not too loud music, the staff... Pure perfection and absolute enjoyment!! I can't wait to come back to Rotterdam; I'm heading straight to Messina again. Thank you so much, you very kind and hardworking people! 👌👌👌👌

I have never had such a perfect service and food experience, the food was perfect and really good quality, the servers were super nice and the choice of wine was great. The wine we ordered was out of stock but they gave us a great recommendation. The pasta was great quality and it was fresh. If you want great italian food, come here!

We love Messina- Sicilian atmosphere and best owner Gianni!

One of the tastiest pastas I've ever eaten! Deliciously authentic Italian! We will visit you again soon!

Such great authentic food at a very reasonable price. They were very accommodating of us, we really enjoyed our dinner here.

Everything delicious... the true flavor of Italian cuisine! The staff was very kind and professional. Super recommended.

Everyone at the table enjoyed the different dishes, the specials were a hit. Friendly service, clean place and attractively decorated. The menu is very diverse, so there is plenty of choice and if you ask, you will be assisted with advice and assistance. For us a place to definitely drive to ❤️

Very well appointed restaurant with easy access from tram and train. The service was very good and the decor was traditional Italian. The food was very good and served in a timely manner. Booking is advised as the restaurant is not very big.

Italian hospitality of the highest order. The staff makes it a party!

This is a better Italian restaurant than those in Italy. Managed by Italians, the food is absolutely top, service people are attentive, and the portions size is big, be prepared to share with others, as there might be just too much for one person!

A really cozy Italian restaurant as I know it from the past. Very hospitable, friendly service, delicious food and fast service for a great price. We will definitely come back!

Cozy restaurant on the water and the Erasmus Bridge. The staff are friendly and the food delicious. Delicious bread with homemade herb butter! The pasta was a little too spicy for us because of the peppers, but it tasted good. The other dishes were also very tasty!

Good restaurant, reserved in advance and that is definitely recommended because it was packed, but nice! Good food and friendly staff. Flavors were good and everything was neat. The Italian temperament is clearly noticeable and we love that. Definitely worth repeating and recommended to everyone. Grazie tutti Flavors

I went there to get a takeaway dinner for two. As soon as I arrived, the servers were very nice, pleasant and helpful. They recommended the lasagna and the tiramisu, and without a doubt, these two dishes were the best of the meal. The pizzas were okay. I can't really compare them with other places in Rotterdam, as I didn't try any other Italian restaurants during the weekend I was there. But compared to the pizzas I ate in Belgium, it wasn't the best — more like 'average' quality. That said, this may also be linked to the fact that we ate them in the take-out version, 15 to 20 minutes after they were prepared. The experience might have been different if we had dined there. Anyway, during the waiting time, the service was very pleasant, and we were advised to try the truffle pasta next time. We will therefore undoubtedly come back during our next visit to Rotterdam. The prices were quite reasonable for the quantity, quality and being in the second largest city in the Netherlands. THANKS !

We spontaneously decided to visit the restaurant on Saturday evening and didn't have a reservation. We received a very friendly welcome and after a short consultation with the boss we were given a table for 2 people. The service is really courteous. Our jackets were taken from us and taken to the cloakroom. The other service was also extremely good. We decided on pizza and it was really tasty. While we waited for the food, pasta in a hollowed-out parmesan cheese was served at the next table. Very impressive! Overall, we can describe the price-performance ratio as excellent and would eat there if we were in Rotterdam again.

Hands down the best Italian restaurant owned and run by the same family for more than 2 decades! It’s a family favorite since our first visit in 1998 🙏🏼🫶🏼

I had a delicious meal here! Nice people! And the pizza Irresistibile was very tasty!!

Came back and had a buffalo caprese and the cheese wheel pasta with some drinks. It was really really nice and an overall lovely experience. Can't wait to be back. I've been here a few times over the past 6 years and each time it's been a nice gastro experience. The owner is very involved and knows many customers which gives a very warm and welcoming feel. The ambience is pleasant and the service is professional and friendly. The food and drinks on offer are of very good quality and the prices in comparison seem fair. The food served is delicious, well prepared and all the senses seem pleasantly fulfilled with the experience. The pasta cooked in the cheese wheel is an interesting experience, alongside the delicious lasagne Popeye and they have some good wines available too. A lovely place to eat and drink imho and I'll be back soon. Keep up the good work.

Visited a few years ago, finally got to come back. Great food, friendly staff.

Great service. Great food. Would love to come back here.

If you want real Italian food in a casual atmosphere with excellent staff, this restaurant is highly recommended. It is not without reason that this is one of the better Italian restaurants in Rotterdam.

Delicious food! Service is also top notch

Sicilian food, Sicilian hospitality, like being in Sicily

Delicious food, especially the tiramisu was fantastic. Staff also friendly and helpful. Recommended!

Gezellig restaurant met een warme uitstraling. Vriendelijk en attent personeel. Heerlijke gerechten met lekkere specials. Prijs en kwaliteit is meer dan prima. Echt een aanrader.

Not recommended. The pizza didn't resemble authentic Italian pizza, and the tiramisu was also a disappointment. While I appreciated the presentation of the lasagna, the taste was underwhelming, and the sour tomato sauce was off-putting. The spaghetti carbonara was good, but I suspect it was made with packaged pasta rather than fresh. The presentation of the tiramisu felt tacky. Additionally, I wasn't comfortable with the overly familiar behavior of the Italian waitress. I definitely won’t be returning.

Nice cozy Italian restaurant. A lot of attention in a positive sense for the guests, they really make the effort to give you a nice evening. We were here on a Monday evening. I hadn't had it myself, but it looked so cool, the dish of pasta truffle with parmesan cheese which was served at the table from a real cheese wheel. They also have nice red wines. All I can say is that it was a nice evening out.

Tasty food, friendly staff, reasonable prices. Nothing wrong with that.

Delicious food! Cosy, pleasant atmosphere and nice welcome. Nice and friendly, committed service with some nice humor. We will definitely come back next time. Recommended!! Within walking distance of Erasmus Bridge.

We were lucky. Without making a reservation, there is still a spot for the two of us. What a nice, cozy little place with delicious dishes. Had a great meal and chatted with a local couple.

Good atmosphere. Hospitable. Tasty food. Delicious wine.

Staff is friendly, atmosphere is quite good. The parmigiana is a godsend, so delicious. Seafood pasta not so much...frozen seafood "mix" with so much garlic that it killed off any other tastes.

We hadn't made a reservation and were welcomed straight away. The service was very nice and funny. English German no problem. Food very good… and the CAPPUCCINO was great. Thank you for the lovely time with you.💕

Just had a fantastic meal here. We were looking for a real Italian and we found him! Top food, cozy and super friendly service: highly recommended!

Really nice, people with really noce and authentic food. We will be back

It was perfect! Very kind staff, the Boss too good, everyone recommended, from the staff to the food! Well done! It was really perfect! Restaurant staff is really nice and friendly, Capo is really wonderfull person, all recommended, from staff to the meals!

Best authentic Italian dishes! Everything is perfect, the atmosphere, the food and the service :) Lasagna was much better than in Italy itself. fino alla prossima volta! ~ Karolina

We are on a short trip to Rotterdam and landed here directly on the first evening. Great staff and great atmosphere. We saw at the next table that the people there were getting truffle pasta made from the Parmesan wheel. It wasn't on the menu, but we were able to order it anyway. Not cheap, but the best pasta I've had in a long time.

had to wait a long time before we got our food. The waiter was quite absent-minded and I think he forgot to give our order to the kitchen, people who ordered after us received their food earlier. otherwise had a great experience.

We were in Rotterdam for a short trip and wanted to eat authentic Italian food. We didn't have high expectations because we were often disappointed in other places. We have traveled a lot in Italy and I have Sicilian roots so I know how it tastes original. But what can I say the food was excellent! The nice lady in service was also great. The only thing was that it was a bit too warm inside with yesterday's summer weather. Otherwise great, we would love to come back for a short visit to Italy!

Nice service, unfortunately the diavolo pizza wasn't a bit spicy. Carbonara wasn't great either, hardly any taste. Too bad

Very friendly but it had to improve... Food super delicious. Location has a very nice view but is located on a busy road.

Excellent service and food here. Pizzas were absolutely delicious, highly recommended.

We thought the food and staff were perfect, nice atmosphere and delicious food. Highly recommended.

Very hospitable and very tasty pizza😊

Proper nice place this 👌 good value for money, nice atmosphere, great staff, great variety of food and it is done superbly well. Centrally located. Would highly recommend for pizza/italian

The place is small but the food is great! We had the pasta with truffle made inside of the cheese and it was amazing. The dessert was ok, I would not order again.

The best original Italian restaurant you can find in Rotterdam, the special truffle tagliatelle were made in front of us and absolutely delicious, 100% would recommend if you want to eat well. Thanks to Gianni and the rest of the staff who were very helpful and truly made our day!

Very good Italian food, nice atmosphere.

Very good restaurant we went there by chance and it was a good surprise the waiters speak a little French and perfectly English I ate a very good pizza there. Nice aperitif. If you are in Rotterdam this is a very correct address

We went because it had a high score, but it is a very mediocre restaurant compared to Italian cuisine. I'd say the chef is most likely not Italian, but I can't prove it.

Delicious food prepared and delivered by a fun and friendly staff.

Fabulous little Italian restaurant. Try the house special of porcini pasta swirled in a reggiano cheese wheel with shaved truffles. Unbelievably good.

Very good pizzaria, nice service and beautiful place. The pasta with truffle made in Parmigiano is especially recommended.