Café Italia

After Julie's Fancy Dress closed down, 877-879 Moss Bank Way in Bolton has been occupied by Zest Fine Foods, Delicieux, and now Café Italia. Only time will tell whether the tradition of businesses failing there will continue, or be abated by traditional Italian fare.

If there's one thing Bolton and Horwich in particular has an abundance of, it's Italian restaurants. Within a 10 minute journey you have Max Italia, Leo's, Casa Nostra, Il Toro, Ask Italian, Bella Italia, and within 5 minutes walk, Chianti. The question is whether Café Italia can make itself stand out amongst the competition.
é

In this particular instance, I only popped in for breakfast, as I kept meaning to visit since it opened, so I may have to judge the "more than just a café..." tagline another time.

First impressions are good. As you walk into the venue, it distinctly feels more like a restaurant than the casual coffee shop feel that Delicieux had, but not as formal feeling as when it was Zest. The floors have been stained in a deep red, the furniture is dark wood with cream upholstery, and accent colours are in soft natural pastels. Although it may look a little more formal, there are also a few couches and the outdoor balcony seating area for those just fancying a coffee and a croissant. One big addition since Delicieux's occupation is the addition of a large window on the front of the building, which lets a lot more light in, and makes the space feel brighter and more airy.

The formal aspect includes being seated upon entry and given a menu, which is a nice touch, but whether such attention will be able to be maintained as it gets busier is yet to be seen, especially with how incredibly busy Delicieux got, leading to its decline in customer service. The menu is traditional Italian fare, and ranges from breakfasts and lunches to full evening meals and traditional Italian desserts. It's not an extensive menu, but what is offered is a good selection.

I just fancied a breakfast, so I asked for a cup of tea and queried whether I could get a cheese and ham toastie, as the menu mentioned sandwiches on the breakfast part, but not whether they were served hot/cold, and also didn't mention a price. The member of staff behind the counter said that wouldn't be a problem, and she'd be happy to ask the chef to make me a toastie. Good so far! I wasn't asked what type of tea I wanted, but given it was breakfast, I suppose 'English Breakfast' made more sense.

The tea was brought over in a pot which provided two cups, a jug of milk and a selection of sugars and sweeteners in sachets. Always nice to have the choice rather than receiving one type and having to enquire about more. The tea was good, but the teapot was one with slight pouring issues, leading to a wet table.

My toastie took a bit longer to arrive, but it was hot, and made with good ham and good cheese. What more could you ask? And the best part was that a pot of tea and a freshly made toastie (a possible off-menu item) came to just . Bargain!
£3.90

Early reports mentioned that for the first few weeks of operation, the restaurant was cash-only due to needing to set up a card reader, but this is now not an issue, and I was able to pay easily with my card.

Although it was only a quick visit, the restaurant seemed friendly, well appointed, and clean (including the toilets). The staff are friendly and professional but not overly intrusive, which could be taken as being aloof by those expecting a similar operation to those of the previous staff.

As I left I noticed that there was a nice selection of deli goods on offer, and a good selection of ice creams available, which may prove popular in the warmer months.

My only particular negative is the same problem which plagued all of the venue's previous owners... the parking. The parking has always been minimal there, and is tight and tricky to navigate. It's fine when it's quiet, but whether it will affect custom on busier days remains to be seen.

All in all a pleasant first visit, even if only a quick one, and I definitely intend to visit and try some of the Italian meals for dinner sometime!

Café Italia

877 - 879 Moss Bank Way

Bolton

Greater Manchester

BL1 5SN

(01204) 495 039

www.cafeitaliabolton.co.uk