Pizzeria Del Capitano in Tullamore

04/10/2026: From the outside, this little Italian restaurant is wonderfully unassuming — simple, modest and easy to pass without realising what is waiting inside. I passed by the front door many times without going in because I said I’d go somewhere that I knew. Big mistake… The moment you step through the door, it feels almost as though you have stepped off a boat and onto the Italian shores. There is something incredibly authentic about the whole experience. The décor is basic, but it works perfectly. Nothing feels overdone, pretentious or staged. However, instead, it has that relaxed, welcoming charm you associate with a genuine family-run restaurant in Italy. The atmosphere is warm, intimate and full of character. And then there is the food. It is simply exquisite. I have eaten here many times, tried a variety of dishes, visited at different times of the day and come with everything from a small group to a much larger gathering. I’ve had people accompany me who are difficult to please, elderly, toddlers and more… and I have genuinely never been disappointed. Not once. What makes it even more special is that I never originally planned to discover this place. I happened upon it almost by chance, and it has since become one of those restaurants I know I can rely on every single time. When I want to show off, I bring people here. The high quality of the food and the sheer culinary skill required to create such cuisine is evident in every dish. There is no pretension here, just beautiful Italian food, a wonderful atmosphere and the warmth of a family-run business that clearly takes pride in what it does. It is a little piece of Italy hidden away in an Irish town. It’s the kind of place you leave already thinking about when you can come back again. An absolute hidden gem. We have visited Italy a few times now and not once have we experienced food that could be compared to that consistent standard of cuisine outside of the country of Italy. Other Italian restaurants simply cannot compete.

31/08/2026: Love the tomato soup & ravioli & cheese pizza