Zizzi occupies the stretch where Richmond Hill levels out into the Square, at the centre of Bournemouth, a couple of minutes from the cinema, the Gardens and the long slope down to the sea. It is an open-plan Italian dining room, and in fine weather the tables extend outside beneath the trees. People come here before a film, after a day on the sand, or when a group needs a restaurant where everybody will find something they want to eat.
What's on the menu
The brief is contemporary Italian, familiar territory, and the kitchen handles it well. Hand-stretched pizzas arrive thin with blistered crusts, as a traditional round or in the long rustica form that made the chain's name. The pasta is fresh and its sauces are finished to order rather than scooped from a pot, which is why the carbonara comes out glossy rather than gluey. Starters are mostly for sharing, arancini and antipasti included, and seasonal dishes join the menu as the year goes on.
For many visitors the real draw is the breadth of choice. Vegetarian and vegan dishes fill a whole section rather than a single token option, and the non-gluten menu stretches to a non-gluten pizza base. When one person is coeliac, another vegan and a third wants nothing but a margherita, few restaurants in town are simpler to book. The staff will talk through allergens, and the website has a digital allergen filter for anyone who prefers to plan in advance. Puddings are generous and straightforward; the salted caramel chocolate brownie is the one that tends to be ordered a second time.
The room and the terrace
The interior is light and modern with an open layout, busy enough to feel lively but not so loud that you have to raise your voice. The terrace outside, shaded by trees, is at its best on summer evenings and is unusual for this corner of the town centre. When you are fitting dinner around a cinema screening the service moves quickly; when you would rather linger, nobody hurries you. A table for two works here, and so does a birthday party of ten.
Location
Zizzi stands at the Square end of Richmond Hill in central Bournemouth. Two minutes on foot brings you to the Odeon, the Pavilion Theatre and Bournemouth Aquarium are nearby, and an easy walk down through the Lower Gardens leads to the pier. It pairs naturally with an afternoon on the seafront or with the other town centre attractions described in our food and drink guide and our round-up of restaurants in Bournemouth.
Reaching it is simple. The Square is a stop on most town centre bus routes, and Bournemouth railway station is about a fifteen-minute walk. If you come by car, one of the town centre multi-storey car parks is a better bet than searching for a space on Richmond Hill.
Practical notes
Reserve online for weekends, school holidays and pre-film dinners, because walk-in tables vanish quickly in high season. Payment is cashless, by card or phone only. Wheelchair access is step-free, there is baby changing, and younger diners have their own menu. For a celebration you can usually bring a cake, provided you give notice and it contains no nuts. Collection and takeaway run through the usual delivery apps. Check the restaurant's website for the current menu, hours and bookings before you travel.