Review Ristretto Midrand - Midrand

I've been here a few times. First time reviewing it. We have sat at the bar tables, romantic dinner section, outside kids area and everywhere you sit is a good experience. I love the menu and it's variety and the fact that everything I've had off the menu (tbone, pastas, pizzas) were all good! The cocktails are a bit on the average side, but not a let down. The service was great most of the times, not the last time, I think his name was Clement, but he came off rather bluntly and aggressive, but doesn't make me want to lose any stars over it. We always leave happy after eating here. One of my favorites.

Very nice italian style restaurant. Open seating area with kids play area as well as inside seating. The food is good to fit every taste. Good kids menu as well.

Excellent and decent-sized portions of food, not minuscule portions which you'll need to see with the aid of a mafnifying glass. Was yummy, and the kids enjoyed making their own pizzas.

Great service...yummy food..and a lovely place for the kids !

Fantastic food, great play area, affordable prices, warm ambience

Love the food, awesome service, great ambiance

I had to send my steak back. I ordered medium and I got a well done steak. I was not the only one who sent it back, according to the waiter. The kids play area was really great. My son enjoyed himself and the child minder, Precious, we really good on looking after my son. Over all the other foods were very good.

I liked the restaurant because it was in the countryside, well Midrand! But a very nice venue. Lots of seating outside with plenty of playing space for children. Inside seating was very cosy with a fireplace. Food was beautifully presented on the plate, but that was where it stopped. It was ice cold and tasteless. I had a pizza which sounded lovely but really did not taste nice. Someone in our party ordered a burger which looked stunning but had the tiniest patty I have seen. It really was a disappointment. I heard a lot of the people in our party also say that it was not nice food. What a pity. It was a very nice venue!

Good and very enjoyable place for kids as well. The food is proper and the service is top notch. Get this, there is also a separate area (I think is for smoking people) with live music and dancing.For a proper time out, this is the place to be. I don't think the parking lot is big enough though. But all in all. It's great place to be.

A Great restaurant for the whole family. There are plenty of jungle gyms and various other activities to keep the little ones happy and entertained in a safe environment. The food portions are amazing, and prices are set very well. Definitely worth while for any parent whos looking for good food and something for their kids to enjoy too

Amazing service and food . Must visit place if you have kids

Perfect place for a Sunday brunch. The main attraction is the play area for kids which also has child minders that keep an eye on your little one while u enjoy your meal. The food is good and the waiters are attentive.

Huge menu with a varied selection. Everything from pasta and pizza to steak. I was a bit dubious that a place with such a variety could do a good steak but I was pleasantly surprised by the rib-eye. It was cooked to perfection. The dinning area was cavernous but rather empty and lacked atmosphere. There is a wonderful outside play area for kids.

The Food was exceptional. The Chocolate cake was phenomenal! :) A really good Experience in General :)

Was really good for an afternoon lunch. The kids can make their own pizza. And the burger I had was not to bad. Pity about the frozen processed French fries they use. Never a good thing, hand cut potatoes will always be the best

Ri'Stretto is ideal for a break for parents. Not only is this restaurant child friendly, but they have varying areas appropriate for differing age groups. I could leave my 18 month old to climb up and slide on her own while being close enough to keep an eye. Very nice because you don't have to constantly stay with them and you get a good time out of the house while relaxing.<br/><br/>Not only is it child friendly, but it's adult friendly in terms of food. The food here is of high standard and I enjoyed my meal and the kids did too.<br/><br/>Food is pricey, but will Def return here when the budget allows.

We had a pasta and pizza from Ri-stretto and really enjoyed it. The service was good and I liked the look and atmosphere of the place.

The food was terrible, service poor, place was dirty and the waiters looked negative. So sad, I really miss the Papachinos brand and management. The menu is really poor.

The service is slow & the food arrived cold. Unfortunately this is the only place that allows kids to play and have fun. Good for kids to play but I definitely think they need to relook their menu.

The food here is amazing. The pasta was the best I ever tasted in Johannesburg. The place itself has a beautiful ambience and it is very family friendly.

not worth the money, Fillet steak bad, Tbone steak thin , hard , bad<br/>We have expect that the meat is what it says it is, but no.<br/>Presentation of the food, bad, waiter not trained.

Great atmosphere and friendly waiting staff! Cold draughts and great pizzas made a good day out to this part of town! Try Rusty Trigger beer!

Stopped for a lunch date with our family ,kids play area is decently sized and fully equipped but that’s about it.Food is way too overpriced for their average tasting food.No love in their food ,Our waiter was inattentive and seemed nonchalant about our concerns(we still left a hefty tip because it’s the right thing to do).Dirty tables and waiter couldn’t be bothered.If you want to take kids for lunch and chill or just a quick coffee business meeting,then maybe I’d recommend this place but otherwise I disliked my meal and tasted 2 other dishes that needed major seasoning .

The food was very bland. My served was served warm not hot. Totally uninspiring. The waiter completely forgot about me. Will definitely not be coming back here.

I was pleasantly surprised by this restaurant with such a wide variety on their menu and it is the perfect family restaurant! Loved the kiddies area. And reasonably priced

Had the grandkids for the day and decided to try out a new venue. Well what a pleasant surprise. We arrived at around 12.00 and left after 15.00 with very tired kids who had played safely in the ample playground and they were able to make their own pizzas and slush puppies. As for us adults well we hardly saw the kids and were able to enjoy an awesome meal in a very relaxed environment. Will define tolu be back again.

Most ridiculously priced family restaurant in the world. Should have gone to Dros and wouldn't have to drive 3kms further. Food is severely average for the price.

Roughly 2 minutes pass Crowthorne Shopping Centre on Neptune road is a four-way stop. Plant Land and behind that Ri Stretto, Midrand.<br/><br/>Ristretto “Ri -streh –toh”….<br/>when we talk caffe’ or coffee it means.…<br/><br/>“a short very concentrated espresso shot, packed with bold flavour”<br/><br/>A family restaurant does not get better then this.<br/><br/>Their Statement<br/><br/>Ri’Stretto© Al Fresco Cucina has translated & adopted the “coffee talk” as a philosophy and mission.<br/><br/>Their vision<br/><br/>Sit… Relax… Enjoy & “Mangiare!” (to eat)… The whole family is more than welcome just like the good ol’ days at Mamma’s or Nonna’s house. The “bambini” (children) can play under watchful eyes in a safe environment.<br/><br/>Their Menu<br/><br/>A very diverse menu, of predominantly Mediterranean & Italian influence. Incorporating breakfast, light meals, sandwiches & salads, café snacks & delicacies, a lunch variety and hearty dinner dishes. Traditional wood fired pizza & authentic Italian pasta. Succulent flame grilled meat dishes too. Look out for our “house specialities”<br/><br/>What they have Done!<br/><br/>Ri'Stretto has found a way to capture a childs imagination, a child's want to explore meet kids and have FUN!<br/>Well done on this establishment...<br/><br/>So your child aged between 3 to 11 or 12 wants to have fun, explore and enjoy other kids. Like school but on a weekend... Yipee!<br/>Parents who just want to chill, take it easy with no stress while their kids are:<br/>1. Messing somewhere...and it isn't at home!<br/>2. Creating havoc...and it isn't at home!<br/>3. Crying...and it isn't at home!<br/>4. Messing the bathroom...and it isn't at home!<br/>5. Your child can do anything...and it isn't at home...!<br/><br/>It's pure bliss.<br/><br/>Ladies chatting having tea or coffee or a cider...<br/>Guys talking having a beer and talking about things...what about ?<br/>Who cares!<br/>There is just no stress... no worries<br/><br/>Child cries... call the waiter<br/>Child wants to play... "darling.. go to the play area... !"<br/>Or... "Son! go with the kids and go learn how to make pizza?"<br/><br/>Kids gone! You can see them. "Hun? Would you like another glass of wine?"<br/>"Why Yes sweety!... thanks for asking"<br/><br/>The family is chilled and relaxed.<br/>A win win situation.<br/><br/>Kids can mess and you don't need worry a thing about cleaning up. Family is safe and sound and... happy!<br/>Happy and all relaxed<br/>Absolutely beautiful!<br/><br/>The open space is just so incredible. I sat there chatting to a 6 year old little girl and her parents whom I just met.<br/>Played and help feed the 3 year old son... Well tried!He caused havoc running up and down.<br/><br/>But what fun!<br/><br/>What beautiful family time...<br/><br/>The menu does look very amazing. I had just a pizza that was made very authentically. Well ok pizza and wine... and so much of fun watching kids just enjoying and loving every moment of life.<br/>Pure innocence...<br/><br/>Of Course meeting their awesome parents too.<br/><br/>It so fantastic to find an excellent restaurant....that can cater for well brought up kids and crazy adults.<br/>Ri'Stretto really is a perfect restaurant to just chill... and enjoy your family.<br/>A fantastic family get together place<br/><br/>Pizza...Yipee<br/>I need work my way through this menu<br/>The pizza I had was fantastic and kid friendly!<br/>Can't wait for my next visit to try their other cool dishes out...<br/>Casual dining but more important a family compromise....<br/><br/>At Ri'Stretto everyone wins!<br/><br/>

Previously dined when named Papachinos. Pizza alone was good... Went recently ... Pizza tasteless, expensive for the poor quality of ingredients, service was slow. Kids enjoyed the atmosphere but that's about it. ..oh waiter making excuses for poor service blame game on other staff....hate that.

The food was lovely and the staff is friendly. Perfect for family as the kids can play around and make their own pizza as well. Lovely restaurant all round

Fabulous food - big protions and value for money. This restaurant is a great place for the kiddies. It's never a quick visit when we go as a family

Great place to hang out with friends and even more awesome for the kiddies. The vibe is quite busy with lots of kiddies running around, however the point seems to be for the kids to have loads of fun. My friends children had an amazing time. The food was great, especially the seafood pastas on the menu. I would stick to the pizzas and pastas. The steaks were okay, however not done as requested. The service was a bit slow at times however it is to be expected given the size of the venue and big groups of people in attendance. Despite this, we did not have to wait too long for food or drinks once ordered. Overall, if you dont mind the busy surroundings and you are there to have a long afternoon of chill instead of a quick bite, then I would recommend you try it out.

Been here a few times. Food is descent, service from waiters can be improved. Caregivers don't worry much about the kids. Nonetheless, we still go cause my son loves the play areas . Not worth it if you don't have kids, you will be annoyed with the noise.

Service started off terrible but changed with new waiter, unusual to see so many waiters running around with horrible dirty clothes, food was over priced and very poor quality, kids however had a blast and loved the play area, this spot could do with a massive revamp in service, quality of food and cleanliness

After the name change (from Papachinos) we thought we'd give it another chance. Although the food was good it was sadly overshadowed by the waiter lying to us and the arrogance of the manager. One of these establishments that really don't care about their patrons, rather just about making money. Pity.

Met up with some friends for dinner at Ri'stretto. This is a nice restaurant suitable for families especially children. The restaurant was quiet for a Friday night. Wanted to order a half and half pizza as my friend said they do allow it but our waiter said it could not be done, so I ordered a Giulietta (chicken, mushroom, onion, avo and capsicum). I asked them to leave the avo and capsicum off and add pepperdews instead. The pizza was good but slightly on the sweet side. Service was rather slow especially for such a quiet night where you think the waiters would be more attentive. Ordered chocolate brownies to share which was lovely. Restaurant had potential but service needs to be improved.

Met up with some friends tonight at Ri'Stretto in Midrand. The restaurant is big, spacious, and perfect for families with lots of place for kids to play around. I ordered the Porky Pig Pizza which, if you like Hawaiian Pizza, is the ultimate Hawaiian Pizza with Chorizo, Bacon, Ribs, Onion, and Pineapple. The filling was very generous, and delicious.

The service at this restaurant is fantastic. The menu is very broad and while they are a bit pricy the food is good. This is also a fantastic place for kids now with even more play areas. Perfect for a weekend out.

Amazingly humongous child friendly restaurant located just a few k's from the new road off ramp in Midrand.<br/><br/>I drive to Midrand from Melrose because I find the Morningside branch a bit unpalatable.<br/><br/>Pizza is absolutely fantastic as it is super thin crust gorgeously baked to perfection in a genuine wood fired oven.<br/><br/>The play areas are very well appointed in the typical papa chinos fashion although the child minders could be a bit more attentive as they are at Smile factory in cedar square.<br/><br/>Very relaxed atmosphere and although the parking lot is always packed the restaurant is so super huge you barely notice the number of patrons with plenty of open space.<br/><br/>The waiting staff are super professional and friendly although the kids pizza making area staff could do with a little more friendliness training.<br/><br/>The kiddies pizza area is really cool with a lovely granite counter top and ample space for a few kids to make pizzas, a nice selection of slush puppies, and by nice selection I mean green or blue ;)<br/><br/>There is a TV playing kiddie movies if they want to eat in the "hut".<br/><br/>I have been over about three times in the last month and have tried burgers, pizzas, salads and wraps and always excellent although at the last visit food arrived cold and has to be rewarmed.<br/><br/>I really like the water station for kids which is a very thoughtful gesture to the guests.<br/><br/>Overall I must admit this will become my regular hangout with my kids.

Quite disappointing that Papachinos is gone... Limited menu. I ordered a pizza and I got a wrong one which I didnt complain, I ate it. Basic pizza nothing original or spectacular. Good nachos. Nice cocktails. A very slow service being to deliver the drinks, starters or main course.

This place sucks. Tens of waiters and they are never around when necessary... Beverages came out slowly. And their Chai doesn't beat Woolworths.<br/>Don't go here unless you taking kids with!

This place is situated in the perfect spot, it gets quite busy but they make very little attempt at a warm winter evening for you. Froze myself silly eating here, but the pizza was great and I enjoyed the wine. <br/><br/>

Such a pity that this place that has so much potential is going down super fast. Ever since the owners split, there's a definite difference between the quality of food and service between the Papachinos branches and The Ristretto ones. The food isn't terrible but it's not nearly as nice as the food at Papachinos. The service is slacking, the child minders seem miserable. Just sad because the venue is amazing.

Rather disappointed by the menu they have got the prices for what you get are totally not worth it. They have kept some of the old Papa stuff there although nothing special flies everywhere

I'm fuming right now, so all I'm going to say is that if it wasn't for my kid playing happily (as he's unaware of the general attitude of the place), I wouldn't have been here longer than 10 mins. Service is so shocking, it's even diluted the food! Nxa, rubbish establishment with childminders who have attitude like they're doing me a favour.

Nice place to bring the family or the couple you can't have a conversation with cause the kids are running wild. Not a venue for foodies hypsters or yuppies like you and I :P

This used to be such a nice restaurant (old Papachinos) but since they changed to Ri'Stretto it has just gone backwards. On 2 occasions (the only 2 times visited since the franchise change) their food has been utterly disappointing and tasteless... In fact I had to drench my pizza in Tabasco which I don't even like just to get some flavour. We also got processed powder Parmesan and not fresh like back in the day. So sad as Papachinos used to be our favourite spot with the best pizza but we won't be going there again any time soon.

Visited the restaurant on Sunday for lunch with some friends. The only positive is the kids play area. 80% of our food arrived cold and it was then taken back and microwaved so all the steak wasn't cooked as ordered. No sense of urgency in correcting the mistakes. I ordered cauli mash with my steak and got butternut instead, only when I enquired was I told that it was finished, I was still charged for it though. All round a very disappointing experience. <br/><br/>Needless to say, we will not be returning.

Absolutely pathetic service from the kitchen. The big fat sweetly chef Werner needs training in basic etiquette and customer service. <br/>A sad drop in service levels since changing brands from Papachinos

The previously named Papachinos, is still ridden with bees and flies making dining rather challenging. I understand there is a nursery next door however more could be done to rid of the flies atleast. <br/><br/>It's the same setup as Papachinos ito. Kids play area is the same however a different menu. We ordered a Porto nachos and pork pita with a plate of chips for the kids. The food was extremely bland and lacked seasoning yet the meals took over 40 minutes to arrive at our table.<br/><br/>The only plus is the kids play areas and the chance to be seated close to it. The childminder was friendly however everytime I looked at her, she had here eyes on the customers than on the kids in the play area.<br/><br/>Average cost for 2 is about R 300. We were somewhat disappointed with the experience. Unfortunately I couldn't leave my meal unattended long enough to take photos. <br/><br/>I doubt we return anytime soon.

I was disappointed when I saw that Papachinos was no more but eager nevertheless to try the new place. Walking in, the restaurant didn't appear to have changed much. The menu is much more extensive. There are so many things on that menu. The cocktails were nice but very weak on the alcohol. I enjoyed my salmon wrap as there it had a generous amount of salmon. The calamari dish from the light meals was lovely in terms of a nice big portion and lots of flavor.

Had lunch there during the holidays with friends. Large play area for the kids with child-minders scattered around to watch the older children. Service was quite slow and some waiters less than friendly. When our food eventually arrived I had a slimy, tiny creature crawling around the salad leaves on my plate. First I thought it was a caper, as these were one of the ingredients in my Hukcleberry Finn wrap, but upon closer inspection it was a very small, stll alive! snail. Too cute, but less than appetising for lunch. I proceeded to escort baby snail to nearby greenery and thought I would continue my lunch. But by now I was a bit weary of each lettuce leaf and caper in my (very large portion) wrap. I was having regrets about not sending back the wrap, but my evidence was happily munching elsewhere. Needless to say, I did not enjoy my meal. My friends had a chicken burger and wrap and said it was ok. I have to give it to them, portions are big but there were lots of flies and it was extremely hot outside, even under the shade.<br/>There are many different seating options at this restaurant, inside in what looks like a bar type of setting, then there is family friendly dining inside then seating outside at the play area. Kids have the opportunity to make their own pizzas and there is quite a variety of options on the kids menu for non-pizza lovers.<br/>A possibility to consider if you have kids that want to play and you are in desperate need of getting out of the house. Do not expect fine dining and fast service.<br/>

Service is slow , Mexican pizza would make a Columbiain drug lord sweat !!! Much preferred Papachinos!!! Manager only been past once in two hours !!! After I mentioned to the the waiter that he needs to speed it up , service levels increased .....

First time here and I had a pleasant experience. The eggs benedict with ham was good in general- they cooked our eggs perfectly. However, the hollandaise sauce was disappointing. The flavour just wasn't quite right and it was too salty. <br/>Ambiance is relaxed and it is lovely outside. Great place for children as there is a large outdoor play area with jungle gyms. <br/>Service is friendly but a bit slow. <br/>Not sure I'll be back as the food didn't blow me away but maybe it is better for lunch or dinner.

Very average and I still much preferred the old Papachinos. Although it is still a great place for the kids to run around and let off some steam. Service was below par with the waiter forgetting to order a side salad and food was pretty standard. Def nothing to write home about.

Oh dear - very disappointing<br/><br/>This was a fairly good Papachinos, but is now but a pale comparison<br/><br/>Decor etc. basically the same, lovely venue especially for families with little children<br/><br/>But the food was so below par.  Pasta was stodgy and sauce congealed (they did replace with a fresher dish).  Mom-in-law said potato wedgies old<br/><br/>Anyway, wont be going back

Went there on a Wednesday after work with my plus one, had a coffee milkshake and great pasta dish. Loved that their outdoor section didn't relegate us to sitting with smokers, we will definitely be going back

A large table of around 20 people consisting of parents and around 6 children where accomodated outside with no hassles, the child minders took over and kept the children where amused the whole time. A great family venue where one can eat and visit, the food is good and well priced and there is a menu catering for all tastes from the peckish to the ravenously hungry. Will be going there again.

The place is great for people with kids<br/>And people who just meeting for lunch. They have a good selection of drinks and the menu is a bit broad too. If you dont mind the noise from kids running around during weekends, then this is the place to eat and relax around kyalami. The service is average to good and food come at reasonable time frame.

Took friends here for lunch as it was such a lovely and sunny day in Gauteng. Ladies settled on Sangria which they enjoyed so much whilst the gents opted for a craft beer. For starters, we settled on herb, garlic and mozzarella focaccia. For main selection - we decided on different dishes alfresco style which comprised of poultry, meat, and fish.<br/><br/>Ambience = 4 it's always lovely here. The outside is cool and always buzzing. Not your ideal place if you don't like kiddies places<br/>Food = 4 the table enjoyed the fare around. Dishes were well presented with adequate portions<br/>Service = 4 the service was quite efficient and attentive given the fact that our waitron was new in his position

Great place for kids, but not for adults who don't have kids! Food was surprisingly satisfying with generous portions. Steak (and Illy coffee thereafter) was great, however the wines by the glass are ridiculously expensive? If there should be a next time, I most definitely won't pay R70 for a glass of wine.

Still a good place to take the kids out for a run around in the morning. We had a large table and they managed ok. Could still use more child minders but our kids are old enough now.

Great place to take children to play or make their own pizzas. I was here for breakfast and found the service average at best. The eggs were undercooked. They were sent back and new eggs were used and were also undercooked. The rest of the meal was ok.