A Saturday Night at Pasta Cibo

This week, I visited a small local Italian restaurant in Harpenden called Pasta Cibo. I’ve been here before for food, so I already knew it’s a place that tends to be fully booked and usually requires booking in advance to secure a table, especially on a Saturday night. It has the kind of atmosphere that keeps people coming back, with a lively dining room and the feeling of a proper neighbourhood Italian spot.

The Espresso Martini

Now for the main attraction of the evening: the espresso martini. The cocktail was presented in a lovely glass with a great froth ratio and five coffee beans neatly placed on top, which somehow managed to stay in place while I drank. Overall, I’d give it an 8/10, and it’s definitely one I would come back for. That said, it leaned slightly on the sweeter side, which is the main reason it didn’t score a little higher. Interestingly, it was so smooth that it was almost too easy to drink. Despite a short wait for the cocktail to arrive after the other drinks at the table, I still finished mine very quickly.

Other Cocktails on the Table

Alongside the espresso martini, I also tried a Limoncello spritz. It had a very strong lemon flavour, which actually worked well (I’ve had the house limoncello here before and it really does stand out). You can definitely tell you’re in an authentic Italian restaurant when the lemoncello tastes like that. My party also ordered an Aperol spritz, which had a beautiful, bright orange colour and didn’t hold back on the Aperol, and a Hugo spritz. The Hugo was a little more subtle, and we actually had to double-check the ingredients to confirm what it was one due to its unusual name on the menu, but overall, the restaurant is still a solid spot if you’re in the mood for spritz-style cocktails.

The Food (An Honourable Mention)

I also have to give an honourable mention to the food, which is really the star of the show here. If Pasta Cibo ends up on your list to visit, it will most likely be for the food rather than the cocktails. My pizza was fantastic - thick, generous, and packed with toppings, and the pricing was very reasonable for the quality. Someone in my party also had specific dietary requirements (vegan and gluten-free), and the restaurant catered for this very easily. She ordered a pasta dish which looked and smelled amazing, proving that dietary restrictions don’t mean compromising on flavour here.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the espresso martini is definitely worth trying and is one I’d happily order again. Even if espresso martinis aren’t your thing, Pasta Cibo is still a great place to visit for the food and the overall dining experience. Just make sure you book in advance, as it’s a popular spot and tables fill up quickly.