Welcome to Rugantino's
We've been proudly serving authentic Italian food to Wells for over 40 years now, right here on the Cathedral Green with those stunning views of Wells Cathedral's West front that never gets old. What we're really passionate about is doing things properly - making our pasta and pizza dough fresh every single day, along with all our sauces, because there are no shortcuts when it comes to good Italian food. Our brilliant kitchen team work tirelessly to create everything from classic pastas and wood-fired pizzas to our meat and fish specialties, with plenty of vegetarian and vegan options too - we're always happy to chat about what works for your dietary needs. Combined with our experienced front of house team who genuinely love making sure you have a brilliant time, it's all about that Italian approach to hospitality where you're treated like family from the moment you walk in, making every meal something special.
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If you've ever wandered through Wells and noticed that charming Italian restaurant called Rugantino's, you might have wondered about the name - and there's actually a wonderful story behind it that connects this quiet English cathedral city to the bustling streets of Rome. Rugantino is essentially Rome's most beloved folk hero, a cheeky, street-smart character who's been making Romans laugh for centuries. Think of him as a sort of Italian Cockney - all swagger and wit, quick with a joke and even quicker to thumb his nose at authority. He's the eternal Roman everyman: poor but proud, rebellious but loveable, always ready with a quip that cuts right to the heart of things. For Romans, especially those from the working-class Trastevere neighborhood, Rugantino represents their soul - that irrepressible spirit that refuses to be crushed by centuries of popes, emperors, and bureaucrats.
When the current owner's father established Rugantino's in Wells back in the 1950s, he wasn't just choosing a catchy name - he was bringing a piece of authentic Roman culture to Somerset.
When the current owner's father established Rugantino's in Wells back in the 1950s, he wasn't just choosing a catchy name - he was bringing a piece of authentic Roman culture to Somerset. The connection runs deep: just as the original Rugantino embodied the spirit of ordinary Romans making the best of their circumstances with humor and dignity, that first Italian immigrant opening a restaurant in post-war England was living out his own Rugantino story. There's something beautifully poetic about it - here in Wells, with its ancient gatehouse and medieval power struggles, sits a restaurant named after Rome's champion of the common people.
Both cities understand what it means to live in the shadow of great institutions (the Church in both cases), and both have produced cultures that celebrate the wit and resilience of ordinary folk. So when you're enjoying your pasta at Rugantino's, you're not just having a meal - you're participating in a tradition that stretches from the cobbled streets of Trastevere to the market square of Wells, united by the universal human need to find joy and dignity in everyday life.
Every day, our chefs carefully select market-fresh ingredients to create everything from classic pastas and wood-fired pizzas to our meat and fish specialties, with plenty of vegetarian and vegan options too. We make our pasta and pizza dough fresh every single day, along with all our sauces, because there are no shortcuts when it comes to good Italian food.
We are always very happy to chat about what works for your dietary needs and
adjust whatever you need.
