The most beautiful restaurant in Stratford-upon-Avon?

Last month, we spent a weekend exploring Stratford-upon-Avon: a whistle-stop tour of some of the town’s attractions. On day 2, after we’d been up in the lift to the top of the RSC Tower and explored the Mechanical Art & Design Museum, we were hungry. I’d already looked online and found somewhere that looked pretty impressive, but would the food live up to the decor?

Red Hot Mamma is a small pizzeria chain, with restaurants in Stratford-upon-Avon, Leamington Spa, Warwick and Solihull. The Stratford restaurant has two floors: downstairs you’ll find the open-plan kitchen plus a few small tables. The vibrancy of the tiled walls indicates some of the splendour you can expect when you head upstairs…

The focal point of the main restaurant is a large (artificial) lemon tree in the centre of the room – and the mirrored ceiling and walls make the dining area look even bigger. The restaurant is festooned with glass bottles, coloured to resemble limoncello and beautifully lit. With bold wall tiles, bright lights and matching red walls and booth-style seating, the place really is a feast for the eyes.

It’s rare that I mention toilets in a restaurant review, but the ladies’ bathroom at Red Hot Mamma is probably the most splendid I’ve ever seen – check out the decor in my TikTok video!

As a pizzeria, the menu, as you’d expect, is mostly about pizza: one page of meaty options, one page of vegetarian choices. If you’re not a pizza lover, there’s a further page of antipasti options, as well as side dishes.

Two of our party ordered from these non-pizza pages. The Sicilian lemon and white bean hummus (£8.95) came with plenty of pillowy soft homemade focaccia for scooping, and the hummus itself was delicious. Super smooth and seriously filling, with the bread and the side salad they also ordered, it was more than enough for non-pizza fans. The lemon flavour came through beautifully, and the slight chilli kick was delicious, too. 

But did the pizzas live up to expectations…? Absolutely. Across the table, the Pollo Alla Mamma (£15.50) featured fior di latte, mascarpone, marinated chicken, thyme-roasted mushrooms, black olives, sweetcorn and crushed pistachios, all on top of a white base. It’s fair to say this pizza had a LOT going on, but it worked – and that crust was deliciously chewy, too. 

The child and I shared a pizza with more classic toppings. Our Napolitana (£13.95, plus £1.95 for added fior di latte) starred garlic, fresh basil, oregano, anchovies, black olives, capers and EVOO on top of a rich San Marzano tomato base. We’re big fans of bold, salty flavours and this didn’t disappoint. With plenty of toppings (which were clearly decent quality) and a delicious crust, this pizza was a real hit. 

As a side note, our son loved the fact that each place setting came with a pair of scissors to cut the pizzas with, and has demanded a pair for when we next have a pizza night at home. Red Hot Mamma has a lot to answer for…! 

If you’re a pizza lover and find yourself in Stratford-upon-Avon (or Warwick, Solihull or Leamington Spa), I definitely recommend a visit to Red Hot Mamma. With delicious food, incredible decor and friendly and fun service, our experience was an absolute delight.