Episode 12: "An honest review of Saizeriya as an Italian”
April 6, 2025
Good afternoon everyone!
This time I'm going to write a diary entry that's a little different from usual. Recently, I posted a photo of my visit to Saizeriya on X's account, and I got a few comments asking, "What do you think of Saizeriya as an Italian?"
Well, I’m going to let you all know what I think. As an Italian I am going to give an honest and unbiased review of Japan’s most popular chain of Italian food.
You may already know that I love Saizeriya, but I'm going to review it using four criteria:
• Price
• Atmosphere of restaurant
• Authenticity (How accurately does it represent Italian cuisine)
• Menu/Taste
I'll give each one a score out of 10 and explain why. Of course, this is just my opinion! I'd be very happy if you could reply to this blog post on X with your scores and thoughts!
1. Price – 9 points
First, let me talk about Saizeriya's greatest strength: its price. When I first came to Japan, I was really surprised that I could eat so much for so little! Back when I didn’t have any money, I was able to eat my fill and enjoy the food. In Italy, it's rare to be able to eat so much at this price point. In Japan, restaurants with good value for money are said to be "kospa ii" Saizeriya is a perfect example of this.
There's not much to complain about, so I gave it a 9 out of 10.
2. Restaurant Atmosphere – 6 points
Next, about the atmosphere and décor inside the store. Of course, each store is slightly different, but there is a common theme across them; green sofa seats, plastic cutlery cases, familiar tableware, etc. It has a calm atmosphere, but to be honest, it feels as if I’ve travelled back to the 90s (lol). I wasn’t even alive then! I think the brand could do with a bit of a freshening-up. I gave it a 6 because whilst it's comfortable, it does feel a bit old-fashioned.
3. Authenticity – 7 points
The one question I get asked most often is "Is Saizeriya's food like authentic Italian food?" In this category, we're not talking about taste or quality, but rather evaluating how close the food is to authentic Italian food. First of all, the word "Saizeriya" is not an Italian word. In fact, I don't know what it means either (lol). Unfortunately, there are no Saizeriyas in Italy (it would be great if there were!)
There are some dishes that taste like the real thing, such as arrosticini and focaccia. On the other hand, there are some dishes that don't exist in Italy, such as doria (probably risotto is the closest?). Mozzarella cheese and ham are, of course, delicious, but they're a little different from the real thing.
Overall, I think Saizeriya is a Japanese-style family restaurant based on Italian food.
I think that's a good thing!
4. Menu and Taste – 8 points
Finally, the most important point: the taste. To be honest... I really love the taste of Saizeriya!
I've been going there for about six years now (though not every day lol), and I've never been dissatisfied. The food is delicious, and the menu has a really wide variety. My favourites are the arrosticini, popcorn shrimp, and pizza, but I'm always trying something new. If someone said to me, "I want to experience authentic Italian food!" I probably wouldn't recommend Saizeriya, but all of my friends and Italians that I've taken to so far have enjoyed it and been surprised. So, I've given it an 8!
Summary
That was my review of Saizeriya as an Italian! This is a slightly different style of diary than usual, but I hope you enjoyed it. I'll write more reviews like this about other restaurants too if there are any requests!
Grazie, ciao!