In Bury St Edmunds, we’re spoilt for choice on Abbeygate Street alone when it comes to pizza, but in my eyes, Primavista is the best. Yes, prices are slightly higher than at other pizza venues nearby, but with authentic Italian ingredients, beautifully puffy crusts and a lovely vibe, I’d definitely recommend paying Primavista a visit.
Its quality is also demonstrated by the fact that the restaurant was highly commended in three categories – Best Pizzeria, Best Pasta Restaurant and Best New Restaurant – at the UK Italian Awards earlier this year.
The Welcome
Our most recent visit was a spur-of-the-moment lunch stop while we were in town. We hadn’t booked, but our server found us a table – this time, in the back dining room, where we’d never eaten before. It’s a lovely space with an artificial tree taking centre stage, and has a far more rustic feel than the elegance of the main dining area. I like how the decor varies from room to room, including the downstairs area before you reach the toilets, which offers plenty to look at en route!
The service was welcoming right from the start. Our son’s children’s menu arrived without us having to ask, and we were offered water while we browsed the menus.
The Food
The first dish to arrive was our son’s meal: a children’s margherita pizza (£7.95). He’d asked when ordering if the team could add capers, and they were happy to accommodate, which was a nice touch.
It was a decent-sized pizza for a children’s portion, with a wonderfully puffy, beautifully bubbled crust and generous toppings. It was clear that the ingredients were good quality, and definitely met the same high standards as the adult meals.
My husband opted for something he’d not ordered before: the Domenica pizza (£22.95). Inspired by the traditional flavours of an Italian Sunday meal, it combined a San Marzano tomato base with fior di latte, red wine-braised lamb ragu, roquito pearls, roasted red onions, crispy onions, aged Parmigiano and EVOO.
The crust was, once again, beautiful, and there was no denying the quality of the ingredients. His only criticism was that he’d have liked a little more of that rich lamb ragu, whose flavour got slightly lost with so many other toppings competing for attention.
I ordered the only pizza I’ve ever ordered from Primavista: the Mortazza (£20.95) – which tastes just as impressive as it looks. Made with a fior di latte and gorgonzola white base, it’s topped with thinly sliced mortadella, crushed pistachios, pistachio pesto and, its crowning glory, an entire burrata.
It’s creamy, crunchy, packed full of flavour and a really decadent treat. The combination of the salty mortadella, rich cheese and pistachio is incredible – be sure to smear some of the burrata over every mouthful. It’s the pizza I always recommend to anyone visiting Primavista, although maybe I should mix things up and try something new next time…
The little extras…
While we waited for our food, our son had a go at the puzzles printed on the children’s menu. It’s a nice touch to keep little ones entertained while they wait, but I think it would be better still if there were fewer puzzles, printed larger, as they’re quite difficult to see.
After we paid, we were given a card asking us to leave a Google review – which came with the offer of a free dessert if we did so there and then. While we welcomed the opportunity to sample the tiramisu (which was incredibly decadent) without charge, it does make me wonder about the legitimacy of some of the reviews you’ll find when you Google the restaurant.
Primavista, however, genuinely does impress us every time we visit. There are a few little things that could be improved on, but nothing that would put us off returning in the future. Maybe I’ll even order something different next time…