Richmond Hill runs down into the middle of Bournemouth, and by the time you reach the Square you are within a couple of minutes of the cinema, the Gardens and the long slope towards the sea. Zizzi sits right in that stretch, an open-plan Italian dining room with tables spilling out under the trees when the weather allows. It is the sort of place people end up in before a film, after a day on the beach, or when a group needs somewhere everyone will actually eat.
The food
The kitchen works to a familiar contemporary Italian brief and does it properly. Pizzas are stretched by hand and come out thin and blistered, either as the classic round or in the elongated rustica shape the brand built its name on. Pasta is fresh, with sauces finished to order rather than ladled from a vat, so a carbonara arrives glossy instead of claggy. Starters lean towards things worth sharing, arancini and antipasti among them, and the menu shifts through the year with seasonal additions.
What genuinely sets the place apart for a lot of visitors is the range. There are full vegetarian and vegan options, not one token dish, and a non-gluten menu that includes a non-gluten pizza base. If your group contains a coeliac, a vegan and someone who only wants a margherita, this is one of the easier bookings in town. Staff can walk you through allergens, and there is digital allergen filtering on the website if you would rather plan ahead. Puddings are unfussy and generous, the salted caramel chocolate brownie being the one that usually gets ordered twice.
The setting
Inside it is bright and modern, with an open layout and enough noise to feel lively without shouting across the table. Outside there is a leafy terrace area that comes into its own on summer evenings, which is a rarity in this part of the town centre. Service is quick when you need it to be, which matters if you are eating around a cinema showing, and unhurried if you would rather stay put. It works as well for two people as it does for a birthday table of ten.
Where it is
The restaurant is in the Square end of Richmond Hill, in the centre of Bournemouth. The Odeon is a two-minute walk, the Pavilion Theatre and Bournemouth Aquarium are close by, and the pier is a gentle downhill stroll through the Lower Gardens. That location makes it an obvious pairing with an afternoon on the seafront or a visit to any of the town centre attractions covered elsewhere in our food and drink guide and among the other restaurants in Bournemouth.
Getting here is straightforward. Most town centre bus routes stop at the Square, and Bournemouth railway station is roughly fifteen minutes away on foot. Driving in, use one of the town centre multi-storey car parks rather than hunting for a space on Richmond Hill itself.
Good to know
Book online if you are coming at a weekend, in school holidays or before an evening film, as walk-in tables disappear fast in high season. The restaurant is cashless, so card or phone payment only. There is step-free wheelchair access and baby changing, plus a children's menu for younger diners. Cakes can usually be brought in for celebrations if you let them know in advance and it is nut-free. Takeaway and collection are available through the usual delivery apps. For current menus, opening hours and bookings, check the restaurant's website before you travel.