Fresh Pasta
Pasta is repeatedly described as fresh, well-cooked and generously portioned, with the truffled pasta singled out as exceptional.
Il Forno, Al Ghurair Centre
Deira
Il Forno is an Italian restaurant in Deira, inside Al Ghurair Centre, serving fresh pasta, pizza and generous comfort-food portions in a cosy setting. Reviews particularly highlight the truffled pasta, lasagna and friendly, attentive service.
Reputation Score
4.7
★★★★★
1,384 ratings
Source: Google Maps
The Good Stuff
Large Portions
Portions can be substantial: one reviewer said a lasagna ordered for delivery could easily feed four people.
Pizza Choice
The menu includes distinctive pizzas such as Bresaola and spicy honey pepperoni, both described as phenomenal.
Cosy Setting
Customers describe the restaurant as cosy and comfortable, with stylish interiors and an atmosphere that evokes Italy.
Family Friendly
Families are well catered for, with kids’ meals, colouring books and staff described as patient with children.
Complimentary Treats
Several diners received complimentary ice cream, gelato or starters, adding an occasional personal touch to the meal.
What to Eat at Il Forno, Al Ghurair Centre How we choose these items We use AI to find praise and criticism of specific foods and drinks in a selection of Google reviews. For Il Forno, Al Ghurair Centre, this list is based on 50 reviews, not every review of the restaurant. The score is positive reviews minus negative reviews. For example, two positive reviews and one negative review give +1. Each review counts once per item; neutral comments do not change the score. A zero score is not a positive recommendation. “Only neutral feedback” means there are no positive or negative votes. “Mixed feedback” means equal numbers of positive and negative votes. The quotes are examples of what people said, not every comment we counted. We use different reviews where we can. We normally show up to 10 foods and 5 drinks with non-negative scores. Items with the same score stay together. If a tied group would go past the limit, that group and the lower non-negative scores go into Honorable mentions. If an overflowing positive top tie would leave the list empty, we show up to 10 items from that tie and keep the rest in Honorable mentions. Foods and drinks with a negative score are under What to Avoid. Use this as a guide to what reviewers liked, not a guarantee that you will like it too.
These items at Il Forno, Al Ghurair Centre got the most positive mentions in user reviews. Check them out!
Food 10
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Alfredo cajun pasta Net +1
“Of many dishes what I ordered I honestly just liked the Alfredo Cajun pasta the most which was more like just normal Alfredo pasta with penne and is highly recommended.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Of many dishes what I ordered I honestly just liked the Alfredo Cajun pasta the most which was more like just normal Alfredo pasta with penne and is highly recommended.”August 2021
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Bresaola pizza Net +1
“we ordered the Bresaola pizza and the spicy honey pepperoni pizza and they were both phenomenal.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“we ordered the Bresaola pizza and the spicy honey pepperoni pizza and they were both phenomenal.”May 2026
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Cajun chicken pasta Net +1
“They served a big serving of Cajun chicken pasta. The only thing about the sauce that I didn't enjoy was how much dried tomato was in it; otherwise, it was thick, creamy, and excellent.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“They served a big serving of Cajun chicken pasta. The only thing about the sauce that I didn't enjoy was how much dried tomato was in it; otherwise, it was thick, creamy, and excellent.”June 2024
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Cheese garlic bread Net +1
“The lasagna was delicious, the cheese garlic bread was nice and crunchy too.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The lasagna was delicious, the cheese garlic bread was nice and crunchy too.”March 2025
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Chicken bbq pizza Net +1
“❤ Chicken BBQ Pizza Delicious with super soft crust. I ordered a medium and it was huge enough with 8 slices!”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“❤ Chicken BBQ Pizza Delicious with super soft crust. I ordered a medium and it was huge enough with 8 slices!”July 2021
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Chicken steaks Net +1
“The chicken steaks were juicy and perfectly seasoned.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The chicken steaks were juicy and perfectly seasoned.”July 2025
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Chicken wing Net +1
“The ice cream, the drinks and the chicken wings are a must try too.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The ice cream, the drinks and the chicken wings are a must try too.”August 2025
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Fettuccine cajun alfredo Net +1
“❤ Fettuccine Cajun Alfredo Chicken pasta so creamy and hot with a heavenly taste. 🤤🤤”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“❤ Fettuccine Cajun Alfredo Chicken pasta so creamy and hot with a heavenly taste. 🤤🤤”July 2021
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Fettucini alfredo Net +1
“tries their Fettucini Alfredo as well - loved it.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“tries their Fettucini Alfredo as well - loved it.”June 2025
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Homemade ice cream Net +1
“He even treated me to free homemade ice cream, which I really enjoyed.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“He even treated me to free homemade ice cream, which I really enjoyed.”December 2025
Honorable mentions (15)
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Lasagna di mari Net +1
“Amazing experience at Il Forno! Ordered the Lasagna di Mari - seafood was fresh and cooked perfectly.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Amazing experience at Il Forno! Ordered the Lasagna di Mari - seafood was fresh and cooked perfectly.”February 2026
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Lasagna di pollo Net +1
“❤ Lasagna Di Pollo It had chicken and mushrooms. Tasted amazing!”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“❤ Lasagna Di Pollo It had chicken and mushrooms. Tasted amazing!”July 2021
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Meatball spaghetti Net +1
“We ordered the meatball spaghetti and quattro staggioni pizza, and both were exceptional.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“We ordered the meatball spaghetti and quattro staggioni pizza, and both were exceptional.”October 2025
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Mozzarella de bufalo Net +1
“for antipasti we went for Bruschetta alla feta and classic caprese; mozzarella de bufalo was so fresh its insane.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“for antipasti we went for Bruschetta alla feta and classic caprese; mozzarella de bufalo was so fresh its insane.”May 2026
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Mozzarella sticks Net +1
“The food is nice: Fish and Chips (for my son) Pasta and Carbonara 🍝 Pepperoni and Barbecue Pizza 🍕 Mozzarella Sticks (my two son’s most fav) Garlic Bread 🥖”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The food is nice: Fish and Chips (for my son) Pasta and Carbonara 🍝 Pepperoni and Barbecue Pizza 🍕 Mozzarella Sticks (my two son’s most fav) Garlic Bread 🥖”March 2026
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Mushroom soup Net +1
“And the mushroom soup was amazing. 😊”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“And the mushroom soup was amazing. 😊”June 2024
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Oceanica Net +1
“The food is exceptional specially the oceanica and pepperoni pizza.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The food is exceptional specially the oceanica and pepperoni pizza.”August 2025
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Pasta summer salad Net +1
“We tried the Pasta Summer Salad which was really nice, and the Penne Pasta was fantastic — definitely a highlight!”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“We tried the Pasta Summer Salad which was really nice, and the Penne Pasta was fantastic — definitely a highlight!”July 2025
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Penne al peperocino Net +1
“My favorite Italian restaurant!! My go to is their Penne Al Peperocino, its always hits the spot.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“My favorite Italian restaurant!! My go to is their Penne Al Peperocino, its always hits the spot.”June 2025
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Pepperoni pizza Net +1
“The food is exceptional specially the oceanica and pepperoni pizza.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The food is exceptional specially the oceanica and pepperoni pizza.”August 2025
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Quattro staggioni pizza Net +1
“We ordered the meatball spaghetti and quattro staggioni pizza, and both were exceptional.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“We ordered the meatball spaghetti and quattro staggioni pizza, and both were exceptional.”October 2025
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Spicy honey pepperoni pizza Net +1
“we ordered the Bresaola pizza and the spicy honey pepperoni pizza and they were both phenomenal.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“we ordered the Bresaola pizza and the spicy honey pepperoni pizza and they were both phenomenal.”May 2026
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Tagliatelle al gamberi Net +1
“We visited this place with my wife and ordered the Buffalo pizza and Tagliatelle Al Gamberi. The pasta was absolutely outstanding—both in portion size and flavor. The shrimp had a rich, intense taste, and the sauce was genuinely delicious. The only minor drawback was its consistency; I would have preferred it a bit thicker. But honestly, that’s just a small nitpick, as the flavor more than made up for it.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“We visited this place with my wife and ordered the Buffalo pizza and Tagliatelle Al Gamberi. The pasta was absolutely outstanding—both in portion size and flavor. The shrimp had a rich, intense taste, and the sauce was genuinely delicious. The only minor drawback was its consistency; I would have preferred it a bit thicker. But honestly, that’s just a small nitpick, as the flavor more than made up for it.”March 2025
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Tiramisu cake slice Net +1
“The tiramisu cake slice was the best I have ever had.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The tiramisu cake slice was the best I have ever had.”August 2021
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Truffled pasta Net +1
“As for the food—it was served hot, fresh, and delicious, but the truffled pasta completely stole the show! It was incredible.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“As for the food—it was served hot, fresh, and delicious, but the truffled pasta completely stole the show! It was incredible.”June 2026
Drinks 2
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Passion mojito Net +1
“Passion Mojito and Summer Blue Mojito were refreshing!”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Passion Mojito and Summer Blue Mojito were refreshing!”February 2026
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Summer blue mojito Net +1
“Passion Mojito and Summer Blue Mojito were refreshing!”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Passion Mojito and Summer Blue Mojito were refreshing!”February 2026
What to Avoid (1)
Food 1
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Hola paella Net −1
“However, I was a bit disappointed with the Hola Paella, as it did not meet my expectations. A traditional paella should have a dry finish with fluffy, flavorful rice, where the grains have fully absorbed the broth. Unfortunately, the paella served was quite wet and creamy, with noticeable pooling of liquid, which is not the texture typically expected from this classic Spanish dish.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“However, I was a bit disappointed with the Hola Paella, as it did not meet my expectations. A traditional paella should have a dry finish with fluffy, flavorful rice, where the grains have fully absorbed the broth. Unfortunately, the paella served was quite wet and creamy, with noticeable pooling of liquid, which is not the texture typically expected from this classic Spanish dish.”June 2026
Tips for a Better Visit
Try Pasta. Prioritise a pasta dish: reviewers found the Penne Al Peperocino and Alfredo especially satisfying.
Share Portions. Consider sharing, especially when ordering lasagna or other mains; one reviewer said a lasagna could feed four.
Use Parking. If you are driving to Al Ghurair Centre, reviews report free parking in the mall.
Bring Kids. Families can ask about children’s meals; one visit also included colouring books for the kids.
Confirm Crust. When ordering mixed pizza bases, confirm which is thick and which is thin before the order reaches the table.
Try Dessert. Leave room for dessert: tiramisu and the strawberry cheesecake are among the most specifically praised sweets.
Plan the visit
Practical details
Al Ghurair Centre - 3 Al Rigga Rd
Al Muraqqabat - Deira, Dubai
| Mon | 10:00 AM – 12:00 AM |
| Tue | 10:00 AM – 12:00 AM |
| Wed | 10:00 AM – 12:00 AM |
| Thu | 10:00 AM – 12:00 AM |
| Fri | 10:00 AM – 12:00 AM |
| Sat | 10:00 AM – 12:00 AM |
| Sun | 10:00 AM – 12:00 AM |
Common Concerns
Wet Paella
One diner found the Hola Paella too wet and creamy, with liquid pooling instead of a dry, fluffy rice finish.
Pizza Inconsistent
A review found the pizza decent but fairly standard, while another order arrived with two thin bases instead of one thick and one thin.
Sauce Preference
The Cajun chicken pasta was praised overall, but one diner disliked the amount of dried tomato in its sauce.
Service Lapse
One visit involved a rude ordering interaction, an uncorrected crust mistake and a wait of more than 10 minutes for ice.
DXB
LOCAL
LOCAL
The Bottom Line
Il Forno in Deira’s Al Ghurair Centre is a relaxed Italian restaurant where pasta and pizza are the main draw. The truffled pasta, lasagna, Penne Al Peperocino and tiramisu all receive specific praise, while several reviews describe the food as fresh, richly flavoured and generously portioned. Portions are worth keeping in mind before ordering.
One diner said a delivered lasagna could easily feed four, so sharing a main may make sense for smaller appetites. Families are welcome too: reviews mention children’s meals, colouring books and staff who were patient with kids. The interiors are cosy and stylish, with an Italian-themed atmosphere and indoor and outdoor seating mentioned by diners.
There are a few reasons to order selectively. The Hola Paella was criticised for being wet and creamy rather than dry and fluffy, and one review found the standard pizza unremarkable. A Cajun chicken pasta was excellent apart from an excess of dried tomato in the sauce.
Service is usually described as warm and attentive, but one visit reported a rude ordering exchange, the wrong pizza crusts and a long wait for ice. Drivers can use the mall’s reported free parking. For a first visit, pasta looks like the safest starting point, followed by tiramisu if you have room.