Generous portions
Several diners say the portions are large enough to share, with one lasagna serving leaving a guest full after a quarter.
Il Forno, Circle Mall (JVC)
Jumeirah Village Circle
Il Forno is an Italian cafe in Circle Mall, Jumeirah Village Circle, where diners come for generous pasta and pizza portions in a relaxed setting. Reviews particularly highlight the lasagna, seafood pizza, carbonara and mushroom-truffle fettuccine, with dine-in and takeaway available.
Reputation Score
4.8
★★★★★
1,685 ratings
Source: Google Maps
The Good Stuff
Strong pizzas
The seafood pizza is repeatedly praised; one review describes salmon, shrimp and arugula on a crisp-edged, soft-centered crust.
Pasta variety
Reviews cover creamy carbonara, tasty lasagna, fresh pasta and mushroom-truffle fettuccine, giving pasta fans several well-tested choices.
Warm hospitality
Many diners describe the service as attentive and welcoming, including managers checking whether guests were happy with their meal.
Comfortable setting
The restaurant is described as cozy, relaxed and suitable for talking in peace rather than a rushed meal.
Family friendly
Reviews mention children enjoying the food, large sharing portions and kid-friendly options such as chicken wings and tenders.
Fresh seafood
Diners report fresh calamari, shrimp, seafood pizza and seafood pasta, with several dishes described as flavorful and well prepared.
Mall convenience
The Circle Mall location provides free parking and accessibility for people with reduced mobility, according to one diner.
Tips for a Better Visit
Try off-peak. Visit outside busy periods if possible: one diner reported fast service during a non-peak visit, while another waited over an hour.
Clarify spice. If ordering the Street Style Pizza Sandwich for a child, ask about jalapeños first; one takeaway contained an overwhelming amount.
Plan sharing. Consider sharing a main: reviews describe portions as generous, including a lasagna that was more than enough for two.
Use mall parking. For a car visit, Circle Mall is useful because one review specifically reports free parking and easy access.
Plan the visit
Practical details
JVC
Al Barsha South Fourth - Jumeirah Village Circle, 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 |
Popular Mentions
Mango tiramisu
Mango tiramisu is a recurring dessert mention, praised for its fresh, soft texture and balanced sweetness.
Ravioli Alla Bolognese
A family-lunch review calls this ravioli saucy, meaty and spicy, with an especially generous portion.
Common Concerns
Delivery spills
One Talabat order arrived greasy and spilled inside the bag, making the delivery unusable for that customer.
Service delays
A diner waited over an hour for a simple pasta and said later arrivals were served first.
Spicy sandwich
A takeaway pizza sandwich contained so many jalapeños that the reviewer could not taste the dish and discarded part of it.
Inconsistent cooking
One reviewer found the mushroom-truffle fettuccine too soft, with subtle flavours and not quite enough sauce.
DXB
LOCAL
LOCAL
The Bottom Line
Il Forno at Circle Mall is an Italian cafe serving substantial pasta and pizza in Jumeirah Village Circle. The reviews make lasagna, carbonara, seafood pizza and mushroom-truffle fettuccine the clearest starting points. Portions are a recurring theme: diners describe lasagna as huge, and several say a main can comfortably be shared.
The food is usually described as fresh, flavorful and well presented, with seafood dishes such as calamari, shrimp linguine and seafood pizza getting specific praise. The setting is cozy and relaxed, and families appear well catered for; one review recommends chicken wings and chicken tenders for children. Gelato or ice cream is sometimes offered as a complimentary finish, while tiramisu and mango tiramisu also receive attention.
Service is generally warm and quick, but it is not perfectly consistent. One diner waited more than an hour for pasta, so visiting outside peak periods may be wise. Takeaway has had a serious packaging failure in at least one Talabat order, and a Street Style Pizza Sandwich arrived with an unexpectedly large amount of jalapeño.
Circle Mall adds free parking and accessibility for people with reduced mobility. A past diner reported paying 170 AED for one appetizer, two mains and dessert, though this is not a current price guide.