Lupa Osteria
Based on recent customer reviews, Lupa Osteria is facing significant challenges across multiple branches, with customers consistently mentioning food quality issues such as stale bread sticks, sour cream sauces, overcooked risotto, and pasta that feels mushy or bland. A recurring theme is poor complaint handling, with patrons feeling forced to pay for uneaten or spoiled meals. Service inconsistency is frequently raised, including inattentive waitstaff and perceived discrimination. On a positive note, some loyal diners highlight pleasant atmosphere, friendly waiters like Phil, and management presence that elevates the dining experience.
TrustIndex
0
Jul '25 - Jun '26
Used this business recently? Share your experience to help others decide.
Used this business recently? Share your experience to help others decide.
Share Your Experience1 reviews | Active since Jan 2020
Good day, We are regular customers at Lupa Midstream and frequently order the Lasagna and Alfredo for takeaways, as they have always been our favourite dishes. Unfortunately, our recent experience was extremely disappointing. The lasagna we received was very oily and literally had no meat in it at all. It consisted mostly of pasta sheets, tomato, and cheese, with barely any mince. It honestly did not resemble the quality we are used to from Lupa, and it left us wondering whether there has been a change in chefs or recipe. The Alfredo was also extremely dry, lacking the creamy texture and quality we normally enjoy. Considering that we support the restaurant and order from there at least once a week, this experience was very disappointing.
1 reviews | Active since Jan 2020
Good day, We are regular customers at Lupa Midstream and frequently order the Lasagna and Alfredo for takeaways, as they have always been our favourite dishes. Unfortunately, our recent experience was extremely disappointing. The lasagna we received was very oily and literally had no meat in it at all. It consisted mostly of pasta sheets, tomato, and cheese, with barely any mince. It honestly did not resemble the quality we are used to from Lupa, and it left us wondering whether there has been a change in chefs or recipe. The Alfredo was also extremely dry, lacking the creamy texture and quality we normally enjoy. Considering that we support the restaurant and order from there at least once a week, this experience was very disappointing.
1 reviews | Active since Jan 2020
I love Lupa, and I've been to the florida road one about five times now, my recent visit was horrible. The bread sticks are my highlight, and they were so stale, I requested for fresh ones but I was disappointed. Then my waitress was a little tipsy as well which was shocking. Please don't let this Lupa go downhill
1 reviews | Active since Jan 2020
I love Lupa, and I've been to the florida road one about five times now, my recent visit was horrible. The bread sticks are my highlight, and they were so stale, I requested for fresh ones but I was disappointed. Then my waitress was a little tipsy as well which was shocking. Please don't let this Lupa go downhill
1 reviews | Active since Jan 2020
Our most recent meal at Lupa Umhlanga was more than disappointing. We've eaten there regularly over many years however I doubt we will ever go back there again. My bacon, avo feta pizza was dreadful! The cheese was 'lumpy' and not melted. It was NOT mozzarella despite what the manager advised when I queried it. He insisted it was the usual mozarella they were supp**** by Lancewood. They made a second pizza for me which looked and tasted exactly the same. I ate 2 slices and sent it back to the kitchen refusing to pay for it. Such a pity. :(
1 reviews | Active since Jan 2020
Our most recent meal at Lupa Umhlanga was more than disappointing. We've eaten there regularly over many years however I doubt we will ever go back there again. My bacon, avo feta pizza was dreadful! The cheese was 'lumpy' and not melted. It was NOT mozzarella despite what the manager advised when I queried it. He insisted it was the usual mozarella they were supp**** by Lancewood. They made a second pizza for me which looked and tasted exactly the same. I ate 2 slices and sent it back to the kitchen refusing to pay for it. Such a pity. :(
1 reviews | Active since Jan 2020
You cannot force a customer to pay for a meal they have not eaten — especially when the food is spoiled. I am a regular customer at Lupa. During my recent visit to the Durban North branch, I ordered the prawn pasta. When it arrived, the cream sauce was sour, indicating that it was off. I did not eat the meal at all — I only tasted the sauce to confirm the problem and immediately called the manager, Shaun, to the table. After I complained, the manager brought cream from the kitchen and asked me to taste it. The cream was also sour, and I clearly pointed this out. The dish was sent back to the kitchen and not consumed, yet I was still forced to pay for the meal when the bill arrived. This was unacceptable and left me feeling disrespected and violated as a customer. Forcing payment for food that was not eaten and was unfit for consumption goes against basic customer service principles and South Africa’s Consumer Protection Act, which entitles customers to safe, good-quality food. As a loyal customer, I expected far better treatment. This experience has severely damaged my trust in the establishment, and I sincerely hope management reviews both food safety standards and how customer complaints are handled.
1 reviews | Active since Jan 2020
You cannot force a customer to pay for a meal they have not eaten — especially when the food is spoiled. I am a regular customer at Lupa. During my recent visit to the Durban North branch, I ordered the prawn pasta. When it arrived, the cream sauce was sour, indicating that it was off. I did not eat the meal at all — I only tasted the sauce to confirm the problem and immediately called the manager, Shaun, to the table. After I complained, the manager brought cream from the kitchen and asked me to taste it. The cream was also sour, and I clearly pointed this out. The dish was sent back to the kitchen and not consumed, yet I was still forced to pay for the meal when the bill arrived. This was unacceptable and left me feeling disrespected and violated as a customer. Forcing payment for food that was not eaten and was unfit for consumption goes against basic customer service principles and South Africa’s Consumer Protection Act, which entitles customers to safe, good-quality food. As a loyal customer, I expected far better treatment. This experience has severely damaged my trust in the establishment, and I sincerely hope management reviews both food safety standards and how customer complaints are handled.
1 reviews | Active since Jan 2020
Visited Lupa Osteria, westville. I wanted a great meal to seal off the weekend. I ordered the Chargrilled Sirloin… it was to come with a bed of mushroom white wine risotto. The risotto was overcooked and incredibly dry. Not once sis the waiter check up on me after he gave me my meal but the manager did walk around and aak me if I was happy with my meal. I told him I’m not and that the risotto was not cooked well. He said sorry and walked away. I feel like more could have been done to rectify the situation.
1 reviews | Active since Jan 2020
Visited Lupa Osteria, westville. I wanted a great meal to seal off the weekend. I ordered the Chargrilled Sirloin… it was to come with a bed of mushroom white wine risotto. The risotto was overcooked and incredibly dry. Not once sis the waiter check up on me after he gave me my meal but the manager did walk around and aak me if I was happy with my meal. I told him I’m not and that the risotto was not cooked well. He said sorry and walked away. I feel like more could have been done to rectify the situation.
1 reviews | Active since Jan 2020
I recently visited the Lupa Osteria branch in Loftus with my partner, and unfortunately, it was one of the worst dining experiences I’ve had. After waiting to be seated, the manager eventually showed us to a table. We quickly decided on what to order, but to our surprise, not a single member of staff attended to us. We sat for nearly 20 minutes without any acknowledgment, service, or even a drink order being taken. As young adults, we felt completely overlooked and discriminated against. Every customer deserves the same level of respect and urgency, yet the staff showed no interest in serving us or earning our business. We ultimately decided to leave, and it was only when we informed the staff that we were leaving due to the lack of service that they made a half-hearted attempt to apologise. This kind of treatment is unacceptable, especially at a restaurant with such a high price point. The disregard for basic customer service was extremely disappointing. I would strongly advise against visiting this establishment, as the experience falls far short of the standards one would expect.
1 reviews | Active since Jan 2020
I recently visited the Lupa Osteria branch in Loftus with my partner, and unfortunately, it was one of the worst dining experiences I’ve had. After waiting to be seated, the manager eventually showed us to a table. We quickly decided on what to order, but to our surprise, not a single member of staff attended to us. We sat for nearly 20 minutes without any acknowledgment, service, or even a drink order being taken. As young adults, we felt completely overlooked and discriminated against. Every customer deserves the same level of respect and urgency, yet the staff showed no interest in serving us or earning our business. We ultimately decided to leave, and it was only when we informed the staff that we were leaving due to the lack of service that they made a half-hearted attempt to apologise. This kind of treatment is unacceptable, especially at a restaurant with such a high price point. The disregard for basic customer service was extremely disappointing. I would strongly advise against visiting this establishment, as the experience falls far short of the standards one would expect.
Based on recent customer reviews, Lupa Osteria is facing significant challenges across multiple branches, with customers consistently mentioning food quality issues such as stale bread sticks, sour cream sauces, overcooked risotto, and pasta that feels mushy or bland. A recurring theme is poor complaint handling, with patrons feeling forced to pay for uneaten or spoiled meals. Service inconsistency is frequently raised, including inattentive waitstaff and perceived discrimination. On a positive note, some loyal diners highlight pleasant atmosphere, friendly waiters like Phil, and management presence that elevates the dining experience.
Lupa Osteria has a TrustIndex of 0 out of 10 on Hellopeter, based on 10 reviews in the last 12 months. Hellopeter has tracked Lupa Osteria across 132 total reviews. How is the TrustIndex calculated? →