Our Story
Built by someone who needed it.
For everyone who deserves it.
Ibuilt Sotto because I needed it. I am hard of hearing, and for years I chose the wrong restaurants — for dates, for meetings, for dinners that mattered. I smiled and nodded through conversations I could not hear. I went home exhausted.
I could not find a single resource that told me, honestly, what a restaurant actually sounds like. Not a star rating. Not a vibe. The real noise — at 7pm on a Friday, with a full room and music playing. So I built it myself.
Sotto is free, independent, and community-driven. Every rating comes from a real person who sat at a real table. We haven't visited every restaurant. You have. That's the point.
If you have ever struggled to hear across a restaurant table — or left a dinner feeling more drained than when you arrived — this was built for you.
Andreea
Founder, Sotto
Twelve million people in the UK live with hearing loss. Most restaurant guides ignore all of them.
Transparency
How every score is calculated.
No algorithms guessing from old reviews. Real people, real visits, real data.
A real visit
Someone visits the restaurant and submits their experience — time of day, music level, crowd noise, and table spacing. No scraped reviews. No guesswork.
Time-aware data
Every rating is tagged to a time slot. Lunch ratings are kept separate from peak evening. Because a Tuesday lunch is not a Friday night. You see how noise changes through the day — so you can choose the window that works for you.
Confidence scoring
You always see how many people rated a restaurant. Two visits or two hundred — you decide how much weight to give it. We never hide thin data behind a polished score.
Who is this for?
The Hard of Hearing Community
Navigating the world with hearing aids or cochlear implants means every environment matters. Sotto gives you the information no other guide does.
Neurodivergent Diners
For those with sensory processing sensitivities, a loud restaurant can lead to overstimulation rather than enjoyment.
Meaningful Gatherings
Whether it’s a delicate first date or a catch-up with elderly parents, some moments require our full, uninterrupted attention.
Business lunches
Have the conversation that matters in a space that allows it.
Get in touch
We'd love to hear from you.
Whether you want to suggest a restaurant, report an inaccurate rating, discuss a partnership, or just say hello — we read everything.
For restaurants
Interested in a Verified Quiet badge?
Press & media
Writing about quiet dining or accessibility?
Everything else
hello@dinesotto.com
We aim to reply within 2 working days.
Know a quiet spot?
DineSotto is built by the community, for the community. Every suggestion and rating makes the guide better for everyone.