Livin' Italy - Granary Wharf, Leeds

There are so many Italian restaurant chains these days but it is nice to see an individual Italian restaurant that is popular and well run.

Situated in Leeds' Granary Wharf, Livin' Italy has a good atmosphere which you notice as soon as you enter the restaurant. The ambience makes you feel totally at ease. The relaxed pace is typically of the Italian way of life.

I was expecting the restaurant to be fairly quiet when my partner and I visited on a Sunday night. So popular is the restaurant that it was practically full. As well as the sumptuous food on offer they hold the Lazy Sunday Live acoustic sessions where, in our case, we had the pleasure of a live acoustic performance by a young lady whose repertoire ran from Fleetwood Mac to Adele.

There is a very extensive range of cocktails on offer but my partner went for a white wine whilst I went for a diet coke as I was driving. If the weather is good there is the opportunity to sit outside.

My starter of Handmade Polpetto (Beef and Pork Meatballs) in a rich tomato sauce was very tasty whilst my partners Italian Bread Basket was very filling!

Being an Italian restaurant I went for a pizza for my main. Basically you choose a Margherita and then add your choice of topping from an extensive list. When my pizza arrived topped with pepperoni and cooked ham it looked like it had just come from Italy! I could have been in Lecce instead of Leeds!

My partner's prime beef sirloin was cooked to her perfection and was described as 'excellent'.

If you have room you can choose from a small dessert list. I wish I had chosen the homemade cheesecake which my partner selected as it was better than the walnut and date chocolate cake I had. The large serving of the cheesecake is a reason alone to visit this authentic Italian restaurant.

The discreet yet professional service was paced just right. By the end of the evening it felt you had attended an event rather than a restaurant.

Good atmosphere, superb food, friendly service from knowledgable staff and a cosy setting all add up to a winning combination. As they say in Italy, Fantastico.

Earlier this year a new southern entrance was added to Leeds train station which gives direct access to Granary Wharf from the station.

Livin' Italy are now able to offer south entrance Leeds commuters a new breakfast menu, providing shots of La Bottega Milanese coffee for discerning coffee palates, along with traditional Italian breakfast items of flavours to be found nowhere else in the city.

The founders of Livin' Italy have collaborated with La Bottega Milanese, already established in the city centre. It sounds like a winning combination.

www.livinitaly.com
Telephone: 0113 243 0090