Stuzzi Leeds Italian Restaurant & Bar Opens
Stuzzi Leeds Italian Restaurant & Bar Opens
Leeds city centre has few authentic Italians. There are plenty of restaurants, with glossy websites and even glossier A3 menu cards of tourist-friendly pizza and pasta dishes, full on a weekend. But they don’t transport you to those tiny trattorias found only in the backstreets of medieval towns, with clusters of terracotta tiled roofs, half sliding down rural hilltops. Or still, the Venetian baracos, where the coffee bar doubles up as a deli counter serving piles of fresh seafood on brown paper. Until now perhaps…welcome Stuzzi Leeds.
Stuzzi has been a go-to in Harrogate for a number of years, with its larder of imports; hams produced in the foodie Northern region of Emilia Romana, sheep’s milk cheeses from Piedmont, and racks of wines from lesser known vineyards. It’s tapas style small plates, or ‘stuzzichini’ have won the hearts of locals, and placed them firmly within the Michelin and Good Food Guides. The warm service and treats to take-away, remind us of London’s Lina Stores, or closer still, York’s former Le Langhe, or Brigantes in Sheffield.
The business partners, originally from Leeds, and inspired by their travels and stint at Salvo’s Salumeria, have brought Stuzzi to the Grand Arcade, in Ham & Friends’ old spot. Stuzzi Leeds opened its doors on Thursday 21st February and like the great Osteria’s of Italy, you’ll be lucky to find a menu online. What we do know is there’s an empty window space waiting for those pillowy filled focaccias, giant meringues and sugared donuts. We’ve seen glimpses of negroni cured salmon plates, twirls of Puglia Truccoli pasta topped with slow-cooked beef and pink peppercorns, arancini, and shavings of truffle.
Open Wednesday to Sunday for lunch and dinner, with a view to adding Harrogate’s infamous brunches once they’re in full swing. Upstairs, the intimate Porco Rosso bar offers cocktails of every persuasion, shaken to order by the team’s skilled hands.
If you like an under the radar find, for now at least, Stuzzi Leeds is the place for you.
Stuzzi Leeds Opening Times
Wednesday – Sunday: 12 – 10 pm
Bookings via – 0113 245 5323
Follow Stuzzi Leeds on Instagram @stuzzileeds
Stuzzi, 7 Merrion Street, Leeds
Words by Sarah Cotterill, photos by Stuzzi
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Written by
26/02/2019