Peckish for pasta? Pining for pizza? In Leeds, there’s a great Italian restaurant waiting around every corner.
Craving arancini? Fancy a carbonara? Luckily for you there are loads of incredible Italian restaurants in Leeds, both in the suburbs and the city centre. Even better, we’ve tried and tested them to bring you our very best recommendations. So whether you’re after wood-fired pizza or handmade pasta, traditional trattorias or on-the-go rosticceria, we know exactly where to go – and now you do too.
Wood Fire Dine
Credit: Wood Fire Dine
Wood Fire Dine goes from strength to strength, moving from street truck to permanent home and adding to its menu on a regular basis. It’s all about the pizza here, with owner Mark picking up the prestigious Pizza Chef of the Year award in 2019.
You can take your pick of Neapolitan or New York crust – the latter a little thicker than the former. Both are delicious though, and come with sensational flavours such as The Jawbones of Liberty with its combo of mozzarella, pepperoni and NY sauce. For those who like it hot, the Napoli Picante bolsters salami Napoli and fior di latte cheese with fiery chillies.
Wood Fire Dine Artisan Pizzeria, 34-36 Commercial Street, Rothwell, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS26 0AW.
Trattoria Il Forno
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You can get the best of all possible worlds at Horsforth’s Trattoria Il Forno. Not only do they serve up all the Italian classics with no little skill, they also do some of the most delicious pizza in Leeds. For the latter, the world is your oyster from this vast selection.
Try the pizza bresaola with cured, dried beef or maybe a generous calzone. Before you get there, prize starters include tomato dough balls, buffalo mozzarella with prosciutto, or king prawns in a garlicy sauce. Pasta is low on fuss, big on flavour, and the risotto primavera is served with just the right amount of bite to the rice.
Trattoria Il Forno, 85 Town Street, Horsforth, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS18 5BP.
Gusto
With branches on Greek Street and in Cookridge, Gusto must be doing something right. Turns out that something is turning out top-notch Italian food in a relaxed environment. The antipasti sharing board is a great way to kick things off – speck, prosciutto, burrata that wobbles like a jelly and lots more besides.
From the mains, the lemon and pepper crusted tuna steak with cherry tomatoes is a barnstormer. This place ticks all the boxes with a big, fat marker pen – sourdough pizza, truffled mushroom fettuccine, sea bass and big old slabs of Chateaubriand for two.
Gusto, 10 Greek Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 5RU & 151 Otley Old Road, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS16 6HN.
Salvo’s
Credit: Salvo’s Restaurant
Salvo’s reputation stretches way beyond its Headingley neighbourhood – this is one of the best Italian restaurants Leeds has to offer. Charming diners since 1976, it keeps up with the times – it has separate gluten-free and vegan menus for a start.
There’s a spicy kick to the polpette meatballs with the addition of ‘nduja, while the arancini are little balls of pleasure, spiked with tomato and basil. There’s a serious ragu adorning the pappardelle and the cervo (venison with onion and thyme polenta fritters) is a perky plateful. Leave room for dessert, where the panna cotta is ready to surrender to your spoon.
Salvo’s, 111-115 Otley Road, Headingley, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS6 3PX.
Culto
Meanwood has its own little corner of Italy to cherish, and it goes by the name of Culto. This bright and airy ristorante is the setting for truly delicious dishes, including arancini with mushrooms and earthy black truffle oil to start.
Their stone-baked pizza covers all the bases – speaking of which, for £1 you can upgrade the base to a ‘pizza nera’, their famed black pizza base with vegetable charcoal. It adds both flavour and is, apparently, easier to digest. Enjoy it smothered with ricotta, spinach, pine nuts, ham and mozzarella when you order the ‘Delicata’. Desserts are simple but lovely – homemade cannoli especially.
Culto, 97 Stainbeck Road, Meanwood, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS7 2PR.
Ecco Pizzeria
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Ecco Pizzeria prides itself on serving up Neapolitan pizza that’s as authentic as any you’ll find in Naples itself. That means freshly-made dough baked quickly in wood-fired ovens. It’s mission accomplished, although they offer a much larger variety of toppings than you’d ever find in the home of pizza.
The timeless marinara and margherita offerings are perfect, while signature creations include fig and goats cheese, alongside the Istanbul with its blend of minced lamb, feta, tahini and pomegranate syrup. The gelato here is also a sensation, made in-house and with flavours such as sea salt caramel, pistachio and Ferrero Rocher.
Ecco Pizzeria, 93 Otley Road, Headingley, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS6 3PS.
Napoli nel Cuore
Credit: Napoli Nel Cuore
The Neapolitan natives who run Napoli nel Cuore have brought with them the authentic flavours of their vibrant home city. Inevitably, that includes pizza with its classic thin base, served hot and blistered from the oven.
You can choose to have them with the traditional tomato base – San Marzano, of course – or the Bianco. The latter is perfect for the DOC, with yellow cherry tomatoes, San Daniele parma ham, parmesan and a crust stuffed with buffalo ricotta. For the Russian roulette of pizzas, order the Sofia Loren, a star-shaped delight where each corner has a different surprise filling.
Napoli nel Cuore, 30 Town Street, Horsforth, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS18 4RJ.
Pranzo
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Horsforth’s Pranzo serves up some of the finest Calabrian cuisine in Leeds. Head chef and owner Marco Greco was raised in Southern Italy, where he honed his skills in the kitchen alongside his Nonna, learning to make homemade pasta with garden-grown ingredients.
Generations of tradition and love are apparent in every dish on the menu. Antipasta covers arancini laden with fennel sausage and nduja, while mains will keep your belly full with delights like wild mushroom & truffle ravioli. Finish it with a lemon and almond polenta cake and you’re winning.
Pranzo, 68 Town Street, Horsforth, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS18 4AX.
Sarto
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The thoroughly modern Sarto has something of the cool canteen vibe about it, with its light wood tables and exposed pipes. Perk up your palate with snacks like cured mackerel with jalapeño or focaccia with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic.
You’ll want to tarry awhile to make the most of the pasta, freshly-made on site every day. It’s perfectly prepped and allowed to shine without being overwhelmed, even when paired with the likes of beef ragu, nduja mascarpone and shellfish bisque. There’s plenty of choice for vegan and veggie diners, while desserts run from tiramisu to affogato with Northern Bloc ice cream.
Sarto, Munro House, Duke Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS9 8AG.
Da Vito
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Hidden in the backstreets of the city centre, Da Vito deserves to be better known – it’s one of those unsung Leeds Italian restaurants you need to try. Kick things off with garlic bread or aromatic focaccia before setting the yolk of a poached hen’s egg cascading over its raft of asparagus.
The deceptively simple spaghetti alla carbonara is a good test of any Italian kitchen, and the one here passes with flying colours. The meaty main courses tend towards the rich and creamy – steak with peppercorn sauce, chicke breast with cream and brandy – but the sea bass fillets and fresh king prawns offer a lighter option.
Da Vito Ristorante, 3 York Place, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 2DR.
Zucco
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Zucco rewards repeat visits. That’s not just because it’s good – although it really is – but because they serve up a rotating menu of specials depending on what’s in season and what they can source, in addition to their staple offering of small sharing plates.
The day-to-day menu is a thing of beauty – soft shell crab with lemon and tomato mayo, an incredible ox cheek risotto, slow cooked lamb. The monkfish is lifted towards heaven with the addition of mussels, cream and white wine. Even the humblest dish, like the marinated white anchovy crostini, is touched with beauty due to the quality of the sourcing. Outstanding.
Zucco, 603 Meanwood Road, Meanwood Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS6 4AY.
Viva
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If you plan on dining at Viva, try and bag yourself a window seat. This is prime people-watching territory, and you can see people coming and going across Leeds Bridge as you tuck into their reliable Italian fare. Warm up for the main event with a plate of Antipasto, or skip straight to pizzas including the tongue-tingling fuocone.
This beast marries spicy salami with hot green chillies. Fancy something tamer? Grilled fillet steak comes with king prawns in a luxe dish that feels like a reward for being good. End the meal with a trio of cheese or a glass of something sticky and sweet like the Vin Santo Antinori.
Viva, 9-11 Bridge End, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 7HG.
San Carlo Flying Pizza
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Flying Pizza had been a star of the Leeds dining scene since the mid-1970s, a much-loved Roundhay fixture that has remained one of the best Italian restaurants in Leeds. The prized seats are on the dining terrace – decorated with olive trees and romantic lights, it has a retractable roof that’s a joy in summer.
Order a bottle or two from their extensive Italian wine list and gorge yourself on pizza that lives up to the name, a silky tagliolini with lobster and brandy and a grilled Dover sole served off the bone. Service is attentive, the atmosphere delightful, it’s a Leeds classic in every sense of the word.
San Carlo Flying Pizza, 60 Street Lane, Roundhay, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS8 2DQ.
Buon Apps
Housed in a lovely old Yorkshire stone building next to the River Wharfe, Buon Apps is an Italian gem tucked away in Otley. In summer, dine on the terrace as the water burbles away, or take a seat inside for classic food served with aplomb.
The stone baked pinsa bread is a thrilling starter, with a variety of toppings. Expect tomato & garlic, aglio olio e peperoncino, thyme, garlic & mozerella and truffle infused butter & cracked black pepper. Pasta dishes are deeply-flavoured, meat cooked to perfection. Keep an eye out for frequent specials – it might be turbot served with crispy potatoes or slow-cooked lamb shank in a port and rosemary sauce.
Buon Apps, Hartley House, 50 Mill Way, Otley, West Yorkshire, LS21 1FE.
San Carlo
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Very much a place to dress up for, San Carlo delivers the undoubted glamour of a Sorrento seafront restaurant, but here in Leeds on South Parade. It’s a chic but understated dining room, with a menu that reads like a dream.
The antipasti range from the simple to the sublime – a classic minestrone al soffritto soup, say, or the more indulgent capesante al forno (scallops roasted with olive oil, garlic, chilli and breadcrumbs). Pizza is served Neapolitan style, there’s a vast pasta menu and mains can be show-stopping – go for the salt-baked sea bass or the steak and lobster for two to share.
San Carlo, 6-7 South Parade, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 5QX.
LIVIN’Italy
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Located on Granary Wharf in Leeds city centre, LIVIN’Italy is a stylish Italian restaurant where you can indulge in some seriously delicious food while soaking up the vibrant atmosphere. Their sourdough pizzas are made with a signature dough recipe, resulting in a crispy yet chewy crust that’s just begging to be loaded up with toppings like spicy sausage, creamy mozzarella and tangy tomato sauce.
But it’s not just the pizza – the pasta dishes are equally impressive. The spicy pappardella is a particular standout, with ‘nduja, cherry tomato and creamy mozzarella tossed through al dente papardelle, complete with a spinata crisp and fresh basil – it’s the perfect dish for date night.
LIVIN’Italy, Granary Wharf, Wharf Approach, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 4BR.
Stuzzi
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Stuzzi occupies a unique place among the Italian restaurants of Leeds in that it focuses on Venetian small plates, a kind of Italian tapas. The joy of this is that you get to try several of these ‘stuzzichini’, which means you don’t have the problem of trying to narrow it down to just one dish.
It’s a great place to share a meal with friends, as you all delve into anchovy fillets, truffled canellini beans and the wonderful cotechino sausage served with salsa verde and braised lentils. The dolci, or desserts, are so tempting you’ll want several. Well, you can – the Piatto do Dolci is a heavenly assortment of their sweet delights.
Stuzzi, 7 Merrion Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 6PQ.
Bibis
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Looking for a restaurant that’s got style, sass, and seriously good food? Look no further than Bibis, the iconic Italian restaurant located in the heart of Leeds city centre. They serve up all your favourites, from classic pizzas to hearty pasta dishes.
But what really sets them apart is their show-stopping specials, like the lobster and king prawns tossed with chilli and garlic, served with a butter sauce and jasmine rice. The desserts are the stuff of legend – the tiramisu being a standout, with layers of fluffy mascarpone cream and delicate ladyfingers soaked in espresso and liquor. It’ll make you want to lick the plate clean.
Bibis, Sovereign Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 4AG.
Rico’s Restaurant
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Nestled in the heart of Leeds, Rico’s Restaurant is a hidden gem that’s not to be missed. You’re welcomed with tons of ambience and rustic charm that will make you feel right at home and of course, those oh-so-delicious aromas wafting through the air. For food, start with antipasti and choose from the likes of herby focaccia, saucy mushrooms and cured meats.
Then it’s time to move on to the main course. You’ll find classics like spaghetti carbonara, lasagna and pizza margherita all done well here. They source their produce locally and import specialty items from Italy, ensuring every dish is bursting with flavour with a touch of Mediterranean magic.
Rico’s Restaurant, 450 Roundhay Road, Roundhay, Oakwood, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS8 2HU.
La Bella Vita
Cherished by Garforth locals since 2004, the secret is out on La Bella Vita – this suburban Italian restaurant now has a reputation that spreads across Leeds. They try and source as much of their produce as locally as possible, making the most of it in dishes like carpaccio di manzo – Angus beef fillet with parmesan shavings and tartufo oil.
There’s a touch of luxury to pasta dishes such as lobster ravioli or pappardelle con capesante with its king scallops. For a rich and decadent main, filetto di manzo rossini sees fillet steak dressed with chicken liver pate and a mushroom and Marsala wine sauce.
La Bella Vita, 17 Main Street, Garforth, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS25 1DY.
Poco
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Ok, so Poco might not be your typical sit-down Italian restaurant, but don’t underestimate it. The brainchild of the ever-popular Culto, they specialise in Sicilian fare, and with outposts in Headingley, Burley and Leeds city centre, you’re never far away from all manner of tasty treats.
Pizza al taglio? Check. Giant arancini? You bet. Stone baked focaccine sandwiches? Of course! All their food is whipped up by Sicilian chefs using only the freshest ingredients, including their indulgent desserts. Choose from bombolones, cornetti and more, but we’re partial to a ricotta cannoli.
Poco, Lands Lane, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 6LB & 360 Kirkstall Road, Burley, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS4 2HQ & & 24 Otley Road, Headingley, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS6 2AD & 6 East Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 7AA.
La Grande
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Cosy and ambient, La Grande may be one of the newest Italian restaurants in Leeds, but it’s certainly made a name for itself among locals. This is a trendy eatery where exposed brick and pipes meet sleek furnishings and marble countertops, but what about the food?
Their giant wood-fired pizza oven churns out dough-based magic, from the mushroom-heavy prosciutto e funghi to the spicy diavola, and their pasta dishes will have you furiously twirling your fork. Add in some of the finest wines, aperitifs and desserts around – it’s got to be tiramisu, right? – and you have a recipe for success.
La Grande, 68-70 Abbey Road, Kirkstall, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS5 3JG.
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