Viva in Leeds

Absolute hidden gem, you’d walk right past it if you didn’t know. Proper Italian place, amazing.

Best Italian place in Leeds easily

Lovely food, great service. We will return.

The atmosphere was chilled, the staff were brilliant and the food was excellent. It was the 1st time that i'd tried this restaurant in Leeds, it won't be the last

Good food good service recommended for all to try

Absolutely fantastic. Nice cosy restaurant, romantic too.

We were Friday night walk-ins and felt fortunate to have found a free table. Echoing other reviews Viva is a classic family italian restaurant: great atmosphere, absolutely lovely staff who make you feel welcome and the food is exceptional . We regret we are not locals but thoroughly recommend to those that are.

Tasty pizza, plenty of topping, friendly staff

a classic italian, great atmosphere, absolutely lovely staff and the food is just incredible. our new regular spot

Really enjoyed my visit here the pesto pasta was lovely.

1 hour and 45 minutes from the time the table was booked until we were served food. One of us had ordered gluten-free but received gluten. Waited 25 minutes before she got another dish. All right, we got a glass of wine and the one dish for free, but we had already bought a bottle of wine that we hadn't started on before the meal, so we left from half a bottle. We were told that the table was ready/the food would arrive in "1 minute" whereas it took 20-60 minutes. For dessert we bought creme brulee, but it was ice cold at the bottom and only the sugar was lukewarm. The steak was good but not medium-rare as ordered. Medium plus. It would have been beneficial to have something on the side other than vegetables - such as e.g. Potatoes, fries etc. It took 2.5 hours from the time we arrived until the dessert was eaten, of which almost 2 hours was waiting...

INCREDIBLE. We came to visit for our 10 year anniversary, and the service is second to none, just soooo good. They are so friendly, accommodating and lovely. The restaurant itself is so homely and cosy. The food was honestly one of the best meals if not the best we have had. This is our favourite Italian in leeds by far. It’s my 30th birthday in July, and we will be booking to celebrate here. Once again, your service , food , and atmosphere was faultless. We can’t wait to come back :)

Definitely recommend the restaurant Very friendly staff, food was delicious, serving was top. Looking forward to go back again

Me and a friend visited viva recently and were blown away by the standard of food and the service provided. A nice homely Italian with some traditional background music. Recent renovations have brought the restaurant back to life with a brand new bar, flooring and downstairs area. Perfect place for parties, or get togethers. For food we opted for the Lobster ravioli and the Fillet steak, both were cooked to perfection and were great portion sizes. We look forward to returning soon! Thankyou!

Not authentic italian any more.. no atmosphere like any good Italaian should have. Only one Italian sounding person serving.

I’ve spent a valentines evening with my second half and honestly I couldn’t pick a better place. Food was delicious, staff were very friendly asking if everything alright so often :) the decor is beautiful. this place has a charm. And when it comes to prices it’s quite cheap too. We will definitely come back for more ❤️

Lovely little Italian restaurant just off the main track. Very reasonably priced and serves authentic Italian food. We had a pizza bread starter, 2x white wine and 2x red wine. Mains were Lasagne and pesto pasta which doesn’t sound amazing but trust me it was super tasty. Chip were crunchy and cooked to perfection. Staff were excellent, even one of the owners came over and introduced himself which was lovely. Total bill was £85 and tipped to £100 as no service charge automatically added in which was refreshing. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED 5*

As other reviewers have noted, this is not a pretentious restaurant however the food is seriously lovely. I asked for something that wasn’t on the menu (pasta amatriciana) and they made it for me! And it was unbelievable!

Lovely cosy restaurant, with tasty food and caring and attentive staff. We've finally found a restaurant that does lasagne as well as a restaurant where we live that closed down.

Loved the food, the ambiente and the service:) Very friendly staff Edit: 5 years on, still the same review 😁

impeccable authentic Italian food and service

Looking for non pretentious eatery in Leeds on a weekend break. Walked past this restaurant on way into town from our hotel. Was early evening so quiet. No booking required. Very friendly front of house man. Food was so nice here , would definetly recommend this place to anyone looking for an Italian meal.

This is a lovely old-fashioned Italian restaurant with superb food. It feels very much like a traditional family run place and the service is great as well. There are not many traditional restaurants in Leeds, most are going for the hip modern vibe, but Viva is a throwback and an outlier and all the better for it, it has that classic ambiance, and traditional decor which makes it feel authentic and connected to the long tradition of Italian Trattoria. The food was simply superb, proper Italian, lovingly prepared. My son and I had a lovely lunch. Highly recommended.

Went as a large group for Christmas dinner. Some enjoyed the food Others not so much

Sorry for the late review. Excellent again. We had Tagliolini al Salmone and Risotto with Zucchine Fritte as a side order. Had a brilliant night thanks to all the great staff. Relaxing, comfortable and nothing is too much trouble, the Limoncello Spritz is the best I have ever tasted. Cant wait for the next visit.

We had our team Christmas Dinner here, with my team from across the Country and it was fantastic! The staff were attentive, friendly and very welcoming, but most importantly the food was amazing! You must have the Sea Bass!

This was our first trip to Viva Italian Restaurant in Leeds and we felt welcome the minute we arrived there. We found the restaurant very easily, near to Boar Lane and the railway station only 7 minutes away. The atmosphere was very Italian, and comfortable. We were shown to a lovely table; and left to decide what we would like to eat. Lots of choice, and decided to chose from the Xmas Menu. Enjoyed our starters, and the main course was to die for. The sauces definitely made both dishes extra special. Excellent value for money. We will be back soon! Regards, Petr & Patricia Branch

Came across this lovely Italian whilst on a day out in Leeds. Food was beautiful and the service superb. Will definitely be back when visiting Leeds

Excellent restaurant! Don't miss this garlic mushroom soup! (Delicious! No need to step on any blind spots!

Great food, ambience, and dessert. Montepulciano wine was wonderful and went good with the food. Sandro is a great person and lightened our dinner!

We have passed this restaurant many times on the Stourton park and ride and always thought it looked a traditional Italian restuarant which I favour . We were recently in Leeds for the night and took the plunge. We were not disappointed . The staff were very welcoming and the atmosphere was warm and inviting . The food was authentic Italian cuisine cooked beautifully and the service was excellent . We will definitely be visiting again .

This restaurant is a well-established real, proper Italian restaurant and Pizzeria. We have visited here many times, and the quality is consistently high, the service is friendly and the food is great. We had a pizza each, and they were excellent. The atmosphere is great and if you didn't see the Leeds traffic outside, you could very easily be in Italy. We will be back again soon.

I found Viva restaurant during a visit to the UK and needing something walking distance from my hotel. Had a lovely meal of spaghetti carbonara, a small salad and the garlic bread. The atmosphere felt very traditional Italian, the dining room was cozy yet lively, and the service was very attentive and friendly. Felt very "homey" and not stuffy. Very nice meal and dining experience.

Visited with family and everyone had an amazing time. The Viva has a lovely authentic atmosphere and the staff are so welcoming and friendly. The food was outstanding, we can’t compliment them enough. Will definitely be back and would highly recommend.

Great food and very friendly, polite and quick service. Would recommend for a lunch visit or evening mean. Far better that overall experience than the vast majority of restaurants in the middle of Leeds.

We had an early evening meal before the theatre. Four of us ordered different pasta dishes and one pizza. I was blown away by the quality of the food and the service was warm and attentive. Best Italian food I've had in a long time.

Wow. Several years since last visit and it's only improved. Lovely family run restaurant.

Absolute gem of a restaurant. Staff are wonderful, funny and attentive, and the food is authentic and delicious. Such a great atmosphere, will definitely be returning. Very reasonably priced too. Highly recommend!

Such a lovely find . Got a table for 5 last minute, server was so great with the kids, the pasta and pizza was high quality Italian as we're the deserts and wine, very reasonable price too, highly recommend if in leeds

Beautiful restaurant and the most loveliest and attentive staff. Service was impeccable and the food was delicious, can highly recommend the king prawn risotto. Amazing little gem in Leeds!

Excellent restaurant. The steaks were cooked beautifully.

The pizza was the freshest I've ever had, and the tiramisu was delightfully creamy and delicious. The staff were exceptional, providing attentive service that enhanced the overall experience. The restaurant itself was charming and cozy, creating an intimate yet relaxed atmosphere that made for a perfect meal.

Such a hidden gem of the city centre. Visited here to have a meal as a couple to celebrate our 2nd wedding anniversary Greeted as soon as we walked through the door Food was delicious. Restaurant quietened not long after we arrived but waiter was attentive and food was prompt. Would definitely come here again

Excellent food and service. Having lived in Italy its hard to the authentic trattoria outside of Italy but Viva is the real deal. Give it a go.

Absolutely mint. The delivery was good and I loved every bite. Get the focaccia and pasta it was perfect. Got mozzarella and tomato as a starter, pure freshness. This is my takeaway now.

Thank you so much to everyone at Viva you made our wedding reception meal a day to remember. The fact that you pushed back your family holiday by a week to let us bring our wedding guest to celebrate our big day was far and above what we expected and we are so pleased we could bring our family and friends to our favourite restaurant in the city. The food quality, the service and the atmosphere really made our wedding day a day to remember. Thank you again. John and I will see you all again very soon. Enjoy you well earned holiday

Thank you so much to everyone at Viva you made our wedding reception meal a day to remember. The fact that you pushed back your family holiday by a week to let us bring our wedding guest to celebrate our big day was far and above what we expected and we are so pleased we could bring our family and friends to our favourite restaurant in the city. The food quality, the service and the atmosphere really made our wedding day a day to remember. Thank you again. John and I will see you all again very soon. Enjoy you well earned holiday

I ate here on a recent visit to Leeds. I have to say the food was absolutely fantastic! One of the best meals I’ve had in a long time, if ever! I had the Bruschetta Alla Napoletana to start and the Pen All Arrabiata for my main and both were delicious.

Very quiet as it was an early bird menu. Pizza tasted like it was from farmfoods but my wife's set menu was delicious. Prices have increased since our last visit.

Fabulous food, one of the best Italian restaurants I've been to. Service fast, perhaps a wee bit too fast but buzzy atmosphere and wonderful flavours.

Recommended to us by several friends who live in Leeds, and we were not disappointed. Fast friendly service, and our menu options were absolutely delicious. They were freshly cooked and full of flavour. We will be returning in the future.

Lovely friendly place. Excellent service and great food at a reasonable price

Classic Italian food served to a gorgeous standard complimented with fantastic service. Really Well priced for the quality and location, the simple setting with traditional music is great.

Can't give this zero but when you book online and get confirmation then get told by barman that they reallocated table as you changed the booking-no I didn't- despise evidence to contrary. No surprise calling potential customers a liar doesn't go down well. Avoid if alternative is available. Staff very patronising, rude and arrogant.

Cute little family Italian restaurant. All the classics on the menu and you're treated exactly how you would expect to be in a place like this. The atmosphere is warm and all the staff are very cheery and happy to serve you. Star of the show for me was the home made tiramisu! Food is great for the price point and worth a visit if you're in the mood for something classic.

The food and staff are amazing at this restaurant. Prawn Cocktail and the Tomato soup were lovely also the Salmon and Spaghetti Bolognese, we had the early Bird menu, very good value. The staff make you feel at home and the restaurant has a lovely laid back feel so you chill out straight away. We have eaten here lots of times and never been disappointed, cant wait to go back.

6 work colleagues walked in to Viva last night, no booking, got a table straight away. Even though we were 45 mins late for the early special, the owner was happy to serve us from the specials menu. 3 Courses of really great food for under £24 you just cant beat it. Fantastic service, great feed, clean plates all round = happy team

Friendly staff, quick service and superb food. Second visit and will definitely come here again.

Amazing food. Amazing experience. That tiramisu is gorgeous. Will definitely come again.

We called in here out of the blue on Saturday. We were looking for a new place as we had a bad experience the night before at another restaurant. Really friendly place,we were greeted by the staff and shown to our table. We ordered garlic and cheese pizza for started with a bottle of wine. For mains we had lasagna and ravioli with mushrooms both really tasty and very fresh. We had homemade tiramisu and warm chocolate cake. Best tiramisu I have tasted my husband doesn't usually like tiramisu but he even said when we call again he would definitely try this. (Chocolate cake was really yummy as well). We had coffee to follow and finished off meal with a lemon shot. When one of the chefs was having a break he came around the tables asking customer if the food was alright and wishing customers a good day, such a nice touch. We will definitely be back again. Really good value.

Update: After not coming for a couple of years due to moving away, I can't express how glad we were that they remembered us. I wasn't sure if it's how they greeted everyone but they noticed my Fiancés ring, and even our names and family. Stepping inside feels like you've just walked inside your friends house and Nona is going to make you all a feast! Leeds is growing rapidly, which is great to see, but it's losing its unique homely vibe. Viva is a breath of fresh air from the busy city, and for a very reasonable price! Get yourself down and support local! Original review: By far our favourite restraunt in Leeds. Decent food and drinks at reasonable prices in a family run Italian. Nothing corporate about this place. If you are looking for a break from all the typical city chain foods, this is the one!

Popped in for a late lunch/early dinner Lovely food and friendly service. Comfortable surroundings and lovely art work displayed. Left very happy having had a great experience

Why tf are you lot calling me I ain't ever been to ya place you idiots

Had an amazing meal once again, the food and service were fantastic. We were a group of 10 people visiting after a theatre show and they made us so welcome. This restaurant was recommended to us last year and this was our second visit never disappoints. Family restaurant serving the best Italian food you could ever imagine .Would make this a regular if lived in Leeds. Thank you Viva we will be back.

Nice all rounder Italian restaurant. Not overpriced and nice staff.

Beautiful authentic vibes, food was honestly delicious! The staff were friendly and the restaurant gave a romantic / chilled feel. I would highly recommend!!!❤️

Nice little restaurant. Great service from the manager. Plenty of specials on the menu and every person at our table really enjoyed the food. My steak was cooked to perfection. The Barbera wine was delightful. Great little restaurant

Lovely atmosphere, amazing food and just an outstanding vibe, really well priced for a city centre place. I always judge an Italian on Thier tiramisu and it was "Bella" Asked for a brandy with hot water and they just knew, if you know you know. Many thanks and we will return and recommend Xxx

My husband and I travel on the train from Harrogate to Leeds JUST to go here. The food is excellent and well priced. The staff are very friendly and the place has a great atmosphere. We have never had a bad meal or experience. A small rustic place with authentic Italian food..but be aware, if you don't book you probably won't get in it's that good.

Excellent meal, thank you. The fillet steak Rossini was perfect.😊

Great food and lovely service. The best tiramisu in Yorkshire. Staff were very attentive and went the extra mile for us. It’s a repeat visit for us and we’ll definitely be back again.

Best Italian I’ve been to in a while. The food was incredible and the service was great too. We had a bruschetta and duck pate for starters and a lasagna and pasta with a crab sauce for the main dishes. They were all delicious, the tomato sauce was particularly incredible, I’m still thinking about it.

A Little gem great food great service what more could you ask for.

I thoroughly enjoyed the dining experience at Viva in Leeds. Among various Italian restaurants I've visited, this one stands out as the best, particularly in terms of the food quality. For starters, I had the delicious fresh homemade soup, followed by the exquisite Lasagna Pasticciata al Forno as my main course, and concluded with a heavenly homemade tiramisu for dessert. I highly recommend giving Viva a try anytime you're in Leeds. I'm already looking forward to my next visit! I’m hoping you meet Gani anytime you visit. He’s such a lovely person.

Wow, of this place was in the US, the wait to get in would be hours! We have NEVER experienced Italian this AWESOME!

Lacked atmosphere time we went ,but excellent meal , though medium high prices

We’d been wanting to try Viva for a while and their early bird 3 course deal looked really good. It is stated that this is available Monday-Friday until 7pm except in December. So we booked for a Wednesday in February at half 6 and when we arrived the early bird board was still out on the street. We were seated immediately and given menus. We were checking out the set menu on the back when a member of staff walked by and said it’s not available. We felt a bit cheated by this so opted for just a main, a dessert and one drink each. We spent less than what we would have if we’d had the early bird set menu. It’s likely we’d have had a couple of drinks each but we decided to go elsewhere for drinks afterwards. The food (2x pasta dishes) was exceptional and just as good as food we’d had in various parts of Italy, however the portions are quite small. It’s also a very small restaurant which, when full, provides little privacy or personal space and if you’re sat in the middle you kind of feel in the way, so if that’s not your thing I’d go earlier in the day and avoid busy evenings. I’d go again but definitely for lunch to get the early bird deal and as the portions are small it’s more fitting for a lunch date.

Had the most amazing meal last night to celebrate an aunts birthday, the food was spectacular, the atmosphere nice and quiet and the staff brilliant. We all had the 3 course meal, I had the garlic mushrooms (god do I stink this morning) they were the nicest garlic mushrooms I’ve ever had, then the pollo Milanese which was equally as good (can’t compare it as I’ve never had it before) then for dessert the crepe brûlée, whoever made that needs a trophy because that was perfection in a ramekin! We also had a bottle of wine to share between three. The host/waiter was very professional, friendly and talkative and after we’d finished also got us a shot of limoncello on the house - very kind! Definetly be back again.

Highly recommend Viva Italian Restaurant in Leeds - it has such a lovely ambiance, friendly waiters and delicious menu!!

Wow. Simply wow. I found this place close to the hotel on a business trip after spending the evening with colleagues eating at the hotel, followed by the local Sainsbury’s for snacks because the food was inedible. all the others, early night. Me… I’m hungry. I go for a walk and I find this place a half hour before closing, but what a find, food is exceptional. Little restaurant, which looks from the outside to seat 10 people actually larger than expected and seats 30 confutably which is deceiving. The food was amazing. I will be bragging to my colleagues that they should listen to me in future, like I know what I am talking about. Great service happy to have a customer on his own for one table. I had a garlic bread with cheese and tomato, which was great, this was a full pizza size cut into 8 pieces. Followed by fillet steak, which comes with mixed veg, but I wanted a rocket and Parmesan side salad. All 5 star. I will definitely be back. Pair it with a pint of birra moretti ( I couldn’t finish because I was too full) and you won’t go wrong. Ok I can see they want to close up now so I am gong to head of off…..perhaps after another bit of this garlic bread……side note upon leaving they offered me a free lemon chello shot for the road. What a nice bunch. Totally made my evening…. Thank you so much

I took my girlfriend here for dinner and it was a great experience all round! We both had a three course meal and shared a bottle of wine. The total cost came to about £85 which I think is really good value for the amount we got, considering the quality of the food and the generous portion sizes. We had tiramisu for dessert which is the best I've had! The waiters were extremely friendly and their service was excellent. We did not have to wait long for our food despite the restaurant being busy and the restaurant had a nice atmosphere. If you want good Italian food, avoid the soulless high street chains and come here!

Friendly greeting. Food delicious and service excellent. Chef came to ask if we were happy with our food. Great for a meet up as just off the main shopping area.

The place and food was so amazing and the people there were also very nice. One of the best restaurants for Italian cuisine.

Amazing food and service! I normally want to try something different on the menu, if I go to an Italian restaurant, but everyone in our party ordered pasta and it was absolutely phenomenal. We will definitely be returning!

Popped in last night, best lasagne we have ever had, definitely be back next time I'm in leeds 😋 lovely spot!!!!!

First time visit on a work night out. Could not have been more welcoming and the food was excellent, the terrimisso was one of the best.

Every time I come here, I feel that the service, atmosphere and quality food are consistently good. It's an old-school Italian restaurant at its finest.

We visited Leeds just for a day with my girlfriend. After a long walk we decided to have a pizza for lunch, this is how we found the restaurant. Pizza was delicious, a real treat, same dessert and wine. But what made us feel really good there was an excellent customer service, especially from restaurant’s manager Gani - you are a gentleman sir!

Fantastic food, very efficient service, spotlessly clean restaurant and good atmosphere. Well worth our visit.

Excellent, non-pretentious restaurant in the centre of Leeds. Very friendly and recognise returning customers. Food excellent and good value.

Comida italiana para británicos que no saben lo que es la comida italiana. Una vergüenza.

We'd heard good things about Viva - family owned, long-established, great food and ambience. And so we went, and what we found was: family owned, long-established, great food and ambience. We were warmly welcomed, had great chat with the serving staff, and loved the authentic tastes of Italy. We were even treated to a celebratory glass of limoncello at the end of the meal. For those who want pizza, there's great pizza. There are classic pasta dishes. But there's also an ever-changing menu of specials. In other words, there's something for everyone, whatever their tastes, whatever their age. I was there with a group of friends and work colleagues, and - even on a damp November Monday night - we had a brilliant evening.

Amazing food, great service and friendly staff

This was my first time visiting viva, the food was stunning and the service was amazing too, such a friendly and lovely restaurant

Had a 3 course meal here The duck pate was very nicely presented garnished with salad apple and pomegranate which worked incredibly well, rolls were provided for the starter. Generous porting of chicken fir the main and was very tasty The tiramisu was light and perfect for finishing the meal with The place was cozy but was a little noisy at times but that obviously depends on others who are dining there.. the food more than makes up for this

Me and my wife both agreed this was the best Italian food we have ever tasted! We were in Leeds for one night and decided to go in here from walking past and it looked busy and friendly. Nice and clean and a great atmosphere, the food really was outstanding and just tasted so fresh and made with a passion. The service was excellent and the chef was present in the restaurant to ensure everybody was happy. Thankyou for a superb dining experience and we will be back if visiting Leeds again,excellent restaurant!!

Fantastic meal, will definitely be back!

So sorry to leave a bad review as we didn’t even eat here. Arrived at 6 for our booking on a Saturday, waited at the bar for at least 15 mins. The couple who came in behind us were seated, we were not. Not really much good in my opinion, what’s the point in booking a table if we can’t be seated at that time. We went elsewhere. Sorry but maybe don’t bother if you’re in a hurry x

Nice place. Took the kids on a Saturday afternoon. Very accommodating pizzas were yummy.

Good meal in this authentic Italian restraunt. Had salmon pasta. Lovely, just wish i had a slightly bigger portion ! Pudding was tirimissu but couldnt really taste any alchohol in it lol, but still it was nice. 4 stars. Good service. Price was fair.