Zucco in Leeds

A delight as always. Great menu to choose from, lovely wines, delicious food and a perfect atmosphere for sharing plates and catching up

We've been coming to Zucco since shortly after it opened, and I've never been disappointed! Really a testament to them to have kept the quality up for all these years. We recently visited for a celebratory meal and were pleased to see it was relatively busy even on a Wednesday night - so I would recommend booking. The offering has changed ever so slightly since the early days in that I would say the portion sizes have now increased and it's less 'small plates' now - we were slightly caught out by this a we ordered four plates between two, which probably would have been just right in the early days but was perhaps a bit much now. Needless to say, we still demolished the lot We ordered the seafood risotto, chicken diavola, beef pappardelle, and the gorgonzola and walnut pizzette. The beef pappardelle has always been my favourite as the beef is so tender and flavourful and the dish itself is very understated and simple in flavour profile but I'm afraid this has now been usurped by the seafood risotto, which was unbelievably good. Aside from the food, the FoH team are always so friendly and attentive, the atmosphere is calming and intimate, and the drinks offering is very impressive - both alcoholic and non alcoholic options with a range of fancy italian soft drinks. We've been coming for years and we will continue to come for as long as Zucco remains open - probably even after we move out of Leeds! It's worth noting we really pushed the boat out with a bottle of wine, soft drinks, and four dishes and it still came to less than £100. Exceptional value for what you get here.

Excellent food. Great service. The staff are friendly and helpful. Lovely atmosphere.

Great modern Italian in the heart of Meanwood. Good friendly service with just the right amount of attention to the table. Nice selection of fish and vegetarian options although they are not clearly marked on the menu. Food was very tasty. Wines also excellent

This meal was faultless and a huge thank to Quiss and Daniel for being fabulous servers. Could not ask for better service. I would recommend the lemon sorbet and the southern red wine too!

Gran restaurante con comida encantadora y excelente servicio. Dos de mis amigos tenían el hígado de ternera que dijeron que era hermoso y bien cocinado y yo tenía la pizzeta de nuez y gorgonzola que era justo lo suficiente y muy sabroso. El restaurante estaba muy lleno, así que es recomendable reservar antes de ir.

Love this place. Great food and the staff are wonderful

Zucco isn't just the best restaurant in Leeds, it's arguably one of the best in the country. Great food, attentive (but not over-attentive) service and a lively yet relaxed atmosphere. Starting with the food, we had several plates shared across the table and each was mouth-wateringly delicious. A special mention for the arancini which are world-class! Staff are friendly and knowledgeable and the decor in the restaurant is beautiful. A real gem of a restaurant that deserves every accolade it has received. A big thank you to all the staff from all of us.

Nice place good staff good food

We came here as a group to celebrate a friend’s good news. The food was beautiful, however the staff were incredible. They were so accommodating and made sure our friend was so well looked after.

Planned to go to Hana Matsuri across the road but they were closed. Spotted Zucco because I happened to have parked in front of it. Having seen that the place was packed - following a quick google (to check the rating) decided to walk in, in my running attire. Was definitely the most casually dressed but was welcomed very warmly regardless. I’ve been trying a new restaurant in Leeds every Friday, it’s become a sort of tradition. Zucco exceeded my expectations (perhaps sometimes it really is best not to overthink where to eat and just walk in to a place on a whim). The things I loved about Zucco: 1. The food was really very good: especially the ‘Pan fried king scallops, prawns, squid and saffron risotto’, I could smell the saffron and the scallops were cooked perfectly - the entire dish was just plate licking worthy. I think it was the best risotto I have ever had. 2. I loved the attention to detail: such as the fact that they provide a steak knife instead of a regular butter knife as part of their normal table set up 🍴, the fact that they always ask you if you’re sharing a dish when taking your order so that they can provide you with adequate extra plates and the fact that they print out up to date menus every day to reflect seasonal/fresh produce they have on the day etc. 3. All the staff are so friendly and efficient: I even witnessed the bar tender changing roles briefly to welcome some diners and act as the host/waitress - he did it seamlessly and with a smile on his face. This was so lovely to witness because customer service has really suffered since Covid and has never really recovered in so many other eateries across the UK. Special mention to my waitress Julia - she was genuinely lovely and made me feel so welcome at Zucco that I will no doubt be back very soon to try the rest of the menu! 4. They do not add an “optional service charge” to your bill: which is so rare these days and just amazing to see because it makes you want to tip appropriately for the wonderful food and service received instead of feeling obligated to pay an arbitrary service charge that you might not feel adequately reflects your experience. 5. The loos were well designed and always clean: which is particularly impressive given how busy they were.

Excellent staff, service and food. They really made a celebration dinner very special. We were a large group and food and service were fantastic.

Absolutely brilliant first time we went tonight everything was spot on great food , and brilliant service and lovely atmosphere definitely going again ! So close to home too!!

Llegué un poco molesto que solo podíamos entrar a las 5 pm, pero entender por qué. Personal encantador, margaritas increíbles, comida maravillosa y una comida excelente. Definitivamente volviendo

Lovely evening with tasty food! Incredible staff who work really hard to create a special experience!

Fabulous food and lovely staff.

Coolest restaurant in Meanwood, enthusiastic service and excellent food.

Without doubt, by far the best Italian food we have ever had - and i have been to a few !!

If you live in Leeds and you've not had the pleasure of dining at Zucco, you are missing out! Brilliant food and service, great atmosphere! We can't wait to come back.

Gorgeous food, lovely venue and great staff!

Really good place in the heart of Leeds with excellent and friendly staff.

This place is absolutely wonderful. You won't regret it

Las porciones para la pizzetta son demasiado pequeñas. El postre era un buen tamaño y muy agradable. El zumo de naranja no era fresco. El servicio fue muy amable.

Despite numerous glowing recommendations and incredibly positive reviews, our recent visit to Zucco left us decidedly underwhelmed. The restaurant failed to impress on several fronts. We anticipated a flavorful and dynamic dining experience. Zucco, regrettably, did not deliver. The food was... OK. Each dish was ultimately quite bland and required seasoning. Service was a mixed experience. The staff taking our drinks orders were exceptionally friendly and approachable, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere. However, after all our food had arrived (and long after the table next to us had left), an additional table was added to ours. I heard the conversation between staff explaining that this was done in order to prevent a table being available for a late walk-in. This, however, was presented to us as if it was done for our benefit and convenience. The disruption detracted from our dining experience, and made me feel really quite uncomfortable. We visited on a Saturday evening. The restaurant was busy, and there was a good atmosphere. However, there was little ventilation, so it was extremely warm and quite noisy. Given the rave reviews and high expectations, Zucco did not justify the hype or the price tag.

Lovely place! Our waitress Stef was amazing. Food 10/10. Were great about my nut allergy also. Recommend <3

Lovely lunch, beautiful food with attentive but not intrusive service. Priced reasonably for what you get, top quality food expertly cooked. Only problem was the best problem - too many delicious choices. We’ll be back.

Very good service and great food

Almuerzo descarado del día de la semana con un buen amigo. ¡Qué dulce! La comida era deliciosa, el servicio relajado y amable. Junto con los espárragos y los tortellini de berenjena, compartimos el filete de atún que se cocinó a la perfección con toques de sabor frescos, limón y hierbas. Café también delicioso! Lugar perfecto para pasar una tarde lluviosa.

The food was beautiful and the staff were lovely...

El almuerzo del martes fue tranquilo, pero no nos disuadió , Comenzó con pan , encantador aceite de oliva y balsámico y un par de cervezas refrigeradas , seguido de calamar, risotto de langostino rey & azafrán con vieiras rey abrasadas y un plato de eglefino ahumado escalfado / mejillones con patatas nuevas de romero , y cohete y ensalada parmesana , vaso decente de Grillo , 2 cafés decentes , lugar de comida y servicio encantador , muy recomendable.

Tuesday lunch was quiet but did not deter us , Started with bread , lovely olive oil and balsamic and a couple of chilled beers , followed by Squid, king prawn &saffron risotto with seared King Scallops and a dish of poached smoked haddock / mussels with rosemary new potatoes , and rocket and Parmesan salad , decent glass of Grillo , 2 decent coffees ,food spot on and service lovely ,highly recommend.

We went as a family on a busy Saturday night All the food was fantastic and very reasonably priced for the quality (king scallop risotto was my highlight) The staff were all lovely and knowledgeable Highly recommend, but remember to book as they were very busy

Not quite the same place. Prices higher, still small but less interesting plates. Lovely staff. Very clean toilet. Small desert portions for fancy prices. Busy, so maybe other disagree.

A great disappointment after previous visits pre pandemic. The pizza's were soggy and underwhelming and the pasta was more greasy spoon than pricey restaurant.

An absolute rip off!! Small portions, not clear that menu dishes are for sharing, managers wife is very rude, unhelpful, did not want to know when we complained. Do not recommend this place, unless you want to be ripped off and come home hungry! Pizzas are only 9 inch, this is not clear, we did not know, waitresses did not even bother to tell us, we are really let down, feel ripped off, still hungry and the restaurant staff did not even want to know, very rude!!

me and my husband tried this place for the first time, and we will never go back again! It is not clear on the menu that this food is for sharing, so we ordered a steak and a pizza! Well, the pizza was very small, 9inch and the steak was nothing to write home about! we left the restaurant still hungry. It does not make it clear that the plates are for sharing, how are you supposed to share a steak and a 9 inch pizza?? the bill cost us over £60 for 1 starter and 2 mains, 1 bottle of beer and a glass of wine at £9.50! We did speak with the managers wife but she did not want to know, was not interested, instead she said you should order more food, which would just increase our bill. After eating at places like Flying Pizza and Salvos, this is absolutely RUBBISH and will never go back again!! I do not recommend anyone to go there, unless you want to come home still feeling hungry, and ripped off, what an awful place!!

Perfect for meeting up with friends, birthday meal or date night. Food all comes as and when it's ready which is exciting and everything oozes good quality. Really busy even on a Wednesday night and for good reason. All small plates - we had the crab, prawns, arancini, two pizzetas and a shared dessert between two of us. Chocolate and pistachio frangipane was incredible.

3rd time eating here. Food is fantastic and so are the staff. Also incredibly reasonable. Simple authentic Italian food.

Everything about this place is outstanding. The service, the atmosphere and of course the food. Love Zucco.8

Airy and comfortable restaurant, good for hot nights. Staff very attentive and good excellent. We always visit when in Leeds for the marathon.

Ive been going here from day 1 everything is always 5 star👍

Great food...very hot and stuffy...needs some ventilation.

Great atmosphere but that meant it was very noisy,

Great food, wine and very inviting atmosphere

Had a fabulous family lunch on Sunday. Staff super helpful & food really delicious! Thank you

I thought the food was very very good indeed! .. and the staff were lovely and helpful. I look forward to going back again

Just great. Booked on the basis of Jay Rayner's review and we were not disappointed in the slightest. Great, tasty and well presented dishes. Good honest food in pleasant surroundings and attentive, relaxed staff. Pricing reflected the quality. A good wine list with a great selection of wine available by the glass or carafe whi h was perfect for lunch. I haven't enjoyed lunch so much for a long time.

There are meals that live in childhood memories like liver, bacon and mash, which suddenly appear later in life like old friends that have undergone some extraordinary transformation and somehow appear younger, smarter and more interesting than you would normally expect. Zucco - which occupies an anonymous corner spot in the Meanwood suburb of Leeds is a place where this kind of transformation can be experienced in plates of delightful Italian food. For old-fashioned liver and bacon, prepare to be stunned by a Zucco transformation of soft, dark calves’ liver floating on cloudy mashed potatoes in a light mushroom sauce that is pierced by a perfect shard of dry-roasted prosciutto crudo. It’s the kind of place where you are tempted to keep things simple and just say, “you know what, I’ll just order the whole menu.” Wonderful food that is more “Italian-inspired,” than just Italian - a quite sublime dining experience.

Excellent! Staff recommended well on portion sizes, meals and were very exceptionally friendly - especially the boss! Food was fantastic (especially the lamb Ragu) and it is a great experience to try dishes you normally wouldn't. Menu is nut allergy friendly too, would highly recommend.

We've been here a few times now. The food is excellent. It's a high quality but unpretentious place. Particularly liked the reggae soundtrack they had on today. Definitely my favourite Italian restaurant.

The food was authenticItalian, very well presented and delicious! Excellent, friendly and helpful service. I highly recommend Zucco 👌

Absolute fantastic food…brilliant staff…..great atmosphere. I’d go so far as to say it was the best meal I’ve ever had.

Authentic Italian food with a twist. We love the place and could be one of our best Italian restaurants in Leeds!

Exceeded expectations, better than expected. Fantastic meal with a lovely varied menu. Wonderful service and friendly staff.

The food was great! It's more of a small portion share meal vibe where you can try a range of what they have on offer. It's a really good restaurant with a good selection of food. The service is really good as well as the atmosphere and would recommend This if you have an adventurous pallet. I would go again for sure! FYI, parking is not amazing and had to drive around a few times to get a space, something to keep in mind.

Fantastic food. Absolutely fantastic

Lovely place. Great tapas style food. Good atmosphere and reasonably priced. Nuff said...

This is my favourite restaurant in Leeds. Food, drink and service are consistently great. If you're thinking of trying this restaurant- 'do it!'. Book a table as this place is always busy - esp. at a weekend. There is a reason for this great food - small plates to share so you're taste buds can explore the menu. Great service - lovely staff and a proper buzz about the place as friends, families & couples share a meal. Thanks, Team Zucco.

Whilst I would have liked a few more vegetarian options, everything we had was excellent, and the availability of an Italian Stout helped cover for our uncertainty on which wine to try.

Went again last night with friends and the food and service are consistently great. Still the best in Leeds. Arancini to die for.

Im so pleased to find a fantastic place to eat in Leeds. Today was my first time and I absolutely loved it and will definitely be back. It takes a lot of effort and commitment to be a bit different and the quality of all our dishes was superb. Well done and i hope this small business goes from strength to strength as they are clearly challenging the utter mediocrity of the extortionate chain brands Bravo!

Absolutely love this place. I will definitely go again and they 100% catered for my gluten free needs.

Fantastic restaurant! Perfect for a family celebration! It was my daughters 20th birthday and we were staying in Meanwood! She is at the UNI Delicious authentic Italian food! Not just pizza and pasta but lots of specialities to suit everyone’s taste Such friendly staff who go out if their way to give you a great experience! We will be back! 😀😀❤️

Fab place to eat Zucchini and mint side was amazing The chocolate frangipani was divine !!

excellent all round place for a sunday meal.

Fantastic as ever. Delicious food, good wine and friendly and efficient service

Avoid this amazing place please as I find it very difficult to get a table!

Was once a hidden gem in Meanwood, now rightly well known as one of the best Italians in Leeds. Fantastic food, amazing service and a brilliant vibe about the place.

Lovely food, a nice restaurant and good service. We really enjoyed our lunch there, will certainly go again.

Fabulous little Italian, really busy even on a Sunday lunch time. Food was delicious. Great service.

My first visit to Zucco didn't disappoint. All the food was absolutely delicious and served by very friendly and attentive staff. On a very warm early October Saturday lumchtime they kept us well supplied with much needed ice cold water. We'll done Zucco!

Could not fault this superb restaurant- highly recommended and lovely staff. Will be back for sure. They really looked after our grandkids too so great for families.

This was my first trip to this jewel of a restaurant and literally down the road from my home. My family and I thoroughly enjoyed our food, drinks & service. Forget about the city centre with its expensive car parking. This restaurant is a MUST TRY! The pan fried sea bass was excellent. The tagliatelle salmon just melted in the mouth. The deep fried zucchini with mint was delicious. A warm family atmosphere. We will definitely be returning.

I've been to this Italian restaurant a few times now and it is fantastic. The food is delicious and there is plenty of option on the menu. The dishes are a nice sized portion, they are just right and not too big. There is a good choice of cocktails on the drinks menu and the desserts are yummy especially the cannoli. The staff are all very attentive and welcoming. There is a lovely atmosphere and the decor is beautiful with pretty flowers on the tables. It is definitely a five star restaurant!

Lovely restaurant. Good food and love the Italian tapas style. Busy but still with great service! Recommend booking for peak evenings.

Another fantastic meal at zucco. The food, service, wine and atmosphere is always top notch.

We went on a Wednesday evening Restaurant was busy which made a very good atmosphere Service excellent all staff attentive first time and the young lady that served us was so knowledgeable and friendly The food was delicious you could tell it was all fresh Water Refilled with us hardly noticing but the staff did Clean plates and cutlery with each course if we required that There were 3 of us and we shared all plates at the end we made a comment about the sauce left on the plates and we were offered bread when it came it was warm and no charge for it We will definitely be back as next time we are leaving some room for the wonderful desserts Well worth every penny

We decided to have dinner here because I work for Dpd and I regularly deliver to Zucco's. I have seen how hard the owner & his team works from early doors every morning, so I thought with the amount of graft goes in, it's got to be worth a try. Well what can I say the food was absolutely unreal, every dish we had was exquisite. Authentic fresh food made with love. You have to experience it to see how truly delicious it is. (The white chocolate tart for dessert was something else!) Every member of the team was brilliant as well, Very friendly and attentive. The place was full, every single table, on a Tuesday night. Shows that this place is doing something right. Thank you and bravo Mr. Leggario.👏👏👏

We decided to have dinner here because I work for Dpd and I regularly deliver to Zucco's. I have seen how hard the owner & his team works from early doors every morning, so I thought with the amount of graft goes in, it's got to be worth a try. Well what can I say the food was absolutely unreal, every dish we had was exquisite. Authentic fresh food made with love. You have to experience it to see how truly delicious it is. (The white chocolate tart for dessert was something else!) Every member of the team was brilliant as well, Very friendly and attentive. The place was full, every single table, on a Tuesday night. Shows that this place is doing something right. Thank you and bravo Mr. Leggario.👏👏👏

A great little restaurant that knows what it is, with staff that know how to work as a team. I had booked another restaurant but they called last minute to say their kitchen was closed; Zucco were able to fit us in last minute (don’t know how - it was busy - perhaps they took pity on my situation.) From entering the restaurant, through seating, drinks and all the courses the staff were more than polite and hospitable. They were first rate. Amazing teamwork, seamlessly working our table and the room it was easy to forget it wasn’t the same person. Clearly great teamwork is something this place prizes highly. We shared a pizzetta starter which was perfect to curb our hunger. Then main course of Sea Bass for one and a Chicken Diavolo. Both were delicious. Side order of Rosemary potatoes was large enough, again, to share. Wine - there was multiple wine by the glass options with more wines available by the bottle. Large glasses served in a small bottle was a lovely little touch. This place has got it right - right down to clean toilets (one always needs to check!). There was no sense of rush. The staff were calm but always on it. I could simply not find fault if I tried.

Wonderful experience! Amazing selection of dishes, both traditional and inventive! Every dish was a joy! Service was lovely also!

A busy Thursday evening when we visited. The restaurant is bright and airy. Tables are nicely set. Service is efficient if a little lacking in warmth. Food was delicious. Overall a decent experience.

Very tasty food, good wine, helpful staff and great gluten free options!

Such lovely stuff. Super attentive. We always love the food here. Can't recommend this place enough

Absolutely fantastic food and amazing service. Honestly, the best restaurant I've been to for a while. The food was outstanding and service, even better. Will be returning ASAP

Great Italian "tapas" style dishes. Quality food cooked fresh and very tasty. Great choice on the menu to suit all tastes. Is slightly expensive but worth every penny. Knowledgeable staff who will guide you through the menu is you are unsure. Very good drinks selection. Would definitely return

Lovely cocktails, lovely’s staff and top scran. We went on a Tuesday and it was perfect, ordered a few starters which were excellent. Soft shell crab was amazing! Highly recommend x

We last dined at Zucco’s in 2018 when the plates were smaller, distinctive and very tasty. A recent recommendation led us back for a birthday celebration. Sadly, our experience did not live up to expectations. Put simply, most of us have had better plates of similar food e.g. battered prawns, pasta, haddock, and at lower prices. My baby dover sole with capers was fine (if bony) but didn’t impress. Two of us had tiramisu which mostly comprised soaked sponge under a thin layer of mascarpone, rather than evenly layered. We were seated away from good ventilation on a warm evening, so that didn’t help. The service, however, deserves a positive mention; friendly and reasonably efficient given that the place was packed with diners.

Really nice mid-week lunch. Great food and very helpful staff in pleasant surroundings.

A lovely meal after celebrating our daughter completing the marathon 🏃

Superb food -varied dishes and great to share .Lovely atmosphere ,brilliant service and wine /beer options . Great ! We visit very regularly .

Around 8 years of dining and never less than excellent. Great place to share well executed Italian recipes with friends together with good wine and Italian artisan beer. Top service and consistency - last visit best ever.

Great food and excellent service.

Excellent local restaurant, well established in Meanwood for around the last 10 years . Menu is very varied. Smallish (but not too small) sharing plates. Amazing dressings, cheeses, breads and all sorts of other things. Service is pretty good and the staff friendly and helpful. Wine list is extensive and there's a good range of beers including local stuff. Dessert was superb. Very good value for money in my humble opinion. I should go back much more often.

Epic place to eat! Best restaurant in Leeds!

I am really reluctant to do this because the more that people find out about this hidden gem the harder it will be to book a table. Tonight no exception, first class food and first class service. Thank you all but special mention to Jemma , lovely atmosphere, great food and great service. Keep it to yourself but highly recommended.

This was our first visit and it was amazing! The food was authentic Italian, the staff were really friendly and knowledgeable and the portions were generous. Packed on a Thursday night, so recommend booking!

Lovely restaurant with small plates - great options for veggies and pesc. and accommodating of allergies! Definitely hope to revisit

Absolutely love this restaurant never disappoints one of the very best in Leeds. I have been coming for years and it is always consistently good. The food is varied and tasty the staff professional and friendly. Cat fault it

Fantastic food, informative staff and a great vibe