Viva Restaurant - Leeds

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Viva is by far my favourite Italian restaurant in Leeds. The restaurant itself is easy to miss, hidden away on Lower Briggate, just south of the city centre, the frontage of the restaurant reflects the whole experience, it's simple, warm and authentic.

http://www.vivaitalianrestaurant.co.uk/


I've been here three times now, and so on arrival, Neil (the boyf) and I are greeted with a handshake. We hadn't reserved, so the waiter looked anxiously around for a table for us at peak time on a Friday. Luckily there was a table in the window (perfect for people-watching).

The decor is traditional, the kind you might expect to find in a restaurant in a side-street in Rome or Venice. With a mismatch of paintings and photographs scattered carelessly across the walls.

As soon as we were seated, we were given bruschetta with green and black olives, complimentary. I had duck pate to start, followed by a calzone (my dish of choice at any Italian restaurant), and had a lighter-than-air tirimisu to finish.

The restaurant may not be glamorous, but it's authentic. It has a real family-run feel, the food is also simple, but delicious, it doesn't need to be anything else, nor does it claim to be.
Well worth a try, I'll be visiting again no doubt.
Location: Briggate, Leeds LS1, UK

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