LIVIN'Italy — Restaurant in Leeds

We visited your restaurant for a friend’s birthday with a group of 11, spending around £30–45 each, including an alcoholic drink. We were really impressed with the service—your staff were absolutely lovely, attentive, and welcoming throughout the evening.

The meatball starter was a nice beginning to the meal, but unfortunately, the rest of the starting experience was quite disappointing for many of us. Several guests, especially those who ordered the salmon, were left underwhelmed with their starters . The mains were served lukewarm, and the carbonara in particular was overly salty and peppery, to the point that neither I nor my friend could eat it—it was essentially inedible.

One friend ordered the tomato pasta and was disappointed to receive a creamy version instead. While the pasta itself was cooked al dente, the sauces overall were very poorly balanced, with the salt and pepper overpowering any other flavor. On the upside, the pizzas did seem to be enjoyed by those who ordered them.I really understand that with such large tables it is difficult to achieve a hot temperature for a variety of dishes , which I would suggest to be served as soon as they are ready. We also did pre order if that helps.

To be clear, the issue wasn’t with the staff or atmosphere—they were attentive and kind, checking in with us multiple times, and we truly appreciated that. We didn’t want to cause a fuss during a birthday celebration, which is why we didn’t raise the concerns at the time. We would have liked to leave a service charge in appreciation of the lovely team (with the exception of the stern man in the navy suit), but the overall disappointment with the food made it difficult to justify the cost of £35–45 per person and more with a tip.

We really hoped for a better experience and wanted to share this feedback in the hope that it’s...

We returned to Livin’ Italy in Leeds recently for a beautiful meal. Such a classy and lovely restaurant, based under the train station. The food here is impeccable, and I just had to go for the viral cheese wheel pasta (TRUFFLE PICI “CACIO & PEPE”).

We enjoyed;

2 x Antipasti (£15) ️ SPICY ‘NDUJA; Fiery, spreadable fresh “salume” from Calabria with roasted chilli peppers & spices and GORGONZOLA DOLCE; Buttery and sweet blue cheese from Milan province – served with homemade focaccia bread & Livin’ Italy Marsala & Caramelized Onion Chutney. Wow, what an amazing and tasty start to our meal. I am not a massive blue cheese fan, but this was SO creamy, and paired with the Nduja and chutney, we wasted no time in tucking into every last bit. TRUFFLE PICI “CACIO & PEPE”;Simplicity with Roman heritage meaning “cheese & pepper”; A cream of Pecorino, freshly ground pepper topped with shaven Italian Truffles. A Super Tasty treat… Only at LIVIN’Italy!️ Ask for this if you want the cheese wheel at your table! A simple but utterly cheesy and comforting delight. PORCHETTA; Suckling pig filled with Italian herbs & garlic, sliced & served with roast potatoes and its own jus️. Oh my, melting pork with fantastic rosemary and sage flavours. Delicious. Ben has chosen this both times. A little on the pricey side, but we have always massively enjoyed the superb food at Livin’ Italy, and we love the atmosphere here too. Not only can you come here for a fabulous meal, Monday to Friday, 4-7pm, enjoy some after work drinks and help yourself to the FREE buffet! Plus, on the last Friday of the month, they turn up the volume with a live DJ, transforming LIVIN’Italy into the ultimate after-work Italian festa. 🎶🍸

💷 Spend: £40pp+ ⏰ Open Hours: Mon-Fri 12pm until late, Sat & Sun 10am until late 🚗 Parking info: Nearby city centre car parks 📦🚚...

Food is decent but definitely not worth the price they are charging. Portions are pathetically small for what you are paying. For example, I ordered the beef ragyu pappardelle which barely had any pieces of beef ragyu in it, so it was essentially eating pasta with sauce. Chips were scarce, as was the fresh lemonade I ordered as they filled the glass 3/4 with ice to the point I took a single sip of my drink and noticed it already being less than half full. On the other hand, my friend ordered a pizza and it was cheaper and much more fair/filling than the pasta, so go for that I guess. But at that point, just go to an actual pizza place?

Although what is unacceptable/scummy is their pricing. VAT is apparently not included in the price on their menu's and there is a service charge added to the bill. The service charge is optional and can be removed, fair, but the VAT not being included in the final price on the menu and or disclosed to be added onto the final bill is completely shady and definitely intended as a way to rip off their consumers even more - because what restaurants doesn't bake them INTO the price? Nowhere was it ''clear or transparent'' (as the owner loves to gaslight people who have also said this in the reviews) that VAT was excluded from the prices. Nowhere at all. So a bill for £47 went up to £62 because of a service charge and VAT, which means something like the Beef Ragyu which is advertised as £17.90 would be close to 22/23 with the VAT, but the VAT is excluded from the price and deliberately hidden and not disclosed - beyond scummy.

So yeah, go somewhere else, food is mediocre and the owner seems intended to rip off their consumers. I won't be returning nor recommending this restaurant to others...