Zucco, Meanwood: The brilliant Yorkshire restaurant which serves 'the best ragu I've ever had'
Zucco has been going for more than a decade now and is still one of the best restaurants in Leeds, consistently producing Italian food of the highest standard, writes Chris Bond.
It’s a good sign when you ring a restaurant more than three weeks in advance to make a booking and the only time they can squeeze you is at 6.15pm.
Yes, it was for a Friday night but it’s still a good sign, especially in the current climate when it feels like every other week seems to bring news of yet another restaurant closure.
It’s more than ten years since Zucco first opened its doors, making it something of a veteran on the Leeds food scene, during which time this popular, family-run Italian restaurant has garnered a bevy of loyal customers to the point where some dishes have remained on the menu for fear of upsetting the regulars (nobody wants to see revolting diners).
When Zucco first opened its doors in the heart of Meanwood, the area was a pleasant, albeit unfashionable, Leeds suburb, overshadowed by its trendier neighbours Chapel Allerton and Headingley.
Fast forward a decade and Meanwood has become a destination in its own right with a cluster of cafes and bars nearby, as well as its very own micro-brewery and tap room. And if that wasn’t middle class enough for you there’s even a Waitrose just round the corner.
Zucco specialises in Italian sharing plates, tapping into a trend before it became ubiquitous. And that’s another thing, Zucco isn’t your typical Italian restaurant.
There are no red Gingham tablecloths, candles in wax-drenched wine bottles and (thankfully) no tuneless singing waiters – all of which anyone who ate out in the ‘80s and ‘90s will no doubt remember.
Not that there’s anything faddish about Zucco. Instead, what you have is authentic Italian dishes, with a focus on the south of the country, using good quality ingredients.
The fact it’s been going so long is testament to the consistency of both the kitchen and front of house teams.
But it hasn’t all been plain sailing. In 2021, just a week after reopening following the easing of Covid restrictions a car crashed through the front window.
No one was hurt but the restaurant was forced to close for five months before reopening thanks to support from the local community and an online campaign that raised more than £11,000, which was used to pay staff.
Good food brings people together and this show of support proves it. It also helped Zucco carry on, rather than becoming a footnote in the city’s culinary story. And carry on it has, with aplomb.
The open plan dining space remains a masterclass in ergonomic simplicity, and any would-be restaurateur looking to maximise covers without impinging on the customer’s experience could do worse than use this as a blueprint.
From the white metro tiled walls and exposed lighting to the smart wooden tables and chairs, everything has its place. There’s no unwanted frippery here.
The same could be said of the food. The menu, which changes regularly includes pizzette, seafood, meat and pasta dishes with enough variety to leave you spoiled for choice but not so much that you feel overwhelmed.
It’s designed so that two people share between four and seven dishes, though the larger of these could easily work as a main course for one. But when the food is this good why limit yourself? Just loosen your belt and go with the flow.
We started by sharing a mozzarella and tomato pizzetta (£9.50). With something as simple as this it’s all about the quality of the ingredients and everything here, from the fresh mozzarella to the tomatoes, is top notch.
We followed this with a couple of seafood dishes. Fritto misto (£13.90) is a litmus test for any restaurant and this medley of expertly fried seafood accompanied by a garlicky mayo had us both nodding like greedy donkeys.
The baby dover sole with brown caper butter and samphire (£16.20), was delicious, my only slight quibble being they could have been a bit more generous with the samphire.
The next two dishes were both knockouts.
The venison ragu with rigatoni and pecorino (£16.90) ranks among the best ragu sauces I’ve ever tasted and was one of those dishes that has you making noises you wouldn’t normally make in public. (Apologies to the tables next to us).
I would have been reluctant to share this had the chicken diavola (£16.50) not been so plate-lickingly good. This came with scamorza affumicata (a semi-soft smoked cheese), prosciutto, spinach and a creamy nduja sauce that was so moreish I would have been happy with just a bowl of this and a large spoon.
Sharing plates have become a bit passé but done well they can still be a delight, and here they are done extremely well.
In the name of research, we shared a dessert – a lemon and lime cheesecake with blueberry compote. As with everything else it hit all the right notes, in this instance more of a jazz quartet than a symphony orchestra.
Special mention must also go to the knowledgeable young staff who glided through a hectic but buzzing Friday night service with friendly efficiency.
The bill came in at £130 for two, including a tip and a bottle of red wine (the Salice Salentino never disappoints). This isn’t cheap, but for the quality of food (and we ate more than was strictly necessary) it’s very good value.
Zucco isn’t only the best kind of neighbourhood restaurant, it’s the best kind of restaurant period.
Modern diners are a discerning bunch and if this place didn’t cut the mustard then they wouldn’t still be beating a path to its door.
But the fact is they are, me included, and I reckon that’s a pretty good sign.
Welcome 5/5
Food 5/5
Atmosphere 5/5
Prices 5/5
Zucco, 603 Meanwood Road, Meanwood, Leeds. LS6 4AY. Tel: 0113 224 9679.