Fifty-Eight Giardino Farsley review: I tried a brand new Italian restaurant in Leeds - and was stunned
As a long-time lover of Farsley’s vibrant culinary scene, I was excited when a brand new Italian restaurant was opened on Town Street.
The excitement was tinged with sadness - it was taking the place of family-friendly Mexican eatery Sabroso Street - but I was pleased to see the building would still be serving up meals.
In the early days of a restaurant operating, there can be teething troubles, and I was half-expecting some when I ventured over to Fifty-Eight Giardino for the first time. Alas, there were none.
The restaurant was a well-oiled machine, running with the smoothness of an industry titan. We were greeted with warmth and welcomed into the beautiful setting, which boasts a classy-yet-relaxed ambience.
It was immediately noticeable just how busy it was. I had an inkling it would be packed when I could not book for the exact time I had planned to visit, but I did not expect it to be quite as buzzing as it was.
While there may not have been an empty table in sight, the service made you feel as if you were the only people in the restaurant. Throughout the night, the staff could not have been more accommodating.
I started off with the Arancini Siciliani, a staple of Italian restaurants I always look out for on a menu. Crispy on the outside and deliciously melty and dense on the inside, the rice balls were absolutely tremendous.
My partner opted for the Bruschetta Romana and the bread was brought alive by the vibrancy of the cherry tomatoes, pesto, garlic, red onions, basil and olive oil upon it. The starters were a resounding success - and the mains had a lot to live up to.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Fifthy-Eight Giardino continued to knock it out of the park. I ordered the Rigatoni alla Crema di Pollo and as far I was concerned, it was pasta perfection. The chicken was wonderfully tender and was enveloped by a beautifully creamy white wine and parmesan sauce.
It was one of those dishes you never wanted to get to the end of and thankfully, the portion was generous.
My partner had the Fifty-Eight Speciale pizza, containing tomato, fior de latte, spicy beef, parmesan and fresh rocket. Toppings were beautifully balanced and the beef was enticingly rich in flavour - or so she assures me.
All of this was washed down with a bottle of Sangiovese wine, which was full and fruity with just the right level of dryness.
On the value front, we could not complain. My main was one of the best Italian dishes I have ever enjoyed and only set me back £15.95. My partner’s pizza was £17.50, while the bottle of wine was £27.95. Meanwhile, my starter was £8.95 and my partner’s was £7.45.
We honestly could not say anything we ordered was not worth the price.
Fifty-Eight Giardino may be new, but the restaurant has already ascended to dizzy heights. The place is already being packed out and quite frankly they deserve the footfall, because they are offering a truly stunning dining experience at an affordable price.
I went in expecting a work-in-progress and left stunned by the sheer quality of the meal I had eaten. Bellissimo.
Factfile
Telephone: 0113 397 1516
Opening hours: Monday: Closed, Tuesday-Friday: 11am-11pm, Saturday: 10am-11pm, Sunday: 12-10pm
Website: https://www.fiftyeight.info/
Scores
Food: 10/10
Value: 9/10
Atmosphere: 9/10
Service: 10/10
Total: 9.5/10