Trattoria il Forno Horsforth: I tried this Leeds restaurant and was blown away by its stunning pizzas

It is a pretty competitive market in fairness, with the city’s Italian food scene a vibrant and exciting one.

In my experience, some of the glitzier establishments that receive the most acclaim cannot hold a candle to some of the independent hidden gems you can find scattered across Leeds.

It is certainly not hidden to the people of Horsforth, but Trattoria il Forno is undoubtedly an absolute gem of an Italian.

There is nothing particularly flashy or flamboyant about the venue and its interior is incredibly simplistic.

However, walking in to see an array of happy families is always a good sign. They couldn’t all be faking it, surely?

Fortunately for me, the kid I saw doing his utmost to fold two slices of pepperoni into his gob at the same time was doing so for a good (or at least understandable) reason.

I did browse Trattoria il Forno’s selection of classic Italian dishes and there was a fair amount of toing and froing.

Lovers of Italian food are truly spoilt for choice but when faced with so many options, I often plump for a pizza.

I ordered the Dorado pizza, paying £15.95 for the 12” size. Had I been ravenous, I could have gone for the truly enormous 20” serving that I saw a fair few tables challenge themselves with.

It is hard to sum up a pizza so delicious in a succinct manner and the best compliment I can pay it is that it would not look out of place in the heart of Italy.

The tomato base was utterly divine and topped with mozzarella, chorizo, red onions, red chilli, mascarpone and mixed bell peppers.

Served rapidly from wood-burning ovens, it was packed with flavour and Neapolitan in style. For my sins, I do not mind a bit of sauce to dip pizza in but to interfere with this particular one would have been a crime.

My partner opted for the Pizza Fiorentina, which was topped with asparagus, spinach, egg, garlic, rocket and parmesan shavings.

I was hoping it was not just my hunger telling me it was a sensational pizza but my partner’s astonishment at the quality of hers proved assuring.

There was no draught beer being served but a bottle of the popular Italian pale lager Menabrea washed the pizza down very nicely.

My partner went for an Aperol Spritz, a drink I firmly refuse to drink because I think it is the worst invention ever.

However, she assured me it was perfectly produced and what I can say is that it was appealingly served in an absolute gigantic, bucket-like glass.

Service was incredibly warm and it is easy to see why families flock to the restaurant. It has that family-friendly feel, but does not compromise on the quality of the food in an attempt to cater for everyone.

I do not claim to be an expert on Italian food and I am always open to suggestions regarding places to try.

However, I simply cannot remember the last time I had a better pizza.

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Factfile

Address: 85 Town St, Horsforth, Leeds, LS18 5B

Telephone: 0113 345 0150

Opening hours: Tuesday-Saturday: 12-10pm, Sunday: 12-9pm, Monday: Closed

Website: https://trattoriailforno.co.uk/

Scores

Food: 9/10

Value: 9/10

Atmosphere: 9/10

Service: 9/10

Total: 9/10