If you love Italian food, then you are bound to love Riva Blu. For this is no ordinary restaurant but one that gives a true taste of Southern Italy.

It’s no secret that Italians are passionate about their food, and this passion is reflected in the menu, service and food at Riva Blu.
Stepping through the glass doors immerses you in a cosmopolitan atmosphere, even on the coldest nights, as if the sun is suddenly shining.

The blue décor and well-choreographed tables with comfortable leather seating say it all – this is the place to enjoy being pampered with a touch of luxury.

Riva Blu’s reputation for good Italian food is well known in the city; that is why on a freezing midweek night it's full of discerning diners— but because it's so well planned, there’s privacy and space for everyone.

While we perused the menu, we ordered some pitted Gordal olives from the Da Dividere section of the menu, which translates to 'sharing appetizers'. They were juicy and tender, and there was a more than ample portion.

For antipasti my colleague decided on the Bruschetta Gamberoni. The toasted sourdough was perfect – soft in the middle and crispy on the outside. The pan-fried king prawns were succulent, whilst the accompanying chilli mayonnaise was not too hot – in fact, it was just right to bring out the flavour of the prawns.

I decided to be rather daring and chose a new dish on the menu in the Riva Recommends section – which is more than very useful. Frittatina Carbonara is a dish in the true spirit of Naples. It’s a wonderful dish that is both unusual and tasty, with crispy, golden pasta fritters reinvented with rich Italian flavours.

The deep-fried pasta fritter with guanciale, pecorino, and black pepper in pasta and béchamel was certainly tasty, and I loved every morsel of it. A traditional dish, according to our waiter, it was first invented to get children to eat leftover pasta and soon became a favourite dish for all the family.

For the main course it had to be a calzone from the Pizza Napoletana selection for my colleague. The presentation of this folded pizza made it look more than appetising. The dough was amazingly light and crispy on the outside. The pizza was very generously filled with ricotta, San Marzano tomato, and a delicious smooth smoked provola that complemented the Napoli salami. The entire dish had taste and flavour, especially the rich sauce inside the calzone. My colleague said she hadn’t tasted a calzone like this since her business trip to Milan some years ago.

My choice for the main course had to be the Gnocchi Sorrentina, one of the many vegetarian dishes offered on the menu. Never had I had gnocchi so tasty and perfectly cooked. It was a large portion bursting with flavour, made with buffalo mozzarella and languishing in a slow-cooked flavoursome tomato sauce and garnished with basil.
It was a while before we felt able to order Dolci – desserts – but we could not resist what was on offer on the menu.

My colleague, who is a Tiramisu fan, could not resist trying the Tiramisu Al Pistachio. It was light and so well presented. The pistachios were on the outside and provided a lovely contrast to the coffee, amaretto-soaked sponge, and mascarpone.

Now I just could not resist a dessert made with one of my favourite tipples, Limoncello – Delizia Al Limone – an exclusive twist on the Amalfi Coast dessert. When it arrived, it had obviously been handcrafted. The lemon was covered in a crispy lemon fondant coating . Inside was a sponge with a limoncello and mascarpone cream filling and a soft lemon centre. The dessert was pure decadence and must have been made in the Angel’s kitchen.

Soon we discovered we were the last people in the restaurant, but in the wonderful pure Italian way, no one tried to rush us. That’s one thing about Riva Blu: the staff are amazing. They are very attentive, know their product well, and, above all, make you feel special and at home.

So when we left, it wasn’t goodbye to Riva Blu; it was Ci Vediamo! (So Long).

We will be back very soon.

Riva Blu, 11/12 Park Row, Leeds LS1 5HD. Tel: 0113 244 3220
Open: Monday to Thursday 12 noon – 10.00pm; Friday and Saturday 12 noon – 11pm; Sunday 12 noon – 9.00pm
There are branches of the restaurant in various other places, including The Springs, Thorpe Arch Leeds, Hull and Manchester. https://rivablu.co.uk/