Gino D’Acampo Leeds review: Here’s what I thought of a celebrity chef's new city centre restaurant

Gino D’Acampo is a man who will, in any medium, straddle the high and the low-brow. His stylish travel series Gino’s Italian Escape is compulsively watchable, while his gig fronting shouty gameshow “Family Fortunes” is the opposite.

The same goes for his food: the telly chef has opened a swish new restaurant in Leeds city centre glittering with opulent décor, but still flogs frozen ready meals in Asda with names like “My Mamma’s Lasagna”.

That makes it difficult to know what to expect from the recently-opened Boar Lane venue. But the first clue is the design – an extensive dining room is soaked in a warm hue with plush amber chairs and clean white tablecloths, giving the feel of a Mediterranean hotel. As sharply-dressed staff ushered us in, I worried I had not budgeted accordingly.

But the lavish appearance is deceptive. The lunch and early evening menu is surprisingly affordable, with two courses for £22.50, which includes a complimentary drink. We went for two Aperol spritz, which camouflaged against the orange backdrop as they were set down. They were light and bittersweet, the perfect aperitif.

The first course was arancini ai funghi, or crispy mushroom risotto balls with a tomato and red pepper sauce. The richness of the batter satisfied our craving for something deep-fried and fatty, while the subtle earthiness inside held its own.

Going double risotto, our main course was risotto primavera, an Italian classic with leeks, asparagus, peas and pecorino cheese. It was creamy and filling, but not a dish that shouts from the rooftops. Muted flavours came together well, but left no distinct impression, and a tangle of green leaves on top of the dish was surplus to requirements.

Still, the risotto itself was well made, which is no easy feat. Mine ends up either a gloopy mess or an undercooked bowl of crunchy rice – calling it al dente would be kind. Gino’s risotto primavera was good, just not amazing.

All in all, Gino D’Acampo Restaurant Leeds serves reliable Italian food in a beautiful setting – and is infinitely better than his frozen lasagna ready meals.

Factfile

Address: Gino D’Acampo Restaurant Leeds, Boar Lane, Leeds, LS1 6EN

Telephone: 0113 468 0804

Opening hours: Mon-Fri, 6.30am-10am and noon-11pm; Sat-Sun, 6.30am-10.30am and noon-11pm.

Website: https://ginodacampohotelsandleisure.com/our-restaurants/leeds-restaurant-page/

Scores

Food: 6/10

Value: 7/10

Atmosphere: 7/10

Service: 7/10