‘This is a dream come true’
Giuliano has won big at the renowned England Business Awards.(Image: Giuliano)
An Italian restaurant on the outskirts of Greater Manchester has been named the best in England – just five years after being taken over.
On Sunday night (November 17), Giuliano, based in Handforth, Cheshire, was named the Best Restaurant in England at the renowned England Business Awards, which were held in Birmingham.
Competing amongst ten regional finalists, the Wilmslow Road eatery was praised for its authentic selection of meals, drawing inspiration from Sicily, featuring stone-baked pizzas, pastas and meat and fish dishes.
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The journey from local Italian spot to a nationally acclaimed restaurant began in 2019 when owner Lulzim Culaj took over the reins of Giuliano – despite having no previous hospitality experience.
At the time, the original restaurant, which first opened in 2012, had been struggling but Lulzim decided to partner his managerial skills with a business partner who had experience of the industry to offer something that connected with the local community and beyond.
The restaurant has become known for its authentic Italian dishes, inspired by Sicily (Image: Giuliano)
Winning the Best Restaurant prize came after multiple rounds of competitions, public voting and mystery shopper evaluations. Last year, the restaurant was also named the Best Restaurant in Cheshire at the same awards ceremony.
Lulzim, who is originally from Albania, said of this week’s win for the Wilmslow spot: “Winning this award is a dream come true. We work hard to provide exceptional service, delicious food, and a warm atmosphere, but this recognition goes beyond that.
“Receiving national acclaim for all our efforts is truly the icing on the cake. We want to thank our loyal customers who voted for us in huge numbers and look forward to celebrating with them in the weeks to come.”
The Giuliano team, with Lulzim in the centre, accepting their Best Restaurant in England win at the weekend(Image: Giuliano)
On TripAdvisor, Giuliano has a five-star rating based on more than 600 reviews. It is ranked number one in the Handforth area and also has a Travellers’ Choice 2024 award from the platform.
One reviewer described it as serving ‘beautiful food’ which is ‘consistently fantastic’, whilst another said: “Lovely fresh food, service impeccable. Couldn’t fault the place. A warm cosy vibe throughout.”
Later this month, on November 29, the restaurant will celebrate its big win with a special live music event featuring singer Jennie Sawdon. They also have a big New Year’s Eve party in store for the end of the year too.
Giuliano is on 121 Wilmslow Road, Handforth, Cheshire, Wilmslow, SK9 3HX. More details here.