‘Coming to Manchester has been eight years in the making’
Gary Usher’s Kala bistro closed its doors on King Street in June last year and will now be home to a top Italian restaurant(Image: Daisy Jackson)
An acclaimed Italian restaurant in Yorkshire has announced it will open its first venue in Manchester, at the former home of a city centre bistro led by a renowned chef.
Last June, Gary Usher announced he had closed Kala on King Street after six years. He said it had been his ‘dream’ venue and shared his sadness that he could not ‘create something with longevity’.
It has now been announced that Pranzo Italian – which first opened in 2018 and has four sites across Yorkshire in Ilkley, Harrogate, Horsforth and York – will take over the unit, with an opening lined up for September.
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The Italian restaurant has two AA Rosettes for Culinary Excellence to its name. Its menu comprises homemade pasta and authentic Italian dishes, spanning across the likes of sourdough tray-baked Roman pizza, as well as salads, focaccia sandwiches and even Sunday roasts.
Founder Marco Greco said the Manchester restaurant, which marks the first Pranzo venue outside of the Pennines, had been ‘eight years in the making’. The owner had previously hailed Manchester as a ‘foodie city’ as he considered opening up in the area.
Inside the Pranzo restaurant in York(Image: Pranzo)
“We cannot wait to call Manchester home,” Marco said. “Opening a restaurant here is a huge milestone for us. We’re all about creating dishes using honest ingredients and handcrafted cooking while providing genuine Italian hospitality in a welcoming setting.”
Some of the restaurant’s recipes have also been passed down through generations, such as their Nduja Paccheri and their four-hour Beef Shin Ragu which were first created by Marco’s ‘Nonna’ more than 70 years ago.
“Every dish we serve tells a story of family, tradition and the recipes I grew up with in my Nonna’s kitchen,” Marco added. “We’re incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved in Yorkshire, and we can’t wait to share that same passion and authenticity with the people of Manchester.”
Pranzo’s Roman-style flatbread pizza will form part of the menu for the new Manchester restaurant(Image: Pranzo)
Earlier this year, Pranzo was highly recommended for two awards at the Italian Awards, including for Best Restaurant in the North East. It is now ranked as one of the top Italian restaurants in Yorkshire on TripAdvisor with an average rating of 4.8 and top of the leader board positions in two towns.
Pranzo Italian Manchester will be on 55 King Street, Manchester, M2 4LQ. Opens September.
Dining and Cooking