Business Details
20 Years
experience
Authentic Italian Dining Experience in Trafford Centre
Established in 2006 by Neil and Sara Gatt, Pesto Restaurants delivers authentic Italian cuisine in a relaxed, family-friendly atmosphere. With over 15 years of experience in the hospitality industry, we specialise in piattini - small Italian plates designed for sharing, offering over 50 dishes that balance traditional flavours with modern presentation. Our commitment to quality ingredients and approachable pricing ensures every guest enjoys a memorable dining experience, whether for casual meals, celebrations, or our refined Italian Afternoon Tea.We operate across multiple UK locations, including rural settings and the Trafford Centre, combining historic charm with contemporary service. Our team prioritises dietary inclusivity, providing gluten-free, lactose-free, vegetarian, and vegan options while maintaining kitchen transparency about allergens. From children's menus to private dining, Pesto's expertise in casual Italian dining reflects our founders' vision of accessible, high-quality food without pretension.
Services
Italian Dining
Piattini Menu
Kids Menu
Afternoon Tea
Takeaway Service
Dietary Options
Private Dining
Gift Cards
Group Bookings
Cocktail Menu
Details
- Year established: 2006
Highlights and features
- We offer over 50 authentic Italian piattini dishes for sharing
- Our family-friendly restaurants include dedicated children's menus
- We provide dietary options including gluten-free, lactose-free, and vegan
- We operate in 15+ UK locations combining historic charm with modern service
- Our Italian Afternoon Tea features artisan sandwiches and Italian desserts
Services
Piattini Menu
Our piattini menu features over 50 authentic Italian dishes served on small plates, designed for sharing. From traditional pizzas and meatballs to arancini and salads, these portions allow guests to sample multiple flavours. Each dish uses fresh ingredients prepared daily, reflecting our commitment to quality while maintaining reasonable prices.
Italian Afternoon Tea
This refined experience includes artisan sandwiches, freshly baked pastries, and Italian desserts paired with premium tea or prosecco. Served in elegant restaurant settings, it combines British tradition with Italian culinary techniques. The menu showcases our pastry chefs' expertise through items like tiramisu and panna cotta, presented on tiered stands for special occasions.
Family Dining
We cater to families with a dedicated children's menu featuring mini portions of popular Italian dishes. Options include creamy pastas, crispy chicken, and vegetarian choices in a welcoming environment. Restaurants provide high chairs, colouring sheets, and attentive service to accommodate families seeking relaxed dining experiences without compromising on food quality.
Takeaway Service
Available at all locations, our takeaway service offers freshly prepared Italian dishes for collection. The menu includes signature piattini items, pizzas, and desserts, with online ordering options. Customers can enjoy restaurant-quality meals at home while benefiting from our commitment to using premium ingredients and traditional preparation methods.
Dietary Options
We provide comprehensive dietary accommodations including gluten-free, lactose-free, vegetarian, and vegan options. Our kitchens use vegetarian cheese in pesto and offer gluten-free fusilli and pizzas. Staff receive allergen training to assist guests, while detailed dietary manuals help customers make informed choices about potential allergens in our dishes.
People
Neil Gatt
Founder
Co-founder with over 20 years' experience in hospitality, Neil established Pesto Restaurants in 2006. He champions accessible Italian dining, focusing on quality food at sensible prices while maintaining relaxed atmospheres across all locations.
Sara Gatt
Founder
Co-founder Sara Gatt brings extensive hospitality sector expertise to Pesto Restaurants. Committed to authentic Italian cuisine, she works alongside Neil to ensure consistent quality and customer satisfaction across the 15+ UK locations.
Questions
What is Pesto's signature dining concept?
We specialise in piattini – authentic Italian small plates designed for sharing. This allows guests to sample multiple dishes, with over 50 options ranging from traditional pizzas to modern Italian creations.
Do you cater for children?
Yes, we offer a dedicated children's menu with smaller portions of popular Italian dishes, plus high chairs and colouring activities to create a family-friendly dining environment.
Are dietary requirements accommodated?
We provide gluten-free, lactose-free, vegetarian, and vegan options. Our staff can provide detailed allergen information, and we use vegetarian cheese in all pesto sauces.
Can I book a table in advance?
Reservations are recommended during peak times. Most locations accept bookings via telephone or online, though Pesto at Trafford Centre operates on a walk-in basis only.
Do you offer takeaway options?
Yes, our takeaway service includes full menu access with online ordering available. Collection points are available at all 15+ UK locations for freshly prepared Italian meals to enjoy at home.
What locations are available?
We operate in 15+ UK locations including Trafford Centre, Widnes, Chester, Alfreton, and Sutton Coldfield, combining historic venues with modern shopping centre settings for convenient access.
Reviews (5)
BrotherUncle
Dec 31, 2021
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Definitely recommend the goats cheese and red onion pizza. The crumble dessert was not that great, a bit runny for my liking. Service was exceptional and Italian coffee never fails.
Summaiya Amijee
Dec 15, 2021
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I enjoyed the atmosphere greatly, I enjoyed the drinks and I enjoyed the decor. The food was however slightly disappointing as some hot dishes got cold by the time they got to me. Wheelchair/pushchair accessible and plenty of parking available on site.
Sophie
Nov 16, 2021
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Lovely friendly staff and the food is to die for! If you're like me and like a variety of things on the menu then this is the place to come as you can order 4-5 and have them to yourself or share. The tapas sized dishes are just great! And top quality
Heather Johnson
Oct 25, 2021
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Highly recommend. Lovely food its fresh and good quality. Portion sizes are good. Can choose as much or as little as you fancy. Perfect if u fancy a variety too. Our waitress was Cery and she was lovely really good staff
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Joanna Ramsey
Oct 13, 2021
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We come to wolvey for lunch food was amazing love the idea of 3 tapas style lunch menu me and my mum had 6 different meals and shared also Desert was amazing would recommend anybody to come for a meal out will… deafly be coming back staff very friendly and very helpful I’ve never been before they explain the menu this is a Picture of dessert
