Review from back in August 2020.
Joining the bustling Leeds restaurant scene just before Coronavirus hit the UK, Rudy’s has made quite the name for itself since its 2015 inception. Starting out in Manchester’s trendy Ancoats neighbourhood, the pizzeria has gained a cult fanbase thanks to its doughy, Neapolitan style grub – and to be frank, it really does taste like no other.
Set in a simple, airy setting that puts the full focus on the food, the casual restaurant is the perfect spot for any occasion. But does that make it the best pizzeria in Yorkshire? We think it’s a strong contender for the title.
Heading over for a bit of a taster just days before lockdown began, we popped to Leeds to see what all the fuss was about, and we weren’t disappointed. Heading into the restaurant, booking in hand, we were greeted by friendly team members who seemed genuinely happy to be there – something that seems to have rippled through Rudy’s restaurants as a whole.
The atmosphere is lively, relaxed, and sociable – with groups of people gathering over pizza to chat and catch up, just as the Italians do (and as Rudy’s intended). When arriving at our table, we ordered ourselves a couple of drinks – which were needed after the Mrs dragged me around Harvey Nics – white wine for the lady, and a nice cold Poretti for The Yorkshireman. Everything you’ll find on the menu is authentic to its inspiration, Italy, with ingredients retrieved right from the source and drinks imported from Bel Paese itself.
But the real highlight? The main event itself, the pizza. Fluffy, saucy, and flavourful – this pizza isn’t just any pizza. It’s world class, officially voted last year as the tenth best pizza in the world – just a few spots behind the famous Naples pizzeria L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele (#2). Achieving what many have failed to do here in the UK, Rudy’s replicates the traditional flavours of real Neapolitan pizza – mastering the leopard spotted base and retaining the doughy, melty finish that really is to die for.
We soon realised only mouthfuls into our meal why Rudy’s often sees queues around the block, savouring every bite of the carby goodness while it lasted. And making it last isn’t something you need to worry about – since the portion sizes are absolutely huge.
Each pizza is carefully crafted from scratch by one of their expert pizzaiolos, with dough that’s been proofed for a minimum of 24 hours, before being popped into the specially sourced pizza oven (shipped over from Naples) for just 60 seconds.
We can’t even begin to describe the fresh and vibrant flavours the ingredients achieve together, but what we can do is make a solid recommendation to try out their ever-popular Calabrese pizza – which I must admit, I’ve chowed down a minimum of ten times already during lockdown.
The menu features a little something for everyone, and since everything is made completely from scratch, you can custom select what you’d like on top to make the perfect pizza. Whether you’re out for a shopping trip, or having a long-awaited catch-up with friends – you’ll want to book yourself a table at Rudy’s, and try it for yourself. You can order pizza online here, and even order bake at home pizzas here.
Rudy’s can be found at 2 New Station St, Leeds, LS1 5DL and is open seven days a week from 12 noon. Book your table here.
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