Italian Fine Dining

Let me start by making a very bold statement. In my view, Novello is the best restaurant in Lytham by a country mile. It is one of our favourite places to dine, not just here in the Fylde, but across the entire North West – it really is that good

The restaurant has been in its present site at the bottom of Clifton Street for more than 22 years but has had a presence in Lytham for nearly 35 years. To survive and flourish as it has is testimony to Tony Lioveri and his family who have made this the ‘go-to’ for authentic Italian cooking in a stylish and contemporary setting.

I have three main criteria when I reflect on a great dinner. The food of course goes without saying, but also the environment and the service are equally as important and when these three elements align, you just know you are in for a treat.

The food is simply stunning. Sal, Tony’s son has worked in the family business since he was 14, he is an accomplished chef and his cooking is sublime. The ethos is to source quality produce, and with this in mind consistency and longevity prevail. Novello’s meat, fish and specialist ingredients come from a small local group of trusted suppliers who bring only the very best produce, almost all of them having worked with Tony and Sal for over 20 years.

Everything is cooked fresh to order and nothing is pre-prepared, and the presentation of every dish is to the same exacting standards as its preparation – simply beautiful on the plate. Liz and I often have an early table on a Friday evening, it’s our treat at the end of a long week of meetings and travelling.

There are two key menus to choose from. The Cicchetti small plates menu, which is a winner for a stylish lunch, for sharing or as an additional selection of starters for dinner. We often choose our starters from this menu, though I have to admit there’s not usually much sharing going on! There’s also the a la carte menu offering something for everyone, amazing freshly prepared pasta, seasonal meat and seafood and of course a choice of decadent desserts to finish.

The well curated wine list is mainly Italian of course, with many of our firm favourites on offer, however Tony is always on hand to suggest alternatives to ensure the perfect food pairing. On our most recent visit, Liz opted for some fresh mussels, sweet, plump and juicy with a garlic and cream sauce – more of Sal’s delicious home baked bread was required to mop up and enjoy every morsel. I went off piste and ordered from the main menu, the beetroot cannelloni which wrapped a sharp tangy goat’s cheese centre, well balanced with sweet pickled onions and micro herbs – this was a very elegant light dish and the perfect pre-cursor to our main course choices.

We’d both opted for home-made pasta dishes as our mains – these have become firm favourites of us both, though seeing the other diners on the adjacent table with the pan roasted veal and wild turbot, for a split second there was a pang of food envy but then again, there’s always our next visit.

Quality not quantity is key here, with around 35 covers, it makes for an intimate group of diners and often conversations are shared and noted for choices on our next visit.

Our pasta dishes were predictably sensational, tagliolini and the sweetest scallops enveloped in a garlic, chilli and lemon butter sauce had me in raptures once again. Liz chose the spaghetti king prawns and sausage with wild mushroom, chilli and garlic. Spicy but well balanced, our clean plates a testimony to the triumph and love of the food here.

Dessert is always shared and of course always home-made. Tiramisu is my absolute favourite and with two spoons, completed a truly delightful dinner.

I mentioned the service earlier. Relaxed yet professional, Tony and Vera have a laid-back fun style of service, and this fits so well with the intimacy of the restaurant, the decor is contemporary and elegant with starched white tablecloths and fresh flowers completing the stylish look and making every visit feel that little bit special.

Tony always asks me if I enjoyed the food. His and Sal’s passion and enthusiasm for their food, wine and service is evident in every aspect of what they do, and I can’t think of anywhere better to spend a night with Liz in his amazing restaurant right here in town.

Novello
9 Clifton Street, Lytham FY8 5EP
01253 730278
hello@thenovello.co.uk
thenovello.co.uk
@novello_lytham

Opening Hours
Monday and Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday to Saturday: 12noon – 10pm
Sunday: 12noon – Late

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Tedd Walmsley

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