January 21, 2011 3.55 pm This story is over 157 months old

Italian chain Zizzi to open Lincoln branch

Tuscan food: The upmarket Italian restaurant scene in Lincoln is set to get spicier with the arrival or Zizzi.

Traditional Italian restaurant chain Zizzi is set to open a Lincoln restaurant in May, challenging other upmarket venues in the city, according to reports.

The Lincoln Zizzi will be located on Brayford Wharf North, on the premises of the former So Luxe, which stood empty for over a year.

The Zizzi chain contains 109 restaurants in the UK, and is owned by Gondola Holdings PLC, who also own the Ask and Pizza Express restaurants.

Ask, who have restaurant on Brayford Wharf North as well, are the mid-market operators of Gondola, while Zizzi are the upmarket Tuscan-style chain.

Zizzi’s big competitors on Brayford Wharf North will be the italian Prezzo chain, as well as the new Harvester and Nando’s.

Zizzi’s move into Lincoln is part of the chain’s campaign to expand its restaurants nationwide, after it was first started in 1999.

The Lincoln restaurant is reportedly currently recruiting waiting and bar staff, as well as a general manager. An opening date was not set.