April 20, 2011 10.59 am This story is over 155 months old

Lincoln Zizzi to open by June

New restaurant: A national chain is the newest restaurant to join the eateries along the Brayford.

Construction for a new Italian restaurant is well underway on Brayford Wharf North, as national chain Zizzi are placing one of their restaurants in the old So Luxe unit, next to the Odeon.

The unit is set to be transformed into a Zizzi by May 23, creating 28 jobs.

The inside of the two-storey restaurant will be inspired by both uphill and downhill Lincoln, and local artists will be able to showcase their work too.

Some of the lights will also be red to represent the Red Arrows, based at RAF Waddington.

Helen Jones, Managing Director at Zizzi said: “People want to be able to go to a local restaurant and feel that it is just that.

“All too often restaurants become indistinguishable with no sense of locality or character. Zizzi wants to provide communities like Lincoln with a restaurant that reflects the area – a place that feels personal to them.

“Over the next 12 months we’ll be re-designing all of our existing restaurants – as well as opening new ones across the UK – and the results will be totally inspired by each and every location.”

The menu varies from pizza and calzone to pasta and al forno, with a big drinks menu. Prices start at £2.45 for a starter and £6.90 for a main course.

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 a 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.

Photo: Kelly Moore for The Lincolnite | Related Report: Lincolnshire Echo