Riva Blu Italian Restaurant & Bar, Leeds City Centre

You'll spot the vintage-chic interiors before you even sit down – this Park Row Italian knows how to set a scene. The kitchen takes proper Italian foundations and gives them contemporary nudges that actually work, rather than the gimmicky fusion you'll find elsewhere in the city centre. The cocktail bar pulls its weight too, and that terrace becomes prime real estate when the weather cooperates. It's the kind of place that works whether you're impressing a date or catching up with mates over something more substantial than your usual city centre fare. The modern twists on Italian classics feel thoughtful rather than showy, which is exactly what you want when you're paying ££ prices in this part of Leeds.