Classic Italian food like grandma used to make at Da Vinci

Vegetable tagliatelle at Da Vinci Italian and Prosecco Restuarant in Sheffield.

I arrived for dinner with my friend at 8pm on Saturday and was greeted by a lovely man who took my name and told me my table was ready upstairs. The personalised service was welcoming and indicated a good night ahead.

Once upstairs, a friendly waiter showed us to our table inside the cosy restaurant.

Chocolate fudge cake at Da Vinci Italian and Prosecco Restuarant in Sheffield.

He returned a short while later and took orders with a warm smile.

I had the vegetable tagliatelle (£8.50) and my friend opted for the penne al forno (£8.95).

We also ordered a bottle of prosecco (£22.95).

As a vegetarian, I was pleased to find that I had a choice of two starters, two pasta dishes, three pizzas, one pancake dish and a risotto.

Prosecco at Da Vinci Italian and Prosecco Restuarant in Sheffield.

Our chosen dishes arrived quickly and we were both very impressed.

My dish was full of olives, pepper and courgette, with a lovely tomato sauce.

The waiter also added a generous topping of Parmesan cheese at my request.

My friend told me that her meal was equally as tasty, and packed with ham and salami.

We both commented that our dishes tasted fresh and authentic.

Its not surprising to learn that manager Dario Sollazzo grew up in Sicily.

“We make classic authentic dishes here,” he said.

“The menu is inspired by the food I had back home. They are like my grandma used to make.”

The restaurant is family-orientated – with Dario’s wife of 20 years helping to run the business.

Dario is also continuing a family tradition by running the business.

He said: “My grandad owned a few restaurants. There is a photo of him above the bar which was taken in 1942. I think he would be proud of DaVinci’s.”

Children are also welcome to dine in the restaurant, on Chesterfield Road, which has a very cosy and relaxing atmosphere.

For dessert we both opted for the chocolate fudge cake.

Again, this arrived at our table quickly and we could smell the indulgent aroma of chocolate as soon as the plates were put down.

The cake itself was just as inviting; a light and airy sponge with a rich chocolate taste.

We paid £50.30 for two main courses, a bottle of prosecco and two desserts.