Set among the leafy streets and historic canals of Worsley, Vesuvio brings a slice of southern Italy to one of Greater Manchester’s prettiest suburbs. Family-owned and run since 2012, the restaurant focuses on traditional Italian cooking made with fresh, locally sourced ingredients, blending generations-old recipes with a warm neighbourhood atmosphere.
The menu is all about Italian comfort food, beginning with a strong line-up of stuzzichini and antipasti made for sharing. There are simple starters such as marinated Italian olives and bruschetta topped with tomatoes, garlic and basil, alongside richer options including deep-fried gnocchi with Parma ham, smoked salmon crostini with mascarpone and bruschetta piled with sautéed mushrooms, parmesan and white wine. Seafood features throughout the menu too, from deep-fried calamari with smoked garlic dip to tiger prawns served either in a spiced bisque or fried with chilli dip.
Pasta is clearly one of the kitchen’s strengths. Alongside Italian staples such as lasagne al forno, spaghetti alla matriciana and penne arrabbiata, the restaurant’s signature dishes draw inspiration from the Campania region. The Paccheri Alla Genovese is particularly notable: large pasta tubes served with a six-hour slow-cooked beef and onion ragù, while the Tagliolini del Marinaro combines fresh pasta with king prawns in a traditional Neapolitan fisherman’s pesto recipe. Risottos are also made fresh to order, including a saffron and mushroom version finished with truffle oil and parmesan.
Pizza follows the Neapolitan tradition, using San Marzano tomatoes, fior di latte mozzarella and Caputo flour. Choices range from a classic Margherita to richer combinations topped with nduja, burrata, Parma ham or Italian sausage and friarielli. For larger appetites, secondi dishes include fillet steak with balsamic dressing, chicken valdostana in sage butter sauce and Italian sausages served with wild Neapolitan broccoli and roast potatoes.
And, finally, for a sweet end there's a gorgeous dessert menu featuring the likes of Traditional Neapolitan chocolate
and almond cake served with Gelato al Pistacchio, as well as homemade Limoncello cheese cake which is just fabulous with a dessert.