Many of us who are food lovers with a taste for Mediterranean cuisine have come to know what to expect from an Italian restaurant by now.
But award-winning Italian restaurant Giuliano has been doing things a little differently and quietly going from strength to strength, winning countless awards and receiving 5-star reviews from happy customers. So what’s the secret?
Hidden gem
Located in the heart of Handforth, Giuliano is a hidden gem offering a variety of authentic Italian cuisines, all served with friendly service and smiles, satisfying the tastebuds of local customers and diners from further afield. The service is fantastic with many loyal customers returning again and again. The restaurant's mission is simple - to bring modern Italian dining to the North West.
At the end of last year, Giuliano, which has 150 covers, was named the county’s best restaurant at the England Business Awards. It’s been a long journey for owner Lulzim Culaj, who took over the struggling Italian restaurant in 2019 despite having no experience. He has been delighted to see his efforts pay off with countless awards, rave reviews and glowing recommendations from happy customers.
A dedicated chef
Food lovers are in for a real treat as Giuliano prides itself on the quality of the food. Each dish is carefully crafted by a dedicated chef. The culinary team uses high-quality, fresh ingredients in all dishes, including seasonal produce, to ensure customers have the best dining experience.
Take a seat at this stylish and inviting restaurant, and take your pick of Italian starter favourites such as king prawns cooked in white wine, chilli, garlic and butter and Caesar salad.
Main courses are plentiful too. If you are in the mood for pizza there is a choice of 14 stone-baked pizzas including a meat and a vegetarian version of the famous pizza calzone. There are more than 15 tempting Italian pasta dishes including lobster ravioli and gnocchi dolcelatte and several risotto dishes including the very popular seafood risotto.
Giuliano offers a sumptuous selection of meat and seafood dishes and desserts. Try a moreish lamb shank slowly cooked in garlic rosemary red wine sauce served with mashed potatoes or grilled sea bass fillets cooked in butter and lemon sauce, served with vegetables or chips.
And if you have room for pudding, Giuliano's dessert menu showcases a wide variety of Italian specialities such as the classic tiramisu and panna cotta as well as Italian gelato and sorbets. There’s also an extensive wine and cocktails list, sparkling wine and Champagne, beer and cider, and soft drinks.
A beautiful setting
Giuliano is well-established as a foodie favourite and it's easy to see why. Steeped in fine Italian traditions, Giuliano will make you forget you're in Cheshire and think you've been whisked away to Italy. The spacious restaurant is decorated with plants and wooden beams, giving you the sense of being transported to a Sicilian villa.
The place settings are perfect, with polished cutlery, linen napkins, and ambient lighting, providing the ideal spot to dine in, whether you're enjoying lunch, dining with friends and family or heading there for dinner with a date. The restaurant also has a pleasant external area which opens in the summer and has 16 covers.
Highest accolades
Lulzim is originally from Albania but has spent most of his life in Cheshire and Manchester. He decided to take on Giuliano’s in 2019, as a way of combining his managerial skills with the culinary abilities of his business partner.
And his hard work has paid off. Giuliano ended 2023 on a high note, experiencing record sales over the Christmas and New Year period. Last year Giuliano was crowned ‘Best Restaurant in Cheshire’ at the prestigious England Business Awards ceremony. Giuliano fought off stiff competition to secure the best restaurant accolade which was decided by votes from the public and a mystery shopper visit.
Lulzim said: "We’re proud of what we’ve achieved over the last five years at the restaurant and put our customers at the forefront of everything we do. We’ve been overwhelmed by the response from our loyal customers and ended last year finishing in the eight best restaurants in the country.
“More recently, our customers nominated us for the Best Restaurant with the English Hospitality Awards. We’ve now reached the stage where we are consistently fully booked and have found ourselves having to turn customers away. We recently completed the restaurant's expansion to add further capacity to keep up with demand."
Rave customer reviews
Giuliano’s reviews on Google and TripAdvisor speak for themselves and it's clear to see why Giuliano is a firm favourite with their customers who travel from far and wide to experience the fantastic atmosphere and delicious food. Giuliano’s success is not just evident in front of the house, the entire team is maintaining high standards behind the scenes too with an excellent 5-star food hygiene rating, following a surprise visit from the Food Standards Agency.
How to get in touch
If you would like to discuss a special event or booking Giuliano can be found at 121 Wilmslow Road, Handforth and can be contacted at 01625 535 245 and to book please visit www.giulianorestaurant.co.uk/booking/
