A POPULAR Italian restaurant has announced when it finally intends to open at the Northern Gateway project.

Taste of Italy, an award-winning restaurant, which has a branch In Chelmsford, was announced for the Northern Gateway Leisure Park in Colchester in October 2023.

Owned by Sergio Teacu, 32, and partner Lucia Pronesti, 30, of Silver End, Taste Of Italy has built a positive reputation for its authentic Italian food.

The pair refurbished and opened the restaurant in September, 2020.

A major speciality at Taste of Italy is Neapolitan pizzas, arancini, and starters.

The business imports all its flours, cured meats, olives, olive oils and wines from Italy on a weekly basis.

Every fresh vegetable the business uses is locally sourced, and the pizza dough is made with 48 hours’ worth of prep time.

It also does not make or sell any ketchup, mayo or garlic mayo with the pizza dishes that are served, as Sergio wants customers to enjoy the food like “people would do in Italy”.

At Northern Gateway restaurant and food brands like Slim Chickens, Wendy’s, and Greggs are all open at the Northern Gateway Leisure Park.

However, Taste of Italy, Kaspa’s Desserts, Joyato Sushi and Grill, and El Guaca are still not open.

Colchester Council recently announced that Cineworld has departed from the leisure park and that “some restaurant tenants” have decided to delay fitting-out their units until a new cinema operator is found.

The Taste of Italy boss also confirmed there has many “issues” at the development and that the Cineworld fiasco has caused delays.

Thankfully, Sergio has confirmed that the Taste of Italy unit is currently being worked on.

He is expecting to open the Colchester branch in “mid-December”.

To find out more about Taste of Italy, visit tasteofitalypizzeria.co.uk.