The team at Tre Ciccio are clearly proud of where they are. A quick look at their website brings up the ‘story’ Ramsbottom — once a traditional village on the edge of Bury, Lancashire, now one of Greater Manchester’s most desirable rural enclaves, known for its foodie offering, and the hungry locals driving trade. Situated in an old mill house in the centre of this picturesque settlement, the restaurant and building benefited from a major refurbishment completed in 2018, and the result is a tasteful ode to heritage crafted with timeless standards. The ideal setting for the kind of food on offer.
Italian-led, Antipasti options include classics like bruschetta gamberoni, calamari fritti, and salads, alongside rotolini (baked pizza bites), pollo picante (roast chicken wings with nduja, honey and sesame), and arancini cacio e pepe (risotto fritters with pecorino and parmesan cheeses). There are just two pasta choices, and both are incredible. Mazzaluna, which is half-moon shaped parcels of lobster, ricotta cheese, shellfish, dill bisque, and pure joy. Panciotti, meanwhile, combines ravioli filled with chestnut mushroom and goat’s cheese with basil pesto and rocket.
Pizzas and pollo offer more expansive ranges, with chicken dishes served alongside potato, proving Italian and UK approaches to poultry share more in common than some might think. With dough fermented for a minimum of 24 hours before being cooked at 500C in a wood burning oven, the speciality pizzas are definitely a highlight, and feature big hitters like Marinara, Margherita, and Diavola, alongside less common toppings. The sud, for example, comes with burrata, spicy calabrian sausage, and San Marzano tomato sauce. While the maiori boasts Amalfi tuna, capers, red onion and fior di latte cheese. A separate vegan menu is available for primi (starter) and secondi (mains), and children have their own section, too. Add a great wine list, cocktails, beers, highly commended Specials and Desserts, and it’s no surprise the operation has expanded to a second site in Altrincham.