We tried Prezzo, Clarks Village, and were not disappointed

I had the pleasure of visiting Clarks Village, home of more than 90 brands, landscaped gardens and delicious dining destinations, during its new extended opening hours.

The new hours see the retail brands open from 9am to 7pm on Monday to Saturday, and open for an extra hour until 8pm on Thursdays.

Sunday hours are from 10am to 5pm.

For evening dining, Clarks Village’s restaurants stay open until at least 9pm – opening as late as 10pm on weekdays and 11pm at weekends.

I decided to visit one such restaurant with my family that was open later, and that has been newly renovated with stunning new interior décor: Prezzo Italian.

The exterior of Prezzo Italian in Clarks Village, Street. (Image: Molly Kirk)

Starting off on a good note, we arrived after 6pm, meaning we got to enjoy the free parking on offer, making my experience more seamless and enjoyable right off the bat.

I then went to the restaurant where I was greeted by the lovely smile of manager Fabio Sanfilippo, from Sicily, who has worked at the premises for nine years.

His passion and love for his role and the wider hospitality sector were evident in his diligent, eager attitude and high standards.

He even said so himself: “I love it. That’s why I came here. I feel like it’s my home now.

“It’s like bringing a small piece of Italy to Street.”

I can vouch for this, as the food was delicious and the options were inclusive of all dietary restrictions, including gluten-free, which my sister, who is coeliac, really appreciated.

Gluten-free garlic bread. (Image: Newsquest)

It was exciting to see the newly done-up interior, which has been completely transformed to include lots of vibrant art on the walls, striped booths and

To start things off, my sister had gluten-free garlic bread, and the rest of us shared the Italian meatballs, which were so flavourful and rich.

The Italian Meatballs. (Image: Newsquest)

We also ordered some of the refreshing drinks on offer, including the citrus cooler, the wild strawberry lemonade and the apple and elderflower cooler.

Drinks with dinner. (Image: Newsquest)

Next, we had our mains, which included the creamy king prawn and salmon rigatoni, the crab and lobster ravioli (which I ordered) and the fusilli arrabbiata al forno from the gluten-free menu.

I tried a little bit of everyone’s food and found it was all scrumptious.

As someone who loves seafood, my own order, along with the king prawn and salmon rigatoni, especially stood out for me.

Creamy king prawn and salmon rigatoni and the crab and lobster ravioli at Prezzo in Clarks Village (Image: Newsquest)

I also ordered the garlic bread sticks, which were fluffy and paired so well with the pasta.

As someone who loves dessert, I was very excited to steal some of my sister’s gluten-free chocolate cake alongside sharing the sticky toffee pudding my dad ordered.

Sticky toffee pudding and gluten-free chocolate cake. (Image: Newsquest)

I loved how moist both puddings were, which paired perfectly with the mouthwatering flavours.

It was such a wonderful experience, and I loved having the option to experience Clarks Village outside its normal hours.

I would definitely recommend paying it a visit while the extended opening hours, alongside the free parking, remain in place.