Friday 17th of November saw the much-anticipated arrival of the Pizza and Prosecco Festival, and we headed down to Canal Mills to check it out. The nationwide event has been making headlines across the country and has been so popular in Leeds, that organisers arranged a second night and brunch. It’s easy to see why.
Although not a classic pairing, pizza and prosecco turned out to be a winning combination. As event manager, Ollie Hughes Power, says: ‘With prosecco you have one glass and you’re fine, you have another and suddenly it’s another story.’ This was definitely true on Friday night – as the evening progressed, people were dancing on tables and the atmosphere was buzzing.
Over twenty brands of prosecco were available on the night as well as a range of cocktails. We were offered a bottle of Di Maria, the house fave to try. This was fruity and fairly light. For those wishing to splash the cash, there were also bottles of Scavi and Ray Ice, ‘Italy’s premium prosecco’ on offer. I’m no connoisseur but for any experts out there, this would be one to try.
Feeling the buzz a bit, we then headed out to sample the pizza. The festival is all about quality and this was evident with the food and drinks. Six of Yorkshire’s finest pizza traders were set up in the yard and we were spoilt for choice. Perhaps the most popular van was ‘The Pork Society’ serving up an enticing pulled pork calzone and fresh pizza dough with sausage. After much deliberation, we went for a goat’s cheese and caramelised onion dough from Woodfired Pizza. This was delicious with a thin base and powerful flavours. After a bottle of prosecco, we decided one pizza to share wasn’t enough, so we also opted for garlic bread with cheese from Prove Pizza. Prove serve pizza the Neopolitan way; the garlic bread tasted fresh and flavoursome, if a little charcoaled. However, the hefty amount of cheese more than made up for a slightly charred edge.
It wouldn’t be Canal Mills without glitter and plenty of guests took advantage of the free glitter station. A constant stream of live artists kept the atmosphere chilled throughout the evening in spite of queues due to the popularity of the event. Although not the cheapest of nights out, if you’re a fan of prosecco and pizza keep an eye out for a return of the Festival to Leeds.
Esther Marshall
Image credit: Culture Whisper