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Perhaps it is because the 'café' occupies an old stone building which nestles between well-worn architecture and just blends effortlessly into its backdrop. Or maybe it's simply because the name 'café' brings to mind single-room eateries, often with too many tables crammed into too small a space.

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Whatever the reason, it is only once you step inside Café Marinetti that you can really begin to appreciate the scale of the restaurant, which has not one but two floors, replete with dozens of tables, all immaculately laid out in preparation for diners.

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And according to hearsay the place is positively stuffed to the rafters on Friday and Saturday evenings, so it's a good job they have the space.

We pitched up at Café Marinetti unannounced on a Sunday at about 4.30pm. The sun was blazing away and threatening to give us all a summer we deserve and so it seemed only right that we sit outside.

Prior to our visit, I had Googled the cafe to check on its opening times – www. cafemarinetti.com – and seen a picture of smiling owner Mario Marinetti, a friendly-looking stout man in a pinafore.

As we approached the café, the same man was sitting outside sipping coffee and browsing a newspaper and immediately offered to give up his table for us, suggesting to us it was in the best position to catch the sun, before he disappeared inside. We accepted his offer gratefully.
It wasn't long before we were asked for drinks and we ordered Peroni lager (£2.95) and a tonic water (£1.50) for my partner.

However, with starters yet to be ordered, we decided to throw caution to the wind and order a bottle of Blanco delle Venezie (£12.95), a slightly tart wine but which turned out to be perfect for quaffing with a meal.

There was something about sitting there in the sun, occupying our small piece of pavement in that splendidly tranquil setting, watching the world go by that just totally relaxed us. Of course, sun and alcohol equals relaxation but sitting outside Café Marinetti felt like being transported to some European street café.

To cap it all, as were sipped our wine and chatted idly, a large family turned up only to be rapturously greeted in Italian by one of the waiters. Honestly, it was like something out of The Sopranos.

Our starters were ordered shortly after the wine came and included savoury pancake filled with meat and mushrooms, oven baked and served in tomato and white wine sauce (£6.95), and a selection of bruschetta, one with tomatoes, one with extra Parma ham and another with Feta cheese (£4.75). Both dishes were excellent, very tasty and well priced. The pancake was piping hot and just left you wanting more, while the bruschetta was cool and crunchy and not over-seasoned.

For our mains we ordered linguine pescatore (£9.25), which consisted of
linguine pasta mixed with fresh fish; and pollo alla griglia (£11.95), charcoal grilled breast of chicken with olive oil and lemon. The pasta was a good sized portion, aromatic and with a flavour to match.

The grilled lemon chicken was tender and moist. It was served with a selection of steamed fresh vegetables, including potatoes, sliced carrots and cabbage, none of which were overcooked, nor too wet, as is sometimes the case. They complimented the dish perfectly and the lemon/olive oil sauce was light and refreshing.

My partner also ordered a green salad, which came with asparagus - a nice surprise, as it turned out to be crunchy and delicious. It was also accompanied by olive oil and balsamic vinegar in a bottle.

After all that, with the wine flowing and the conversation buzzing and the sun lowering in the sky, we were reluctant to leave and decided to order desserts – one chocolate banana ice cream sundae (£3.95) and one lemon cheesecake (£3.95). I cannot begin to describe how nice the sundae was. If it was possible to shrink myself to the size of a flea,
I would gladly base-jump off the wafer, then ski down the ice-cream and finally swim (and, yes, possibly drown) in the delicious goo.

Needless to say, both desserts went down a treat.

In fact, I have to say that Café Marinetti is a place I will gladly return to again and again. The atmosphere both outside and in was more than just relaxing. If you're feeling in any way stressed from work or home life, a trip here would be the perfect way to unwind.
I ventured in to check out the toilets (up two flights of steps but spotlessly clean) and to have a general wander round.

The decor isn't ultra modern but it's also not dated. It fits the feel of the restaurant. It's clean, there are plenty of mirrors and bars on both dining floors.

Our waiter was never far away but neither was he over-attentive. We felt unhurried during our meal and even during our coffees (£1.60 each), we felt like we could spend another couple of hours - and perhaps another bottle of wine - just watching the sun set, the aeroplanes cruise overhead into Leeds-Bradford Airport and the general hoi polloi go by.

The final bill came in at £61.60, which for pre-dinner drinks, three courses and a bottle of very nice wine, plus after-dinner coffees, is very good value.

If you wanted to trim a bit off that, then you could quite easily keep the wine but skip the coffees and starters and then you're looking at something in the region of £25-a-head. Overall, well worth an evening out.

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