‘It’s one of the must beautiful restaurants I have seen!’
After many requests from locals living in Bramhall, the team behind Giuliano in Handforth have opened their second site(Image: Ryan Jenkinson/Manchester Evening News)
The owners of a new Italian restaurant in Stockport have claimed they may be home to one of the ‘most beautiful’ venues they have ever seen as it opens its doors this week.
This week, Giuliano opens in Bramhall and comes from the same team behind the beloved spot of the same name, over in Handforth, Cheshire. Led by owner Lulzim Culaj, the original Italian has built up a firm reputation earning recognition on a national scale for its dishes.
Giuliano was named the Best Restaurant in England at the renowned England Business Awards two years ago and has also previously been named Best Restaurant in Cheshire at the prestigious awards in 2023 and 2024 too.
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Lulzim took over the original Handforth restaurant seven years ago, seeing the potential for the then-struggling restaurant to become what it is known as today. He said the success has made him see the potential to now open its second location.
“Bramhall is one of the nicest villages I know,” Lulzim tells the Manchester Evening News when asked about why he chose the Stockport area for Giuliano’s expansion. “It looks great, it feels great and, honestly, it has got a great feel of community. We do have a lot of customers from Bramhall and they always ask us when we are going to open here!”
Giuliano in Bramhall retains the ‘modern, Italian’ feel of its original Handforth site(Image: RyaN Jenkinson/Manchester Evening News)
The restaurant’s interior has been created by Cheshire interior designer Butterworth Interiors, led by owner Faye, who have also worked on locations including Sapori, in Cheadle Hulme, Nordon’s Stocco, and the original Giuliano restaurant.
Describing it as ‘modern and Italian’, Lulzim says the restaurant continues with what Giuliano is already known for but takes it to the next level. “The team have done an outstanding job on it,” he proclaims. “It’s one of the must beautiful restaurants I have seen!”
Keeping up with what it does best, the menu at the new Stockport restaurant continues with its original offering including stonebaked pizzas, pastas and risottos, and fresh meat and fish dishes.
Giuliano manager Klevis Hysaj inside the new Bramhall restaurant(Image: Ryan Jenkinson/Manchester Evening News)
Highlights on the menu include the Pizza Quattro Stagioni featuring spicy sausage, the ravioli lobster, served in a creamy tomato sauce, fresh seabass or ribeye steak.
There is also the Vitello Ferri, featuring flattened tenderloin veal marinated with rosemary and lemon, finished with rocket and Parmesan, and the Ravioli alla Toscana, featuring stuffed ravioli with ricotta and spinach, cooked with tomatoes, mushrooms, and served in a cream and white wine sauce.
“We are not going to be doing much different from what we are already doing,” Lulzim explains. “We will be trying to maintain the same concept as this is the reason why we expanded in the first place.”
In the space of seven years, Giuliano has built up a big reputation and even won an award naming it the best in the country(Image: Ryan Jenkinson/Manchester Evening News)
Asked what the secret behind their success and national acclaim is, Lulzim says it all comes down to not only exceptional service but also the sheer passion behind each and every dish.
“It is a combination of a few things,” he explains. “It’s absolutely about the genuine hospitality, the food is always consistent and great and the staff are always amazing and so welcoming. We try to make it feel really homely.
“The secret to our success is just that consistency, hard work and being true to who we are. We always put our heart into what we do and try to better ourselves each and every day.”
‘The secret to our success is just that consistency, hard work and being true to who we are'(Image: Ryan Jenkinson/Manchester Evening News)
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Lulzim says that the arrival of Giuliano in Bramhall has already gone down well with locals, and he’s excited to see a mixture of familiar and new faces visit the restaurant over the next few weeks now that it is finally open.
First announced last month, people have already been sharing their delight online, with one even saying: “If it’s as good as handforth then Bramhall is in for a treat.”
Giuliano is on 38-40 Bramhall Ln S, Bramhall, Stockport SK7 1AH.
