Gay Travel Information – Leo’s Ristorante – Bristol, Rhode Island
Leo’s Ristorante / 365 Hope Street / Bristol, RI 02809 / 401-253-9300
Leo’s Ristorante located on Hope Street in beautiful Bristol, Rhode Island means business, but not that starchy “tuck your shirt in or your fired” type business, but more the “I am here to make you happy and will do anything in my power to do so” type business.
They have found the secret ingredient to success because Leo’s Ristorante has been in business since 1948.
Leo’s does it all. Sit down service, delivery, catering and I am sure if you asked nicely, proprietor and chef, Paul Mancieri would come to your house to prepare a special dinner! 😉 He just seems like that type guy!
Very rarely do I get to meet the owner of a restaurant I review. However, this time I was lucky enough to meet the super sweet and personable, Paul.
Paul is one of those people that make you feel as if he’s known you his entire life. You feel at ease speaking with him. As if you can joke with him one second and then plan a huge, important event the next. I have to say, from one pizon to another, I love that!
Leo’s opened its doors in 1948 at 211 State Street in Bristol, Rhode Island. It’s original name was Leo’s Pizzeria.
Leo’s quickly became known as the best pizzeria in Rhode Island, and not just because of the food. You could always count on Leo’s to be clean and welcoming. A tradition that has clearly lasted through the years.
Now, in it’s new location on Hope Street, the restaurant and menu has expanded. According to the Leo’s web site, the restaurant will also bring entertainment in the form of music, theatre and Murder Mystery dinners.
I told you they do it all!
My partner Jen and I arrived at Leo’s on a beautiful summer night. If it was a bit cooler we would’ve taken advantage of their fabulous outdoor seating.
As soon as we entered the restaurant we were greeted by the friendly hostess and shown to our table where our waitress, Lydia, took great care of us.
Leo’s has that old school New York style Italian eatery feel to it with it’s dark green paint, brick walls, red & white checkered / hard wood floors.
You actually feel like it is the 1940’s. It is the type place you could enjoy a date, business meeting, special event or quick bite by yourself.
After appreciating the decor, it was time to appreciate the food!
For an appetizer Jen and I shared the Cucumber Tomato & Sliced Mozzarella salad (fresh sliced tomatoes, sliced cucumbers and fresh mozzarella layered with basil and balsamic glaze).
Oh my. This salad was HUGE and truly delicious! We finished the entire salad in record speed! 😉
For our entrees I ordered the Tortellini Alla Carolina (tricolored cheese tortellini with grilled chicken served with a light butter sauce and topped with parmigiano cheese) and a side order of meatballs.
Jen ordered the Chicken Parmesan (breaded chicken cutlet fried and topped with sauce and provolone cheese and served with a side of penne pasta in red sauce).
The Tortellini and meatballs were extremely good! I loved having a light butter sauce, which is something my grandmother use to do.
Again, the serving size was more than generous!
If my Tortellini dish was huge, than Jen’s Chicken Parmesan was gigantic!! We both instantly loved the sauce (or, as us Italians say, “the gravy” – lol).
Oh, and let’s not forget the fact that our entrees each came with the choice of soup or salad. I chose the house salad with a delicious raspberry vinaigrette and Jen chose their clam chowder, which she said was thick, creamy and very, very good!
And, like any good Italian, I had to give in to the dessert temptation.
No twisting of the arm needed here!
I was instantly drawn to Lemon Berry Mascarpone Creme Cake topped with Berries which adorned the cover of their dessert menu.
How could I pass up something so delicious sounding?
Jen chose their Chocolate Fudge Cake.
Really? Do I need to say anything? I think the pictures speak for themselves. They ARE as delicious as they look!
Leo’s definitely won us over, that is for sure.
HOURS:
- Sunday 8am-8pm (open for breakfast)
- Monday-Thursday 11am-8pm
- Friday 11am-9pm
- Saturday 8am-9pm (open for breakfast)
MENU:
DELIVERY: YES! Leo’s delivers in the East Bay area. 401-253-9300.
WI-FI SERVICES: YES! Leo’s offers free Wi-Fi service.
GOOD TO KNOW: Roger Williams University receive a 5% discount by showing their school ID.
Chefs Paul Mancieri and Robin Mason
CATERING:
I want to spend some time talking about Leo’s catering. Paul truly expressed his enthusiasm and interest in catering special events, corporate meetings, small get together’s and even provides boxed lunches etc.,
Leo’s is the area’s top choice for catered events and, after looking over their catering menu and prices, I can clearly see why!
Paul said he usually rents the main dining room out for $200. The main dining area can sit roughly 64 people. The entire restaurant seats just under 120 people.
Leo’s can provide boxed lunches, brunch menus, platters, specialty menus, salads, cold dishes, by the pan, desserts, catering & event planning and venue/rental packages.
After speaking with Paul, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this place to anybody looking for a caterer or venue to rent.
- More information on Leo’s catering services can be found HERE.
- Catering to Go information can be found HERE.
- Request a quote HERE.
GAY & LESBIAN FACTOR: Trust me when I tell you that Paul Mancieri is the type person you would want to do business with. Leo’s Ristorante is definitely gay & lesbian friendly. Paul made it a point to say that everyone is more than welcome and was extremely gracious to Jennifer and I. As a writer for Gay Travel Information I made a vow to never post reviews on places that aren’t truly LGBT friendly and only focus on places that indeed made me feel welcome. I am NOT a critic. I am a blogger that enjoys sharing information with readers on businesses I feel deserve our support. That is why you will never find a negative review here. I won’t waste my time complaining about a place. I simply won’t write about it. Period. You will only find reviews on businesses I feel are worthy of our support, and Leo’s Ristorante is one of them. For all our local readers who may deal with arranging meetings, corporate event, business lunches, etc., please reach out to me for more information on Leo’s. I feel I have found the perfect location for your next event. The same goes with those looking to host a special gathering, be it a an anniversary, birthday or celebration of any kind. And for those who are simply looking for a delicious, laid back, gay friendly Italian restaurant — look no further. I am happily “OUTING” Leo’s Ristorante as LGBT friendly and worthy of our business.
As Jen and I were leaving Leo’s Paul noticed our “to go” bags, smiled and said, “See, Leo’s keeps on giving!”
And I believe this. I believe that Paul is a man proudly following in his grandfather’s footsteps. Someone eager to help out the local community and provide a quality services to patrons who continue to support the family tradition know as…..Leo’s Ristorante.
Desiree Sousa
Owner
Out & About Travel / Gay Travel Information
Gay Travel Information | Gay Travel Blog, Gay Travel Reviews, Gay Travel Blogger 
Wow beautiful place. I love such restaurants who respects their customers equally and provide them best facility like leos ristorante.