More than 100 Italian food lovers enjoyed a glamorous launch party at Piccolino restaurant in Chester.

Individual Restaurants, the company behind some of Cheshire’s most popular dining venues including big sister Opera Grill, invited guests at the Pepper Street eatery to sample a collection of delicious Italian bar snacks or ‘Cicchetti’, along with a number of wines, prosecco and Peroni beer.

The drink flowed freely and a DJ kept party-goers entertained as they savoured bite sized portions of Swordfish ‘Spiedini’, or skewers, crab bruschetta, mini Margherita pizzas, Bresaola, Parma ham with melon and traditional Arancini or ‘little oranges’– filled rice balls coated with breadcrumbs.

General manager Mario Dagostino said: “Everybody enjoyed the evening. Our kitchen team did a great job providing fabulous food and offering a window into the superb quality that Piccolino offers.”

Long-time customer Susan Whittall, who lives in Chester, with her niece Abbey at the Proscecco bar in Piccolino

Events manager Sara Boothby added: “It was a fantastic event and our guests loved the new refurbishment.”

The restaurant, at the forefront of Chester’s Italian restaurant scene for the last ten years, underwent a full revamp earlier this year.