After a successful rebrand earlier this year, Prezzo Italian is preparing to launch its first new restaurant in five years.
The casual dining chain is set to open new outlets on Edinburgh’s George Street in August and in Rugby in September as part of its ongoing investment plans.
The Edinburgh location, formerly a Gusto Italian, closed last month following the company’s administration. All staff who were made redundant have been offered roles at Prezzo Italian with equal or improved terms.
Prezzo Italian also revealed plans to explore additional locations, including a potential site in central London.
The group relaunched in May at London’s High Street Kensington with a new menu, revamped restaurant design, and updated brand identity that included adding ‘Italian’ to its name, aiming to revitalise the 25-year-old chain.
Prezzo Italian reported that the rebrand has delivered results, with like-for-like sales in Q3 rising 11% and four recently refurbished restaurants achieving average growth of 60% year-on-year.
As a result, the company is ramping up its 2026 investment strategy to include refurbishing 50 sites, supplementing the 15 renovations already scheduled.
Chief Executive of Prezzo Italian, James Brown, said: “This is a hugely exciting moment for Prezzo Italian, as we look to open our first new restaurants in five years.
“Opening new restaurants in Rugby and Edinburgh is a real statement of intent and shows the commitment and confidence we have in our brand.
“We are seeing fantastic results from the investment we’ve made in our restaurants and teams, and there is a renewed energy across the business. With double-digit sales growth and a pipeline of opportunities ahead, we’re building a stronger, more relevant Prezzo Italian for the future.”
Since its founding in 2000, Prezzo has grown to nearly 1,900 employees working across 95 locations.
After struggling with rising costs, the chain closed nearly a third of its restaurants in 2023, totaling 46 closures.
In the last year, the chain reshaped its leadership team, bringing in ex-BrewDog Bars boss Brown as CEO and Hospitality Rising’s Mark McCulloch as CMO.