Independent pizzeria joins Fruit Market lineup

Buca di Pizza, the independent Italian restaurant, is joining the lineup at Hull’s Fruit Market.

The brand is owned by brothers Geoff and Nick Thornton, who said the Fruit Market had special appeal in Hull’s UK City of Culture year 2017.

The pizzeria follows the likes of high-quality restaurants Ambiente Tapas, Butler Whites and Tapasya @ Marina; artisan chocolatier Cocoa Chocolatier and Patisserie; arts venue Humber Street Gallery, which features a ground-floor café and rooftop bar; Humber Street Distillery Co gin bar; and vintage fashion brand Poorboy Boutique.

He said: “The Fruit Market area is unique – it has such an interesting and very European feel. The developers, Wykeland Beal, have a very clear vision of the Fruit Market as a place populated by a mix of independent operators and that’s very attractive to us.

“It’s becoming a one-stop shop for any kind of cuisine you might choose. There’s English, Indian and Spanish and we’re now adding Italian – and all of them are distinctive, independent offerings.
“There’s also retail, galleries and more new venues opening all the time. It’s a great place to visit during the day and in the evening and we’re very excited about becoming part of it.”

Fruit Market is a £80m development by Wykeland Beal, a joint venture company formed by regeneration company Wykeland Group and housebuilder Beal Homes, working in partnership with Hull City Council.

Thornton added: “The unit is a great space and very airy, with lots of natural light, so it will feel like an orangery. We’re retaining many of the original features, such as the tiled floor, and it will have a really lovely rustic feel.”

The owners plan to have a pop-up presence at the Humber Street Sesh music festival, which is based in the Fruit Market, on Saturday August 5 and plan to be fully open in September.

David Donkin, property director of Wykeland, speaking on behalf of Wykeland Beal, said: “Buca di Pizza is a great fit for the Fruit Market and the community of independent operators in and around Humber Street.

“It offers a relaxed, family-friendly dining experience and brings another new and distinctive element to the mix of leisure, retail, cultural and commercial uses that are making the Fruit Market a compelling new destination.”