Owners of Nduja, new Italian restaurant in Saltaire, on what to expect

Nduja - run by Bradford chefs Sam Longthorn and Jordan Franz - can now be found in the former home of La Rue on Bingley Road.

From freshly stretched dough to homemade gelato, the menu features pizzas, pastas, speciality dishes, and more.

It is a full circle moment for the pair who both worked at La Rue in the early part of their careers.

The culinary duo now share more than 50 years experience between them.

Sam Longthorn making a pizza (Image: UGC)

Named after a type of flavoursome sausage from Italy, the restaurant hopes to offer classic dishes while spicing up the menu with some specials.

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Sam, who is originally from Queensbury, said: “We’ve tried to go very classic. I wanted to be really authentic with it, we’ve got pizza, pasta. We’ve got our braised beef and a few other specials. 

“All the Italian stuff is imported from over there. 

“We’re launching a breakfast offering this weekend, so homemade pastries and focaccia toasties. We’re doing a continental style breakfast as well. 

“We’re using the best ingredients. 

“We’ve got the takeaway boxes. A lot of local businesses are coming to grab one on their break.

“We’ve got cocktails on, so classic Italian spritz, margheritas, a good selection of Italian wine, beers and lagers. 

“We’re going to start doing milkshakes when families come in. 

“We’re trying to do really authentic Italian. Everything’s freshly made from the breads at lunchtime to the pizza dough. You’re going to get the proper, fresh authentic Italian experience.”

For Jordan, who also runs The Peppermill, he hopes to create a circular economy between the area’s local businesses.

In the kitchen at Nduja (Image: UGC)

Meat and fish is being sourced from a butchers and fish supplier down the road. 

Jordan said: “Saltaire’s great because there’s lots of independent businesses in Saltaire in general but especially in the main street. People should try and look after them on any highstreet. Before you know it, independent shops and hospitality will disappear if people don’t look after them. I’ve got Peppermill down the road.

“It’s classic Italian cooking with our twist put on things, using as local ingredients as we can get and all imported from Italy for all the speciality food, like all the cured meats. We have the best cheese, the best meat, the best everything.”

Speaking about his journey from working at La Roux to running Nduja in the same space, he said: “I started off there when I was 18 and ended up buying it off my previous employer. He was happy to sell it to me. 

“Me and Sam, we’ve both been in the industry 24 years. Everything’s made to order, it’s all fresh as can be.”