YORK’S dining-out scene is growing with the arrival of more restaurants in the city.

Fenwick department store, in the Coppergate Centre, officially opened its Carluccio’s concession yesterday.

The 100-cover restaurant is the first from the Italian chain to open in York, and the fifth Carluccio’s to open within a Fenwick store nationwide.

Following trial runs over the last few days Carluccio’s, run by Antonio Carluccio, will celebrate its opening with a formal launch next week.

The event comes as work gets under way on a new restaurant in Coney Street.

On July 21 Bill’s will be opening in the former Jane Norman shop, creating more than 40 jobs.

The chain has 37 restaurants, the majority of which are in southern sites, with 16 restaurants in London alone.

Bill Collison, founder of Bill’s, which started life as a green grocers business, said: “York is such a beautiful city and we’re all really excited to be opening a restaurant here.

“We’ve got a spot right in the centre of the city and have spent time taking the building back to its natural state. The restaurant is across two levels and, for summer, there are big folding doors that open the restaurant on to the street. We’re all hoping it will be a real hit with the locals.”

Also opening this month in York is world-food restaurant COSMO which has invested £1 million in a new site in Bridge Street, and is creating more than 70 jobs.

To celebrate the opening of the 248-seater restaurant on June 28, COSMO is planning to host its own “world carnival”, with an Indian motor rickshaw driving around the city to drop off, as well as a Japanese geisha girl stilt-walker around York, a Brazilian samba band performing outside its front door and girls dressed in authentic Chinese outfits handing out balloons.