diff --git a/yarn-project/archiver/src/archiver/config.ts b/yarn-project/archiver/src/archiver/config.ts
index fbfa3a0ac9f..46652800e26 100644
--- a/yarn-project/archiver/src/archiver/config.ts
+++ b/yarn-project/archiver/src/archiver/config.ts
@@ -41,6 +41,11 @@ export interface ArchiverConfig {
    * The deployed L1 contract addresses
    */
   l1Contracts: L1ContractAddresses;
+
+  /**
+   * Optional dir to store data. If omitted will store in memory.
+   */
+  dataDirectory?: string;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -59,6 +64,7 @@ export function getConfigEnvVars(): ArchiverConfig {
     API_KEY,
     INBOX_CONTRACT_ADDRESS,
     REGISTRY_CONTRACT_ADDRESS,
+    DATA_DIRECTORY,
   } = process.env;
   // Populate the relevant addresses for use by the archiver.
   const addresses: L1ContractAddresses = {
@@ -78,5 +84,6 @@ export function getConfigEnvVars(): ArchiverConfig {
     searchStartBlock: SEARCH_START_BLOCK ? +SEARCH_START_BLOCK : 0,
     apiKey: API_KEY,
     l1Contracts: addresses,
+    dataDirectory: DATA_DIRECTORY,
   };
 }
diff --git a/yarn-project/aztec-node/package.json b/yarn-project/aztec-node/package.json
index 0d8ba3e5e48..0ae9b833431 100644
--- a/yarn-project/aztec-node/package.json
+++ b/yarn-project/aztec-node/package.json
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@
     "@jest/globals": "^29.5.0",
     "@rushstack/eslint-patch": "^1.1.4",
     "@types/jest": "^29.5.0",
+    "@types/leveldown": "^4.0.4",
     "@types/levelup": "^5.1.2",
     "@types/memdown": "^3.0.0",
     "@types/node": "^18.7.23",
diff --git a/yarn-project/aztec-node/src/aztec-node/db.ts b/yarn-project/aztec-node/src/aztec-node/db.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..8cc3740152b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/yarn-project/aztec-node/src/aztec-node/db.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+import { LevelDown, default as leveldown } from 'leveldown';
+import { LevelUp, default as levelup } from 'levelup';
+import { MemDown, default as memdown } from 'memdown';
+import { join } from 'node:path';
+
+import { AztecNodeConfig } from './config.js';
+
+export const createMemDown = () => (memdown as any)() as MemDown<any, any>;
+export const createLevelDown = (path: string) => (leveldown as any)(path) as LevelDown;
+
+const DB_SUBDIR = 'aztec-node';
+const NODE_METADATA_KEY = '@@aztec_node_metadata';
+
+/**
+ * The metadata for an aztec node.
+ */
+type NodeMetadata = {
+  /**
+   * The address of the rollup contract on L1
+   */
+  rollupContractAddress: string;
+};
+
+/**
+ * Opens the database for the aztec node.
+ * @param config - The configuration to be used by the aztec node.
+ * @returns The database for the aztec node.
+ */
+export async function openDb(config: AztecNodeConfig): Promise<LevelUp> {
+  const nodeMetadata: NodeMetadata = {
+    rollupContractAddress: config.l1Contracts.rollupAddress.toString(),
+  };
+
+  const db = levelup(config.dataDirectory ? createLevelDown(join(config.dataDirectory, DB_SUBDIR)) : createMemDown());
+  const prevNodeMetadata = await getNodeMetadata(db);
+
+  // if the rollup addresses are different, wipe the local database and start over
+  if (nodeMetadata.rollupContractAddress !== prevNodeMetadata.rollupContractAddress) {
+    await db.clear();
+  }
+
+  await db.put(NODE_METADATA_KEY, JSON.stringify(nodeMetadata));
+  return db;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Gets the metadata for the aztec node.
+ * @param db - The database for the aztec node.
+ * @returns Node metadata.
+ */
+async function getNodeMetadata(db: LevelUp): Promise<NodeMetadata> {
+  try {
+    const value: Buffer = await db.get(NODE_METADATA_KEY);
+    return JSON.parse(value.toString('utf-8'));
+  } catch {
+    return {
+      rollupContractAddress: '',
+    };
+  }
+}
diff --git a/yarn-project/aztec-node/src/aztec-node/server.ts b/yarn-project/aztec-node/src/aztec-node/server.ts
index 4092bacaf6b..ce7a98a5f22 100644
--- a/yarn-project/aztec-node/src/aztec-node/server.ts
+++ b/yarn-project/aztec-node/src/aztec-node/server.ts
@@ -45,12 +45,10 @@ import {
   getConfigEnvVars as getWorldStateConfig,
 } from '@aztec/world-state';
 
-import { default as levelup } from 'levelup';
-import { MemDown, default as memdown } from 'memdown';
+import levelup from 'levelup';
 
 import { AztecNodeConfig } from './config.js';
-
-export const createMemDown = () => (memdown as any)() as MemDown<any, any>;
+import { openDb } from './db.js';
 
 /**
  * The aztec node.
@@ -90,10 +88,10 @@ export class AztecNodeService implements AztecNode {
     const p2pClient = await createP2PClient(config, new InMemoryTxPool(), archiver);
 
     // now create the merkle trees and the world state syncher
-    const merkleTreesDb = levelup(createMemDown());
-    const merkleTrees = await MerkleTrees.new(merkleTreesDb, await CircuitsWasm.get());
+    const db = await openDb(config);
+    const merkleTrees = await MerkleTrees.new(db, await CircuitsWasm.get());
     const worldStateConfig: WorldStateConfig = getWorldStateConfig();
-    const worldStateSynchronizer = new ServerWorldStateSynchronizer(merkleTrees, archiver, worldStateConfig);
+    const worldStateSynchronizer = await ServerWorldStateSynchronizer.new(db, merkleTrees, archiver, worldStateConfig);
 
     // start both and wait for them to sync from the block source
     await Promise.all([p2pClient.start(), worldStateSynchronizer.start()]);
@@ -120,7 +118,7 @@ export class AztecNodeService implements AztecNode {
       config.chainId,
       config.version,
       getGlobalVariableBuilder(config),
-      merkleTreesDb,
+      db,
     );
   }
 
diff --git a/yarn-project/end-to-end/package.json b/yarn-project/end-to-end/package.json
index d3a2771d06d..73f29b7ef3c 100644
--- a/yarn-project/end-to-end/package.json
+++ b/yarn-project/end-to-end/package.json
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@
     "@types/lodash.times": "^4.3.7",
     "@types/lodash.zip": "^4.2.7",
     "@types/lodash.zipwith": "^4.2.7",
+    "@types/memdown": "^3.0.3",
     "@types/node": "^18.7.23",
     "jest": "^29.5.0",
     "koa": "^2.14.2",
@@ -57,6 +58,7 @@
     "lodash.times": "^4.3.2",
     "lodash.zip": "^4.2.0",
     "lodash.zipwith": "^4.2.0",
+    "memdown": "^6.1.1",
     "puppeteer": "^21.3.4",
     "string-argv": "^0.3.2",
     "ts-jest": "^29.1.0",
diff --git a/yarn-project/end-to-end/src/integration_l1_publisher.test.ts b/yarn-project/end-to-end/src/integration_l1_publisher.test.ts
index 7a70dff9c38..bd09b24cd74 100644
--- a/yarn-project/end-to-end/src/integration_l1_publisher.test.ts
+++ b/yarn-project/end-to-end/src/integration_l1_publisher.test.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { createMemDown, getConfigEnvVars } from '@aztec/aztec-node';
+import { getConfigEnvVars } from '@aztec/aztec-node';
 import {
   AztecAddress,
   GlobalVariables,
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ import { MerkleTreeOperations, MerkleTrees } from '@aztec/world-state';
 
 import { beforeEach, describe, expect, it } from '@jest/globals';
 import { default as levelup } from 'levelup';
+import memdown from 'memdown';
 import {
   Address,
   Chain,
@@ -123,7 +124,7 @@ describe('L1Publisher integration', () => {
       publicClient,
     });
 
-    builderDb = await MerkleTrees.new(levelup(createMemDown())).then(t => t.asLatest());
+    builderDb = await MerkleTrees.new(levelup((memdown as any)())).then(t => t.asLatest());
     const vks = getVerificationKeys();
     const simulator = await WasmRollupCircuitSimulator.new();
     const prover = new EmptyRollupProver();
diff --git a/yarn-project/world-state/package.json b/yarn-project/world-state/package.json
index 67d3c5a7f36..7384420ac37 100644
--- a/yarn-project/world-state/package.json
+++ b/yarn-project/world-state/package.json
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@
     "@types/memdown": "^3.0.0",
     "@types/node": "^18.7.23",
     "jest": "^29.5.0",
+    "memdown": "^6.1.1",
     "ts-jest": "^29.1.0",
     "ts-node": "^10.9.1",
     "typescript": "^5.0.4"
diff --git a/yarn-project/world-state/src/synchronizer/server_world_state_synchronizer.test.ts b/yarn-project/world-state/src/synchronizer/server_world_state_synchronizer.test.ts
index c45e00903a1..f5a7f3472e9 100644
--- a/yarn-project/world-state/src/synchronizer/server_world_state_synchronizer.test.ts
+++ b/yarn-project/world-state/src/synchronizer/server_world_state_synchronizer.test.ts
@@ -24,7 +24,9 @@ import {
 } from '@aztec/types';
 
 import { jest } from '@jest/globals';
+import levelup from 'levelup';
 import times from 'lodash.times';
+import { default as memdown } from 'memdown';
 
 import { MerkleTreeDb, MerkleTrees, WorldStateConfig } from '../index.js';
 import { ServerWorldStateSynchronizer } from './server_world_state_synchronizer.js';
@@ -96,12 +98,25 @@ const getMockBlock = (blockNumber: number, newContractsCommitments?: Buffer[]) =
   return block;
 };
 
-const createSynchronizer = (merkleTreeDb: any, rollupSource: any, blockCheckInterval = 100) => {
+const createMockDb = () => levelup((memdown as any)());
+
+const createSynchronizer = async (
+  db: levelup.LevelUp,
+  merkleTreeDb: any,
+  rollupSource: any,
+  blockCheckInterval = 100,
+) => {
   const worldStateConfig: WorldStateConfig = {
     worldStateBlockCheckIntervalMS: blockCheckInterval,
     l2QueueSize: 1000,
   };
-  return new ServerWorldStateSynchronizer(merkleTreeDb as MerkleTrees, rollupSource as L2BlockSource, worldStateConfig);
+
+  return await ServerWorldStateSynchronizer.new(
+    db,
+    merkleTreeDb as MerkleTrees,
+    rollupSource as L2BlockSource,
+    worldStateConfig,
+  );
 };
 
 const log = createDebugLogger('aztec:server_world_state_synchronizer_test');
@@ -152,12 +167,32 @@ describe('server_world_state_synchronizer', () => {
     expect(status.syncedToL2Block).toBe(LATEST_BLOCK_NUMBER);
   };
 
-  it('can be constructed', () => {
-    expect(() => createSynchronizer(merkleTreeDb, rollupSource)).not.toThrow();
+  const performSubsequentSync = async (server: ServerWorldStateSynchronizer, count: number) => {
+    // test initial state
+    let status = await server.status();
+    expect(status.syncedToL2Block).toEqual(LATEST_BLOCK_NUMBER);
+    expect(status.state).toEqual(WorldStateRunningState.IDLE);
+
+    // create the initial blocks
+    nextBlocks = Array(count)
+      .fill(0)
+      .map((_, index: number) => getMockBlock(LATEST_BLOCK_NUMBER + index + 1));
+
+    rollupSource.getBlockNumber.mockReturnValueOnce(LATEST_BLOCK_NUMBER + count);
+
+    // start the sync process and await it
+    await server.start().catch(err => log.error('Sync not completed: ', err));
+
+    status = await server.status();
+    expect(status.syncedToL2Block).toBe(LATEST_BLOCK_NUMBER + count);
+  };
+
+  it('can be constructed', async () => {
+    await expect(createSynchronizer(createMockDb(), merkleTreeDb, rollupSource)).resolves.toBeTruthy();
   });
 
   it('updates sync progress', async () => {
-    const server = createSynchronizer(merkleTreeDb, rollupSource);
+    const server = await createSynchronizer(createMockDb(), merkleTreeDb, rollupSource);
 
     // test initial state
     let status = await server.status();
@@ -206,7 +241,7 @@ describe('server_world_state_synchronizer', () => {
   });
 
   it('enables blocking until synced', async () => {
-    const server = createSynchronizer(merkleTreeDb, rollupSource);
+    const server = await createSynchronizer(createMockDb(), merkleTreeDb, rollupSource);
     let currentBlockNumber = 0;
 
     const newBlocks = async () => {
@@ -237,7 +272,7 @@ describe('server_world_state_synchronizer', () => {
   });
 
   it('handles multiple calls to start', async () => {
-    const server = createSynchronizer(merkleTreeDb, rollupSource);
+    const server = await createSynchronizer(createMockDb(), merkleTreeDb, rollupSource);
     let currentBlockNumber = 0;
 
     const newBlocks = async () => {
@@ -264,7 +299,7 @@ describe('server_world_state_synchronizer', () => {
   });
 
   it('immediately syncs if no new blocks', async () => {
-    const server = createSynchronizer(merkleTreeDb, rollupSource);
+    const server = await createSynchronizer(createMockDb(), merkleTreeDb, rollupSource);
     rollupSource.getBlockNumber.mockImplementationOnce(() => {
       return Promise.resolve(0);
     });
@@ -282,7 +317,7 @@ describe('server_world_state_synchronizer', () => {
   });
 
   it("can't be started if already stopped", async () => {
-    const server = createSynchronizer(merkleTreeDb, rollupSource);
+    const server = await createSynchronizer(createMockDb(), merkleTreeDb, rollupSource);
     rollupSource.getBlockNumber.mockImplementationOnce(() => {
       return Promise.resolve(0);
     });
@@ -297,7 +332,7 @@ describe('server_world_state_synchronizer', () => {
 
   it('adds the received L2 blocks', async () => {
     merkleTreeDb.handleL2Block.mockReset();
-    const server = createSynchronizer(merkleTreeDb, rollupSource);
+    const server = await createSynchronizer(createMockDb(), merkleTreeDb, rollupSource);
     const totalBlocks = LATEST_BLOCK_NUMBER + 1;
     nextBlocks = Array(totalBlocks)
       .fill(0)
@@ -310,7 +345,7 @@ describe('server_world_state_synchronizer', () => {
   });
 
   it('can immediately sync to latest', async () => {
-    const server = createSynchronizer(merkleTreeDb, rollupSource, 10000);
+    const server = await createSynchronizer(createMockDb(), merkleTreeDb, rollupSource, 10000);
 
     await performInitialSync(server);
 
@@ -338,7 +373,7 @@ describe('server_world_state_synchronizer', () => {
   });
 
   it('can immediately sync to a minimum block number', async () => {
-    const server = createSynchronizer(merkleTreeDb, rollupSource, 10000);
+    const server = await createSynchronizer(createMockDb(), merkleTreeDb, rollupSource, 10000);
 
     await performInitialSync(server);
 
@@ -363,7 +398,7 @@ describe('server_world_state_synchronizer', () => {
   });
 
   it('can immediately sync to a minimum block in the past', async () => {
-    const server = createSynchronizer(merkleTreeDb, rollupSource, 10000);
+    const server = await createSynchronizer(createMockDb(), merkleTreeDb, rollupSource, 10000);
 
     await performInitialSync(server);
     // syncing to a block in the past should succeed
@@ -385,7 +420,7 @@ describe('server_world_state_synchronizer', () => {
   });
 
   it('throws if you try to sync to an unavailable block', async () => {
-    const server = createSynchronizer(merkleTreeDb, rollupSource, 10000);
+    const server = await createSynchronizer(createMockDb(), merkleTreeDb, rollupSource, 10000);
 
     await performInitialSync(server);
 
@@ -411,7 +446,7 @@ describe('server_world_state_synchronizer', () => {
   });
 
   it('throws if you try to immediate sync when not running', async () => {
-    const server = createSynchronizer(merkleTreeDb, rollupSource, 10000);
+    const server = await createSynchronizer(createMockDb(), merkleTreeDb, rollupSource, 10000);
 
     // test initial state
     const status = await server.status();
@@ -425,4 +460,31 @@ describe('server_world_state_synchronizer', () => {
 
     await expect(server.syncImmediate()).rejects.toThrow(`World State is not running, unable to perform sync`);
   });
+
+  it('restores the last synced block', async () => {
+    const db = createMockDb();
+    const initialServer = await createSynchronizer(db, merkleTreeDb, rollupSource, 10000);
+
+    await performInitialSync(initialServer);
+    await initialServer.stop();
+
+    const server = await createSynchronizer(db, merkleTreeDb, rollupSource, 10000);
+    const status = await server.status();
+    expect(status).toEqual({
+      state: WorldStateRunningState.IDLE,
+      syncedToL2Block: LATEST_BLOCK_NUMBER,
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('starts syncing from the last block', async () => {
+    const db = createMockDb();
+    const initialServer = await createSynchronizer(db, merkleTreeDb, rollupSource, 10000);
+
+    await performInitialSync(initialServer);
+    await initialServer.stop();
+
+    const server = await createSynchronizer(db, merkleTreeDb, rollupSource, 10000);
+    await performSubsequentSync(server, 2);
+    await server.stop();
+  });
 });
diff --git a/yarn-project/world-state/src/synchronizer/server_world_state_synchronizer.ts b/yarn-project/world-state/src/synchronizer/server_world_state_synchronizer.ts
index 042a6b344ba..2c936fbe264 100644
--- a/yarn-project/world-state/src/synchronizer/server_world_state_synchronizer.ts
+++ b/yarn-project/world-state/src/synchronizer/server_world_state_synchronizer.ts
@@ -2,11 +2,15 @@ import { SerialQueue } from '@aztec/foundation/fifo';
 import { createDebugLogger } from '@aztec/foundation/log';
 import { L2Block, L2BlockDownloader, L2BlockSource } from '@aztec/types';
 
+import { LevelUp } from 'levelup';
+
 import { MerkleTreeOperations, MerkleTrees } from '../index.js';
 import { MerkleTreeOperationsFacade } from '../merkle-tree/merkle_tree_operations_facade.js';
 import { WorldStateConfig } from './config.js';
 import { WorldStateRunningState, WorldStateStatus, WorldStateSynchronizer } from './world_state_synchronizer.js';
 
+const DB_KEY_BLOCK_NUMBER = 'latestBlockNumber';
+
 /**
  * Synchronizes the world state with the L2 blocks from a L2BlockSource.
  * The synchronizer will download the L2 blocks from the L2BlockSource and insert the new commitments into the merkle
@@ -24,7 +28,8 @@ export class ServerWorldStateSynchronizer implements WorldStateSynchronizer {
   private runningPromise: Promise<void> = Promise.resolve();
   private currentState: WorldStateRunningState = WorldStateRunningState.IDLE;
 
-  constructor(
+  private constructor(
+    private db: LevelUp,
     private merkleTreeDb: MerkleTrees,
     private l2BlockSource: L2BlockSource,
     config: WorldStateConfig,
@@ -45,6 +50,22 @@ export class ServerWorldStateSynchronizer implements WorldStateSynchronizer {
     return new MerkleTreeOperationsFacade(this.merkleTreeDb, false);
   }
 
+  public static async new(
+    db: LevelUp,
+    merkleTreeDb: MerkleTrees,
+    l2BlockSource: L2BlockSource,
+    config: WorldStateConfig,
+    log = createDebugLogger('aztec:world_state'),
+  ) {
+    const server = new ServerWorldStateSynchronizer(db, merkleTreeDb, l2BlockSource, config, log);
+    await server.#init();
+    return server;
+  }
+
+  async #init() {
+    await this.restoreCurrentL2BlockNumber();
+  }
+
   public async start() {
     if (this.currentState === WorldStateRunningState.STOPPED) {
       throw new Error('Synchronizer already stopped');
@@ -92,6 +113,7 @@ export class ServerWorldStateSynchronizer implements WorldStateSynchronizer {
     await this.jobQueue.cancel();
     await this.merkleTreeDb.stop();
     await this.runningPromise;
+    await this.commitCurrentL2BlockNumber();
     this.setCurrentState(WorldStateRunningState.STOPPED);
   }
 
@@ -151,6 +173,7 @@ export class ServerWorldStateSynchronizer implements WorldStateSynchronizer {
     // This request for blocks will timeout after 1 second if no blocks are received
     const blocks = await this.l2BlockDownloader.getL2Blocks(1);
     await this.handleL2Blocks(blocks);
+    await this.commitCurrentL2BlockNumber();
   }
 
   /**
@@ -189,4 +212,23 @@ export class ServerWorldStateSynchronizer implements WorldStateSynchronizer {
     this.currentState = newState;
     this.log(`Moved to state ${WorldStateRunningState[this.currentState]}`);
   }
+
+  private async commitCurrentL2BlockNumber() {
+    const hex = this.currentL2BlockNum.toString(16);
+    const encoded = Buffer.from(hex.length % 2 === 1 ? '0' + hex : hex, 'hex');
+
+    await this.db.put(DB_KEY_BLOCK_NUMBER, encoded);
+    this.log.debug(`Committed current L2 block number ${this.currentL2BlockNum} to db`);
+  }
+
+  private async restoreCurrentL2BlockNumber() {
+    try {
+      const encoded: Buffer = await this.db.get(DB_KEY_BLOCK_NUMBER);
+      this.currentL2BlockNum = parseInt(encoded.toString('hex'), 16);
+      this.log.debug(`Restored current L2 block number ${this.currentL2BlockNum} from db`);
+    } catch (err) {
+      this.log.debug('No current L2 block number found in db, starting from 0');
+      this.currentL2BlockNum = 0;
+    }
+  }
 }
diff --git a/yarn-project/yarn.lock b/yarn-project/yarn.lock
index 9cdf42a854b..ab78dc201d1 100644
--- a/yarn-project/yarn.lock
+++ b/yarn-project/yarn.lock
@@ -133,6 +133,7 @@ __metadata:
     "@jest/globals": ^29.5.0
     "@rushstack/eslint-patch": ^1.1.4
     "@types/jest": ^29.5.0
+    "@types/leveldown": ^4.0.4
     "@types/levelup": ^5.1.2
     "@types/memdown": ^3.0.0
     "@types/node": ^18.7.23
@@ -386,6 +387,7 @@ __metadata:
     "@types/lodash.times": ^4.3.7
     "@types/lodash.zip": ^4.2.7
     "@types/lodash.zipwith": ^4.2.7
+    "@types/memdown": ^3.0.3
     "@types/node": ^18.7.23
     concurrently: ^7.6.0
     jest: ^29.5.0
@@ -397,6 +399,7 @@ __metadata:
     lodash.times: ^4.3.2
     lodash.zip: ^4.2.0
     lodash.zipwith: ^4.2.0
+    memdown: ^6.1.1
     puppeteer: ^21.3.4
     string-argv: ^0.3.2
     ts-jest: ^29.1.0
@@ -4489,6 +4492,16 @@ __metadata:
   languageName: node
   linkType: hard
 
+"@types/leveldown@npm:^4.0.4":
+  version: 4.0.4
+  resolution: "@types/leveldown@npm:4.0.4"
+  dependencies:
+    "@types/abstract-leveldown": "*"
+    "@types/node": "*"
+  checksum: 630b2d2d1c48f83d14ab0f6c03ad2af1c427675c3692873c4fd3d673bde4140eabc028ce5736ad3d76aeea20769cf53df6f83468a4f0cf28f6d04dbb435edf48
+  languageName: node
+  linkType: hard
+
 "@types/levelup@npm:^5.1.2":
   version: 5.1.2
   resolution: "@types/levelup@npm:5.1.2"
@@ -4698,6 +4711,15 @@ __metadata:
   languageName: node
   linkType: hard
 
+"@types/memdown@npm:^3.0.3":
+  version: 3.0.3
+  resolution: "@types/memdown@npm:3.0.3"
+  dependencies:
+    "@types/abstract-leveldown": "*"
+  checksum: 9aa311838574b51e4334878102c80c6abc0e1ec14fe00f98c6ee812f3e6b24db53de632e0f763692730e0147e5c41add0ac4257c3deb3dc7abce176708ed73a4
+  languageName: node
+  linkType: hard
+
 "@types/mime@npm:*":
   version: 3.0.1
   resolution: "@types/mime@npm:3.0.1"