Early Italian restaurants in Sheffield

La Casina Bianca London Road

The Ajanta at 22-24 Carver Street opened in c. 1962 and so could well have been the first in Sheffield. Here is a link to a picturesheffield.com photo.

The Zing Vaa on the Moor was open in 1962. Indian not Italian though.

The Zing Vaa is Chinese

What was the one on Ecclesall Road perhaps opposite the Nursery Tavern, (late 70's early 80's) two Sicilian brothers owned it

Think the one on Ecclesall Rd was called Giovannis.

May be wrong but it might have been the Mori's that owned it

Think the one on Ecclesall Rd was called Giovannis.

May be wrong but it might have been the Mori's that owned it

Yes I think it was Giovannis, thank you.

I went in La Favorita in the sixties and another restaurant on London Road which I don't think advertised itself as Italian but it was the first place I had pizza that I recognised as pizza and not a British interpretation of it. The staff were certainly Italian. I went to a school with a significant Italian population and I can remember the disdain with which they treated the first "pizza" served up at school dinner. It was hideous.

There was an Italian restaurant on Abbeydale Rd near where Bardwells was. The owner was very suave and often wore his overcoat over his shoulders without putting his arms through the sleeves. He drove a large FIAT but in 68 or 69 it was replaced by a Ferrari Dino. The Dino didn't last long because, I was told, that he couldn't make a dignified exit from it. There were a number of Italian owned cafes around the city centre and S7 and S8 which offered a British menu with Italian touches. I can remember one around the Highfields area that offered Bolognese and chips.

I remember also going to Mammas and Pappas on Norfolk St late 60s or early 70s. It's the first place I ever had Spaghetti Bolognese that wasn't from a tin.

I definitely had my first pizza at Giovanni's on Ecclesall Rd. It was ground breaking, sophisticated dining at the time ! Who'd have thought that it would be a staple part of most families' diets 50 years later ?

Used to go to Marco's on Abbeydale Road in the early 70's.

---------- Post added 20-07-2017 at 15:48 ----------

Make that London Road, Highfields

I remember also going to Mammas and Pappas on Norfolk St late 60s or early 70s. It's the first place I ever had Spaghetti Bolognese that wasn't from a tin.

I definitely had my first pizza at Giovanni's on Ecclesall Rd. It was ground breaking, sophisticated dining at the time ! Who'd have thought that it would be a staple part of most families' diets 50 years later ?

Yes, I experienced that too, and the novelty of having grated Parmesan on your minestrone soup. It was also the first time I'd had artichoke hearts. Revelation!

I remember also going to Mammas and Pappas on Norfolk St late 60s or early 70s. It's the first place I ever had Spaghetti Bolognese that wasn't from a tin.

I definitely had my first pizza at Giovanni's on Ecclesall Rd. It was ground breaking, sophisticated dining at the time ! Who'd have thought that it would be a staple part of most families' diets 50 years later ?

The very good place on Norfolk Street was 'Mama's'. 'Leonies' was added to the name later. I think Mamas and Papas might have been something other than a Sheffield dining place.

The very good place on Norfolk Street was 'Mama's'. 'Leonies' was added to the name later. I think Mamas and Papas might have been something other than a Sheffield dining place.

Yes you're quite right. It was just Mama's. Not sure where I got the Papa's bit from.