With a nod to his parent’s former Bella Roma restaurant on George Street, Francesco Cangemi is set to unveil his own town centre restaurant along Claughton Street after months of hard graft and perfecting the space.
Aiming to revive elements of the popular George Street business, as well as what has worked well in other family restaurants, Francesco’s Claughton Street Bella Roma is set to open today (Wednesday, June 18).
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The restaurant’s wall has been designed by a local artists with a personal and Italian touch (Image: St Helens Star) Leaning on their Italian heritage and love of Italian food, Francesco launched Little Italy with his brothers Valerio and Fabio in Rainford two years ago.
With a focus on fresh and authentic Italian ingredients, the business can be viewed as a huge success as it is frequently booked up weeks in advance and has received dozens of five star reviews on websites such as Trip Advisor.
Following on from this success, the brothers have expanded their horizons to launch a Little Italy food van at local events, while Fabio has added an Italian inspiration to the beloved Toast cafe in Dentons Green.
So, with Francesco eager to branch out and try something new, he felt that the Claughton Street unit, close to the corner of Barrow Street, was a perfect spot.
The restaurant will offer daytime and evening menus (Image: St Helens Star) Francesco, 36, said: “All of the brothers have wanted to take on different projects and look at different places, and when I came across this place, I knew it was a great spot.
“There have been a few delays in getting ready to open, but that’s mainly because I’ve wanted to make sure I’ve got it just right.
“There will be classic and authentic Italian dishes all made with the freshest Italian ingredients, which is what we pride ourselves on, as well as light bites and daytime options.”
It has taken months for Francesco and the team to perfect the premises (Image: St Helens Star) While Bella Roma pays tribute to his parent’s former restaurant, Francesco has also chosen the location with an eye on the future, hoping that now is a shrewd time to invest ahead of the town’s multi-million-pound-generation plans.
And with further plans to open a wine bar next door, Franscesco and the family are excited about bringing a relaxing venue and an authentic taste of Italy to the heart of St Helens.
Bella Roma, on Claughton Street in St Helens town centre (Image: St Helens Star)