Husband and wife chefs Antonia La Via and his wife Maria Catena are preparing to open the doors of their city centre restaurant, along with their business partner Aurelio Petitro and son Biagio
16:31, 28 Feb 2025Updated 14:54, 01 Mar 2025
Antonio La Via and Maria Catena La Via have worked as chefs in Liverpool for more than a decade
A family of food lovers are preparing to open their own Italian restaurant, inspired by authentic Sicilian dishes and fine dining. Antonio La Via and his wife Maria Catena La Via have worked as chefs in Liverpool for more than a decade, offering private dining experiences and catering services.
But now they are preparing to open their own restaurant, Ninello’s, alongside their son Biagio La Via and business partner Aurelio Petitro, who is “like a son” to the couple. The restaurant will be located on Duke Street in the city centre, inside the building previously occupied by Locke and Key kitchen.
Speaking to the ECHO ahead of next month’s opening, Biagio said: “The main attraction will be the fine dining experience – that’s the aim. We are planning to serve Liverpool what it really deserves – to serve the kind of thing that has authenticity.
“We wanted to find our place in the market, there are so many Italian restaurants but you come to us because you really want to try an authentic experience with an Italian chef. That’s the vibe we want to give back to Liverpool.”
The La Via family have lived in Liverpool for 11 years, with dad Antonio working as a head chef in a number of city restaurants before offering a private chef service to customers inside their own homes. The family’s business partner Aurelio has worked as a manager of a branch of chain Italian restaurant in the city centre, so their team boasts a wealth of hospitality experience as they prepare to open their first venue.
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Biagio said the family felt ready to open their own restaurant after years spent working in the industry after finding the “perfect” venue in the form of their Duke Street site. He said: “[The decision to open our own restaurant] comes from my parents’ willingness to change their life but also to have something for themselves. They have been working for other people and it’s the right time now.
“It’s a mix of things, including the location. We have been looking for a long time. We like the concept, it’s what we needed – it’s a small place but it’s comfortable. We didn’t want a big place, just something that would be special and feel like a gem in Liverpool.”
The restaurant will operate from day to night, making the most of its location close to a number of city centre apartments and hotels by serving breakfasts, as well as a lunch service, traditional Italian aperitivo and the fine dining evening menu. Anyone visiting the restaurant can expect to enjoy a truly authentic Italian dining experience, with dishes representing the different regions of the country, all paired with a range of specially selected wines.
Fans of Italian cuisine will find a menu filled with dishes that go beyond the familiar pasta and pizza offerings found in many Italian restaurants, as the family seek to showcase the wide variety of regional dishes to be found in their native Italy.
Biagio said: “The chef is from Sicily so it’s going to be a true experience of all of Italy – a five course tasting menu and you will get a combination of different flavours, products from different areas of Italy, a true experience with the wine pairing as well. We want people to truly understand Italian culture. It’s not just about pasta and pizza.”
Ninello’s will open in the former Locke and Key site
The family are hoping to open the doors to Ninello’s in March, with Grand National weekend intended to be their first big weekend of operations after a soft launch period.
Dining and Cooking