Little Italy | Soho Restaurant & Bar
In 1949 Luigi and Caterina Polledri acquired a coffee bar in Soho, which they cannily named Bar Italia.
The success of Bar Italia lead the Polledri family, in 1995, to expand their interests and open an authentic Italian restaurant next door with their business partners Claudio Camera and Pietro Veccera.
Little Italy was born.
Now the history here gets a little hazy, but the following seems to be a likely account of how Little Italy became what it is today…
Luigi and Caterina’s grandchild (let’s call him Tony, for argument’s sake) heads off to university and, much to the disappointment of his grandparents, develops an unquenchable thirst for Jaegerbombs and cheesy music.
Tony leaves university, moves to London and is saddened and shocked by the lack of nightlife options in Soho for a young graduate to re-live their university days. So Tony joins the family business, and immediately decides that from 11pm until 3am each and every night, Little Italy should dim its lights, get out the shot glasses and crank up his prized mix tape of cheesy classics.
Top of the list are the ’82 classic “It’s Raining Men” by the Weather Girls and “I Say a Little Prayer” (Aretha Franklin version).
Since then Little Italy has endured a fire and two major refurbishments. Now bigger and better, it still remains open until 4am, serving shots and playing Tony’s mix tape, six nights per week….
For fun, cheese and late night dancing..this is the place to go.
NOTE: Little Italy is open daily noon-4am (11.30pm Sundays), with dancing from 11pm. Find out more on their website HERE.
Little Italy | 21 Frith Street, W1D 4RN
Start your evening with pasta at Lina Stores round the corner…