AT MAMMA Rosa in Llandudno, there’s now not only a fine selection of pizzas and pastas to enjoy – there’s afternoon tea, too.
Run by couple Sam and Rebecca Ricketts, who took on the business not long before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the restaurant is already known for its quality Italian antipastis, pasta and grill dishes, fresh hand-stretched pizzas and home-made desserts.
But now, starting this weekend and with an Italian twist, they’re looking to add another string to their bow.
Sam said: “It’s something I’ve thought about doing for a long time. I did a bit of research and looked up a lot of the restaurants in the area, and nowhere seemed to do it.
“It’s a good quality, doable thing, so I thought: ‘Let’s give it a try and see what people think’. We’ve had good reaction on social media, so we’ll give it a go.
“I think the Italian-style afternoon tea will be quite unique for that area. But we good quality pizzas and pastas – that’s more of our speciality.
“We do a lot of other things – steaks, chicken dishes – which go down a treat, and what we sell, we sell well.”
Neither Sam nor Rebecca had owned their own business before, but both had industry experience, with Sam having worked his way up from a kitchen porter to working in Llandudno Bay Hotel as head chef.
Yet keeping Mamma Rosa afloat despite the inevitable lockdown-enforced closures ranks among his proudest moments in business so far, having fostered a seamless working relationship with Rebecca, who he described as his “rock” during the pandemic.
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Sam added: “We’re proud of what we’ve done. Both being only 26 when we took over, and having the pandemic hit after throwing all our life savings into it, and then being told to close the doors – we adapted, and did takeaway and delivery, but that only just paid the rent.
“We got through, and touch wood, we’re still here.
“We’re one of the fortunate couples who have worked together in the past and got on quite well working there; that’s why we thought: ‘Let's do it together’.
“I couldn’t have done what I did though COVID without her. We got married a few weeks ago, and that was in my speech, because we sank everything into the business and were just sat there watching it deteriorate because we couldn’t do anything with it.
“She was a rock.”
Mamma Rosa, 11 Mostyn Avenue, Craig-Y-Don, Llandudno, LL30 1YS.
For more information, visit: www.mammarosa.co.uk.
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