One of Douglas’ longest-serving Italian restaurants is set to celebrate its 20th anniversary at the end of this month.

La Piazza, which is situated within the Grand View Hotel opposite the Jubilee Clock on Loch Promenade, is owned by Giovanni Ferrara, an Italian native who has been proud to call the Isle of Man home since 1977.

What sets La Piazza apart from its competitors is the obvious care and attention that has gone into the restaurant’s menu; an à la carte offering that features Italian classics such as deliciously light pasta (gluten free options also available) and expertly crafted risotto, all made with the addition of local Manx ingredients.

From its warm red blinds to the expansive mural of a quintessential Italian square, La Piazza retains the colourful and vibrant identity of Mediterranean dining culture and Italy’s more infamous eateries.

It suffices to say that the average Italian family revolves around food, and it’s this essential aspect of Italy that La Piazza has managed to capture in their small corner of Douglas Promenade.

First off, their garlic pizza breads are the stuff of dreams: drenched in garlic butter and available in plain, tomato, or cheese, rounded off with their to-die-for chilli dip.

From the list of antipasti, customer favourites include the capesante la piazza, an appetiser of Manx queen scallops tossed in garlic, chilli, and salami chorizo, and hand finished with a splash of cream and flambéed in Manx whisky, a sure-fire defence against winter nights and despondency.

Other favourites include the Caprese salad, an Italian signature of vine tomato and mozzarella dressed in extra virgin olive oil, and their salmone affumicato agli agrumi, a fresh marriage of orange and grapefruit segments with oak-smoked Manx salmon. Recent additions to the usual fare include the arancini di riso: stuffed rice balls oozing Bolognese and cheese, served deep fried and excellently complemented by their glorious chilli dip.

From the moment you enter La Piazza you already know that the pizzas and calzones are going to be cracking: the kitchen team have a way with superb ingredients and their marvellous slow-rising dough; it’s clear the Italian classics are treated with respect.

The pizza menu offers one’s usual classics, such as la margherita and napoletana, and other inventions such as the Douglas: a Manx-inspired pizza loaded with king prawns, queen scallops, and smoked salmon: gluten-free pizza and pasta variations are also available.

Hailing from Cisternino, a township in the Puglia (Apulia) region on the coast of south-eastern Italy, Giovanni travelled to the Isle of Man in the summer of 1974 to work a season at the former Douglas Bay Hotel, the site now occupied by Pokerstars on Onchan Head.

’I travelled here as part of my college education, and I just fell in love with the place,’ says Giovanni, who revisited the Island a year later in 1975. ’It was during my visit in 1975 that I met my wife Carole, and after returning to college to finish my final year of studies, I decided to move to the Isle of Man full-time in 1977.’

It was in 1980 that Giovanni made his first venture into Manx hospitality, opening the Grand View Hotel, the eponymous guest house of La Piazza’s current address, before La Piazza came into existence in 1999.

The restaurant itself occupies the same room that the Grand View Hotel’s dining room once inhabited, and La Piazza’s ethos remains unchanged since its inception in the late nineties: genuine, freshly-cooked Italian food made - and served - with love.

The Italian love of family is one of the reasons why food is so essential in the everyday, as friends and family come together in a celebration of love and food, and it’s this notion which La Piazza so beautifully recreates.

La Piazza’s kitchen is run by Italian-born Roberto D’Ottavio, whose relocation story is eerily reminiscent of Giovanni’s own: a visit to the Isle of Man from Torino in northern Italy saw Roberto embark on a relationship with Giovanni’s daughter, Daniela, which ultimately dictated his stay in the Isle of Man.

Being a native Italian, there’s an ingrained sense of effortless technical skill in Roberto’s kitchen, with colleagues Giarrico and Adam adding unimaginable personality to Italian classics.

Stefano Pronotti and his team work in unified tandem with the kitchen team to offer a completely authentic Italian experience.

There’s a thoughtfully extensive wine list to accompany the Italian fare, with Italian staples such as Pinot Grigio and Gavi di Gavi, as well as a wonderful aperitivo offering, with a short, concise dessert menu offering - among other Italian treats - tiramisu, panna cotta, and home-made cheesecake with a Mediterranean twist.

The restaurant’s 20th-anniversary celebrations will kick off with a small party at the end of the month, where Giovanni and his team will welcome some of their most regular patrons with a drinks reception and Italian-inspired canapés.

La Piazza is ideal for a convenient lunch, with their ever-changing menu priced at £8.50 to include a drink. They open for lunch Monday-Saturday, from 12pm until 2pm. Dinner sittings are Monday-Thursday, 6pm - 10pm; Friday and Saturday, 5pm - 10pm; and Sunday, 5pm-9.30pm. To book a table you can call 01624 672136 or email [email protected], or visit www.lapiazza.co.im to view their Christmas menu.