Italian restaurant Vivi to open in Liverpool next month

Vince Margiotta will open small plates and pizzette concept Vivi a few doors down from Cucina Du Vincenzo on Woolton Road in Childwall in Liverpool at the end of March.

The kitchen will be headed up by Vince’s daughter Gabriella, who was a contestant and semi finalist on MasterChef The Professionals in 2022.

Vince opened Vincenzo’s in 2016 and runs the restaurant with help from his children Nina, Gabriella and Luca. The restaurant is known for its classic Italian cuisine and friendly hospitality.

The family’s hospitality roots stem back to 1904 when Francecso Margiotta, Vince’s nonna on his father’s side, emigrated to Edinburgh to open River Almond cafe in Crammond.

In 1906, Vince’s nonno on his mother’s side Alfonso Crolla also emigrated to the Scottish capital to open a small ice cream and confectionery business. In 1934 he opened Italian produce importer Valvona & Crolla.

Alfonso’s daughter Filomena and Francesco’s son Armando were married and in 1960, giving birth to Vince in 1960.

Vince was previously managing partner at Sapporo Teppanyaki and Il Forno, where he set up and developed three teppanyaki restaurants in Liverpool, Manchester and Glasgow as well as a flagship Italian Il Forno in Liverpool.