Beloved Charing Cross Restaurant Pizzeria Romana Closes Its Doors After Nearly Four Decades

A much-loved Charing Cross restaurant has closed permanently after its owners said a “combination of circumstances” led to the difficult decision.

Pizzeria Romana, a long-standing favourite among locals and visitors, announced its closure with a message on the restaurant door titled “Grazie & Arrivederci” — meaning “Thank you and Goodbye”.

The notice said: “After many wonderful years of serving this community, we’ve made the difficult decision to close our doors for good. We’re deeply sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.

“To every guest who shared a table, a slice, and a story with us - thank you. It’s been the honour of a lifetime to cook for you.”

The restaurant, known for its traditional wood-panelled interior and authentic Italian menu, built a loyal following over the years with its pizzas, pasta dishes and seafood options. Customers also enjoyed watching the pizzaiolo prepare pizzas in the open kitchen — a feature that became increasingly popular across the restaurant industry.

Owner Tony Pigliacelli and his family faced a major challenge in 2019 when a devastating fire badly damaged the historic building.

After a temporary move to Cheapside, the restaurant reopened four months later while its original Charing Cross premises were restored. Pizzeria Romana returned to its former home in 2022.

 “30-plus years of warm hospitality, fine pasta, wonderful pizza and a true restaurant with personality”.

News of the closure has prompted an outpouring of sadness from customers, with many describing it as “the end of an era”.

One customer said the restaurant had provided “30-plus years of warm hospitality, fine pasta, wonderful pizza and a true restaurant with personality”.

Another said visiting the restaurant had become a family tradition over many years and thanked the staff for their “hard work and dedication”.

A third customer praised the business for its 38 years of service, saying the family should be “very proud” of what they had achieved.

The 70-seat restaurant premises are now being advertised for lease, with the property described as being in a prime location with strong customer footfall.

In a statement shared on social media, the Pigliacelli family thanked customers and staff for their support.

“We would like to thank all our customers for their loyalty and support over the years, and our staff, past and present, for their hard work and dedication,” the family said.