Rossi legacy: the roots of Ugo's Pizza Bar date back to 1901

For James and Emma Donnelly, who run Ugo’s Pizza Bar on Broadway West, Leigh, it is important that they carry on the family legacy of not compromising on quality or authenticity.

The restaurant has been running for 27 years this year having opened in 1995.

They serve wood fired pizzas using Caputo "OO" flour from Naples, San Marzano tomatoes grown on the slopes of Vesuvius, locally produced mozzarella and homemade dough which is fermented for two days to add lightness and flavour. The hand shaped dough balls are then cooked in the wood fired oven for 90 seconds at 420 degrees.

The result of this attention to detail is sublime, “’It’s the best pizza I’ve ever had’ is often said by our customers,” said James.

Mouth-watering - Ugo's wood oven baked pizza (Image: Photo by Emma Donnelly.)

Agostino came to Britain in 1901 as a 12-year-old child on his own from Italy, and through hardship and determination created the brand which is well loved and part of the history of Southend. Unfortunately he died young and the business was eventually sold.

“I never got to meet my great-grandfather sadly, but the business is a family enterprise and it all started with him," explained James.

Origins - Annina and Agostino (Image: From Donnelly family photos)

“The decision to open Ugo’s was made out of adversity, in 1995 my parents lost their house due to the recession, they borrowed money from my mum Sandra’s father Ugo Rossi to open the restaurant, and named it after him. It was to be an extension of our family’s natural hospitality”.

The restaurant was created at a time when there was not the Italian influence, which we take for granted today. “My parents literally built the restaurant with their own hands, it was always about family and togetherness. They wanted somewhere where families could come in to eat and enjoy being together.” said James.

“At that time there were only pubs where no kids were allowed, and all pubs shut during the day between 3pm and 5pm. My parents had to explain the concept to Southend Council and were granted a special license which allowed children to sit together with adults inside. We bought a beautiful Gaggia espresso machine and people didn’t even know what a cappuccino was at that time but they soon started making Ugo’s a regular destination”.

James started working at the restaurant on and off from 1997 and when he finished his degree he began working as a graphic designer in London. His father Brian sadly passed away in 2003 and James began working full-time alongside his mother Sandra.

Romance also blossomed in the restaurant when James met his wife Emma while working together in the restaurant in 2000.

Things were shaken up when the pandemic hit the UK in 2020. “Covid was the game changer. It was a big bombshell and the rug was pulled from under us,” he said.

“Mum decided to drop out of her side of the business. It was hard because the restaurant was my mum’s baby, she knew everyone that came in. We were a pillar of the community. Suddenly there was no restaurant, and that was hard.”

James wanted to take the business on but felt it was time to make changes so that the ethos of the business was in line with his and Emma’s passions.

“I needed to be passionate about what we were doing and believe in it. There was some soul searching during the lockdown and it was a time to be grateful for what we had. We took it as a chance to hit the reset button on things,” said James.

“The food we used to serve was great quality but it didn’t represent the food we were cooking at home. We wanted to move away from the fried stuff.”

So, James set about learning everything there was to know about making the finest pizzas possible. “I basically became a pizza nerd,” laughs James. “I bought a small gas pizza oven and practised and practised through lockdown. I learned about fermentation, watched hours of YouTube tutorials and on pizza forums. I wanted the pizzas to have the ‘wow’ factor.” The hard work was worth it as now Ugo’s pizzas are second to none.

Photo by Emma Donnelly (Image: Photo by Emma Donnelly)

James and Emma admit although the pandemic restrictions have lifted, running a restaurant is not without its challenges. “It is still hard because of the rising costs we are all experiencing at this time means we have jumped from one pan and into another,” said James. In spite of these continued difficulties James does not want to comprise on any of the quality.

“It helps that all of our chefs and staff have been so enthusiastic about the changes. I trained them all myself and they have been fantastic.”

During lockdown James bought a Vespa and hand delivered all the pizzas and they still do their own deliveries in-house instead of outsourcing to companies for deliveries.

On entering the restaurant the wood burning pizza oven, which James built himself is the centrepiece of the room. “Its the beating heart of the place - you can see the flames as you walk in and smell the delicious food cooking”.

He has since built a second wood oven in the back kitchen to service delivery demands. “I didn’t want gas or electric because we wanted authenticity,” said James.

“There’s a skill to working with it, it’s not a case of flipping a switch. You have to start with a small fire and feed it and then learned to cook with it and instinctively, you know. Also, the taste, if you want authentic Neapolitan pizza it has to be wood.”

Making big changes has meant some customers have had to adapt, but ultimately James and Emma believe it was the right decision.

“It used to be a place where some came to just drink but it has changed and now we have a new wave of appreciative customers. People can still come for a glass of wine, beer or a cocktail, but the demand for our pizzas has shifted the focus within the business.”

It is said that history doesn't necessarily repeat, but it often rhymes. “Over one hundred years of hospitality runs in our blood, our teenage kids Monty and Agnes work here now, and it feels like a continuation of our legacy.” says James. “Who knows if our kids will carry on the business, I mean, I didn’t think I would but we are all here now”.

For details visit www.ugos.pizza, on Instagram @ugospizzabar.