Antony Tomassi and his family continue the legacy of the more than century old business on Southend High Street with the same thoughtful determination as their predecessors.
His grandfather Pasqual Tomassi, originally from Cassino, Italy, and his wife and Marianna began what is now the well-known business making ice cream in Langley Park Durham selling ice cream to the mining community.
In 1932 the Tomassi’s moved to Southend in partnership with the Pacitto family who moved to Chiswick and in 1946 the business was officially Tomassi’s Ltd.
Antony was just four when his grandfather passed away, but his legacy was a big part of his life then, as it is today.
“My first memories of the restaurant were when we lived in the flat above when it was located over the road, where The Royals Shopping Centre is located now. I would watch the hoards of tourists walking down to the seafront,” said Antony.
“I always wanted to be part of the business and I always was. I was working on Saturdays and during holidays, my job at the start was putting the potatoes through this huge machine to be cut and then cooked later.”
He watched his parents Tony and June Tomassi shape the business to suit the changing landscape.
Tomassi’s was the first restaurant in Southend to feature an Eskimo ‘Tripple Hedda’ ice cream machine and the first in Essex to have Gaggia coffee machine. Tony also brought back the, then, novel cuisine lasagne from Italy in the late fifties and American style ‘anytime menus’ including brunches after a trip to the States during the seventies.
“My father was not afraid to try new things and see they worked. He had a sense for what was new and what people would like,” said Antony.
Antony’s parents met in the restaurant, June’s family owned the nearby Renalls Jewellers and Hamburger Grill and she would come in for ice cream, and became more of a regular as their love blossomed.
“Mother was a driving force for the business, she took my father’s ideas and made them work,” said Antony.
In the seventies Tony opened The Cellar restaurant serving high end cuisine and the Bouzy Rouge Bistro where there was live music and relaxed dining.
In 1987 the restaurant is relocated to the nearby premises at 9 High Street, where it has remained ever since.
Antony studied business studies at the London University, then the London polytechnic, with a mind to bring his skills to the business.
He met Giovanna in the restaurant where she was working during a holiday. Her family are originally from southern Italy and they share similar values.
“There’s a warmth there when you have immigrant Italian families, we share a love of cooking and family,” said Antony.
Antony and his wife Giovanna now have the large premises on the high street which has been expanded over three units, comprising of the restaurant and Café Tomassi.
“Our legacy has been, in some ways, to streamline the business and make sure everything is workable,” said Antony.
Now their daughter Raffaella is also working at the restaurant as the fourth generation Tomassi.
“We have so many ideas for the restaurant and so many ways we wanted to stay the same. If it isn’t broke, don’t try to fix it,” said Antony.
Visit www.tomassis.co.uk.
Friendships forged at Tomassi's
Create a welcoming place with great service, food and coffee and the friendships will make themselves.
Well, at least that’s what happened for the Coopers and the Goodyears who meet three times a week at Tomassi’s.
John and Margaret Cooper have been going to the restaurant back even when it was located over the road and they became friends with Terry and Marion Goodyear 10 years ago.
“We used to sit at opposite tables,” said Terry. “Then, over time, we decided to share a table and get to know each other. Now we are great friends!”
What is it about Tomassi’s that keeps them coming back?
“The service here is brilliant,” said Marion. “You can’t comparable it to anywhere else.”
For John and Margaret it has been a special place for many years.
“We have so many happy memories at Tomassi’s,” said Margaret.
“It is a special place to us and somewhere we love to meet our friends,” said Terry.
The friendly face you will meet when you enter Tomassi’s is Giovanna who runs front of house.
“It is all about knowing the customers what table they like, what coffee they drink,” it makes people feel special and at home,” she said. “Often out waitress Anna will spot a customer approaching and have their coffee ready for them when they walk in, it’s details like that which make us stand out.”
One member of the front of house team for many years was Antony’s aunt, Marie Fitzakerly, who sadly passed away two weeks ago.
“Many, many people will know her. She was a very particular person who had traditional Italian standards, people knew where they were with her and got incredible service,” said Antony.
It is telling that many of their waitresses have been on the team for nigh-on twenty years.
On the team is Anna Zagieja, who has worked there for 19 years, Maria Rodrigues, who has worked there for 27 years, Marta Silvono and new to the team Iryna Pylychuk.
“I feel at home here and we miss each other when we go away. The service standard is high but that’s how we do things here, we care about customers,” said Anna.
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