As the nightmare that was Covid-19 finally seems to be drawing to an end; I decided to see how badly effected the small, family run Italian restaurant in Bromley; Studio Dolce has managed to survived.
As the smell of aromatic, Mediterranean dishes fills the air, I sat down with the owner of Studio Dolce, Luca.
How happy are you to see restaurants being allowed to reopen and welcoming back your much missed customers?
Honestly, it is such a relief and as you previously said, to welcome back our customers after such a long time is such a great feeling and with the reopening of indoor restaurants being May 17th; it slowly feels as if life is going back to normal again.
Did you think that Studio Dolce was going to be able to survive during the lockdowns?
Allora*, there were definitely times when I was extremely worried for the business. After going through several lockdowns, every time the odds seemed stacked more against us. However with the help of furlough and people coming together in this hard time, we are still here and better than ever!
How has the recent weeks of opening up outside been for Studio Dolce?
It is always nice to see the return of customers. However, despite this being an Italian restaurant, unfortunately we cannot provide the Italian weather too and the miserable weather of England has made it slightly tough to only be outisde but I think people are just happy to be out after being kept inside for so long!
What dish would you recommend for your long awaited customers to try when they return?
We have so many dishes, new and old that we want our customers to try, but the Capo di tutti Capi is our ‘Linguine Frutti Di Mare‘ which can be found on our Specials dishes.
Do you think you will return to Italy soon?
It has been a long time since travel has been allowed and I would love to see my family after so long but I think right now the business comes first and then hopefully when life is back to normal, I can rest my feet on a beautiful beach in Naples and return with some beautiful ingredients for my customers!
What would you say to someone who wants to set up their own restaurant? (Tips/Advice)
Many people dream of setting up a restaurant but are unaware of the stress, financial difficulties and overall dedicated it takes to make it successful. Honestly, it is not for the faint-hearted and I wouldn’t recommend it unless you are very experienced or extremely determined.
Finally, If you had to tell new people reading this article why they should come to Studio Dolce, what would you say?
Our restaurant is always buzzing with life, from our waiters and waitresses to our kitchen staff, to our wonderful customers. We are a beautiful, authentic Italian Restaurant in the heart of Bromley, and the dishes we create will bring you a taste of Italia all the way to London!
Make sure to visit Studio Dolce on Bromley Road!
Studio Dolce
Phone: 020 84668806
*An Italian word for ‘So’ or ‘Well’
Max Payne 