About Us

Nolita Restaurant is a Modern Italian restaurant, run by the same Italian Family as Bar Italia and Little Italy in Soho.

Back in 1949 Luigi and Caterina Polledri acquired the coffee bar in Frith Street, Which remained in the possession of the Polledri family ever since.

Bar Italia has become one of the best known landmarks in Soho and still remains the most famous coffee bar in London and renowned throughout the world. Following on from the continued success of Bar Italia, Polledri family decided to expand their interests and open an authentic Italian restaurant in Frith Street together with partners Claudio Camera and Pietro Veccera. The current building was converted and in November 1995 Little Italy opened for business.

The restaurant proved to be a great success and became one of the most popular and best known Italian Restaurants in Soho. Unfortunately, in 2005 disaster struck as a fire caused extensive damage to the building and was forced to close for refurbishment and repairs. During this period Polledri family found an exceptional restaurant property in Hatfield, Hertfordshire. The existing site was redeveloped and a new restaurant, which they named Nolita opened in October 2005.

Nolita stands for North of Little Italy. Literally of course this is the case, but there is also an affectionate reference to the Italian community in New York and the famous Nolita district in downtown Manhattan. The family started with the architecture taking on a special firm, timber and special materials were brought in and furniture from Italy add to the atmosphere. The idea of Nolita was for a place where a customer could impress his bank manager by taking him for lunch and return later to enjoy a New York style night club atmosphere. The venue quickly became very popular, providing the same combination of exceptional food, fine wine and entertainment that has proved so successful in Soho. There is Banqueting, famous faces among the customers, live entertainment on Thursday evenings and much more to the Nolita story….