About Us
Established in 1987, we are an independent, family run traditional Italian restaurant
based at the start of Compstall Road in Romiley, Stockport. Specialising in rustic Italian
home style cooking, open evenings only - 5pm till 10pm everyday except Monday.
Who is the Italian?
Originally from Naples, owner Ferdinando Mercogliano studied at catering schools in Vico Equense and in the centre of Naples before working across Italy and Switzerland, settling in England in the early 80’s.
Our recipes and the ideology behind everything we do and make come from Ferdinando. Many of the dishes we make here today are made the same way that he learnt from his mother and grandmother. Hailing from a part of Naples famous for its pasta making history, cooking is in the Mercogliano family blood.
Now a grandfather, Ferdinando is based both here in Stockport and in Lucca, Tuscany. Sharing his time between Italy and England means Ferdinando guarantees constant fresh and original menu ideas, using the best local and seasonal ingredients. Trusting the day to day running of the kitchen to a carefully selected fantastic team of chefs.
In charge of the restaurant you will find his eldest son Alessandro. A true typical Italian family business!
Ferdinando's deep passion for Italian cooking is infectious and it has truly passed down in the generations of his family. Our heads, hands and hearts are firmly in the kitchen and we are driven to offer customers good food, value for money and a true taste of Italy.
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Our Values​
Now well into our 38th year of trading here in Romiley, we are more passionate than ever for what we do. Our philosophy is simplicity, quality, authenticity and big flavours, in a fun and bustling typical southern Italian environment.
We have recently expanded, and we now have 8 more tables in a new ground floor area. Complete with a bar, facilities and our usual friendly service.
The Italian is our own little corner of southern Italy, spread out over two floors. Our team is young, friendly and always on hand to for anything you might need. With us you will always be guests and never customers. Learning and growing day by day, we are truly humbled by your regular custom.
Here's to the next 38 years of bringing Italy to Romiley!
Photo Gallery
The Italian over the years
Ferdinando and son Alessandro (January 2011)
True passion for what we do
Ferdinando, wife Helen and their grandchildren enjoying a meal at the restaurant - summer 2022
Alessandro and brother Luca in 2016
Our downstairs entrance bar, opened summer 2019
Our takeaway service in full swing! The lockdown was certainly a shock to us when it was announced, but we didn't stop and sit around. We converted straight away to takeaways only, including doing a home delivery service here for the first time to the local area. It was a big adjustment to us at first, with the logistics of it all completely different to what we are used to. But we adapted quickly, and we rather enjoy it now. It has certainly kept us busy! We kept up the takeaway service even after reopening, but as collection only. We would like to thank everyone for their constant support and for their constant orders, it really is very much appreciated!
Our old restaurant interior (picture from the mid 90's)
Ferdinando's five children at the restaurant December 2013
Valentines Day February 2020, just before we opened to the public
The history of our building
A lot has changed in Romiley over the years, but at the same time somethings haven't changed that much at all. Built in the 1960's, our building was initially used as a huge unisex hairdressers here upstairs, with a butchers and a wallpaper and paint shop underneath. Before this the land where we stand today was a small house and a repair yard with a stable.
 Compstall Road in 1905, before our building was built. Facing where we are now - and on the right the same image taken in 1987, the year we opened as an Italian restaurant |  If only the roads were as quiet now as they were back then...! |  Modern day |
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 And the same image again taken on a warm summers day in 2019 |  Before we came along, in the early 80s our building was a unisex hair dressers. Do you know anyone that had their haircut here? |  Our restaurant frontage in early 2002 |
Casale Ferdinando, translating as "the house of Ferdinando" - it is as if we literally welcome you into our home when you join us for a meal!
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Newspaper cutting from when we first opened in July 1987
Ferdinando's sons Toby, Alessandro and Luca. Toby has been a submariner in the British Royal Navy for the past 5 years and really makes us proud everyday. You might see him here in the restaurant from time to time eating all of our food when he is on his leave!
Pasta is in our DNA and we are always striving to impove
Our current restaurant frontage
Every time he is back from Italy, the apron is straight on and it is time to test out all the new ideas he has picked up. Being based in Lucca, Tuscany gives him a great insight to traditional rustic Italian cooking, and also an eye on the new trends in Italy that we are always keen to bring to our menu and special boards to showcase to our customers!
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Ferdinando and wife Helen celebrating a milestone birthday here at the restaurant
Large parties and families were always more than welcome and we have so much fun! Tables are available in our restaurant for up to 20 people.
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The Italian in the local area
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As well as being sponsors at Stockport County,
we are also proud to sponsor Romiley Cricket Club with our restaurant logo featuring on the sleeve of their kits
Romiley Cricket Club are a team we have sponsored for many years.
In 2023 we also started sponsoring Stockport Town FC based down in Woodley. It's a great set up down there, and we are delighted to help give something back to the local community through sponsorship. Pictured below is the full squad and staff joining us for a meal in February 2023.
General manager Alessandro pictured here at The Italian with Stockport County director Steve Bellis and a very special guest: The National League 2022 winners trophy won by Stockport County!!
You will also find our logo on the shirts of local amateur football club Badger Casuals FC. The base of the team is made up of players from Romiley and the nearby area and they are another club we are delighted to sponsor!
During the lockdown of 2020, as well as being kept busy in the evenings with our takeaway deliveries and collections, we delivered pizzas as a gift to NHS staff to help lift morale and as a thank you for the incredible work they had been putting in!
Newspaper cutting from February 1999 - we have done many pizza and pasta making classes over the years for local schools all over Stockport.
In 2024 we expanded, opening up a new ground floor dining room. Complete with a bar, toilet facilities, and also a part of our kitchen open for all to see. It is great to offer a more accessible space, plus extra tables means we can make more people happy!
If you would like to specifically book our downstairs area, just make it known to our staff when we are booking you in and as long as there is availability we will be sure to accommodate!
When Napoli won the Italian football Serie A title, we went Napoli crazy!
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Stockport County returning to us in May 2024 after their latest title win!
During the lockdown of 2020 we decided to take advantage of our restaurant being closed to the public and to completely refurbish and renovate. This was a big job, and we did all the work ourselves, but we finished just in time to reopen for the end of summer when things went slightly back to normal for a few months!
The Stockport County squad joining us for a meal before a big game
Actor Will Mellor
Blossoms from Stockport
Jim Gannon, former manager at Stockport County
Manager Alessandro looking very young back in 2008
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Photo Gallery
Our photo gallery continued
Previous teams we have worked with
Our restaurant captured on a very snowy day in Romiley
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We love a good special occasion!
Our current restaurant interior
Our current restaurant interior
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A wonderful oil painting made for us by the incredibly talented Tallulah Kerrigan. This was a brilliant surprise. It really captures the atmosphere and the ambiance of our restaurant by the tables near our open kitchen. You can see more of her fantastic work on her website here: Tallulah Kerrigan (myportfolio.com)
Our pizzas are homemade here fresh everyday
Awards
In January 2025 we were listed as a recommended restaurant by the 'Eccellenze Italiane" group. They are company that recognise restaurants that uphold Italian traditions, and award businesses promoting Italy in a positive way
In June 2023 we won 'Food Producer of the Year' at the Made in Stockport awards. Incredible when we were up against such good businesses, and a testament to all our hard work
In the autumn of 2021 and 2023 we were proud to of made the shortlist of the 'Taste of Stockport' category at the Stockport Business Awards.
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Incredibly, in the autumn of 2023 we made the shortlist for the 'Best Italian Restaurant in the North West of England' and were invited to a grand gala final awards ceremony. We didn't win, but it was an honour to of been shortlisted and recognised (we had a very fun evening!)
Incredibly, in the autumn of 2023 we made the shortlist for the 'Best Italian Restaurant in the North West of England' and were invited to a grand gala final awards ceremony. We didn't win, but it was an honour to of been shortlisted and recognised (we had a very fun evening!)
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Photo Gallery
Our photo gallery continued
Family is incredibly important to us. As a family business families and children are always more than welcome!
Our pizzas are made the traditional Neapolitan way, with our homemade dough made fresh daily and proved for 36 hours before cooking
Our cosy and vibrant first floor restaurant interior and below our laid back ground dining room interior
Owner Ferdinando (middle right in white jumper) with his parents in Naples on his birthday many years ago
Anything on our menu is also available as a children's sized dish (we are proud to be a chicken nugget free zone!)
Customer Photo highlighting 12 years of family occasions with us!
