'First' Italian restaurant in Glasgow survived for 40 years

Towards the end of Mitchell Street in Glasgow city centre sits an Italian restaurant.

At a glance, it is an unassuming eatery and one of hundreds of spots in the city to enjoy a plate of pasta, bruschetta, pizza and more.

It is Barolo Bar and Grill today, but the building has a culinary history stretching back decades - and it is thought to be a city first.

Barolo today (Image: Newsquest)

Opening in 1970, L’Ariosto was the place to be when it came to food and fun as it was one of the few restaurants around that offered entertainment at your table.

Music performers dazzled diners with their processions through the dining room, weaving through tables with their maracas and sombreros to deliver more than just dinner.

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It was a fabulous fusion of Italian food and Latin music, thanks to Italian performer Tony Capaldi and Mexican Chayo Ballinas, and the atmosphere was known for leaving customers satisfied with a full stomach and amused by the nightly festivities.

Tony Capaldi and Chayo Ballinas at L'Ariosto (Image: Newsquest archive)

Waiters would also wheel dishes out to your table and flambé them in front of you, adding to the theatre of eating out.

L’Ariosto claimed to be the first Italian restaurant in Glasgow which, when you think about the many that have popped up since, is something of a remarkable feat.

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While so few of our food spots have cemented themselves as legendary, L’Ariosto’s introduction of Italian cuisine to the Glaswegian people and their unique angle of mid-meal entertainment certainly contributed to ‘institution’ status.

L'Ariosto (Image: Newsquest archive)

Younger generations may cringe at the idea of a man shaking some maracas at you while you eat, but this quirk kept going for around 40 years before L’Ariosto was no more.

After almost half a century under one name, the legacy of number 92 Mitchell Street as a proprietor of Italian food continued. DRG Group, the name behind such restaurants as Café Andaluz and Anchor Line, opened Barolo in September 2020 after taking over the venue in 2008.

While there is no more dinner-dancing and flambé at the table, Barolo’s décor, menu and atmosphere aim to transport diners back to 1960s Italy for a taste of la dolce vita.

Barolo (Image: Newsquest archive)

Tony Conetta, Director at the DRG, said at the time: “We re-invented L’Ariosto back in 2008 and the time has come again for Barolo to be transformed.

“We wanted somewhere serving fresh pasta and classic Italian cookery but where understated Italian style gives a sense of occasion – whether you’re dropping in for breakfast, cocktails or a fresh pasta lunch.”