The first day of September, 1970, was a great day for Mullingar. Fifty years on, it’s an even better day for Mullingar, for we are still the proud home of one of the best Italian chippers in Ireland – the Roma Café.
Giuseppe, fondly known locally as Joe, from a small village called Colle San Magno near Monte Cassino in Italy, served his time in the restaurant trade in Finglas with the late Saverio Macari, known as the famous Sam, from Sam’s takeaway. Sam passed away about two years ago, Joe sadly recalls. Joe says that he had been looking around a few places in Ireland as he wanted to go into business for himself. He saw the property on Mount Street, which was known as the Express Cafe at that time, and was owned by a gentleman named Mick Eivers. He rented the building, bought it out in full in about half the time he expected, and opened The Roma Café in 1970, along with his brother Tony, his sister Donata, his late brother Pompeo and his late sister, Stella.
