It’s no secret that an Italian dinner is one best enjoyed slowly, with nowhere to be. As with most things Italian though, there will always be an extra element of surprise to make the most of the occasion, even if that occasion is simply celebrating a Friday, the arrival of the weekend.  

We would recommend lifting your spirits to this surprise when sitting down for your next Italian dinner – the favourite aperitif or digestif.  

Here’s a bit of background: the aperitif is enjoyed before the meal, and is meant ‘to open’ the palate, preparing it for the flavour profiles that will be enjoyed during dinner. The digestif, served after the meal, is enjoyed not only for its own flavourful explosion, but for its benefits that aid in digestion.  

So, you see, an Italian dinner is not meant to be enjoyed in a rush, and enjoying one of the many liqueurs on offer at your local Lupa during this time is not a guilty pleasure at all, it is, in fact, almost a necessity.  

Here are some of our latest favourites available at your local Lupa: 

Grappa Veneta 

Enjoyed as either an aperitif or digestif.

 A tradition of the Veneto region, this quality Grappa has been recognised for centuries. Negroni produces this Grappa Veneta with the same passion as always, with a process that combines the continuous distillation into small copper stills. It has the soft tastes and all the captivating traditional scents that a fine Grappa displays. 

Disaronno Liqueur 

Enjoyed as either an aperitif or digestif.

Enjoying Disaronno Liqueur means you’ll be tasting over five centuries of history. The world’s favourite Almond flavoured Italian liqueur takes you on a journey of multi-sensory discovery, with its velvety smooth taste and unique aroma.  

Lift you spirits at your next Italian dinner, with your local Lupa and some of the world’s finest! 

View the full wine menu here: https://www.lupa.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Lupa-Wine-Menu.pdf  

Book a table here: https://www.lupa.co.za/make-a-booking/  

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PROSECCO VS CHAMPAGNE

Ever wondered why Prosecco takes the cake each time in Italy? Here’s why: In order for Prosecco to be classified as Prosecco, it needs to have been made in Italy, and should include a minimum of 85% of the Glera grape varietal. Having met all of these requirements, Valdo is not only Prosecco, but Italy’s favourite Prosecco! So grab a glass of Valdo from your local Lupa, and pair it with one (or all) of our top 5 Italian dishes below:

PIZZA

There are those that would choose something other than pizza, but we’re convinced that much of the world would, at some point, choose it over an alternative. This is probably because the toppings are so versatile, and then, because flatbread topped with all kinds of goodness just wasn’t enough, it gets topped with cheese – the game changer.

At Lupa, we take our pizza very seriously. Our pizza is wood-fired for a delicious crisp base, and then generously topped with stringy mozzarella. There is even talk about us having the best in town… book your table today to verify this talk!

PASTA

There is not an inch of doubt that pasta wouldn’t make this list of top 5 Italian dishes. In fact, if you happened to do a google search and looked for the world’s top food dish, you would find that pasta has won this title. We’re talking gnocchi, Bolognese, lasagne, penne, you name it…  all of which we do exceptionally well. We make all our pasta in-house, from scratch, because we believe that proper Italian food should be made with a lot of love and care.

MELANZANE AL PARMIGIANO

Yet another Italian classic, and sure to hit the sweet spot with all vegetarians, the Melanzane al Parmigiano is a classic Italian dish made by layering aubergine, mozzarella, Parmesan & Lupa Napoli sauce. It’s a special dish for sure, and perfect for those summer days.

RISOTTO

Not just your average bowl of rice, risotto is extraordinary for two reasons (and probably others). Firstly, it’s a short-grained arborio rice only grown in Italy and secondly, it has a unique cooking technique which welcomes the addition of wine ever so well.

Our Pollo Ciao Italian dish, a wood-roasted, deboned baby chicken on a chardonnay risotto with roasted vegetables, is the reason why risotto makes it to our list of the top 5 Italian dishes.

PORCHETTA

Last, but not least, our classic Porchetta is on this list for obvious reasons. Our wood-roasted pork belly (served on crushed potatoes & wilted spinach, with apple chutney & red wine sauce) begins its journey to your plate two days before we serve it, and lives up to every expectation you had of this Italian delicacy.

While we are sure you could add to this list, we are confident on our findings. However, our menu has an array of other authentically Italian dishes you could try to prove us wrong!

To make a booking at your local Lupa, simply click here.

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We have fancy feasted and celebrated with family over the last few weeks, now it’s time to get into the swing of things and prepare ourselves for a great 2022. The first thing we know for sure at Lupa, are the secrets to an Italian lunch, the second thing we know for sure is that a good lunch guarantees a good day. So, why not prepare for 2022 with good days? We’re about to let you in on some of our secrets… 

The ingredients used… 

We consider one of the secrets to be the authentic ingredients with which your meals are made. Our ingredients are both locally sourced (from high-quality suppliers) and imported. We believe that sourcing fresh, wholesome, and quality ingredients makes all the difference.   

We only use imported Italian flour, local organic free–range chickens, & the finest veal we can source – all of which add to an authentic Italian lunch and are necessary to ensure a good day. 

It’s about the love and care… 

The second secret is probably not a secret at all – it’s all about the hands that prepare your food. Italian food, the real Italian food, is made using our traditional recipes with a lot of love and care. From our pasta and tasty sauces to our wood-fired pizza bases and monthly specials, everything is made from scratch by our talented chefs. 

The environment plays a part… 

The third top secret secret to ensure your lunch hits the spot, is making sure the environment in which you settle down to eat it in is one that takes you to Rome, without you having to leave your seat! Your local Lupa is a neighbourhood Osteria where you feel absolutely at home enjoying a casual, affordable Italian lunch. Your pick of pizza or pasta, throw in a carafe of house wine (because, why not?), sit back, and watch the day get better.  

It is also about the company you keep… 

The last secret to a lunch that leaves you with a good day is the company that you keep, from co-workers and clients to family and friends, a good lunch is guaranteed to be elevated when shared with the right people. 

Lupa’s Italian lunches 

Ask at your local Lupa about this month’s Blackboard and lunch specials. Alternatively, you can join us on Porchetta Sundays, enjoy our wood-roasted pork belly served on crushed potatoes & wilted spinach, with apple chutney & red wine sauce. Or, if pizza and beer is more your thing, join us for Pizza and Bira, where you choose any pizza and enjoy a glass of wine or beer on us.  

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Image credit: Tom Podmore, Unsplash  

As with most things, the ‘facts’ of history will likely vary depending on who you ask (all history, even the history of Italian pizza). But one thing we know for sure – we owe it to all involved. Turns out, pizza was the result of an evolution of sorts. Perhaps even a revolution. Regardless, it’s a history we’re thankful for, and we think celebrations are in order.  

Let’s talk a quick history  

Rumour has it, our beloved Italian pizza started off in the East. The Egyptians, the builders of pyramids, painters of pictograms, and ultimately the yielders of yeast, started what was really the pizza predecessor. 

And so, the story started to roll out. 

A leavened, cereal type dough became a kneaded, milled wheat flour flatbread, which ultimately became the Italian pizza which Lupa Osteria is well acquainted with. It’s specific because the Italians really did take this evolution seriously. It was in the dawn of the 17^th century that pizza started to enter this revolutionary evolution.  

It’s probably 400 years later, and pizza has claimed the title best food multiple times across the globe (even here at Lupa – this year we’ve taken the best sit-down pizzeria in Johannesburg, and for this, we tip our flour brimmed hats to the ancient Egyptians, the romantic Romans, and the soulful South Africans of today who voted us the best – thank you to all!).  

A season of celebration 

Since we find ourselves in this season of celebration, one that gives even more reason to come together as family and friends, we’re saying salute to the Italian pizza, and we can’t help but remind you about the Pizza & Birra special at Lupa. We also think it’s worth mentioning that the Festive Menus available at Lupa this December would be worthy of hieroglyphics, so it would be wise to consider celebrating with these, too. 

The Nacho Libre pizza, Lupa Osteria 

There’s something special about our authentic Italian pizza. Perhaps it’s the wood-fired, crispy base with a generous topping of stringy mozzarella, or it’s the variety – from the age-old Margherita to the Massimo Calzone and Cajun Chicken. Either way, we’ve come a long way since our leavened ancestor. Join us in making even more history! 

Book your table here

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We’re talking Christmas a month early here at Lupa because Christmas is all things family, sharing and warmth, and of course family, sharing and warmth is to Italian food what Parmesan is to pasta. Full of flavour and absolutely necessary.

Christmas in Italy is no ordinary time. One could say that it’s a month full of age-old Italian traditions that carry meaning, love and peace to all. Traditions that look something like a group of shepherd bagpipers on the city streets, elaborate live Nativity scenes entertaining crowds, and street carts selling warm chestnuts in brown bags. It will have you saying “all I want for Christmas is Italian food!” and leave you with just enough of an appetite to make sure you get it.

The thing is, if you imagined yourself walking through the streets of Italy during this time, you would likely find yourself drawn to the divine aromas and plentiful flavours, the lights, and the extravagantly decorated trees. All while enjoying something sweet, like a slice of panforte in one hand and a slice of panettone in the other. When in Rome…

Similarly, back here in South Africa, you would likely find yourself drawn to the decor, warmth, aroma and good Italian food that makes Lupa the closest thing to cobbled streets and genuine Italian food you’re going to find. This time, with Fettucine Marinara in one hand and Crème Brûlée (or maybe Nutella Crêpes?) in the other. When in Lupa…

It really is that wonderful time of the year where family and friends can come together to celebrate the very thing we at Lupa love –family, sharing and warmth.

The Lupa Christmas Menu will be available from 15 November to 24 December. Mon – Fri, lunchtime only. You can book your table here and join in on the Christmas talk – you just need to bring the family; we’ve got the warmth and genuine Italian food covered.

Choose from 2 courses for R199 or 3 courses for R249. Close your eyes. Savour. There you have it – Italy for Christmas!

“Salute!” to the season, we cannot wait to welcome you.

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Nestled in the heart of Westville on Jan Smuts Avenue, you’ll find an Italian gem. Lupa is your local neighbourhood Osteria where one feels comfortable and can enjoy both a casual and affordable family dinner, or celebrate a special occasion in style. If you’re looking for an informal dinner option, book a table and relax in the main restaurant while you experience excellent and friendly service from the waitering staff, and exceptional Italian cuisine from Lupa’s versatile menu. If you’re looking for something a little more private; a business dinner, book club get-together, family function, or a secluded and romantic dinner, their basement wine cellar provides an intimate and cozy setting. The wine cellar is part of the original building, built over 150 years ago, and is a historic national monument! It is so special to sit down there and enjoy a fully serviced, delicious meal while you sip on a glass of wine. The best part is, there is no booking fee. We do suggest booking in advance though, as the venue is popular! The space seats 12 people and is available on request. 

Lupa Osteria Westville can be found at 124 Jan Hofmeyr road, Westville. They are open from Monday to Thursday from 11:30am-21:00pm, Fridays from 11:30am-21:00pm, Saturday from 11:30am-21:00pm, and Sundays from 11:30am-20:00pm. Book a table telephonically (+27 31 266 8793/5877), or via email: westville@lupa.co.za

If you’re reading this and you’re not in Durban, fear not, Lupa has 14 restaurants nationwide. Find your local Lupa den here.

What are some of your best romantic restaurants in Durban? We would love to hear from you in the comments section below.

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With so much on the drinks menu to discover, we thought we’d narrow it down to sharing three of Lupa’s Cabernet Sauvignons from the “Rosso” selection, on their diverse wine menu. This coincides perfectly with the fact that today (2 September 2021) happens to be International Cabernet Sauvignon Day.

Photo by Kym Ellis on Unsplash

The world’s most popular red wine grape is a natural cross between Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc from Bordeaux, France. Cabernet Sauvignon is loved for its rich and robust flavour and its ability to age well.

Food Pairing

The rich flavour of cabernet sauvignon makes it a perfect partner to rich, grilled meats, peppery sauces, and dishes with high flavour. We have a few on the Lupa wine list that we think you’ll love.

Kleine Zalze Cellar Selection

This is a very typical cabernet sauvignon that shows dark fruit on the nose that follows onto a textured palate with some red fruit and a soft and supple tannin profile that gives way to a long finish. Pairs well with the Lupa Gnocchi Fantasia – a decadent dish served with gorgonzola cream and Bolognese ragu.

Guardian Peak

Displays classic black current and ripe raspberry flavours with a hint of oak shavings. The concentrated dark fruits and milk chocolate flavours give the cabernet a powerful and elegant balance. This wine shows a wonderful structure for a wine best consumed at a young age. Pairs well with the Lupa Balsamic and Avo Fillet.

Warwick First Lady

Cassis & spice aromas, and full yet polished tannins from older oak make a satisfying & tasty get-together-with-friends kind of red. Pairs well with the Meat Lovers Pizza.

How will you be celebrating International Cabernet Sauvignon Day? We recommend booking a table at Lupa, where you can sit back, relax, and celebrate with a beautiful, rich, and flavoursome pizza, pasta, or fillet at Lupa while you sip one of their favourite Cab Sav’s. If you do join them on the day, ask your waiter to take some pictures of you at your table so you can post them to social media and join the cab sav trend. Don’t forget to tag Lupa (@lupa_osteria on Instagram and @LupaOsteriaSouthAfrica on Facebook) and use the hashtags #CabernetDay #CabernetSauvignonDay when you post.

What’s your favourite Cabernet Sauvignon? We’d love to hear from you in the comments section below.

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When it comes to top Italian restaurants in Durban, there seems to be some stiff competition. Durbanites love good Italian cuisine, and who doesn’t? Pizza and pasta are the ultimate comfort foods! If you’ve searched the city high and low for your favourite Italian place, then chances are that you already know about Lupa Osteria, Westville. However, if you don’t, we’re here to enlighten you! The Lupa marketing team caught up with owner, Leon Roux. Here’s some insight into life at Lupa.

Image: Lupa Westville

Lupa marketing team: What do you think customers love most about your specific Lupa restaurant?

Leon: We’re your typical neighbourhood restaurant where friends love to meet and socialise.  Our basement wine cellar is unique and part of the historic monument that is over 150 years old and used as a space for special occasions or business meetings.  Our upmarket Martini Bar offers a wide range of cocktails, wine, and craft beers, and is utilised for corporate functions and events.

Lupa marketing team: How would you describe the vibe at Westville Lupa restaurant?

Leon: An exceptional combination of food and wine with an authentic Italian experience.

Image: Lupa Westville

Lupa marketing team: What is your favourite meal, drink, and dessert on the menu?

Leon: Peroni pale lager, spaghetti bolognaise and vanilla panna cotta.

Lupa marketing team: How long has your branch been running for?

Leon: Lupa Westville is in its 8^th year of trading and was the first franchise established in August 2014.

Lupa marketing team: What is an average day at Lupa like?

Leon: Planning, leading, controlling, and now we have had to learn to adapt with the emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Image: Lupa Westville

Lupa marketing team: What makes Westville Lupa one of the top Italian restaurants in Durban?

Leon: Our friendly, front of house staff who are always willing to go the extra mile and consistency in good flavoured, authentic Italian food at good value-for-money prices.

Lupa marketing team: What do you love most about your job?

Leon: The interaction with my staff and my patrons alike.

Lupa marketing team: Why should people be supporting restaurants during the pandemic?

Leon: To help maintain their survival, which is at the heart of our community.

Lupa marketing team: What has changed during the pandemic and how has this impacted you?

Leon: The impact of the pandemic has been devastating to the food industry, so restaurants have had to think out the box and restructure their business with online marketing and social media platforms. The introduction of delivery and takeout meals has been an addition to our current offering, but competition has been fierce, and margins squeezed.

We all know just how many restaurants have been impacted by the global pandemic, but it has been heart-warming to see the loyalty and commitment from countless customers who continued to support their favourite restaurants during varying levels of the nationwide lockdown. Lupa Westville is happy to be serving alcohol again and have extended their hours under the new lockdown level 3 restrictions. If you’re looking for a top Italian restaurant in Durban, look no further than Lupa Osteria Westville. And if you’re not In Durban, not to worry – Lupa has 14 restaurants across South Africa, so locate your nearest one here and experience authentic Italian cuisine and world class service.

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A good carbonara is a matter of art and balance: free range eggs, good pecorino (or parmigiano), and superior quality pancetta (or bacon). So, what do carbonara critics look for in the perfect dish? The egg should embrace the pasta without getting sticky and making it dry, but it should never be runny and raw either. It can be difficult to get right, but one Italian restaurant that is famous for this dish is none other than Lupa Osteria.

Image: Lupa

For Italians, food is more than just a means of filling your belly, it is an experience that should be enjoyed with friends and family, and an important part of the meal is watching the preparation. That’s why at Lupa, you can watch your Fettucine Carbonara being prepared by the chef at your table side. This dish is one of the things they are famous for. Prepared using bacon and delicious and delicate truffle mushrooms and served at your table side from a Parmesan wheel – this is an experience that their guests come from far and wide to enjoy.

Image: Lupa

This delightful dish was removed from the Lupa menu when the restaurant updated and refreshed the menu, which caused a somewhat public outcry. The people wanted their carbonara! So, due to popular demand, the chefs at Lupa agreed to add it back when they updated their new menu. (And the Italian pasta gods sighed.)

To experience this heaven-sent pasta, book a table at your local Lupa. All their restaurants, nationwide (except for Suncoast), are open for dine-in and takeaway, and they have strict Covid protocol measures in place to keep you and their staff safe during while you dine.

Image: Lupa

Have you tried our Carbonara cheese wheel pasta, and if so, what did you think of it? Does it live up to its name of being the golden dish that gets all the glory? We would love to hear from you in the comments section below. Ciao.

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So, if you’ve been searching for a restaurant nearby and can’t make up your mind, why not give Lupa Bedfordview or Lupa Design Quarter a try? These Johannesburg restauranteurs really know how to make guests feel welcome – the man responsible for overseeing things and ensuring that every guest leaves happy and well-fed, is Preshan Ramoorthy, the owner of Bedfordview and Design Quarter.  

Our marketing team have stolen a few moments to chat to him and find out why customers should consider gracing Lupa Osteria with their presence.

Preshan Ramoorthy, Lupa Design Quarter & Bedfordview owner, pictured above

Lupa Marketing Team: What do you think customers love most about Lupa Bedfordview and Lupa Design Quarter?  

Preshan: All our customers are treated like family, because this is your Nonna’s ‘home away from home’. We do not compromise on the quality of our cuisine and try our best to make every customer’s experience memorable and enjoyable – and they always return for more.

Pictured left is Lupa Bedfordview and pictured right is Lupa Design Quarter

Lupa Marketing Team: How would you describe the vibe at each restauranteur? 

Preshan: Bedford Centre is warm and cosy, and our customers have become accustomed to the homely atmosphere. It’s like the feel-good place you go to, but get to enjoy the luxury of great Italian comfort food. Because of its location, Design Quarter has the more trendy and social media-friendly appeal, where customers come out to be ‘seen’. It has become a great venue for stylish and intimate birthday parties, where customers can be spoilt, yet still enjoy great value for money.

Lupa Bedfordview pictured above

Lupa Marketing Team: What is your favourite meal, drink & favourite dessert on the menu? 

Preshan: I would love to say everything on the menu is my favourite, but I do enjoy the Balsamic & Avo Fillet with a glass of the Durbanville Hills Merlot (see our wine menu)- and to top it off, nothing is better than the Cremino Al Cioccalato.

Lupa Marketing Team: How long has each restauranteur been running for?

Preshan: Lupa Design Quarter has been open for 4 years and Lupa Bedford, 3 years.

Lupa Marketing Team: What is an average day at each restauranteur like?  

Preshan: An average day entails store readiness, food prep and checks, and store setup before opening doors. From here-on it’s meeting and greeting our Lupa customers and ensuring that they are being spoilt and looked after.

Lupa Marketing Team: What makes Lupa Design Quarter and Bedfordview amongst the top Italian restaurants in JHB?

Preshan: Lupa is a traditional Italian restaurant and we take pride in serving classic, home-style meals. We stick to the rustic Italian way of cooking and this is entrenched in the way our dishes are prepared. When a customer orders Italian, the customer will get exactly that – Italian cuisine, made with love and authenticity. All our pastas are made daily, on premise, and customers are able to watch this in our pasta area, so they feel like they are part of the experience. But most importantly, we take our customers’ feedback to heart and we listen, so that we can continue to make them feel like part of the wolfpack family.

Lupa Design Quarter pictured left and Lupa Bedfordview pictured right

Lupa Marketing Team: What do you love most about your job? 

Preshan: Getting to speak to our customers, interact with them, building relationships, and seeing those smiles on those faces. But the most satisfying feeling is seeing those customers return, time and time again.

Lupa Marketing Team: Why should people be supporting restaurants during the pandemic? 

Preshan: Restaurants contribute towards our food, agriculture and tourism industry. So, by supporting restaurants and buying a meal, people are helping farmers, poultry farms, meat companies and wine farms, as all of these are needed to create those amazing dishes. But it also provides for people by giving them jobs, such as waiters, chefs, etc. Good restaurants attract tourists, as they want to eat delicious meals, and while this industry is still slowly recovering from the pandemic, it is starting to come alive again. And when the tourists provide highly rated reviews, restaurants can get more customers and this, in turn, is good for all those industries mentioned above.

Lupa Marketing Team: What has changed during the pandemic and how has this impacted you?

Preshan: The pandemic has instilled fear into customers, and they are hesitant to wonder outside of their homes. With our Bedford store, it has more of an inside seating area, and covid has made people fearful of being indoors. We, however, assure all Bedford customers that we follow the most stringent Covid protocols in terms of sanitising and cleanliness, to assure our customers’ safety. Design Quarter has a huge outside seating area, and customers love the outside seating in the South African sun. The impact of covid has made customers fearful of dining out, and also, many office staff are working from home, hence our lunch trade has reduced due to staff not working from the offices. Normally, all staff at the offices would venture to the restaurants for lunches.

We have been fortunate enough to meet customer needs during this pandemic and not drop our service standards or quality. We are extremely grateful for our return customers, who frequent our branches, and who we’ve formed great relationships with. They really help keep us going.

Need a little more convincing about these vibey Italian restaurants in Johannesburg? Don’t take our word for it – read these reviews to see what other customers have to say.

Bedfordview Reviews.

If you’d like to come visit either Johannesburg location, please find your nearest Lupa den here.

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