One of Edinburgh’s most cherished family restaurant groups is celebrating a major milestone this year, as the Vittoria Hospitality Group marks its 55th anniversary with the launch of a new initiative, ‘Vittoria Giving Back’. The family-run business pledge to donate £1000 a month to local projects in need of support, in a bid to give back to the local community that has supported them over the years.
What began in 1970 with the opening of Vittoria on the Walk in Leith by ‘Nonno’ Alberto Crolla and his wife Dina has grown into a thriving group of seven venues across Edinburgh, now run by their grandsons Alberto and Leandro Crolla, supported by their father Tony and mother Angela. Vittoria on the Walk has become an Edinburgh institution, welcoming generations of families, students, professionals, and tourists with its warm, family-run hospitality and authentic Italian cuisine.
The group has since expanded to include Vittoria on The Bridge, refined wine bar Divino, all-day café Taste of Italy, Bertie’s Proper Fish and Chips, and the community-focused Brunswick Book Club. Its most recent opening, Landy’s Fish and Chips, launched on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile in December 2024, bringing a taste of the British seaside to the heart of the capital.
Spanning four generations, the Crolla family has always placed people at the heart of the business. Over the years, the group has supported many colleagues from Italy and beyond, helping them to build new lives in Edinburgh and grow successful careers within the company. Today, the group employs more than 320 staff members across its restaurants, with many long-serving team members progressing into more senior roles.
The Vittoria Group’s venues have also created lasting communities over the years. Thirty-two ‘Vittoria babies’ have been born to couples who met while working with the group, with many long-term friendships and family connections continuing to flourish beyond the workplace.
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Beyond its restaurants, the Vittoria Group has played a role in shaping Edinburgh’s hospitality scene, campaigning for extended licenses for outdoor dining and supporting initiatives that strengthen the industry across the city including the visitor levy. Vittoria Giving Back aims to expand this engagement in the community, providing tangible support to local initiatives chosen through a team-wide vote on a monthly basis. Edinburgh locals and organisations can get in touch by emailing givingback@vittoriagroup.co.uk to be considered.
Vittoria’s seven venues continue to be recognised with industry awards for outstanding service, hospitality, and consistently excellent food. Chairman Tony Crolla, awarded the Scottish Italian Awards Lifetime Achievement Award in 2024, said: “Our family has been proud to share our Italian heritage and values with Edinburgh for 55 years. This milestone is not only a celebration of our journey, but also of the loyal customers, incredible staff and supportive community who have made it possible.”
Dina Crolla, founder of Vittoria on The Walk, said: “When my husband Alberto and I opened Vittoria on the Walk back in 1970, we never thought our little restaurant would last so long, never mind grow the way it has. Back then it was a big risk – we didn’t speak English, we worked morning to night, seven days a week, and gave up a lot to make it work. All we wanted was to cook good food and make people feel at home. To see Tony, Alberto, and Leandro carry it on now makes me so proud. They’ve worked so hard, and they’ve kept the family feeling at the heart of everything. That means more to me than anything.”
