Scottish hospitality group expands with Newcastle and London restaurants planned

One of Scotland’s largest independent hospitality groups is planning further growth south of the border after unveiling plans to open new restaurants in Newcastle and London.

Mario Gizzi, co-founder of DRG, owners of brands including Di Maggio’s, Cafe Andaluz, and Amarone, has revealed the group is ‘actively looking’ at potential sites for a second Cafe Andaluz in Newcastle, three years after opening its successful Grey Street restaurant in the city in 2021. The group is also exploring locations for a first venue in the UK’s capital.

DRG opened a third Cafe Andaluz in Edinburgh in November last year, with the new Stockbridge venue proving a big hit in the neighbourhood. Almost 20,000 people have already visited the restaurant since it opened, making it one of the brand’s most successful new openings to date.

The announcement comes hard on the heels of the group’s busiest December since 2019, with combined sales across the group’s 17 venues in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, and Newcastle up 10 per cent on the previous year.

Gizzi, who founded DRG in Glasgow with his uncle Joe Conetta in 1985, commented: “The reception to the Stockbridge Cafe Andaluz has been exceptional and is exactly why we chose that location. It’s another pillar in the progression of the business, and we have plans to grow the brand further.

“We have a strong portfolio of brands across a broad range of sectors and food types, and our plans are about growing what we have. We are actively looking at a site for a second Cafe Andaluz in Newcastle, and beyond that we intend to take the brand and potentially other restaurants into London as well.

“We are researching suitable locations, and that includes the potential acquisition of other restaurant businesses with a view to converting sites into one of our existing brands if the opportunity is right.

“We’ve been in business for 40 years because we take a responsible and measured approach to growth, only moving when the opportunity is right for the business, and that will continue to be fundamental to our approach.”

Gizzi, who trained as a chartered accountant in the 1980s, runs DRG with cousin Tony Conetta, who stepped into his father’s role following his retirement in 2000. The group now employs close to 1,000 people across its venues and has introduced training schemes including an in-house modern apprenticeship.

By Matthew Neville – Senior Correspondent, Bdaily

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