Our Story
Ciao! My name is Gianluca, I came here with my Mamma Rita to bring you the delicious food we’ve been sharing with our dearest loved ones. Using methods handed down through generations, and revisiting the classic dishes Nonna used to make, we’re proud to provide you with the tingling magical feeling of homemade food, without the hassle of preparing it yourself. Our options are especially crafted to please every member of the family.
Growing up to single mother and hero Mamma Rita, the passion for real ‘slow’ food was instilled in me from young. There was never a lazy day in Mamma’s books, no cheating and no cutting corners, food has always been made fresh every day. Neither of us have ever been satisfied with containing the real food cooking magic to our home, and so the main goal was born: to open an authentic Italian Café Deli with all of her original recipes and commitment to providing healthy wholesome food options to the masses.
Annaré
Finally after 12 years of searching for the right spot to make this dream happen, we found the perfect place. Secluded in the Surrey hills is the quaint village of East Horsley, on an unassuming parade of shops we found the dream location. The timing could not have been more perfect, Mamma having had extensive experience in the field of food and hospitality working for big brands, and for myself the experience of running my own businesses and involvement in supplying speciality bread in London and Surrey to many similar businesses.
Joining forces we had between us just the right amount of passion, energy, and commitment. The dream became a reality and we called it Annaré, dedicated to Nonna Anna who had inspired us to carry on the tradition of sharing our love of food. Today Annaré is a booming business with Mamma Rita at the helm of our establishment providing healthy wholesome food options and impeccable sweet treats including our own ice cream production.
Mamma Rita's
By popular request I now bring you the next chapter of our story: the Annaré online shop and our own ready-to-cook range of original dishes pinched directly from the real Mamma’s secret recipes book. To honour her, like she has her mother, I decided to call our brand Mamma Rita’s. I personally guarantee you will have dreams of our dishes in your sleep, and I sincerely apologise for any arguments caused over who gets the last portion.
We’re ready and waiting to take your new order of Mamma Rita’s homemade goods.
Why Frozen?
There really is nothing better than a freshly-made meal. So we prepare every single one of our dishes from scratch, and then pop them straight into the freezer to lock in the goodness of the ingredients, the natural way - absolutely no additives or preservatives.
It’s basically like pressing ‘pause’ on a fresh dish that’s packed with nutrients – until you decide to press ‘play’ and reap the benefits, when you’re ready for a feast. That way, we know you’ll get to enjoy every single one of our meals at its very best – as though it’s been freshly prepared for you there and then – from your own kitchen.
And, even better, there’s no need to plan ahead. Buon appetito!