Due Fratelli

[the_hermit]

This Italian restaurant at the Southbound Goose Green bus stop on Lordship Lane is excellent but doesn't seem to get much custom, especially at lunchtimes - a sad indictment of East Dulwich society.  If it were in Camberwell/Peckham (where I used to live) it would be rammed.

If we don't want Lordship Lane full of chains, then good quality independent family places need custom.

[NewWave]

I always wait by the bus stop and feel a liitle sad for the owners because it always appears empty.

I thought it was a pizza place and did'nt realise it had a full menu.

I agree we need to support independent buisnesses

[the_hermit]

The pasta is fantastic.  I do think they would benefit from smartening up the frontage a bit (less writing?) but that's not an excuse for them to have no custom (they're 4.9 on Google FFS).  There's only so much I can spend in there with my family!

[mrwb]

I used to use 500 degrees when it was on that site. Pretty tough for all the independents now with Megans, Chipotle and other independent restaurants all opening at the bottom end of Lordship lane. So much competition. There's also 3 Italian places at least. Isn't the Italian cafe going to rebrand as well soon?

[Angelina]

That’s what the post is about - encouraging locals to support independents rather than chains (like Megans)

[the_hermit]

Their pizzas are great but probably too much competition from Franco Manca and Yard Sale.  I wonder if they could go down the Flour & Grape route just focusing on pasta and a decent wine list?

[Sue]

  On 05/05/2024 at 19:21, NewWave said:

I always wait by the bus stop and feel a liitle sad for the owners because it always appears empty.

I thought it was a pizza place and did'nt realise it had a full menu.

I agree we need to support independent buisnesses

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I also thought it was just pizza.

I didn't know there had been any change in the menu  since the name of the place changed 

[Penguin68]

  On 06/05/2024 at 09:35, the_hermit said:

I wonder if they could go down the Flour & Grape route just focusing on pasta and a decent wine list?

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For any large party dining in an Italian restaurant a pizza option is always a good selling point, as is risotto, which cover the main carb bases. You have to be very high end just to concentrate on a single strand of a Italian cooking, and then probably genuinely regional. But certainly if you are more than a pizza joint making that blindingly obvious is sensible. 

[NewWave]

I was at the bus stop again today and as usual this restuarant was deserted.

I felt sad to see the nicely laid tables yet nobody in there..

As @the_hermit said I think they need to tidy up the frontage a bit and despite the laid tables with wine glasses on it does'nt read as inviting or home cooked or authentic.

If I were the owners I would do a quick fix for instance ditch the white table cloths and put some more rustic looking checked cloths on the tables, or ditch the cloths altogether, just make it look less cold.

Ditto I would instead of the awful signage or in addition to it put a handwritten painted menu ON the window stating what they offer "home made pasta" etc...

I hope the OP shows this feed to the owners.

I wish the owners well as I think its extemely brave of anyone to open a resturant or any kind of buisness in the UK in the current economic climate..and if the food is as good as the OP states a few inexpexive tweaks should make it look more inviting because at present I really would'nt feel tempted to go inside for a sit down meal.

[Sue]

  On 06/05/2024 at 17:15, NewWave said:

I was at the bus stop again today and as usual this restuarant was deserted.

I felt sad to see the nicely laid tables yet nobody in there..

As @the_hermit said I think they need to tidy up the frontage a bit and despite the laid tables with wine glasses on it does'nt read as inviting or home cooked or authentic.

If I were the owners I would do a quick fix for instance ditch the white table cloths and put some more rustic looking checked cloths on the tables, or ditch the cloths altogether, just make it look less cold.

Ditto I would instead of the awful signage or in addition to it put a handwritten painted menu ON the window stating what they offer "home made pasta" etc...

I hope the OP shows this feed to the owners.

I wish the owners well as I think its extemely brave of anyone to open a resturant or any kind of buisness in the UK in the current economic climate..and if the food is as good as the OP states a few inexpexive tweaks should make it look more inviting because at present I really would'nt feel tempted to go inside for a sit down meal.

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I agree, at the moment it just doesn't look like a welcoming place to have a meal, sadly.

[Froglander]

Maybe a local food blogger could pay a visit.  Not been there myself.  How long has it been open?

[alice]

It took over the premises of another pizza place that also had very few customers

[Sue]

  On 06/05/2024 at 20:05, alice said:

It took over the premises of another pizza place that also had very few customers

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That place did only have pizzas on the menu, to the best of my recollection.

We ate there once, the pizzas were ok but the room was not exactly atmospheric.

Il Mirto has  a lot of pasta dishes on the menu,  but that also never seems busy. It's small and out of the way,  and easily forgotten if you're looking for somewhere to eat, I suppose.

[Dogkennelhillbilly]

The Due Fratelli pizzas are good and the people are nice.

[Earl Aelfheah]

Thanks for the recommendations. I've not been there, but will give it a go

[Dogkennelhillbilly]

  On 06/05/2024 at 20:05, alice said:

It took over the premises of another pizza place that also had very few customers

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As an aside, 500 Degrees is now in Herne Hill and does very well over there.

[vladi]

  On 08/05/2024 at 15:36, Dogkennelhillbilly said:

As an aside, 500 Degrees is now in Herne Hill and does very well over there.

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Yes, it was all buzz when we went there 2 weeks ago and staff are very pleasant. Had an excellent calzone there.

[Monkey]

We had a fantastic meal at Du Fratelli tonight. Husband and daughter had pizza and I had the seabass. All absolutely fantastic.

[Peckhampam]

They've really smartened up. 

[tiddles]

The mushroom pizzas are fabulous!

[Sue]

Do they do deliveries? There is a leaflet holder outside, but I have never seen anything in it.

[Froglander]

  On 30/05/2024 at 07:40, Sue said:

Do they do deliveries? There is a leaflet holder outside, but I have never seen anything in it.

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I’d like to know this too.  Last time I ate out in a restaurant I got Covid.

[Sue]

  On 30/05/2024 at 14:07, Froglander said:

I’d like to know this too.  Last time I ate out in a restaurant I got Covid.

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😭😭😭

[Katherty]

I had an pizza from Due Fratelli yesterday and it was amazing. Really fresh and tasty. It's a nice restaurant inside.

 

The outside is a bit misleading (looks like a takeaway place from out outside).

They do takeaways too. 

[ianr]

According to https://www.daiduefratelli.co.uk/ they're only open at lunchtime from Friday to Sunday.  I didn't see any mention of takeaways.   I daresay they'll be happy to hear any suggestions or queries.