Edinburgh’s family-run Vittoria Hospitality Group is this year celebrating 55 years in business – and to mark that milestone, it has launched Vittoria Giving Back, an initiative which will give £1000 a month to local community projects.
Described as a ‘heartfelt thank you’ to the neighbourhoods that have supported Vittoria’s venues for decades, the fund promises to provide ‘tangible support’ to local initiatives chosen through a team-wide vote on a monthly basis.
Vittoria Hospitality began in 1970 with the opening of Vittoria on the Walk in Leith by ‘Nonno’ Alberto Crolla and his wife Dina, which has since become an Edinburgh institution, ‘welcoming generations of families, students, professionals, and tourists with its warm, family-run hospitality and authentic Italian cuisine’.
The wider business has grown into a group of seven venues across Edinburgh, now run by their grandsons Alberto and Leandro Crolla, supported by their father Tony and mother Angela.
These include sister restaurant Vittoria on The Bridge, wine bar Divino, all-day café Taste of Italy, Bertie’s Proper Fish and Chips, and the community-focused Brunswick Book Club bar.
The group’s most recent opening, Landy’s Fish and Chips, launched on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile in December 2024.
The Crolla family is said to take pride in placing people at the heart of its business, with the group supporting many colleagues from Italy and beyond, helping them to build new lives in Edinburgh and grow successful careers within the company.
Today, it employs more than 320 staff members across its restaurants, with many long-serving team members progressing into senior roles.
It is also noted that there are no less than thirty-two ‘Vittoria babies’ born to couples who met while working with the group, with many long-term friendships and family connections continuing to flourish beyond the workplace.
Beyond its own venues, 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.
Chairman Tony Crolla, who was 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.”
Edinburgh locals and organisations wishing to be considered for a donation from Vittoria Giving Back should email givingback@vittoriagroup.co.uk
