The Carlisi Brothers are celebrating this week as they celebrate 5 years of business in Liverpool.
Brothers Alessio and Federico opened Carlisi on Dale Street back in 2018 with the dream of bringing authentic Italian food, drinks and service to the people of Liverpool.
Born and raised in Sicily, the brothers have built a reputation for their authentic approach, winning ‘Best Aperitivo’ at The Italian Awards in 2019 just 12 months after opening their doors.
They announced their second venue earlier this year, opening Carlisi Kitchen in the former Maray Site on Allerton Road in April 2023.
“We were delighted to open our second site on Allerton Road, an area which is known for the quality of its independent operators. The new restaurant has a large kitchen which has allowed us to deliver an expanded menu which includes a range of traditional Italian pasta dishes using our own family recipes.” – Federico Carlisi
The Carlisi brothers also recognise the importance role independents suppliers have in the local community, sourcing their bread from local producers Baltic Bakehouse, and their speciality draft beer from neighbours Dead Crafty.
However they remain passionate about bringing the flavours of their hometown to the people of Liverpool, sourcing arancini and cannoli from their family’s production facility in Agrigento, and even importing oranges and lemons from their family’s farm for their own brand of Carlisi Gin in partnership with local producers Murphy’s Distillery.
“We’re proud of our heritage, and we import a lot of our products directly from suppliers around Italy. Our arancini and cannoli are handmade in Sicily by a member of the Carlisi family, and we import the finest cheese, wine and meat from the best Italian suppliers.” – Federico Carlisi
For Italians, reputation is everything, and their restaurants consistently receive praise from locals and tourists visiting the city with over 300 5* reviews on Tripadvisor.
Alessio and Federico take a hands-on approach to the business, and you’re more likely to find them preparing food and drinks alongside their team than sitting an office.
Many of the Carlisi team are bilingual, and with over 10 different native languages being spoken in their restaurants.
The team at Carlisi are more than employees – they become part of the Carlisi Family – and several members of the current team have been employed since opening day in 2018.
“At Carlisi, our customers are our friends and our staff are our family. It’s our name above the door, and we want to do everything we can to make them happy. We’re proud to say that we go above and beyond to ensure that every customer has an experience to remember, whether they’re calling in for a quick coffee or spending an evening indulging in a deli platter and a bottle of the finest Italian wine.” – Alessio Carlisi
Whilst staff retention is important, the Carlisi family recognises that not everyone will stay forever, and they actively encourage their team to realise their own dreams of travelling or studying abroad just as they did in their teens.
Staff who leave the business to follow their own paths are always welcomed back with open arms when they return.
“It’s our family name above the door and we we’re passionate about our team reflecting our values in everything we do. We welcome everyone to Carlisi, and the diversity of our team reflects that. They’re truly passionate about what we do, and every customer is greeted like an old friend. Our customers return time and time again for authentic food, great cocktails and lively conversations (in a variety of languages!)” – Alessio Carlisi
Visit the Carlisi website HERE.