Ramsbottom: Authentic Italian patisserie proves to be massive hit

Aprilia Italia on Market Place is a family business run by husband-and-wife Lisa and Kris Naracci, along with Kris’s father Luca Naracci, and the eaterie is named after the couple's youngest child Aprilia.

The business was originally opened in Rawtenstall around two years ago after rent prices in Ramsbottom were too high for them at the time.

Lisa said: “We wanted to open in Ramsbottom because my mother-in-law is an Italian teacher, and she has lots of students in the Ramsbottom area and we were looking around this area after hearing how fantastic it is.

“We couldn’t afford it at the time, so we found Rawtenstall, and we built a clientele and lots of our customers came from Ramsbottom, it was wonderful.”

However, after only being open for around seven months, the patisserie closed due to severe damp which affected the electrics and fridges, which led to produce being lost.

Lisa said: “We were literally from morning to night looking at different properties and this one came up and we were so excited. We couldn’t get the keys quick enough.

“We went around Ramsbottom and to lots of different cafes and we found that people would just start talking to us in the street before we even opened, and we felt so at home there already.

“In two weeks, we cannot believe how much support we’ve got, not only from the people of Ramsbottom but from other business owners.

“Pink Rhino is next door to us, and we’ve had their customers come over with rollers in their hair and they have constantly sent people to support us.

“The owner of The Chocolate Café that recently closed is also so supportive of us and has offered all his help too which is really lovely.

“The Holistic Boutique gym used to be in Rawtenstall, and they used to be our customers and they moved to Ramsbottom too before us and they came in one day and we couldn’t believe it, so they’ve been coming in and sending their customers over too.

“It’s just been the best decision ever and we absolutely love it.”

Everything that the patisserie sells is authentic Italian and is homemade by Kris and Luca.

It sells everything from cakes to foccacia, paninis, gelato and much more. 

The Naracci family are from the Puglia and Torino areas of Italy.

Luca went to patisserie school in Italy before opening a patisserie there.

The family then moved to Edinburgh when Kris was young, but Luca never lost his dream of having another patisserie.

Lisa added: “My husband has always wanted to follow his dads’ footsteps and have a patisserie but more like a café.

“His passion is more savoury whereas his dad’s passion is patisserie. The passion oozes from them.

“My husband will get excited by new ideas and new artistic creations, and he lights up.

“So, when people say they look beautiful it means the world.

“With me I love the people, we’re like the perfect triangle and it just works really well.”

The family also have a home on the Amalfi Coast which was built by Kris’s grandad.

Kris would visit in the summer when he was young and speak about the coffee shops in Italy and how everything was freshly prepared and not full of preservatives.

This is how Aprilia Italia operates too. The family prepares food the night before, make everything in the morning and whatever is not sold during the day is taken home by them and eaten.

Lisa added: “We are just so taken aback by the support of everybody.

“We’ve sold out almost every day, on Saturday we doubled our ingredients from the week before and we still sold out around 2pm.

“When we opened at 10am and there was a queue.

“We’re so thankful and it’s literally brought us to tears.”

If you have a story tweet @Alicegerrard157 or email alice.gerrard@newsquest.co.uk.