Former Pizzeria in Chichester to become upmarket Italian eatery

The site, on South Street,has been empty since earlier this year, when previous occupants Three Joes Pizza closed abruptly in April – less than a year after opening in 2023.

Before that, the site was occupied by Thai restaurant venture Lime Squeezy, which closed in January 2021, after taking over the site from Wahaca in 2021.

The string of closures led some Chichester residents, commenting after the loss of Three Joes earlier this year, to declare the site ‘cursed, with one reader, Olivia Arnaudy adding: “Nothing stays there for long.”

Readers curious about the future of the site, however, could now have their answer, as work starts to transform the restaurant into a new Italian eatery.

A construction notice pasted in the empty unit’s window says it will be turned into a Piccolino restaurant in the near future.

Piccolino itself, which has branches in major cities like Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool and London, made clear via its website that a Chichester branch will be opening soon.

The restaurant serves a range of traditional Italian dishes, including lasagne, ragu, gnocchi, risotto and a carbonara variation prepared in a Pecorino cheese wheel.

A statement released via the restaurant’s website reads: “A treasure in the heart of Chichester on South Street, the newest addition to the Piccolino Family will bring a flavour of Italy to this historic Cathedral City. Piccolino Chichester will embody the the charm and sophistication of authentic Italian dining.”