WE LOVE LEEDS

The Leeds Guide 14th November 2007

JOHN AND GIP DAMMONE
There was quite an Italian community in Leeds when our parents came here to make a life for themselves. You couldn’t come here unless you already had a job in those days — our dad’s passport even said ‘alien’ on it!

In the 60s, like lots of Italians, dad owned coffee bars, and his became known for the good music. We once really surprised John Pallagi from Room when we told him that their basement had seen the likes of The Four Tops, Rod Stewart and Jon Baldwyn playing live. That was back when The Blue Gardenia stood in its place.

That musical element’s still going — Gip’s had a hand in loads of music venues over the years. He convinced the owner of the T&C that a cellar jazz bar would work and that’s how the much-missed Underground came to be. Dad’s places were popular with mods and greasers. There are loads of stories about dad sending some mods to hide downstairs out of sight of angry greasers, or mum letting them escape safely out the back. Leeds has a huge wealth of musical talent around and that ought to be more celebrated.

Leeds is in the premier division when it comes to eating out. When Raymond Blanc came here he said he’d never experienced such a great welcome from other restaurants, which was good to hear. He also commented on how far ahead the city is for its use of local produce. It’s not surprising, given all the great farmland around us. At Salvo’s we try to buy local, or Italian if not. The market’s great too — it would wonderful to see it return to its heyday.

John and Gip Dammone own Salvo’s res-taurant and La Salumeria cafe/delicatessen in Headingley. Enoteca Nunzia, the new bar above Salvo’s, has just opened.