The one thing that strikes you about Eusebi Deli in Glasgow isn’t just the fabulous food, it’s the warmth that envelops you the moment you walk through the door, like a big comforting hug. Perhaps that’s why it’s hard to believe the deli has only just celebrated its tenth anniversary; it feels as though it has always been part of the fabric of the West End, and its many dedicated regulars would surely agree.
In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who doesn’t love Eusebi’s. It inspires genuine passion in people, and that passion radiates directly from co-owners Giovanna Eusebi and her brother Eddie, who live by the words above the door: ‘Food. Family. Life. Passion. Values born in Italy, made in Glasgow.’ The don’t just love what they do, they truly care about people and their customers.
So, to mark their tenth anniversary, it felt only right that the celebration was something special: an evening at Glasgow’s Theatre Royal, complete with a beautiful performance by Scottish Opera. Giovanna says, “We wanted the 10-year anniversary to be a celebration of our suppliers as these relationships are so important – over the years these people have become our friends. People like Nigel from McCaskie Butchers, Andy from Cucielo Vermouth and Maxime from Coeur Sauvage were all there.”
For those who may be unfamiliar with the history of Eusebi’s, our editor Susan Young first interviewed Giovanna nine years ago, shortly after the Park Road deli opened. At the time, Giovanna spoke about previously taking over her parents’ business, a small deli and cherished community hub in Shettleston, to opening the Eusebi Deli in Woodlands that we all know and love.
Since then, they have continued to grow the business, opening a production kitchen back in Shettleston, and around three years ago investing and growing that once again. “You have to be multifaceted to survive,” says Giovanna. “There’s a lot of outside factors that you can’t control, so you have to pivot all the time to get the very best out of your business. But you should never dilute the quality. Everything you see here is all made from fresh every day from scratch and by hand. That’s our business model and that is growing, which is brilliant.”
The changes they have made to the business to celebrate its 10th anniversary is all part of this philosophy. Giovanna explains, “We wanted to change things up a bit after ten years without changing the DNA of what Eusebi’s is. It’s not a reinvention, it’s a revolution. Over the past 10 years we’ve always wanted to cook with real fire, so we now have a flame grill in the kitchen – it’s really changed the flavour profile.
‘Every detail has been considered, and flavour is so important in everything we do. Italian food is so simple- you can’t hide – and we have created a brand new menu which celebrates the seasons and incorporates the Scottish larder whilst working with some incredible producers.”
Eusebi itself is an all-day operation, serving breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a full range of takeaway dishes, bread and cakes. They also offered a pre-prepared “Christmas At Home” menu online, along with hampers and gifting options – including their impressive array of panettones in store shipped direct from Italy. On top of all that, they regularly cater for outside events.
There is still fresh pasta, made by hand every day, Roman pinsa from the oven and homemade comfort food to take away. However, the new ‘Winter Edit’ Menu features something special with the introduction of a new grill and new dishes made for sharing.
Giovanna continues, “My grandparents were sustainable farmers who grew bio-dynamically, but there wasn’t even a word for that when they did it. They used every part of every animal, every vegetable, no pesticides and nothing thrown away. In the wintertime they would kill a pig to make their Parma ham for the year but would use it all – such as the intestines to make sausage casings and rendering the fat down to go into jars that we would then spread onto bread or make into candles. I really wanted to carry that on and make that the ethos of the restaurant.
“So, when it came to our 10-year anniversary, I used them as inspiration. I spent a lot of time with them – harvesting food, making wine, picking olives, making cheese and we also used to cook outside a lot in the colder Winter months. They never had electricity, and I wanted to bring their culture into this kitchen. This is their story; I am just the keeper of that story and passing the torch on.
“Eating habits have also changed in recent years, so we are now giving people small plate and large plate options. People nowadays like to try different things and share dishes. The new menu has gone down great, but it was a change to the service aspect as well.”
I have no doubt that the incredibly dedicated team at Eusebi’s has managed this with aplomb, as Giovanna speaks about them with such pride and affection. “We have staff that have been with us since the very beginning including Stevie McDougall our KP and Michael Prior our GM,” she says. “Ryan Simmons, who is now our Operations Manager, arrived slightly after and started as a supervisor. A lot of our staff have worked their way up as we like to promote from within – that’s important to us as if they shine, we shine.
“We train people and we’ve had a lot of success stories over the years. However, my success story is also the future hospitality stars that are coming through – it’s like being a mother to 60 other children!”
She concludes, “We want to be here in another 10 years so we’re always looking to do better. It’s a lot of work, but it’s also not a lot of work when you love it.”
The anniversary comes as Eusebi were given permission by Glasgow City Council to open a new venue on Gibson Street, on the site of the former United Bank, which has been vacant for around 10 years and sits close to the existing venue on Park Road.
There is no doubt that Giovanna loves what she does, and I’m sure they’ll still be thriving in another ten years as the business continues to go from strength to strength. I’m excited that more and more people will get to experience the love, warmth, and passion that goes into everything she creates.
Did you know…
Eusebi started as a fruit shop in Shettleston where Giovana’s mum and dad started selling Italian produce in the 1970s.- The hugely popular Yesterdays Lasagne is the biggest take-away seller from the deli. You can also enjoy it in the restaurant on the new menu deep fried – Lasagne Fritti!
- They import their own coffee and many of their products direct from Italy.
- Everything is made in house including their own ricotta which is made from Ayrshire’s Mossgiel Milk.
- In the Eusebi production kitchen in Shettleston the bakers start at 4.30am to make sure they have all the fresh bread, ciabatta rolls and croissants they need for the day!
- The new menu at Eusebi celebrates the 10th birthday and is adorned with pictures of all the hardworking staff – some of which have been there for the full ten years!
- Nigella Lawson is quoted as saying “I’m always too nervous before going on stage, so glorifying in essential interval snackage from the lovely Eusebi Deli” – they’ve also had visits from Rick Stein, Fred Sirieix and even Che Guevara’s daughter!
The wallpaper in Eusebi’s was custom made in Italy and matches the inside of all their cake boxes. It depicts family pictures interwoven with photos of Giovanna’s mums favourite actors from the 1950s and 60s and tells the story of the family.- Their hugely popular Strawberry Tarts are available all year round. In the summertime all the strawberries come from Scotland and in the winter they are grown hydroponically so they are still seasonal! All the pastry is made by hand as well!
- The owner, Giovanna Eusebi, was awarded the title of Cavaliere (an honour roughly equivalent to a knighthood) by the Italian Ambassador to the UK for excellence in business. This accolade recognises her contribution to hospitality and Italian culture in Scotland – and highlights the deli’s influence stretching beyond Glasgow.
Pictures of the party courtesy of Gerardo Jaconelli