A totally new food experience hit London, when La Famiglia Rana Grocer opened on 9th November 2018 in Marylebone for a five-week residency. It was a hidden gem of Italian gastronomy designed to get taste buds tingling and camera phones snapping with a new concept of grocery shopping. The store was thrilling from the moment shoppers entered, with tumbling greenery, fresh flowers and decadent marble backdrops, to set off the visual and gastronomical beauty of the food-related items on offer in store. 

This homage to beautiful (and delicious!) Italian goods included, of course, a cornerstone of Italy’s epicurean traditions: fresh pasta. It was also packed to the brim with the finest Italian hard-to-find, high end products. Visitors were invited to discover some of Italy’s best-kept secrets from the country’s most revered producers and growers, as well as handicrafts by small artisan suppliers – many of whom had never been available 
in the UK before.

Those looking to brush up their skills could participate in one of around 50 workshops taking place over the course of the five weeks, including: how to prepare perfect fresh pasta meals, pasta making, food photography and ingredient tastings. 

Master classes were held by members of Italy’s most beloved pasta family leading participants through an exploration of pasta traditions. Instagram aficionados including Food Feels, Cutlery Chronicles and Giulia Mule also hosted master classes, such as food photography and styling. 

Part grocery, part workshop and even part photo studio, the store was a playground for creative inspiration. Visitors looking to pick up a few groceries could pick-and-mix their favourite fresh artisanal ingredients before receiving free, expert instruction from Italian pasta chefs on preparing and plating them into original, beautiful and delicious, restaurant-quality meals at home. Those eager to tuck in to their chosen delicacies could even have them prepared in store.

We believe in preparing your fresh pasta with love, and we love preparing fresh pasta to share. We presented 6 Fresh Pasta Kits for Foodies curated by Michelin-starred chef Skye Gyngnell and La Famiglia Rana, that had everything needed to create picture perfect plates of fresh filled pasta. You could create your kit following Skye's recipes or 
create your own!

Those on the hunt for the perfect Instagram-worthy content, or looking to practice their food photography found an infinite number of combinations of beautiful produce, backdrops and props all free for them to use - with store-assistants on hand to help them build stunning sets and original arrangements. Prizes were awarded for the photos posted on Instagram.