Colin O’Brien’s Pellicci Portraits (Part 4)
Roast turkey with all the trimmings was the special of the day at E. Pellicci, 332 Bethnal Green Rd, all this week. In the midst of the pre-Christmas melee, Contributing Photographer Colin O’Brien & I dodged the fry-ups and plates of pasta to bring you another set of portraits of the lucky diners at London’s best-loved family-run cafe. Colin had his favourite ham, egg & chips again but Nevio Pellicci persuaded me to have the scrambled eggs with smoked salmon for a change, then we both finished it off with syrup pudding & custard as usual.
Teresa Kerry – “I’ve been coming to Pelliccis for twenty years but I don’t come as often as I should. When my friends get together, this is where we meet.”
Eric Hall of BBC Radio Essex’ Eric Hall’s Monster Memories – “I am told I was brought here in my pram, so I am probably the longest-running customer.”
Mandy Martin – “I first came to Pelliccis when I was fifteen and I come at least twice a week. I’ve been coming with my mum who’s eighty-eight, it’s a real community here.”
Josh Weller – “I live next door to Maria Pellicci and I’ve been eating at Pelliccis for a year.”
Sequin Tan – “This my first time at Pelliccis. It was recommended on Anthony Bourdain’s website.”
Alex Georgou – “For the last five years, I’ve been coming to Pelliccis at least once a week and sometimes I come every day – Monday to Friday.”
“Trendy Wendy” Rolt – “I first came here three years ago, since I started working with Arch 76.”
Darren Knotts – “I’ve not been coming to Pelliccis that long but I come twice a week – it looks good!”
Suraya Klein-Smith – “I’ve been coming to Pelliccis nearly every day since I was about nine.”
Ric Prescod – “I’ve been coming to Pelliccis every Wednesday for three years, since I started training regularly at the Repton Boxing Club.”
Peter Smith – “I come to Pelliccis twice a day – that’s ten times a week – ever since we started the contract with Hackney Council six months ago.”
“Birthday Girl” Hannah Voller – “Nevio’s wife Nicola is my best friend and I’ve been coming here every week for five years.”
David Robinson – “I’ve been coming to Pelliccis since I was four, that’s over sixty years. I remember Nevio’s grandfather Primo. My mum used to bring us along when she did her weekly shopping.”
Graeme Walker – “This is my second time at Pelliccis.”
Silvia Pascalau – “I’ve been working at Pelliccis two years at Easter.”
Photographs copyright © Colin O’Brien
You may like to take a look at
Colin O’Brien’s Pellicci Portraits ( Part One)
Colin O’Brien’s Pellicci Portraits (Part Two)
Colin O’Brien’s Pellicci Portraits (Part Three)
and read these other Pellicci stories
Maria Pellicci, The Meatball Queen of Bethnal Green
and see these other Colin O’Brien stories
Colin O’Brien’s Clerkenwell Car Crashes
Colin O’Brien’s Kids on the Street
Travellers’ Children in London Fields
Colin O’Brien’s Brick Lane Market
Eric Hall ?
Surely another Cambridge & Bethnal Green old boy ?
Compliments of the season to all
Ron Goldstein
More marvellous pics, all of them. Like the captions too. Everyone in Pelliccis is so full of life.
Wonderful (as usual)!
Wish I lived close by so that I could visit. Sounds like a wonderful and friendly place…
Digging Josh Weller’s elevator-shaft look!