An Italian food enthusiast, who built a successful business during the pandemic, is set to open a deli in Truro in order to keep up with demand for her authentic street food and speciality ingredients.
Valentina Langley grew up in the Campania region of Southern Italy, close to Naples; she has a deep love and knowledge of Southern Italian food culture and a network of small, specialist suppliers across the whole country to tap into.
Valentina recalls: “I was made redundant at the very start of the pandemic, in 2020. With two young children it was stressful, but it prompted me to rethink my career and chase a dream I had always quietly cultivated – to import great produce direct from Italy and show people a different side of Italian food.”
Alongside her husband Tom, she started a street food and picnic hamper business from a stall at Truro Farmers Market, tapping into the need for quality, comforting and convenient food at that most difficult of times.
Off the back of this roaring success, Valentina and Tom began looking for premises in Truro to expand their operation, and found the perfect location on Little Castle Street within the city’s burgeoning independent quarter, where boutiques and cafés offer an alternative city shopping experience.
La Pineta Italian Deli is set to open on 7th May and will be packed to the gunnels with continental flavours and inspiration.
Valentina explained: “First and foremost it will be a hub for Italian food and culture. We’ll be doing coffee to take away or drink in, while you enjoy the Italian radio in the background and a flick through yesterday’s La Repubblica. We’ll be baking fresh Italian breads every day plus pastries and our famous cannoli, selling fresh pasta and handmade sauces, and serving up street food like fried fish cones, arancini and proper Italian pizza.”
A deli counter will display the finest Italian produce, including olives, charcuterie and cheeses, while hard-to-source ingredients will fill the shelves alongside recipe cards to inspire keen cooks.
Valentina and Tom will also be selling carefully selected Italian wines, and plan to host tasting evenings and more in the future.
Valentina enthuses: “In Italy the local trattoria is the beating heart of neighbourhood life – I’d love to recreate that here in Truro. This is a family business so expect a warm welcome, whether you’re stopping for a coffee, picking up a picnic hamper, or grabbing something to heat up for dinner that night.”
Meanwhile, the market stall where it all started will continue, with the La Pineta Street Food stall appearing alongside the other Truro Farmers Market traders on Lemon Quay every Wednesday and Saturday.
For updates on the opening, follow @lapinetaitaliandeli on Facebook and Instagram.
