The Italian cafe that has been the life and soul of a town for 70 years
The Prince’s cafe opened in Pontypridd in the summer of 1948 and, 70 years later, remains a popular fixture to this day. Katie-Ann Gupwell took a nostalgic journey back to a place she frequented as a child...
WHEN you walk into The Prince’s, it’s like taking a step back in time. Unassuming from the outside, the little cafe in Pontypridd is home to decades of nostalgia and has spent the past 70 years feeding the people of Taff Street.
The eatery was bought by Dominic Gambarini and his wife Glenys back in 1948.
Previously a Hopkin Morgan’s baker/confectioner, it was named The Prince’s after Mr Gambarini took a fancy to the name of a shop he saw in Bournemouth.
In 1972 his twin sons – Joseph and David – took over at the age of 18.
The family still own the cafe but David has now retired and it’s now under the watchful eye of Joseph and his son William.
While the town centre has changed a lot over the past few decades, Prince’s is perhaps one of the most iconic aspects of Pontypridd that remains untouched.
As well as being at the heart of many of the locals’ daily routines, it’s a place that remains special in a lot of people’s hearts – not just because of the food it serves, but because of the memories that come flooding back as you sit down to take your first sip of freshly-brewed tea.
Having grown up in Pontypridd, I remember fondly visiting the cafe with both my parents and grandparents as a child – and even into my early teens.
People, even to this day, are still amazed by the glorious cake counter displayed in the shop’s front window. From the chocolate eclairs full to the brim with cream to the strawberry tarts that look way too delicate to touch – you wouldn’t have to have a huge sweet tooth to stop and look in amazement.
It’s really not that often you see a cake counter like Prince’s any more – perhaps that’s one of the reasons why it remains so popular.
While the town’s high street has said goodbye to many shops over the years – from Woolworths to Clarks and, more recently, the iconic stationery store known as Churchills – The Prince’s has stood the test of time.
As it celebrates 70 years in the business, William Gambarini explained just why he thinks the shop has continued to please so many hungry eaters over the years.
William, 38, said: “It’s all about good staff, loyal customers and giving people what they want. It’s not what you expect to see when you come to the Valleys – it’s like taking a trip down memory lane. It’s not trendy – it looks pretty much the same as it did when it opened. It’s unique.”
And William is right – walking into The Prince’s is not like walking into your standard cafe. It takes you on a journey that’s unlike any other.
As you walk in, you see two counters – one on the left and the other on the right. One is filled with sweet delicacies and teatime treats, while the other shows off the best of the shop’s freshly-baked breads and savoury slices.
As for the decor, it’s pretty incredible.
There is a large bread slicer next to the counter that the girls use to cut a fresh loaf for customers who prefer their bread sliced.
In the tea-making section there is a huge boiler that you’d think would only still ever be seen in an old black and white movie.
Chef Tony Llewellyn has worked at the cafe for 41 years and has seen little change over the decades.
Tony, 61, said: “The only thing we have ever really changed is the flooring and the wallpaper. We have had a few things changed, but not really.
“We knocked it through a bit once to expand but, apart from that, nothing has changed. We get a lot of regulars. Some of the girls get some people’s orders ready before they even sit down because they already know what they want – there are some people who come here all the time.
“The staff have also been here a long time – most of them have been here for years.”
Of course, there have been some things that have altered over the years.
When I was younger, I have fond memories of Friday being Prince’s day.
There would usually be a yellow and white striped box waiting in the fridge when I arrived home from school – a glorious sign that I would be able to scoff one of the cafe’s famous custard slices after dinner.
I also remember how much I’d love seeing the waitresses if I ever visited.
When I was growing up, they wore distinct pink uniforms that were tightly nipped in at the waist.
I was told there was a period when they wore blue before that.
Now cakes to take away are served up in white boxes and the girls rarely wear the same uniforms – instead they opt for standard black clothing.
But there are many things that remain the same – the recipes, the
atmosphere and the order forms.
When waitresses place people’s orders they have all the items on the menu written on a piece of paper – they then circle what you want before taking it to the order counter.
No notebook, no fancy iPad – just a piece of paper and a pen.
And as for the touch of pink – that can still be seen on the signs and notices around the shop.
But the staff admit it has become more relaxed over the years.
“Back when we started, we would do things like sardines and toast and cheese on toast, but it was a lot different in those days,” Tony said.
“We still make traditional recipes – some of the recipes haven’t changed since we started – well, at least since I’ve been here. When we opened it was a treat to come here – it was considered a three-course restaurant and people really would consider it a treat.”
It’s true – if you grew up in Ponty, The Prince’s was always considered quite a posh place to go and I think it still is to some extent.
Tony hit the nail on the head when he said that if you’re a student living in Treforest and you have a posh aunt coming to visit, you’d take her to The Prince’s.
There is a sense of luxury and loveliness associated with the cafe and I don’t think it will ever really go away – even though it has become a bit more relaxed over the years.
Customers still visit for the traditional favourites of course – Tony serves up everything from toasted paninis to pies to roast dinners, but all the food is stripped right back to basics.
It isn’t presumptuous, just plain, good British cooking.
From your corned beef slices to your ham and pineapple toasties, the cafe just continues to give the people what they want on a lunch break.
But, as a family who emigrated from Italy, did the Gambarinis ever debate serving up a bit of Italian grub?
“No,” William said. “They wouldn’t have made Italian food back in those days. In the 1960s people wouldn’t have eaten things like pasta and pizza here – you would probably have to go to London to get that. They basically gave people what they wanted.”
And the family have continued to do this for seven decades.
When I looked at the menu I saw so many things that I haven’t tasted since childhood – cola float icecream, gingerbread men and scampi and chips. The list really could go on forever.
But William said when it comes to recipes, there are two particular things that people want to get their hands on – Tony’s gravy recipe, made the old-fashioned way with beef dripping, and the key to making buttery Welsh cakes.
“Everything here is home-made,” he said. “From Tony’s gravy to the cakes. Loads of people rave about the custard slices and the cottage pie and 99.9% of the food here is made on the premises. We have to go with the times a bit, of course. We are not so much a treat now – we are somewhere people come to meet. It’s more informal now – it’s more of a cafe.”
It’s clear that some things have changed a little over the years.
William introduced afternoon tea packages a few years back to add something more modern to the menu.
As well as this they’ve introduced different types of coffees to keep up with the youngsters’ demands for mochas and iced drinks. But the heart of the cafe and the endearing sense of familiarity hasn’t changed at all.
“I wouldn’t change it,” said William. “We would never do that – it would be a travesty.
“My father was brought up above the shop. He would come down the stairs and find himself in the shop – it was his life and it’s all he’s ever known. It was the same for David.
“It’s not as busy as it used to be, but you can’t complain about business. When you look around at the rest of the town, you realise how lucky we are. But a lot of the chain stores have gone – the town is not as vibrant as it once was.
“The market is not what it used to be – it’s a real shame. Everyone visits Cardiff now and these out-of-town outlets like Talbot Green.
“They ruin these little towns, as they take the people from them. But you won’t find many places like this.
“If you go to London, a lot of the old Italian cafes have gone – the ones that opened in the ‘50s. There may be a few of them left but a lot of them will have disappeared.”
Luckily for this little Valleys town, The Prince’s has remained a key part of the community.
As I chatted to William, he pointed to a group of people sat opposite us who he said meet every day to chat and have some tea and toast.
The Prince’s is not only an integral part of the town – it’s ingrained in the people and in the generations who have worked and lived in the town for decades.
As I sat down drinking tea, a lady tapped on my shoulder.
It was a woman who lived in my village – she had brought her grandchildren to the cafe for a bite to eat, just as my grandmother did when I was a toddler.
I like to think this was a sign of what will follow for another 70 years to come.