Inside the Temple Bar Italian where world’s biggest names have dined

Rosa Madre, located in the heart of Temple Bar, is considered one of the best Italian restaurants in Europe, has earned glowing reviews and – perhaps an even more coveted marker of success – the patronage of some of the world’s biggest names.

Nick Jonas, Jamie Foxx, Will Ferrell, and the Foo Fighters’ Dave Grohl and Nate Mendel have all dined at Rosa Madre. But how does a restaurant nestled in the middle of Temple Bar even begin to get on the radar of a Jonas brother?

The building was formerly home to Crow Street Bazaar, which featured a reggae shop, a juggling shop and a small Italian deli all at once.

It was here that restaurateur Luca De Marzio worked – serving paninis in that little Italian coffee shop – into the recession, when many businesses began to struggle against the weight of the economic downtown and ended up pulling down their shutters.

“They gradually left and I ended up slowly taking over the old place, so no money, no investment, nothing. Just by myself. We decided to try this dream that we had, to make paninis and coffee and to somehow work for ourselves,” he said.

He met his wife, Tricia – who now makes the fresh pasta at Rosa Madre – while they were both working at the Westbury Hotel. The couple have three children.

“We started by making paninis and coffee, two or three years later we opened the first floor upstairs. It was empty, the other shops weren’t [able to continue] during the recession,” he said.

“We opened a wine bar at first, we did live music and after that, I decided to make a brave choice – because my wife was pregnant with my first son and either it worked out in a nice way or I would have to go back to work if it wouldn’t pay the bills. I decided to take the old building eight years ago and do some work with my savings.”

The works transformed the space into the Italian restaurant he had always dreamed of running.

“It was different, since day one. It was a little bit more refined, more elegant, compared to the image an Italian restaurant might have had before in Ireland,” Mr De Marzio said.

He had worked as a waiter in Rome for many years before moving to Ireland 16 years ago and had developed a concept of a “classy” Italian seafood restaurant with a curated, seasonal menu.

“I remember I used to be obsessed with one restaurant in Rome that would always have celebrities visiting every night and I was always saying to my wife, ‘Wow, I would love to have something like this. It would be so special.’ You go and never know who could be walking beside you,” he said.

“For celebrities, you need a place that has a bit of an elegant feeling, it’s exclusive, it’s private.

“You do not want it to be overcrowded, sometimes if it is less busy, people enjoy the atmosphere more. These are all decisions that you as a restaurant owner make during the 10 years in business.”

The restaurateur has a network of people he has worked with throughout his career, always keeping his phone on and ready to take a call if a table is needed.

He has welcomed sporting legends such as Brian O’Driscoll and Johnny Sexton into Rosa Madre, as well as US stars like Ferrell (56).

Despite the big names that arrive through the doors, Luca said it is the “normal” customer with whom he has the greatest bond.

“I put pretty much all my efforts into making the restaurant a special place, I think a restaurant is like a theatre, it is all experience,” he said.

“I feel very comfortable in my restaurant, I love it. All of my family work there. It is like home to me, seeing people come into my restaurant is like welcoming people into my home.”

Temple Bar often faces criticism for the chaos it can attract, leading to accusations that it is a location for tourists looking for overpriced pints rather than locals who know better.

Luca believes such claims are an inaccurate reflection of the heart of the capital.

“It is still one of my biggest achievements. People always say that I am the first person to get them to come to Temple Bar from other parts of Dublin. Many [Dubliners] don’t come to Temple Bar,” he said.

“I love Temple Bar. I lived in Temple Bar for 12 years. There are so many things going on and it is so alive. Whatever you need, whatever time you need it, you can get it, you know you’re in the right place. People think it is messy, but it is worth it to be in the city centre.

“There is space for tourists, there is space for locals. You work with both worlds and it creates a great atmosphere for the restaurant, you can sit beside a Russian or an American or a local from Dublin – it makes it more interesting.”