R.I.P. La Pergola

D

Dubversion

Gorn

Enforced Holiday

• Mar 2, 2007

• #1

it's gone.

Possibly the most astonishing dining experience in all of London, and it's been shut.

Where now can one eat prawn cocktail, coq au vin and black forest gateau to an accompaniment of the finest cruise-ship sounds followed by a performance by the King himself?

 

quimcunx

imprimeo, lamino, distribuo

• Mar 2, 2007

• #2

And I never got round to going to it.... I just thought it would always be there and one day that special person would come along who I could share the experience with.

 

passenger

up and down...

• Mar 2, 2007

• #3

no i have many fond memories as a child going there

 

D

Dubversion

Gorn

Enforced Holiday

• Mar 2, 2007

• #4

being there tripping with some friends, passing round the poppers, surrounded by screaming hen nights and retirement parties, is one of the most intense experiences of my life.

 

T

tarannau

Mongolian eyed

• Mar 2, 2007

• #5

Oh no. One of my first restaurant memories was going in there as a child, and to its sister restaurant next door (il carreto?) with my parents. It was one of those newfangled 'Mediterranean' restaurants back then, serving those exciting new dishes like prawn cocktail, whitebait and calimari. It seemed, remarkably, very exciting to me as a kid.

When did it shut?

 

D

Dubversion

Gorn

Enforced Holiday

• Mar 2, 2007

• #6

not sure, just walked past it now

 

pk

drink flounce rinse repeat

• Mar 2, 2007

• #7

Ah bollocks.

I even sang there myself once or twice, after a few tequilas.

Have they not opened elsewhere or something??

That's the Streatham one, right?

 

C

clandestino

no llevar papel

• Mar 5, 2007

• #8

wasn't there two next door to each other with elvis impersonators? i went to la pergola once about twelve years ago - it was great fun. packed full of stag and hen nights. elvis was superb, but probably the best bit was his backing band, all old fellas who looked like they were paid in food, who did a set afterwards which was pure phoenix nights. you haven't heard "brimful of asha" until you've experienced their version. pure club singer brilliance.

 

Mrs Magpie

On a bit of break...

• Mar 5, 2007

• #9

There were indeed two establishments...

www.rainbownetwork.com said:

The Duelling Elvi of Streatham
Rival Elvis impersonators in South London fought for supremacy over seven years at Il Caretto and La Pergola, two down-at-heel Italian restaurants situated a couple of doors from each other on Streatham High Street. Kim Bridges won the vote when a newspaper tried to settle the score, and Il Caretto folded soon after. You couldn’t make this stuff up.

Click to expand...

eta
The newspaper mentioned was The South London Press....I remember how the Elvis War played out in those pages for quite a while....

 

lang rabbie

Je ne regrette les gazebos

• Mar 5, 2007

• #10

Where will all the hen parties go

BTW Did I see the word "Edo" on the new awning when going past on the bus? Can only hope it is the SE19 people but I'm not holding my breath.

Edited to add: No, it seem from the breathless description in today's Post that it is going to be another bah. Really cringe-inducing stuff about Streatham being the next Balham.

 

G

Gavin Thurston

New Member

• Jun 3, 2015

• #11

Had my 21st at 'La Pergola'. One of the 21 restaurants in Streatham High Road at the time. Streatham was 'buzzing' in the late '80's & early '90's. Not so sure it's 'kickin' it' now. Shame.

 

Libertad

Sparking up a rollie in the Reichstag

• Jun 3, 2015

• #12

Epic bump Gavin, good work.