LIPHOOK’S Millennium Green attracted a steady flow of customers and food lovers to its first-ever Italian market last month.

Specialities from many regions of Italy were on offer with pasta and olive oil from southern Puglia, folded pizzas from Napoli, a selection of cheeses from the north, as well as pastries from Turin and delicacies from Sicily and Sardinia.

Simon Faro runs Italia In Piazza, a real Italian food market. For 10 months of the year he travels across the country to bring a flavour of the Mediterranean to towns and village.

“We frequently also travel around Italy trying to source the best fresh produce – from the roots of Calabria, famous for its chilies, to the port city of Genova, famous for its pesto,” he said.

“We often visit towns and villages where there is no high street or obvious space for us to set up in and also cover many events and festivals.

“Since we are real Italians – for us food is a serious matter.

“Catering and food have been embedded in our lifestyle from birth. We have invaluable traditions of our ancestors and the experience in selection, preparation and presentation of Italian food.”

Simon is already making plans to return to Liphook in the near future and bring along even more Italian specialities.