Tongue-in-Cheek Hackney Restaurant Says ‘No English Please’ for Euros Final

London’s standout pandemic restaurant — Ombra, Hackney’s ever-innovative Italian trattoria— has explicitly stated that “no friends, boyfriends, or English please” are welcome on the premises at a special screening of this Sunday’s much anticipated Euro 2020 final between England and Italy.

Milanese owner Mitshel Ibrahim, whose relentless adaptability and refusal to ever close over the last 16 months has ensured the restaurant enjoyed its most successful ever spell, told Eater it was “going to be an Italians-only vibe.”

Given the number of venues open to England fans this weekend, as there have been throughout the tournament, Ibrahim and his ragazzi ought to feel entitled to have a get-together of their own. The confident, no-nonsense advertisement for the event last night, 8 July, was delivered in vintage Ombra fashion via Instagram. A vintage video clip and an all-Italian caption, which translates thus:

Ombra/Instagram

Ibrahim told Eater that the restaurant had received “many request from Scots, Welsh, and other anti-England supporters, but due to limited capacity and to the uniqueness of the event it will be an Italians only evening.”

He also explained that the video posted was a “classic.” “It’s of a v famous film from maybe 25-odd years ago,” he said. “And its this man watching Italy England playing in Wembley! [as they will again this Sunday.] And he’s describing his plan for the evening: Onion frittata, 66 cl Peroni and him sat in his underwear.”

So Ombra will offer — to Italian passport-holders only — a 66 cl Peroni and an onion frittata to those who book for the event this Sunday. The entry fee is £10.

So, there it is: “your 4th favourite italian restaurant” is a place of refuge for Italians on Sunday evening — a restaurant unashamedly saying “vaffanculo” to all those saying “It’s coming home.”