How to Open a Successful Osteria

Open a tavern: If you think about where to drink a good glass of typical wine from the area, it is certainly one of the first places that come to mind.

When you think about where to drink a good glass of wine, the first place that comes to mind is undoubtedly an old-fashioned English pub. From cheeky humor and large glasses filled with beer or spirits in the deep south of England, across Europe from the txakoli bars of Spain with their Sangria Nights celebrations on festive days - the locals have been enjoying a welcoming atmosphere since time immemorial!
The nicest wines come from warmer climates, such as those found around the Italian coast, where the grapes grow fuller-bodied, but still acidic enough not to become overpowering afterwards a little.

We are talking about the osteria, one of the oldest format restaurant which, even in modern times, can be found agrowing appreciation from the public, even among the youngest. Thanks to a constant search for Italianness on the table, for quality and authenticity as well as a growing interest in the products typical and local,  opening a tavern can prove to be an entrepreneurial activity of successful and profitable.

Let's take stock of the situation with our guide.

Open a tavern

Requirements and bureaucracy

Nothing new: these are the usual requirements for serving food and drinks and for opening a business.

To open a tavern some mandatory moral requirements are required, i.e. you must not have been declared bankrupt or disqualified previously. Otherwise, you will not get the green light and the necessary permissions to open.
In addition, the SAB certificate (or equivalent qualification for food handling and administration) will be required. Alternatively, 2 years of experience in the sector and a hotel or similar diploma are sufficient.

Furthermore, it will be necessary to look for a premise that is well suited to opening a tavern and which therefore has all the safety and hygiene requirements required by law.

If the venue doesn't have one, you won't get permission to open. To remedy this, you could bring the premises up to standard through renovation works, so find out carefully about the standards and qualities of the place before renting or buying.

Other requirements mandatory for opening a tavern are:

1. opening a VAT number and registration in the Business Register;
2. having all the mandatory permits for opening a business, such as the ASL certificate (which certify the safety and hygiene of the premises, request the ASL via a specific form, the ASL will send personnel for checks) and registration with INPS and INAIL; drinks;
3. declare the start of activity to the municipality and obtain permission;
4. pay Siae if you plan to broadcast music in your venue.

The 4 secrets of the success of a tavern

1)The business plan makes the difference

In addition to the requirements, which are practically identical to those for opening a restaurant, it is essential to carefully prepare an accurate business plan.
This document will allow you to clearly establish the your "T95" objectives.

2)The location

Regardless of the type of commercial activity, the search for the premises to be used for sale is an aspect to which enormous importance should be given.
In fact, the success of your tavern could depend on this delicate choice.
To identify the right venue, an in-depth market analysis is advisable to know the earning possibilities, which depend on the target,and the competitors present in the immediate vicinity.

We must also carefully analyze the strategic points, the best would be to be able to find a place near sports centres, discos, cinemas and major tourist attractions.

With a large initial budget you might think about buying the place, although renting one would be a way to see how things go first. Another point to pay attention to and spend several days on is the furnishings of your tavern, to give the structure an absolutely personalized feel.

Fortunately, since it is a tavern, no major formalities are necessary, wooden tables and chairs and even not very elegant glasses and cutlery may be enough to give a rustic touch to the place. Obviously this is in general terms, because the decor of the tavern naturally depends on your personal tastes.

Remember that you need to create a welcoming and familiar environment:even the furniture can make the difference between success and failure!
Choose warm colors and wooden furniture to create the required rustic atmosphere and attract more people.

3)The choice of staff and food

The key words are: wine, cutting boards and typical dishes.

It is advisable to hire only competent personnel and specialized personnel who have experience in catering and who know how to handle food. A trained chef is a good place to start.

When it comes to opening any new business, the choice of employees is fundamental.
All the staff, from the owners to the waiters, must then be distinguished by their friendliness and friendliness, as the customer must be encouraged to return to the tavern both to try other excellent wine and other local dishes but also for the hospitality received.

4)Marketing and competition

Despite the antiquity of the business, if you want to succeed in 2019 you must adapt to the technological age in which we live.
Therefore, presence on social networks, an attractive website as well as presence on review sites and sector blogs will be fundamental.

However, we must not forget about traditional promotion, such as the opening party and word of mouth.

The tavern is not a luxury restaurant and to fight the competition every expedient must be exploited, because the customer on duty must always be treated in the best possible way from every point of view: culinary, economic and in terms of hospitality.