A NEW dining experience is imminent in Barry’s High Street, say the couple intent on bringing a sit-down traditional Italian-style pizzeria to the town.

Paletta Pizzeria is scheduled to open at the end of September, beginning of October, following an overhaul of the internal décor.

And a big wood-fired oven with the hot stone base will be the unique selling proposition visible first on entry.

Rhys and Sara Cafaro, who have been undertaking work on the premises while juggling full-time jobs, want to their love of Italian cooking, salads, and drinks, to High Street.

Mr Cafaro, a teacher and eco co-ordinator at Romilly Primary School, has been cadging and up-cycling materials that otherwise have gone to landfill to give the restaurant an eco-friendly, warming rustic vibe.

The couple are building on the success of Carlo's Place and Il Vesuvio, in Llantwit Major, where Sarah’s mum and dad, Vivienne and Carlo established around 15 years ago.

And Mr Cafaro senior will bring ‘hustling’ to the fore when customers can take him on in a table football league, on a Sunday.

Carlo’s Challenge will see those who dare take him on, at the family table housed upstairs in store, and bid for a position at the top of the leader board.

The eaterie will also cater for vegans and vegetarians with Mrs Cafaro, a vegetarian herself, experimenting with recipes not seen in Barry before.

The menu is promising Nutella and strawberry and Dulce de Leche and banana sweet pizza options, pineapple only available on request, as well as traditional savoury choices.

Mr Cafaro said opening had been delayed partly because materials needed to be sourced and reclaimed.

Wood had been recycled from a neighbour’s shed and the stairs were from the former High Street post office and a door from the former Miss Holmes base as well as an old trolley and other materials from Romilly Primary.

Mr Cafaro said: “I like old-looking wood.

“I think it’s beautiful and it’s reducing waste and I’m up for re-using things in different kinds of way.

“I don’t like this disposable culture.”

“It’s not like going to Ikea,” Mrs Cafaro said. “We are giving life to it.”

The couple acknowledged that people were desperately keen to dine and thanked everyone for their patience.

Mr Cafaro said: “As Kelvin Law (Romilly Primary head teacher), says ‘You don’t get a second chance to make a first impression'.”

“When we are ready, we will be really ready,” Mrs Cafaro added. “We didn’t set out to be the first.

“We just did it because we wanted to be like going to pizzerias in Italy.”

They hope to offer pizza making parties for children's birthdays and want to provide worthwhile learning experiences for children from schools.

Closed Monday, Tuesday.

Wednesday open 10am to 2pm and 5.30pm to 9pm, Thursday 10 to 2pm and 5.30pm to 9pm, Friday 10am to 2pm and 5.30pm to 9.30pm, Saturday (same as Friday), Sunday 11am to 3pm.