End Of An Era As Restaurant Closes

An award-winning Italian restaurant in Kibworth has closed down.

Boboli was a popular destination with diners and had played a key part in the community since 2007.

Owners Sarah & Lino Poli, who previously also ran another restaurant in the village, posted a statement on the Boboli website, which reads:

“I think most of you will know by now that Boboli is closed. It has been 25 years since we arrived in Kibworth and what a ride it has been.

“These years have been remarkable really. We arrived with a big dream, a shoestring of a budget, two small girls, and a whole bag of hope!

“How we have been welcomed, loved and supported through Firenze, to Lighthouse, to Boboli is humbling, and it’s been good people such as you and yours that have helped to make it happen.”

Boboli restaurant has closed its doors

The statement continued: “The beautiful community that is “The Kibworths” has embraced us from the start, and we have thoroughly immersed ourselves in return; From running the play scheme, to getting our team on board for the Fun Runs, to creating The Big Boboli Festival, to bringing Paella nights to Kibworth and reintroducing a little “Ooo La La” in the Beaujolais Nouveau nights, to navigating our way through lock down… take away pizza was the tip of the iceberg, “heat to eat” lasagne and soufflé was iconic, and the full on meals of antipasto, beef wellington and yummy pots of pudding will never be forgotten.

“Then there are the wonderful people; The amazing youngsters, and not so young, who have worked alongside us, without whom we could never have made it this far.

“Then of course there’s you, the amazing folk who have made the rest all possible. The birthdays, the engagements, the weddings, the christenings and general celebrations of life which have made our business so wonderful… we hope that the memories we leave behind will be our legacy.

“Over recent years, our recovery from the pandemic has been hampered by various crises way beyond our control. So, we have decided that it’s time to hang up our hats and bow out gracefully and are looking forward to the next exciting chapter in our lives.

“We wish you all the very best that life has to offer and thank you sincerely from the bottom of our hearts.”