BRATTISANI – Edinburgh chippies
These branches of the family arrived in Edinburgh circa 1890. There were already cousins in the City at this time actively involved in the restaurant and fish and chip shop businesses. Angelo Brattesani’s brother Giuseppe Brattesani was here with his wife and family and running businesses out of the Stockbridge and Greenside areas of the City.
Other family members also made their way to London and America and each branch with their own unique stories.
Giuseppe 1879-1960 married in 1906
Their forebears emigrated to Edinburgh from Parma, Italy in the 1870s, and were one of the first wave of Italian families to settle in the city.
OBITUARY for JOSEPH Junior 1937-2020. Edinburgh Evening News
Opened in 1889 by Joe and Charles’ grandfather, the original fish and chip shop was located on Church Lane, Stockbridge – the Capital’s first ever Italian-owned chippy.
When their grandfather enlisted with the Italian army during the First World War, the shop was kept going by his wife.
Thankfully, Brattisani senior survived the war, and upon returning to Edinburgh the pair decided to open a new outlet – the Deep Sea – on Union Place.
Eventually sold on to the Crolla family, the Deep Sea was long-regarded as the finest chippy in the Capital. Following the demolition of Union Place in 1970, the Deep Sea moved to Antigua Street where it remains to this day.
Next to be handed the Brattisani fish and chips baton was Charles and Joe’s dad, Joseph, who would go on to be known locally as “Mr Chips”. Joseph owned five restaurants at one time or another throughout Edinburgh. Charles and Joe followed in their father’s footsteps.
Charles Brattisani opened his first shop in 1961, lending the family name to what became a very popular fish and chip restaurant on Henderson Row. Meanwhile, Joe ran another busy chippy on Brougham Place, Tollcross.
The Haymarket and Newington branches – the most famous of all the Brattisani-run eateries – were opened in 1966 and 1970 respectively.
Both of these chip shops survived for over three decades.
True institutions, they were the first chip shop to receive a four-star rating from VisitScotland, and renowned enough for local crime writer Ian Rankin to name-drop them in his Inspector Rebus novels.
Mr Brattisani was a loving husband to his late wife Muriel, loving dad to Samantha, Elaine and Joseph as well as a loving brother to Maria, Eric and Charles and grandfather to Olivia.
It’s a story which begins well over a century ago. The original Brattisani’s fish and chip shop, located on Church Lane in Stockbridge, was opened in 1889 by Giuseppe Brattisani, who was part of the first wave of Italian families to settle in the city, after immigrating from Parma in the 1870s.
When Giuseppe enlisted with the Italian army during the First World War, his wife took over the running of the chippy. Mercifully, he survived the war, and on returning to Edinburgh decided to open a new fish and chip shop – the Deep Sea, on Union Place, which he later sold to the Crolla family. After the demolition of Union Place in 1970, the Deep Sea moved to Antigua Street, where it still serves fish and chips to this day.
From Edinburgh Evening News Memories
Charles Brattisani opened his first shop in 1961, lending the family name to what became a hugely-popular chippy on Henderson Row. Joe, meanwhile ran another thriving fish and chip shop on Brougham Place in Tollcross.
In 1966 and 1970 respectively, the brothers Brattisani opened branches in Haymarket and Newington. Both those chippies survived for over three decades, and arguably the most famous of all the Brattisani-run emporiums.
The branch on Newington Road, in particular, is the stuff of local legend. For many people brought up in the city, no hard day’s swim at the Royal Commonwealth (Commie) Pool was complete without a visit to this chippy, which was memorable for its red seating boothsIt’s a case of gone but never forgotten for Edinburgh residents. We asked our readers for their memories of Brattisani’s famous chippies – and hundreds of you responded. Below are some of those recollections.
David Turnbull wrote: “My dad told us he was taking us out for a meal. Mum thought it would be somewhere posh so we all got dressed up – he took us to Brattisani’s at Haymarket. Fish suppers, bread and butter and a pot of tea – and we loved it.”
Lesley Gallier recalled: “Starting my nursing training we stayed in the nurses home round the corner from there in Newington. 1977. We never went hungry . Amazing. Happy days.Scott Wilson said: “32p child bus fare from Gracie to Newington for the Commie, then Brattisanis after!”
Dougie Ewart wrote: “Used to come down from the Commy pool with all my mates and then into Brattisani’s for a chippy. I always got sausages and they would give you a few chips if you got a single, with salt & sauce. While your mates who ordered, sometimes you would miss the bus. But it would stop at traffic lights, and you had to run over the road, bolt to the traffic lights, get over the road, and catch it as it stopped around the corner. Laughing as we ran along the road with supper in hand trying to catch the bus… great chippy great times.”
Moira F Gray recalled: “Brattisani’s at Haymarket after ice skating at Murrayfield on a Friday night. Best ever chippy!
Neil Tomlinson said: “I would always go there after swimming, I also took my daughter once and she listened to some stories. I also loved the tomato chippy sauce on my chips.
Elizabeth Stanton, who is a niece of the author, recalled: Coming out of the Commonwealth Pool starving and heading straight for the best chippy ever. Sitting on the bus eating our supper heading home. Years later, taking our children and sitting in the booths reminiscing.”
Last but certainly not least, Samantha Brattisani pitched in with some kind words for Evening News readers, saying: “It was my dad, Joe Brattisani, who owned the shop. Dad and family (Maria, Eric, Charles and George Brattisani) that ran the shops for many years. Everyone I know, including me, loved going to the Commonwealth Pool then to the Newington chippy. That has never been forgotten – thanks to all that take the time to comment.”
Edinburgh Live
The original man behind the business, Giuseppe Brattisani, was enjoying a thriving business in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. When the First World War broke out, Giuseppe was enlisted with the Italian army and his wife took over the business.
He returned to Edinburgh unscathed, and was ready for a new endeavour. The couple opened the Deep Sea on Union Place, eventually selling the restaurant to Volvona & Crolla – another Italian family-run business – which moved to Antigua Street in 1970 after the demolition of Union Place.
When it was finally time for Sante to stand down, his son Joseph rose to the helm of the business and became known locally as ‘Mr Chips’. At one time or another, Joseph was running five different restaurants across the city, becoming a celebrity in the Italian community of Edinburgh, Joseph was also involved in the running of a bookmaker’s business in St Andrews Square – and was known to regularly attend ballroom dances. His sons, Charles and Joe, followed in the family business.
In 1961, Charles opened a fish and chip shop under the family name on Henderson Row. Joe opened another successful chippy on Brougham Place.Perhaps the most memorable venture of the Brattisani empire came to Newington in 1970, coinciding with the opening of the Royal Commonwealth Pool. Four years before this, the Haymarket branch was welcomed by locals – with both restaurants surviving until the early 00s.
Discussing Brattisani’s on the Lost Edinburgh Facebook group, users told us their fond memories. Peter Malone recalled: “It was an Edinburgh institution, you couldn’t go swimming without going to Brattisani’s after – also when you sat in the wee booths you felt well posh.”
This memory of a trip to the Newington Road chip shop after a swim at the Commie is a memory ingrained in the heads of many Edinburgh locals, a tradition for many a weekend. Craig Osborne was in agreement: “If you can remember back that far, came out of the Commie Pool and got a half pizza and chips for 50p.”
