Owner Miguel Queipo said the company is “taking the matter extremely seriously”
Amalia owners Miguel Queipo and Antonio Lixi
The owner of an award-winning city centre restaurant has expressed his “disappointment” after his popular venue was discovered to have mice activity. Miguel Queipo, who is one half of the founding team of Amalia, said he takes hygiene “very seriously”, having been open for more than a decade in the heart of Liverpool.
Despite this, inspectors rated the Italian restaurant in Campbell Square with a zero-star rating following an inspection on Monday, June 16. At the time of the visit, it was said that “major improvement” was needed in all three key areas – hygienic food handling, cleanliness and condition of facilities and management of food safety.
Miguel, who moved to England from Spain to study business, previously claimed the issues were “sorted out straight away”. Following a Freedom of Information request, the ECHO can reveal that “evidence of mouse activity” was noted in several spots throughout the venue
According to the report, this includes the back store, the landing, and the bar area. A “low level” of activity was also found in the kitchen. In light of this, the company was instructed to “remove all mouse droppings” and monitor for any new signs of activity.
Amalia Italian Restaurant has previously been crowned ‘Best Pizza In England’ at the English Italian Awards
It was also asked to fill in holes and gaps throughout to prevent further pest access. Owner Miguel claims that all that the inspector asked has already been done.
He told the ECHO: “We were very disappointed to receive the zero‑rating, especially after more than a decade of operating without any similar issues. Amalia has always prided itself on delivering top‑quality food and maintaining impeccable standards.
“Since the inspection on June 16, when ‘major improvements necessary’ were flagged in food handling, cleanliness and facilities, and food safety management, we have acted immediately.
“We addressed the concerns—particularly the issue in the back cellar—and have been in regular contact with the environmental health officers. They have since visited us and expressed satisfaction with the swift and thorough actions we took.
Amalia is found in Campbell Square
“Additionally, an official re-inspection is scheduled to take place before Wednesday, October 1, and we remain confident that it will reflect our improvements.
“We understand the importance of transparency and want to reassure our customers and the community that we take this matter extremely seriously. We are fully committed to restoring and upholding the high hygiene standards Amalia is known for.”
Having moved to the country in 2007, Miguel teamed up with Antonio Lixi after the two worked together at an Italian restaurant in York, where Antonio was a chef and Miguel was a manager.
Amalia was their first business venture, and its name holds a special place in Miguel’s heart, with the company being named after his grandmother.
Randy Santel doing the Calzone Challenge at Amalia Italian bar Pizzeria on Campbell Square, Liverpool.
In its lifetime, Amalia has amassed an impressive portfolio of awards, including multiple Liverpool Lifestyle Awards, two Liverpool Food and Drink Festival awards and The Positive Award, and Antonio won Chef Of The Year at the National Italian Awards in 2018.
The restaurant enjoys a loyal following of regular customers and is known amongst daring foodies for its calzone challenge. At the tail end of 2023, the owners decided to take on a new venture as the pair opened a tapas-style restaurant.
Located a stone’s throw away from the original restaurant, just across the road, is Amalia Cicchetti. Cicchetti means small in Italian, so guests can expect small snack-sized plates of sandwiches, pizzas, cakes and deli food.