Branding Shoot with William and team at Mano a Bocca, Sale Pizzeria

 

As my absolute favourite pizzeria, I was super excited to be asked to come and take some photos by William and his team at Mano a Bocca in Sale.

Slap bang in the middle of Sale by the Bridgewater Canal, Mano a Bocca serves up incredible fresh pizzas and other Italian dishes but is so much more than that…with it’s lively terrace, their hosting of regular local events from craft nights to music lessons and fantastic, welcoming atmosphere it really feels at the heart of Sale’s local community.

During lockdowns a take away coffee and cannoli from their outdoor stall and a walk down the canal became the nearest any of us could get to a trip to Italy. Along with the pizza by the slice and gelato for sale on the terrace, Mano a Bocca provided a little glimmer of sunshine in plenty of gloomy days. William has been told by lots of customers that they kept them going during the pandemic! The outdoor take away stall proved such a hit during lockdown it is still available on Sundays, due to popular demand.

It was so much fun to be able to photograph in Mano a Bocca and spend some time with the super friendly team. I grabbed some pictures of William and his business partner Michael while they had a meeting and the warmth between them after years of friendship was clear which I really think shows in the images.

The visit was finished off with an offer of a few slices of pizza straight from the oven…I snapped their hands off of course and it tasted as good as it looked.

William was kind enough to answer a few of my questions so you can read a little bit more about him and Mano a Bocca below..

Your name

William Moxey

Your Business Name

Mano a Bocca

What do you do?

We are a Romana Pizzeria, typically serving pizza along with other Italian dishes using authentic Italian ingredients.

How are you different?!

We stand out in what we offer. Our expertise is with the Romana style pizza, think thin and crisp golden base. We start with making sure we produce the best dough possible, then follow on from there. We import a vast number of our ingredients from Italy which gives you a truly unique Italian experience. We dedicate ourselves to creating the best pizza possible. That, tied in with attentive yet informal service, along with a stylish restaurant and Al fresco area creates a truly great visit.

What three words would you use to describe your business?

Authentic
Friendly
Passionate

How do your days look?

The great thing about catering is that no two days are the same, apart from the general set up that is. When you have your own business, your days are pretty much full and there’s always something that can be done. Whether it’s planning for an outside catering event, ticking the final boxes for a wedding lunch, keeping a check on the weather forecast to maximise the outdoor space, thinking about social media posts, a lot of the time it’s being prepared, then getting on and delivering great pizza!

What do you enjoy most about what you do?

Eating great pizza of course! Food aside, being part of the community, making friends along the way, hearing great feedback. We make sure we look after their needs as much as our own and try to support local events where we can. We also have an amazing group of people who work with us who are as passionate about what we do as we are.

How did you come up with the name for your company?

Myself and my business partner Michael played around with a few ideas but it came down to how we wanted our style to be. Mano a Bocca translates as ‘hand to mouth’, the best way to eat pizza!

How many employees do you have?

We currently employ just over 20 staff.

What made you choose your company’s location?

Having lived in Sale for over 25 years, it was great when our site became available, it’s proximity to the town hall and the canal, smack in the hub of the town centre. It’s a very exciting time for Sale with the growth of the foodie scene and we are privileged to be part of it.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given? (Business or otherwise!)

There’s a saying in Wales which comes from St David, the patron saint – “Gwnewch y pethau bychain”, which translates as “Do the little things”. Doing small considerate things often makes a big difference. I believe this can be applied to a work life as well as outside of work.

What are you most grateful for?

I’m hugely grateful for the opportunity I have of running my own business, but it goes without saying the support of family, friends and everyone else who is involved in our little venture makes it very fulfilling.

Where do you find inspiration?

I think when you work  with the right team and you surround yourself with the right people, inspiration flows from them. Also, my family are the most important thing, there’s always something in that close relationship that you can draw inspiration from.

What do you do for fun?

I try to play the guitar, unfortunately not very well, but it’s great when it all comes off. I also love to cook, radio on, glass of wine, see you in 2 hours!

Hopes for the future?

Keep continuing what I’m lucky enough to do.

What’s the one tune that will always get you on the dance floor?

I think it’s more of the one tune that won’t keep me on the dance floor – who doesn’t like a good boogie?

Thanks William!

Be sure to make a trip to Mano a Bocca, you always get a warm welcome and such good food! You can find them in Waterside plaza in Sale, just behind the town hall. Book a table online via their website or if you can’t make it down to the restaurant , you can get Mano a Bocca at home through Deliveroo

You can follow them on Instagram here

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