Happy Italy lived by its motto "EVERYTHING TO MAKE YOU HAPPY" with its pizza buffet for the refugees living in the city. It was a nice little surprise and a breath of fresh air for many. I can confidently say it was a very refreshing atmosphere for us all. The top floor also had a kids' entertainment zone which was the cherry on top. I think the kids were happier spending time in the play zone with the other kids rather than munching down on some yummy pizza.
The entire second floor was closed off for everyone else except the refugees for an hour. Two tables at one end of the floor were being filled with fresh pizza, salad, bread, and sauces. Another table on the other side had bottles of iced tea, coke, sprite, and water.
The most important part of the day was seeing everyone find a reason to feel better. I kid you not when I say that everyone brought out the best clothes they had and wore their prettiest smile. You have to understand that many of us still have some family or friends stuck in the war, some of us have lost a lot in the war. One girl staying at the same shelter just began her med school journey and we sometimes talk about it. She gets really sad since her dream had to take a major hit before it could even begin to become reality. So getting invited to a pizza place and feeling "social" again is a really big deal. It is the closest we all have gotten to planning the weekend and going out with your loved ones for a bite and a good time.
Food is the language of love, isn't it? Pizza does it best, I guess. We did feel loved in there. There were so many smiles and laughs in the hall. Haven't seen that in a very long time. Usually, we are gloomy and tense. The mood is always dull and dark. The atmosphere of socializing and feeling normal isn't really there, for obvious reasons. So having an occasion like this was a huge boost for the general mood.
Here is the website to the restaurant if you want to know more about them or show them love if you come across them.
https://www.happyitaly.nl
They had a huge range of choices and the plates were getting empty pretty quickly. They had pizza with bacon, ham, with chicken, cheese pizza, bbq chicken. They had a few salads, bread with garlic sauce, and whatnot. Honestly I was more overjoyed with the general mood and the positive emotions more than the food.
It was kinda awkward at the beginning. My friends, a Ukrainian couple, and I just stood outside the gate looking at each other and gesturing that we probably should go inside and see what happens. Its not like we are used to these sorta things. Once inside we didn't even know what to say to the staff so I blurted out "Ukraine" and then we were escorted upstairs to the buffet. It was a cringy and hilarious moment. Then again, none of us knew what was the right thing to say.
The pizza was amazing. I took 3 slices to myself with some salad. I had a bbq chicken pizza slice, a cheese pizza slice, and one slice that I could not figure out what it was. They were thin crust freshly baked slices and very juicy and delicious. I could tell it was made with love. I drank more than I ate. A cold bottle of sprite felt so incredibly good. Later I grabbed two iced teas. My friends went with the ham pizzas and I believe them when they said it was incredibly declious.
The restaurant is very beautiful and aesthetic. It is a wonderful place to come by for a nice bite. I went through the menu and it did not seem illogically expensive either. It is a very beautiful place in the center of the city with very friendly staff who helped everyone with their wants and needs. They naturally had their regular customers and still catered to the refugees they had invited over without any hiccups. Big up Happy Italy!
Every small initiative is very precious during such trying times. I hope the people of Happy Italy saw the emotions the mothers were going through when their children played in the kids' zone. I hope the smiles and sounds of laughter filled their hearts with joy. It was a very precious getaway. That short hour meant a lot for all of us. A very kind gesture from the business. A wonderful excuse for the Ukrainians to feel good, wear nice clothes, get out for a bit, have a chat in a fresh new atmosphere, and enjoy themselves for a bit. After the meal, we thanked the staff and most of us went out for a walk by the waters. The nice staff also sent off many with takeaway boxes.
Thank you Happy Italy!
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