What OBICÀ does

OBICÀ is an Italian casual-dining and pizzeria chain built around a single product pillar: Mozzarella di Bufala Campana DOP. Founded in Rome in May 2004, the company pioneered the 'Mozzarella Bar' category and now operates 20 restaurants across Italy, the UK, France, the United States and Japan. The concept extends a curated Italian menu of mozzarella-led plates, salads, pizza (dough prepared with Italian flour and sourdough and fermented for at least 48 hours), coffee, aperitivo and seasonal specials into premium, foot-traffic-dense sites — Rinascente department stores in Milan, Turin, Cagliari and Palermo; designer outlets (McArthurGlen Paris-Giverny, Serravalle, Castel Romano); Malpensa Airport; business districts (Canary Wharf; 590 Madison Avenue in Midtown Manhattan); and Tokyo/Roppongi Hills, Nishi-Shinjuku, Takanawa, Yokohama and Osaka Umeda, the latter operated under a partnership with Japanese restaurant operator Wondertable Ltd. The product surface extends beyond the dine-in core to delivery and takeaway (via Square ordering in the US), private and corporate event hosting, digital gift cards, the Obicà Club loyalty rewards program in London and New York City, signature cocktail programming (the 'Cities' list by mixologist Luca Scrimenti), seasonal menu rotations and event formats such as the OBICOMEDY stand-up comedy series and the annual Forte Village Resort pop-up in Sardinia.

Revenue mechanics are multi-stream but anchored to in-restaurant food and beverage sales at owned and franchised units, supplemented by franchise/licensing royalties where enquiries are accepted for new markets, delivery commission economics through partner platforms, gift card sales (processed via Square), and a small B2B stream from corporate and private event bookings. There is no public pricing, no subscription model, and revenue is not disclosed.

The go-to-market is overwhelmingly direct-to-consumer physical retail, with marketing concentrated on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn, an owned multi-lingual website (IT/EN/FR/JP) supporting reservations and corporate enquiries, an email newsletter, earned media (e.g., New York Times category validation at founding), and event-driven programming. The customer base spans three segments: food enthusiasts and Italian-cuisine lovers (primary), corporate and business clients in major business districts, and private event hosts. Technology footprint is intentionally light: no public mobile app, no API, no disclosed proprietary software beyond Square-based US ordering and gift card processing and a website-resident loyalty mechanic — the model is operational and location-led rather than technology-led, with brand and real estate as the moat rather than data or AI.

Name

OBICÀ

Legal name

Obicà

Website

https://obica.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Short description

OBICÀ is an Italian casual-dining chain founded in Rome in 2004, operating 20 restaurants across Italy, the UK, France, the USA and Japan that specialize in Mozzarella di Bufala Campana DOP, sourdough pizza, and seasonal Italian cuisine served in premium retail and business-district locations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Casual Italian Restaurants

NAICS

Full-Service Restaurants (722511), Limited-Service Restaurants (722513), Caterers (722320)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Pizza Fast Casual (THAFABAB)

Keywords

• Italian casual dining
• Mozzarella bar concept
• Italian restaurant chain
• Pizzeria dining
• Authentic Italian cuisine

Headquarters

HQ city

Milan

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices13 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Dine-in Restaurant Sales: Revenue from food and beverage sales at all 20 restaurant locations globally. Core offerings include Mozzarella di Bufala Campana DOP, pizza, salads, and Italian traditional dishes.
2. Delivery and Takeaway: Online ordering for delivery straight to customer doorstep or restaurant pickup. Available at multiple locations including New York, London, and Japan.
3. Private and Corporate Events: Catering and venue hire for private dining, corporate events, business lunches and dinners, cocktail receptions, and meetings.
4. Gift Cards: Digital eGift Cards sold through Square, offering the Obicà experience as a gift.
5. Franchise Fees: Franchise enquiries accepted for new markets. Contact information provided for franchising enquiries across Italy, UK, France, USA, and Japan.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

OBICÀ is an Italian casual dining restaurant chain centered on Mozzarella di Bufala Campana DOP, serving fresh mozzarella, pizza made with Italian flour and sourdough fermented for at least 48 hours, salads, and traditional Italian dishes across 20 locations in Italy, the UK, France, the USA, and Japan. The offering is complemented by delivery and takeaway service, private and corporate event hosting, digital gift cards, a loyalty program (Obicà Club), and rotating seasonal menus.

Product overview

Obicà Mozzarella Bar is an Italian restaurant chain founded in Rome in May 2004, operating as a casual and contemporary pizzeria and café concept centered on Mozzarella di Bufala Campana DOP. The core offering consists of the main restaurant experience featuring fresh Italian dishes and pizza (prepared with Italian flour and sourdough, 48-hour fermentation), complemented by delivery/takeaway services, private and corporate event hosting, digital gift cards, and the Obicà Club loyalty program. The company also offers seasonal menu rotations and a signature cocktail collection. As of 2024, the chain operates 20 restaurants across Italy, UK, France, USA, and Japan.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Obicà Club: A loyalty program that rewards customers for visits and online orders at Obicà restaurants in London and New York City.

Products and services

• Obicà Mozzarella Bar Restaurant Experience Italian casual dining restaurant concept offering fresh Mozzarella di Bufala Campana DOP and authentic Italian dishes across 20 global locations, targeted at food enthusiasts and Italian cuisine lovers.
• Pizza Pizza prepared with Italian flour and sourdough, left to rise slowly for at least 48 hours, served at all Obicà restaurant locations.
• Delivery and Takeaway Food delivery and takeout service allowing customers to order Obicà dishes for home delivery or restaurant pickup, with orders processed through the Square online ordering platform in the USA.
• Private and Corporate Events Event hosting and catering services for private celebrations, business lunches, corporate dinners, cocktail receptions, and meetings, with dedicated event enquiry channels for major locations.
• Gift Cards Digital eGift cards sold through Square, allowing recipients to redeem the Obicà dining experience at participating restaurant locations.
• Obicà Club Loyalty Program Loyalty rewards program enabling customers to earn points for every visit and every online order at Obicà restaurants in London and New York City.
• Cities Signature Cocktail List Signature cocktail collection created by mixologist Luca Scrimenti, featuring seven cocktails and two alcohol-free options inspired by Obicà's global city locations.
• Seasonal Menus Rotating seasonal menu offerings including Summer Menu and Winter Menu featuring ingredients specific to each season, available across Obicà restaurant locations.
• OBICOMEDY Stand-up Comedy Series On-site stand-up comedy entertainment series hosted at Obicà restaurant locations, combining dining with live comedy performances.
• Forte Village Pop-up Restaurant Seasonal pop-up restaurant at Forte Village Resort in Sardinia offering Obicà classics including Mozzarella di Bufala Campana DOP and Burrata Burger, plus seasonal dishes and Tenute Scudieri products.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Wondertable Ltd.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWondertable Ltd. operates Obicà locations in Japan, including Tokyo (Roppongi Hills, Nishi-Shinjuku, Takanawa), Yokohama, and Osaka (Umeda). All Japanese restaurant operations, bookings, careers, and enquiries are managed through Wondertable contact channels (wondertable.com email addresses).
• RinascentecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRinascente is a major retail partner hosting multiple Obicà locations within their department stores: Milan Duomo (with terrace), Turin Via Lagrange, Cagliari Via Roma, and Palermo Via Roma. This partnership provides premium retail foot traffic and positioning.
• McArthurGlen GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMcArthurGlen Paris-Giverny Designer Outlet hosts an Obicà location, leveraging tourist and shopping visitor traffic typical of designer outlet centers.
• Tenute ScudieriminorOthersPartner supplier providing premium products: Abraxas wines from Pantelleria featured at Forte Village Resort pop-up and across the resort's restaurants, and Chianina beef from Tenuta La Fratta featured at Obicà and Torre Grill restaurants.
• LabicsminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerArchitecture and design firm that has collaborated with Obicà on restaurant interiors, contributing to the brand's contemporary warm design philosophy.
• Andy Martin / SuperfuturesminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerRestaurant designer Andy Martin of Superfutures has collaborated with Obicà on design projects, creating the brand's distinctive visual identity using natural materials (wood, glass, iron, brass, concrete bricks).
• Forte Village ResortminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSeasonal pop-up partnership at Forte Village Resort in Santa Margherita di Pula, Sardinia. For the third consecutive year (2025), Obicà operates a pop-up at the Bellavista restaurant offering Italian summer cuisine, featuring Tenute Scudieri products (Abraxas wines, Chianina beef).

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Eataly: Italian food hall and casual dining concept with global presence; directly comparable to OBICÀ in premium Italian positioning, multi-format retail/dining model, and international expansion strategy centered on Italian provenance.
• Rossopomodoro: Italian Neapolitan pizza chain with international locations; competes directly with OBICÀ on authentic Italian pizza, premium positioning, and global expansion through franchise and partner models.
• Vapiano: International Italian fast-casual pasta and pizza chain; comparable in global Italian casual dining footprint and counter-plus-table service model, though operating at different price point.
• Carluccio's: UK-based Italian casual dining chain; comparable in authentic Italian positioning, UK retail and high-street locations, and casual-dining target demographic.
• Pizza Express: Major UK pizza chain with international presence; comparable on pizza-centric casual dining in the UK and beyond, and competing with OBICà's Canary Wharf location for the same premium-lunch segment.
• Zizzi: UK Italian casual dining chain; comparable in casual Italian positioning, UK footprint, and core menu of pizza, pasta, and Italian small plates in urban retail locations.
• Princi: Premium Italian bakery and casual dining concept with locations in Milan, London, and beyond; comparable in artisan Italian positioning, designer-led interiors, and premium urban locations.

Regional players

• Prezzo: Italian-inspired casual dining chain operating across Asia (Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines); comparable in pizza-led casual Italian concept and international expansion strategy, though focused on Southeast Asia.

Others

• Forte Village Resort (Bellavista): Luxury Sardinian resort where OBICÀ has operated a seasonal pop-up for three consecutive years; comparable as a partnership channel and as a peer in delivering premium Italian dining experiences in luxury hospitality settings.
• Wondertable Ltd. Japanese restaurant operator running all OBICÀ Japan locations; comparable as a peer operating partner and as an example of how OBICÀ's franchise/operator model extends the brand internationally without direct capex.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/obicamozzarellabar
• Facebookfacebook.com/ObicaMozzarellaBar
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/obicamozzarellabar
• Instagraminstagram.com/obicamozzarellabar

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about OBICÀ