Tiramisu Business Bets on New Format as Hospitality Costs Mount

A former NatWest ATM window on Holloway Road is now dispensing tiramisu as falling food service output and rising energy costs add pressure to the hospitality industry.

Coccole Tiramisu opened its second venture on Holloway Road on 19 September, converting a former cashpoint into a space dedicated to the Italian dessert.

Founder Francesco Harka, 35, said the concept offered an opportunity to focus on one product rather than the wider menu available at the original café in Leyton.

“I wanted a place where I could do only tiramisu. But I wasn’t in a rush. I decided when a good opportunity comes by, I’ll take it and that’s what happened,” he said.

Early sales have been encouraging. The new outlet sold out on multiple days during its first weeks, selling around 150 portions a day on weekdays and 200 on weekends.

Mr Harka attributes some trade to match days at the nearby Emirates Stadium, home to the Arsenal Football Club.

However, the expansion comes against a challenging backdrop for the sector. According to the latest report by the Office for National Statistics, published on 15 October 2026, the UK food and beverage service output fell by 2.7% in August, despite the wider economy growing by 0.1%.

The ONS also reported that 91% of businesses in the accommodation and food service industry expressed concern about energy prices.

Energy bills can squeeze restaurants’ operating profits by increasing overheads, while higher supplier costs can put further pressure on margins.

Coccole’s takeaway window thus offers a different format to the traditional café that may well be worth exploring for future restauranteurs and entrepreneurs in the hospitality sector.

For now, Mr Harka’s priority is to “focus more on the window and make it even more popular” before considering further expansion of the brand.

Proposed Publication: Islington Tribune