La Porchetta in Carlton, Melbourne, to close this weekend after 40 years

One of Melbourne’s best restaurants will close at the end of this week after its owners decided to ‘make a fresh start’ after more than 40 years in business.

La Porchetta, known for its affordable and high-quality Italian cuisine, will close its original Carlton store on Rathdowne Street on Sunday.

The store was acquired in 1985 by Rocco “Rocky” Pantaleo and fellow Italian immigrant Felice Nania and became a hotspot, especially among students.

La Porchetta has now grown into an international franchise with dozens of stores in Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia.

The Carlton restaurant is still the jewel of the business, with a large sign at the entrance proclaiming it ‘The Original’.

Famous for its affordable and high-quality Italian, La Porchetta was a hotspot for Melbourne students

However, Pantaleo family members Natalina and Azzurra shared a “bittersweet farewell” to the iconic location on Monday.

“Rocky and his family have been serving delicious and affordable Italian pizza and pasta dishes with all their love and passion since the early 1980s,” they say.

“Their dedication created an institution in the hospitality industry and a standard for Italian restaurant franchising in Australia.”

The women said the family had made the difficult decision to “pursue new ventures.”

On a more personal note, the family thanked their loyal customers who loved the Carlton restaurant and left them with ‘no regrets’.

“Your continued support has kept us strong… we have grown so fond of serving all of you every day,” they said.

“We hope you take comfort in the fact that you have contributed to the legacy that is La Porchetta Carlton, and for that we are unequivocally grateful.

‘It’s the end of an era, but the legacy will live on in the memories forever!’

The owners of La Porchetta, the Pantaleo family, shared a message (photo) on Monday announcing the closure of the store

Dozens of La Porchetta restaurants in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland will continue trading.

The huge restaurant on Rathdowne Street features hand-painted signs on the outside with the title ‘Pizza No. 1 in Australia’, while the walls inside are plastered with photos of its owners, customers and celebrities.

However, the restaurant attracted negative attention in 1996 after Calabrian native Rocky Pantaleo shot and killed the uncle of a waitress he had sexually assaulted.

There were also allegations that the store was linked to local crime rates.

Mr. Pantaleo died in a traffic accident in 2010 at the age of 53.

There are no indications that Natalina Pantaleo or Azzurra Pantaleo have ties to organized crime.

While food critics were big fans of the family-friendly eatery, La Porchetta Carlton was often overlooked by the suburb’s new wave of trendy ‘foodies’.

Still, dozens of angry La Porchetta fans said they would be sad to see the original store close and noted that the store should be heritage listed.

Dozens of La Porchetta restaurants will continue to operate in Victoria, Queensland and New South Wales

“Thank you for so many memories of great food, service and prices – all in one place with a friendly atmosphere,” wrote a customer who has visited the store since 1987.

‘So sad to see you go! My first meal in Australia was at La Porchetta when I moved from overseas 37 years ago. Rocky spoke to me in French when I came to get pizzas,” said another.

‘We celebrated my daughter’s baptism here when she was only eight months old. She’s 20 now,” wrote another.