Story by Tracy Morin | Photos courtesy of Farra by Aquarium Pizzeria
Brother and sister David and Nathalie De Clercq aren’t your typical pizzeria owners—and they’re operating in an atypical location, too: Torre delle Stelle, a charming coastal village on the Italian island of Sardinia.
“We are Americans working in Sardinia, and we did not come from a traditional restaurant background,” explains Nathalie, co-founder of Farra by Aquarium Pizzeria. “We started Farra because we knew the town needed a really good pizzeria: authentic, delicious and made by locals, but with better ingredients, stronger branding and a slightly more elevated hospitality experience. The project is also deeply personal—my great-grandmother, Edith Pelgrims de Bigard, was one of the original figures behind the creation of Torre delle Stelle in the 1960s. Generations later, we are working to bring new life and energy to the village through restaurants, events, villas and hospitality.”
Navigating the inherent seasonal shifts of a Mediterranean destination town, the De Clercqs are using pizza as part of a wider effort to rejuvenate a coastal village—while staying true to local traditions and ingredients. Nathalie recently talked with PMQ about her ancestry-inspired vision, long-term goals, and the lessons she has learned in her journey that can apply to pizzeria owners everywhere.
PMQ: What inspired you to open Farra by Aquarium Pizzeria?
Nathalie De Clercq: We spent all our summers in Sardinia, so we have always had a special connection to the island. About 11 years ago, we began working here through the villa rental business, which gave us a clear understanding of what guests were looking for and what the village was missing. At the time, there were only two restaurants in Torre delle Stelle. We felt there was room for a more elevated experience: a place where people could dress up a little, enjoy great food and drinks, and spend the evening in a beautiful setting.
The project became even more meaningful when we had the opportunity to buy back the building that once belonged to our grandfather. He had a restaurant, market and club in that same space, so bringing it back to life felt very personal. Then, when we met the right partner, someone with deep restaurant experience, the decision became obvious.
We wanted to add energy, quality and more choice to the village. The menu reflected what we felt was missing, including large, fully dressed salads with protein options, which are still uncommon in many restaurants in Sardinia and parts of Italy. At the same time, the pizzas are rooted in Sardinia, using local ingredients and flavors that remind guests they are in a very specific part of Italy, with its own food culture and identity.
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PMQ: Since neither of you came from a classic restaurant background, what were the biggest learning curves in building and operating a pizzeria?
De Clercq: Almost everything was a learning curve. My brother, David, and I had very little restaurant experience when we started, so we learned by doing, which is probably the most intense but also the most fun way to learn something new.
The biggest lessons were operational. A pizzeria moves fast. There is a high turnover of guests, and in a seasonal restaurant like ours, there can also be a high turnover of staff. We had to learn how to take care of both sides at once: the team working every night and the guests coming in with many different expectations, needs and moods. The team is everything. You can have a beautiful concept, a great location and a strong menu, but, in the end, the restaurant depends on the people who show up every night and make it work. That is especially true in a seasonal village, where demand can change dramatically from one week to the next.
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PMQ: How did you strike the balance between traditional pizzeria culture and a more refined guest experience?
De Clercq: Sardinians are excellent pizzaioli, so hiring local talent was essential for us. In the kitchen and on the floor, we work with as many local people as possible and use excellent Sardinian ingredients, including produce from our own vegetable garden. At the same time, we never wanted the pizzeria to feel too formal. Pizza should be generous, social and accessible.
The balance came from keeping the soul of a local pizzeria while raising the quality around it: better ingredients, a thoughtful menu of the right size, a comfortable setting, warm service and real attention to the guest experience. In Sardinia, the raw materials are already exceptional: tomatoes, cheeses, vegetables, cured meats, olive oil and seafood. All we need to do is let those ingredients speak and make sure people feel truly looked after.
PMQ: How has your family history in Torre delle Stelle shaped your vision and execution of the business?
De Clercq: My great-grandmother, Edith Pelgrims de Bigard, was one of the early people who fell in love with Torre delle Stelle. My family’s connection to this village goes back generations, and that gives us a very different relationship with the place. We do not see Torre delle Stelle as a temporary business opportunity. We see it as part of our family history and even a part of our responsibility.
The village has always had extraordinary natural beauty, but places also need energy, care and services in order to thrive. This feeling of legacy shaped our vision for Farra, because we wanted to contribute something useful and joyful to the community. We wanted to create a place that made Torre delle Stelle feel more alive, especially in the evenings, and that gave both residents and visitors another reason to gather here.
PMQ: Tell us about how you are undertaking a broader effort to revitalize the community and how Farra Pizzeria fits into that larger mission.
De Clercq: Our broader mission is to help Torre delle Stelle become one of the most attractive destinations in South Sardinia while keeping its identity and charm. We work across several parts of hospitality: luxury villas, events, weddings, food and beverage, destination marketing and local services. The goal is to create a more complete experience for guests and a stronger ecosystem for the town. When people come to stay in a villa, they need places to eat, activities, services, events and reasons to come back. Restaurants are a key part of that!
Farra fits into this mission because it is approachable. A luxury villa may speak to one type of guest, but a pizzeria speaks to everyone. It gives the village daily life. It creates jobs, supports local suppliers, brings people together, and helps make Torre delle Stelle feel like a real destination rather than only a summer residential village.
PMQ: What unique challenges and opportunities come with running a seasonal pizzeria in a Mediterranean destination town that experiences different levels of demand throughout the year?
De Clercq: Seasonality is one of the biggest challenges in Sardinia. In the high season, demand can be intense. You have to serve a large number of people in a short period, often with very high expectations. Guests are on holiday, so every dinner matters to them. At the same time, staffing, training, stock management and consistency are more difficult, because the season is compressed. In the low season, the challenge is the opposite. The village becomes much quieter, and you have to think creatively about how to keep energy in the business and in the community.
The opportunity is that a seasonal destination has a special emotional quality. People remember where they ate on holiday. They come back with their children. They create traditions. If you do it well, your restaurant becomes part of someone’s memory of summer in Sardinia, and we love that idea. We hope that everyone will come visit us in this little corner of paradise.
PMQ: As a female-led hospitality project in a traditionally male-dominated industry, have you encountered any unexpected reactions or challenges while building the business?
De Clercq: Not really. We have been fortunate to work with many people in Sardinia who respect hard work, seriousness and consistency, regardless of gender. Hospitality is demanding for everyone, and in our experience the real test is whether you show up, solve problems, take care of your team and deliver a good experience for guests. That has always been our focus.
PMQ: What lessons have you learned from opening a restaurant in Sardinia that might apply anywhere in the pizza industry?
De Clercq: The biggest lesson is that a pizzeria in town can be like a community anchor. Opening Farra allowed us to meet so many neighbors face to face. It gave us a real connection to the local community and a better understanding of what people needed, what they missed, and how we could adapt and grow in a way that served the town. That part is not always easy, but it is extremely rewarding.
One of the most touching moments happened soon after we opened. An elderly woman, probably in her 90s, came directly from the airport because she wanted to meet the people reopening Aquarium (the name of the building where Farra is). She took my hands in hers with tears in her eyes and told me that some of the best memories of her life had happened there, when it used to be a club. She was so happy to see someone bringing it back to life.
That moment showed me how much a restaurant can mean to people, even 70 years later. A pizzeria can help define the feeling of a town. It can create rituals for locals, memories for visitors, and a shared place where people feel they belong. That lesson applies in Sardinia, but I think it applies anywhere.
Tracy Morin is PMQ’s associate editor.
