The La Porchetta jingle is such a permanent fixture in our minds, we made the mistake of thinking the beloved Rathdowne Street restaurant in Carlton North, which is nearly 40 years old, would be just as permanent a fixture in the community.

But change is the only constant and yesterday, two members of the Pantaleo family, Nat and Azzurra, announced via a Facebook post that the iconic Italian restaurant would close after service on Sunday February 11.

“We would like to inform you all that the original family will be moving on and closing the doors.

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“We are sending out our deepest gratitude towards everyone who has helped make La Porchetta Carlton what it is today!”

The post concludes, “We have no regrets and we are now ready to move on to new ventures for the future.”

A separate post on the La Porchetta Instagram thanked the community for its continued support over the restaurants near-40-year run.

“So many people in our community enjoyed warm hospitality and fun times there. It’s been a wonderful journey for everyone involved and we want to thank all our customers for the great times we’ve had together.”

La Porchetta franchises will not be affected by the closure of the original location, which was opened by Rocky Pantaleo and Felice Nania in 1985. So you can still get the restaurant’s home-made lasagne and signature prosciutto pizzas at one of the chain’s 28 Victorian franchise locations.

And, if you’re looking for a new business opportunity, there are eight existing La Porchetta franchises across Australia and New Zealand up for sale.

La Porchetta at 392 Rathdowne Street, Carlton North, will close after service on Sunday February 11