It’s wonderful to see women with star power to conjure up ideas for eateries. Restaurants and cafés today serve them well as spirited, busy extensions of the charm and glamour that won them fame. Italian actress Sophia Loren has just recently opened an Italian eatery in the city that matches her magnificent character well – Florence, Italy – and, in classic Sophia Loren fashion, named it after herself. The walls, plates, and even the menus are adorned with artistic impressions of the Rome-born megastar. In fact, Sophia Loren Original Italian Food sums up her iconic brand: classic, authentic, gorgeously Italian and… pretty unapologetic.

The success of any bistro brand will depend on the confidence of its owner. It makes sense that these sirens, with fame and acclaim from singing global hits, or starring in blockbusters, have selected the restaurant business as the next industry to conquer. The style of each woman’s outlet sums up what they sell to their audiences, whether it be the adorable American sweetheart, or the vibrant, regal Latin diva. Passions for fame, tend to lend themselves to passions for food…

Sophia Loren
Sophia Loren Original Italian Food
Florence, Italy

Sophia Villani Scicolone Dame Grand Cross OMRI, otherwise known as Sophia Loren, is as grand as her title. She is currently the only living actress and highest-ranked living person of Classic Hollywood Cinema, according to the American Film Institute.

She’s also a major foodie, known for her famous quotes about pasta, which suggest, if not an obsession, a worship. She once said, “Everything you see I owe to spaghetti”. She was referencing her own incredible beauty. Girl, same.

Loren was the first actress to win an Oscar for a foreign-language performance, for Two Women in 1962. Now an octogenarian, she may not have appeared on the big screen in a minute (since movie-musical Nine in 2016) but she certainly hasn’t kicked back. Her new Florence eatery has already received excited reviews from her Italian fans, and we can’t wait to try it – once we can travel, of course…

Scarlett Johansson
Yummy Pop
Paris, France

Although ScarJo plays the Black Widow in the Marvel franchise, there’s nothing sinister or spidery about her personal reputation. We know her to be the blonde, beaming and very buxom box-office main-lady, who never lets a red carpet down, and attracts porcelain-toothed, wealthy men like moths to a flame.

She may not be edgy, but that’s not what we ask of her. Her brand is smiley, and feminine, and very, very American – so it feels right that she owns a gourmet popcorn shop, named Yummy Pop. Possibly knowing that such a venture might not stand out amongst the variety of specialty snack shops in her native Manhattan, ScarJo was savvy in setting up this fun American enterprise in the 4th arrondissement of Paris, France.

Gloria Estefan
Larios on the Beach
Miami Beach, Florida

Three-time Grammy-Award-winning songstress Gloria Estefan has experience as party orchestrator. Her tune Conga gained worldwide success in 1985, starting the Latin party all over the globe, and furthering the influence of Latin-American music everywhere. This kind of global influence and sense of celebration translates well into her role as restauranteur.

Her Miami Beach late-night restaurant, Larios on the Beach, has won awards for its expansive Latin fare. The menu features specialist Latin seafood dishes, traditionally made with a Miami twist, alongside a mindboggling choice of twelve different types of mojitos. Participating wholeheartedly in the fiery Miami Beach nightlife, the restaurant stays open late – facilitating the kind of vibrant celebrations that play her ‘80s hits.

Sandra Bullock
Walton’s Fancy and Staple
Austin, Texas

Part of the charm of super-actress Sandra Bullock is her unpretentious, salt-of-the-earth attitude. It made her the perfect choice for her roles in Miss Congeniality and The Blind Side – movies in which her characters have to balance societal expectations of femininity with what real life demands of women. Like Scarlett, Sandra’s often described as an American-sweetheart type – except with a little more Texas grit and self-sufficiency.

The bakery-cum-deli-cum-florist that she owns and operates, Walton’s Fancy and Staple, reflects the Bullock duality perfectly. Housed in a historic building in the heart of Austin, Texas, the eatery serves precious-looking, freshly made cakes, buns, macaroons and muffins, as well as classic breakfast offerings – including, of course, Texan biscuits and gravy. In classic Sandra Bullock fashion, there’s more than meets the eye, as the customer can pick up blooms as well as bakes and breakfast, with the florist outlet at the side.