People often wonder what a private evening at our restaurant actually looks like, in practice. Rather than explain it in brochure style, we’re taking you behind the scenes. A Saturday evening, 6pm, at 40 Rue de la Loi in La Louvière. The shutters have just come down for passers-by: tonight, the trattoria belongs to one group, and not just any group — 38 guests celebrating Sylvie’s 50th birthday. Follow us.

The room transforms

6pm. The wood-fired oven has already been humming away for a good hour. In the dining room, tables are being moved. They’re pushed together end to end to form one long central table, almost like a village banquet. That’s what we love about it: everyone can see each other, no one feels exiled in a dark corner.

The white tablecloths go down. Cutlery is laid out, wine glasses, water glasses. The little touches — a sprig of basil in a small vase, a candle for every table of four, napkins folded with care. The fairy lights overhead are switched on. The brickwork catches the warm glow.

Sylvie’s family had a banner delivered that morning reading “Happy 50th, Mamma Sylvie”. We hang it above the top table. Tutto è pronto.

Italian aperitivo: antipasti and sharing boards

7.30pm. The first guests push open the door. We greet them with a smile and take their coats. Sylvie arrives a little later, la regina della serata, greeted with applause by relatives already seated. Kisses, hugs, “you look fabulous”, “did you see who came?”.

The aperitivo begins. On the tables, we set down the antipasti boards: fine cured meats, Italian cheeses, marinated vegetables, homemade focaccia still warm from the wood-fired oven. The prosecco flows, as do the beers, with soft drinks for those driving.

Conversations overlap. The sister-in-law catches up with a cousin she hasn’t seen in three years. The 16-year-old nephew, a little shy at first, ends up chatting away with his joking uncle. This is exactly the moment we love about our job: watching a room that was empty an hour earlier become a warm, welcoming home. La famiglia, allargata.

The arrival of the 60×40 cm pizza

9pm. The big moment has arrived. The kitchen springs into action, the pizzaiolo slides out the dough prepared 48 hours in advance, topped with fior di latte, San Marzano tomatoes, and fresh basil. It goes into the wood-fired oven for just a few minutes.

Then it comes out. 60 cm × 40 cm. Golden, crisp at the edges, soft and melting in the middle. Two waiters carry it together, on a large wooden board, and walk it right across the room.

Silence falls. Then the “oooooh”. Then phones come out of every pocket at once. Then applause. Sylvie laughs, hand over her mouth: “No way!” Oh yes, way. And a second one follows, so everyone gets their share.

It’s our signature dish, the 60×40 cm pizza, and it’s become a ritual for large tables. Made to order, each one feeds 8 to 12 people. For 38 guests that evening, we made four, with different toppings: Margherita, Diavola, Quattro formaggi, and a special one with Sylvie’s favourite ingredients. Per la regina. Find all the details in our dedicated article on the 60×40 cm pizza.

Homemade dessert, laughter, and digestifs

10.30pm. The pizza has been devoured. The plates are cleared. Conversations have grown louder, happier, freer. Someone taps their glass — it’s Sylvie’s husband, about to give a little speech. He stumbles over his words a bit, his voice wavers, everyone smiles. Applause, quiet tears, kisses.

Then come the homemade dolci. The tiramisu we make in the kitchen, creamy and generous. The Nutella and pistachio doughnuts come out batch after batch, golden and sweet. Per finire in dolcezza. We also bring out the birthday cake that Sylvie’s daughter smuggled in that afternoon — we kept it chilled, bring it out with the candles, and sing “Happy Birthday” Franco-Italian style.

Digestifs follow: limoncello for the brave, strong coffee for the rest. The laughter keeps rising. La festa continua.

The next day: what stays with us

The following morning, arriving at the restaurant, we find the room empty, the tables back in place. But we also find the messages.

Sylvie sent a long email to mammamarianet@gmail.com: “Thank you for such a magical evening, I’ll remember it for the rest of my life. The 60×40 cm pizza — my guests are still talking about it this morning on the WhatsApp group. You were extraordinarily kind.” Her daughter posted three photos on Instagram, with the giant pizza taking centre stage.

This is what stays with us. Not a figure, not a report. The feeling that we’ve helped create one of those memories families retell for years to come. Il senso del nostro lavoro.

Fancy an evening just like this?

Whether you’re celebrating a birthday, a christening, a hen do, a team night out, or simply gathering a large table of friends and family, we’re here for you. Our dining room seats up to 42 guests, we’re right in the heart of La Louvière, and we easily serve Houdeng-Goegnies, Strépy-Bracquegnies, Haine-Saint-Pierre, Saint-Vaast, Maurage, Boussoit, Trivières and all the surrounding towns.

The simplest thing is to give us a call. We’ll chat it through, sort out the details together, and lock in the date that suits you. You can also take a look at our Private Hire page, our FAQ and our menu to get a feel for the spirit of the place. And to go further, our complete guide to private hire.

  • Phone: +32 64 28 32 73
  • Email: mammamarianet@gmail.com
  • Address: Rue de la Loi 40, 7100 La Louvière (Hainaut)
  • Opening hours: 7 days a week except Tuesday, 12pm-2.30pm and 6pm-10.30pm

We look forward to welcoming you. A tavola, la vita è più bella!

To plan your own evening, send us your private hire request with the date, occasion and number of guests.