Il Primo was established in 1991 by William Frisby and Dieter Bergmann in a small period building in Dublin. In November of 2006 ownership of the building passed to William's brother, Frank Frisby.

The restaurant is located in a romantic period house, which has been converted into a lively, homely bar area and a cosy and intimate dining room, located five minutes from St. Stephen's Green. The emphasis throughout Il Primo is on providing some of the finest wines from Tuscany with a range of simple and delicious Italian dishes in the heart of Dublin.

John Farrell and Anita Thoma took over ownership of the restaurant. Both have worked in Il Primo for many years and have brought a new lease of life since taking over Il primo.

The wines are John's special passion and his interest in Italian wine can be seen in the eclectic wine list. While John runs the front of house, Anita attends to the kitchen. Her approach to food is plain and simple. The emphasis in the kitchen is on well-sourced ingredients, cooked with as little interference as possible.