At most restaurants, if diners get up and walk out on a regular basis, it’s cause for alarm. At Pino’s – a charming Italian spot in the Newcastle suburb of Islington – it’s something of a matter of course.
“At least once a week, we'll get tables that just walk straight out,” says director and chef Dion May. On top of the walk-outs, there’s a pretty good chance of copping an earful of negative feedback. “It happens at least a good few times a week, if not nightly,” he says.
These strong reactions aren’t about the quality of the food. Or even what’s on the menu. Rather, it’s what’s not on the menu that sends diners into a tailspin. Because although Pino’s is classically Italian – serving up a small, seasonally driven offering of bruschetta con caponata, cacio e pepe, gnocchi fra diavolo and the like – nothing on the menu contains dairy or meat.
Of course, this is hardly a radical act in the year 2022. But where other restaurants put their vegan credentials front and centre, Pino’s takes the opposite approach. Terms like vegan, vegetarian and plant-based go unmentioned on its website and social media. The staff don’t hype up the fact that the ragù derives its umami from mushrooms or that the cheese is made from cashews. But Newcastle is not Sydney – the population is smaller and tastes can be more conservative. Hence the walk-outs: there are certain assumptions people tend to make when they realise what kind of restaurant it is.
This story is from the February 2022 edition of Gourmet Traveller.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the February 2022 edition of Gourmet Traveller.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Barossa Valley
We hit the road for a weekend escape, exploring the best regional Australia has to offer. This month we head to the Barossa Valley in South Australia.
Legends of reinvention
As ultra-luxe hotel group Rosewood takes on three benchmark New Zealand lodges, MICHAEL HARDEN gets the read on this next chapter.
EVERYDAY
Easy entertaining, weeknight dinners and suppers to share, all made with speed, without sacrificing flavour.
Australia's most wanted
For love or money, building a wine collection pays dividends. NED GOODWIN reveals the Australian fine wines to put away.
MEET THE MAKER GREG LAMBRECHT
When US-based engineer Greg Lambrecht invented wine preservation system Coravin a decade ago, he changed the way we drink premium wine.
SANDALFORD
Following its recent reboot, this historic WA winery restaurant is ready to wine and dine a new generation of guests, writes MAX VEENHUYZEN.
PITZI
The team behind Fico trot out a chic new pasta bar which makes simplicity something special, writes ALIX DAVIS.
BATHERS' PAVILION RESTAURANT
A new era is dawning at a lower north shore landmark, writes MATTY HIRSCH, with an astute new recruit leading the way
VUE DE MONDE
A Melbourne icon emerges from a makeover refreshed and energised, writes MICHAEL HARDEN.
STEPHANIE ALEXANDER
Kylie Kwong celebrates the individuals helping to grow a stronger community. This month, we meet chef, author and original cook's companion, Stephanie Alexander AO.