Pinotta

When you talk about Fitzroy-​North you don’t tend to talk about great restaurants. Sure Matteo is a definite must and always have a soft spot for Supermaxxi’s pizzas but that’s really it, isn’t it?
Pinotta is this rough diamond laying in the tall grass. You step on it and will always remember it. The restaurant has a modern feel to it as does the menu with the occasional classic popping up. The music is relaxed, the light are dimmed just right and the hustle and bustle of a busy city restaurant unleashes.
Not going to go into finer details of the food. Every starter, main or dessert I have had here has always been nothing less than outstanding. Presented nicely and taste delicious.
The service reflects to the relaxed feel of the restaurant. It’s informative when needed and warm and buzzy when focussing on your gourmet meal.
I happily return over and over for more.

Had a really great night at Pinotta. Excellent Italian influenced food. Great service from stunning staff, with no attitude.
But I was really put off when the two chefs wandered out the back and lit up cigarettes. Then they both came back into the restaurant, stinking of smoke, and walked straight back into the kitchen. I will probably think twice before eating there again, despite the food and service. It just didn’t feel right to see that happening (even if all chefs do the same thing).
I don’t know, maybe I’m a bit precious, but I quite like the people handling my food to have some basic hygiene standards.

A solid Italian-​inspired menu, long wine list and classic desserts. We enjoyed Pinotta on a Saturday night and had no booking, but that was no problem. We were served very dense bread to begin, which was divine. The bread was sliced by staff in the main dining room and in front of a fire (reminded me of Lakehouse), giving the dining room a lovely feel. I ordered the pappardelle with oxtail ragu — ragu was lovely and rich but the pasta was either overcooked or too fine for my liking. Serving was large. My friend ordered a crab linguine and enjoyed it (it was also very large). Lovely Italian sangiovese on the side. We would have loved to sample the desserts but ran out of time (not because the service was slow but because of our schedule — the service was great) — crème brûlée, chocolate fondant, panna cotta to name a few. I would go back to Pinotta to try something else.

An Italian inspired restaurant located on St Georges Road, Pinotta is bringing some culinary class and sophistication to Fitzroy North. I love the feel of Fitzroy North, slightly less populated, less noisy, and cool, relaxed vibe. You don’t have to worry about suburbans getting too drunk in your neighbourhood and yelling at 3am. In Fitzroy, I get the pleasure of dealing with this every Friday and Saturday. With cafes such as Dench and Mitte, it has its own culinary gems.
Pinotta is a proper restaurant, not just a brunch and lunch place. It serves fantastic wines and offers delicious food. For breakfast, I ordered an herb omelette ($ 12) with a latte — great. Unfortunately, their breakfast is only until 12am so no brunch on Sundays. For lunch, I ordered the gnocchi with Gorgonzola sauce. Although this was a great dish, for $ 19.50 it was on the pricier side.
The best part about this place is the service — attentive staff who know their stuff particularly the owner. The menu changes daily so the owner actually hand writes the menu, which adds a nice touch. Now that I’ve been here for breakfast and lunch, I can’t wait to try out dinner. If you’re looking for a place to book for a special occasion, their back room offers a 20 – 25 person table.
P. S. Try their freshly squeezed blood orange and Campari!