BEST ITALIAN RESTAURANT
No guide on where to eat would be complete with the inclusion of an Italian. So many of our favourite foods hail from Italy and it is a genre of food the Irish are absolutely in love with. In fact, it would be fair to say it is a genre of food the whole world is in love with!
Ever since Pinocchio swung its doors open back in August 2008, it has stayed true to a few core ideals... they offer simple, fresh, delicious Italian food in the heart of Ranelagh Village. Italians Marco Giannantonio and Maurizio Mastrangelo teamed up to open this authentic Italian restaurant and winebar beneath the Ranelagh Luas station alongside their Italian cookery school, catering company and gourmet travel company.
The Décor in Pinocchio is laid back and relaxed, its ever inviting and you immediately feel at home there. Indeed, the friendly welcome and great service certainly bring a home- away-from-home feel. A great suggestion is to call into Pinocchio for an aperitivo at the bar any Friday evening, when every glass of wine come with a little tapas, and then maybe pick up something for dinner from the deli counter or from the shelves laden with imported artisan dried and preserved Italian foods. The wine is excellent, and all are served to you direct from the temperature controlled cellar.
The menu ranges from antipasti featuring premium produce through to interesting main courses (linguine with scallops, crayfish and roe finished with asparagus maybe, or chicken wrapped in Arnad lard and herbs with a lemon butter). The desserts are all 100% homemade as are the biscotti served with the excellent Camardo coffee, and at Pinocchio they take pride in preparing you the best Italian food available in Dublin. Simple, fresh and all cooked to order. Just the way it should be!
Another suggestion is to try the menu for groups if a private party is what you are after, the selection is wide and the venue can provide live music or a Dj, in fact keep an eye on their website as they regularly host party nights which look fantastic! As was mentioned, owners Marco and Maurizio also run an Italian Cookery School, so if you like what you are treated to in Pinocchio (and we guarantee you that you will) why not log onto their website and enroll for one of the classes so you can have a little taste of Pinocchio right in your own home? Pinocchio Restaurant, highly recommended to anybody with a taste for Italy and a love of good food.
Pinocchio, Luas Kiosk Ranelagh, Dublin 6 Reservations: 01 4970111