Pinco’s new CBD spot has a menu full of crowd-pleasers
Formerly Jumbo Smash, Pinco Italo is an Italian dining room complete with an all-new menu, white tablecloths, cocktails and weekly jazz nights.
Pinco Deli co-founders Saba Maghsoudi and Elijah Makris have opened their third Pinco location in the heart of the CBD.
Saba and Elijah launched the first Pinco Deli on Glen-Osmond Road in 2022 and a second location on Gilles Street in July 2024.
The duo were behind burger joint Jumbo Smash, which opened in the same location as Pinco Italo in Exchange Place last year, but it seems the humble sando – which Pinco is known for – has outlasted burgers in the city’s lunch trends.
“We love the space and we want to make sure we put something in there that we can enjoy for a long period of time,” Saba says.
Pinco Italo aims to bring old-world Italia dining with a cuisine that “doesn’t need to be messed with” says Chef Jimmy Garside.
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“We’ve gone back to basics. Simple, tasty, produce-driven food that’s executed with,” Jimmy says.
During lunchtimes, patrons can select from Pinco’s sandwich menu available at the other Pinco locations or a collection of lunch snacks and pastas new to Pinco Italo.
The menu includes pappardelle doused in ragu bianco with basil and fennel, kale and spinach risotto with gorgonzola and hazelnuts and baked alla vodka topped with fresh stracciatella.
For mains, there’s a choice of crispy eggplant parmigiano, chicken cotoletta in brown butter topped with salty capers and a 650gm dry aged ribeye.
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“We’ve really listened to what the market here in Adelaide wants; crowd pleasers with a few twists,” Jimmy says.
The cocktail offering includes Italian classics like Negroni and fun twists on old favourites, Paloma di Pinco and Aperol Mojito.
The outdoor space. This picture: supplied.
Once a week, as they sip their cocktails, patrons are treated to jazz nights as performed by a live band in the venue.
Saba and Elijah’s design agency, 2049, describes the interior as “retro-future” with consistency between other Pinco locations and inspiration taken from Italian diners in New York City and LA.
The art displayed on the walls includes a hero still life painting commission from local Adelaide artist Jessica Votino and two new works from Australian artist James Brown.
“I’ve always been drawn to Italian diners that felt honest, considered but casual, intentionally designed yet lo-fi,” Elijah says.
Overall, Saba describes the Pinco Italo experience as “high-level produce, high-level food, with warm service in a comfortable space.”
Pinco Italo is now open at 50 Exchange Place in Adelaide’s CBD, Monday–Friday for lunch, Thursday–Saturday for dinner.