Just opposite Piedimonte’s Supermarket, Pinotta is in the thick of North Fitzroy and is being warmly embraced by the strong community.

Owned by Logue and business partner Heidi Modra, the primary goal of Pinotta is to provide a good local that has staying power to last longer than 12 months—to become part of the landscape.

Logue was head chef at The Italian in the CBD for six years and Pinotta’s blackboard menu, which changes a couple of times a week with daily specials and the like, is steeped in Italian cuisine. That said, there are some French touches mixed in with the restaurant featuring duck confit and cotechino sausage seasonally.

Modra, a former graphic designer, runs the floor and is mad about wine, creating a list of about 40 drops, each of which can be ordered by the glass.

The key here is the owners’ hands-on approach. It’s a well run, small local in an area that demands quality and the locals are lapping it up. Flying under the radar doesn’t seem to have done them any harm.