Don Fred and Italian hospitality, the Newtown way
Don Fred is a fully plant based Italian street food restaurant on King Street in Newtown, run by chef Lorenzo Petrachi, formerly of Gigi’s Pizzeria. It has the warmth of a family kitchen, a menu built for sharing and frozen cocktails that win over vegans and non vegans alike.
Lorenzo’s cooking starts with his Nonna, and you can taste it. The menu reworks Italian street food classics without any animal products, from a meatball sub made with roasted olive “meatballs” to fried konjac that does a convincing impression of calamari. The restaurant is named after his uncle Alfredo, whose nickname was Don Fred, and that sense of family runs through the room. It is cosy, a little cheeky and generous with its portions, which is why it keeps pulling in people who never planned to eat plant based.
Quick Bites
EAT: The polpetz focaccia, with roasted black olive meatballs, Napoletana sauce, dairy free parmesan and basil.
DRINK: A frozen Negroni granita.
PLAY: Bring the friend who swears they could never go vegan and let the focaccia do the convincing. It also suits a low key date night or a group booking with plates to share.
VIBE CHECK: Cosy, cheeky, wholesome
