Pino's

[toga 1]

Anyone remember the restaurant? I loved the food, was a busboy there in 1975-76

[Purpledevil 291]

I remember an Italian eatery named Pino's down on Cullen Blvd when I was a kid. Right there by UH and the old Jeppessen Stadium off the Gulf Freeway. Seems like it was called Pino's anyway.

My father, being from Sicily, loved Joe Matranga's on Irvington Blvd. Of course, that being the case, there's where we went for Italian dine-out. Man, I still get a craving for the spaghetti and meatballs from Matranga's. Sure hated to see that fade away after Mr. Matranga's death.

[Ross 1576]

Wasn't Pinos on Voss? One of Marvin Zindlers favorite places? I ate there a number of times. Decent food and service

[toga 1]

There might have been an original one on Voss, but this was on Hillcroft near Westhiemer as far as I can remember. Pino and Adriano owned it, Adriano had a Pantera he always parked out front.Yes Marvin would come in some, a lot  of the Rockets and Oilers too.  The beef cannelloni was killer. 

[Purpledevil 291]

Looks like we're all right. Started out on Cullen, ended up on Hillcroft. Here's something I found that gives a bit of history to the establishment.

http://www.pinosrestaurant.com/

[Ross 1576]

Voss/Hillcroft, same street.

[Callaflower 0]

I loved PIno's. I lived in an apartment complex on Hillcroft, late 60s, so close we could walk. Loved the food. So sad to see it go. Same thing with Ballatori's. I forgot the street, but it was in a bank vault across the Gulf Freeway from UH. Their carciofi fritti was to die for.

Edited July 17, 2015 by Callaflower

[WWW 1]

I worked in Pino's kitchen in the early 70s as a teenager. Great food, interesting people. It left lasting memories. Pino was kindhearted; he would often pat me on the back, stick a dollar bill in my shirt pocket and say "You such a good-a boy, you work-a so hard." Just as often, when I broke a dish, Adriano would say to me "that's-a one dollar off-a your paycheck". One of our waiters was a guy called "Crazy Barry" , who was famous for doing wild dances at Rocket's games. One of the male staff members was a real wolf with the young waitresses. Once he pinched an Italian waitress on the butt and she hit him so hard it almost knocked him over. After a stunned silence the entire kitchen staff started applauding. Hillcroft and Westheimer were pretty safe back then, so my brother and I would walk several miles home after closing up at midnight. We didn't find out about Dean Correll until later. Fun times!

Edited November 30, 2019 by WWW

[toga 1]

Adriono now has a Italian restaurant in College Station,still serve their famous beef cannelloni. I spoke with his wife and Pino is still doing good!