The Five Dock Bowling Club changes name to The Home Grounds

The Five Dock Bowling Club becomes The Home Grounds after sparking national debate over charging $35 for a schnitzel and chips at its restaurant Skinny Tony’s.

Five Dock Bowling Club has been renamed The Home Grounds after copping backlash for the price of its Skinny Tony's restaurant chicken schnitzel. Pictures: Rohan Kelly

A Sydney venue which caused national debate because of the price of its schnitzel has had a name change.

The Five Dock Bowling Club is now trading under the name of The Home Grounds.

The decision to change the name was to align with the food offering of a restaurant, rather than have people assume it’s a more traditional club where the food comes second to the sport or is subsidised by the revenue from poker machines said owner Pierre Moio.

“[The name] is more suited to what the offering is then the perception that people have of a traditional bowling club,” he said.

In February, the restaurant within the venue, Skinny Tony’s, caused national debate because they charge $28.90 for a chicken schnitzel and baked vegetables, charging an extra $6.90 for fries or $8.90 for side of mashed potato.

Rebrand: Five Dock Bowling Club has changed its name to The Home Grounds after controversy over the price of it's schnitzel. Picture Rohan Kelly

Moio said the reason some had been surprised by the price is because they expect bowling club food, eyt the venue is not a registered club. However it does offer lawn bowls on the weekends.

“The thought behind [originally] keeping the building name as Five Dock Bowling Club was as a reference for people to know its location and whereabouts, as the site first opened in 1933, not to denote the offering,” he said.

Chef Giuseppe Santoro and owner Pierre Moio (blue jacket) pictured in the restaurant, Skinny Tony’s. Picture Rohan Kelly

Moio said being the centre of a national price debate has been “challenging.”

“A lot of people have taken a perception of what they’ve read or the headlines and then translating into potentially having a negative connotation attached to the premises as opposed to coming in and seeing what the new offering is and taking it from there,” he said.

However since changing the name, Moio said business has “exceeded his expectations.”

While the chicken schnitzel made headlines, it’s Skinny Tony’s chef who is now bringing in the customers. The venue’s chef, Giuseppe Santoro, is the president of the Italian Pizza Makers Federation and winner of the 2022 Pizza Awards in Calabria.

While the chicken schnitzel made headlines, it’s Giuseppe Santoro’s pizza that Moio says is bringing in the customers Picture Rohan Kelly

“I’m so proud that we were able secure Giuseppe who is among the most influential pizza makers in the world. Anyone who comes in and tries his pizza’s are extremely pleased,” Moio said.

The Home Grounds will also open up more food offerings, including a bistro, to complement Skinny Tony’s.

They also run a Whiskey and Soda Bar and Dessert Depot in the venue.

Originally published as The Five Dock Bowling Club changes name to The Home Grounds