Sneak peek at Adelaide’s new bistro Reno’s, ahead of VIP party with Tex and Ellie Walker

While hospitality venues are shutting their doors, a bold new bistro packed with quirky ‘dining rules’ is opening in Adelaide’s CBD. Find out what the cheeky rules are.

Its cheeky house rules might be made to be broken but the bonds formed at Reno’s will be for keeps.

That's the plan of Frankie Marafioti, one of the owners of the new modern Italian bistro opening soon on Pirie St.

To help create a sense of community, Reno’s has a set of tongue-in-cheek “house rules” lit up above the bar.

New Adelaide bistro Reno’s has “house rules”. Picture: Anna Vlach

They include:

No talking until Reno’s has his espresso.

If you break a plate, we’ll assume you’re Greek.

No phones at the table, unless you’re calling your mother.

All gossip must be at least 80% true.

Jokes are fine. Just don’t make ‘em about Reno.

Frankie Marafioti at Reno’s. Picture: Ben Clark

Frankie is part of the team that founded Flinders St coffee shop Bluprint, which was designed to bring people back into the CBD – including office workers – post Covid.

The group’s other members include Emmanuel Borakis, Christos Adamou and Frankie’s sister Claudia Marafioti.

Named after their father, Reno’s will be a tribute to their family’s Calabrian roots.

But Frankie said it would also be building on what Bluprint had started; further encouraging people to get back in the city, including those who had been working from home.

“It was always about knowing that we wanted to bring back the CBD lifestyle,” Frankie said, adding: “We want to create an experience that gives people the feeling of a home away from home … for me, that’s hospitality.”

With a “70s Milan meets Italian futurism” look, Reno’s will have other personal touches such as an image of Nonna Orsola – Frankie and Claudia’s grandmother – featured on the menu and a wild boar icon, in homage to the family’s sausage-making tradition.

Open from 7am, for people to get their “coffee fix”, Reno’s will offer “on-the-go” daytime eats and an a la carte menu.

House specialties will include hand-rolled pici (spaghetti-like pasta) in truffled cream, oven-baked lasagna rotolo and Reno’s favourite, eggplant parmigiana. The drinks list has South Australian and Italian wines and cocktails such as Negroni, Aperol Spritz, and Espresso Martini.

Piper McFarlane and Frankie Marafioti at Reno’s. Picture: Ben Clark

“We offer a cafe dining experience as well as a restaurant experience … high quality food and service at a reasonable cost,” Frankie said.

There will be an invitation-only VIP launch on Friday, April 11, where guests will include Adelaide 36ers captain, Dejan Vasiljevic, Crows champion Taylor Walker and his wife Ellie and Nova 919 breakfast host Andrew Hayes.

Reno’s Bistro will be open for business on Monday, April 14.

Trading hours are Monday to Wednesday, 7am to 4pm, and Thursday to Friday, 7am to late.

Originally published as Sneak peek at Adelaide’s new bistro Reno’s, ahead of VIP party with Tex and Ellie Walker