Zia Pina

3 Below Average

Food  3      Ambience  4      Service  1      Value  4     

I have been a customer of this business for over twenty years. Some of the meals I have made excuses for over the years, I knew most of the meals were better quality and value at other local premises but I continued to go out of familiarity, even joking about the premises shortcomings but no more, on my last, and I do mean Last, visit three of us attended, I got a main resembling what I ordered but my wife and her friends meals never arrived, they were forgotten.

No more excuses from me I will find another regular restaurant. I feel sorry for the owner who is a nice man, the problems always got worse when he was not present.

Oct 02, 2011 

8 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  8      Service  8      Value  8     

I have been going to Zia Pina for the last 10 years or so and can be described as a local. The food is typical everyday modern Italian and the portions are pretty big. The best way to describe Zia Pina is"family restaurant" as the service is generous and warm.

My company celebrated our end of year party there yesterday and we were looked after rather well by Norman the head waiter. Ambience is typical of an older style Italian eatery with the focus on Italian footbal, as the place is draped in various colours of the many football teams of the old country.

Many famous faces frequent Zia Pina especially the South Sydney football players and staff. Zia Pina is one of Mascots oldest restaurants and has certainly proved itself in that time as a place to get a great feed and friendly service. My pick of the day is usually a spaghetti bolognaise with a garden salad and the garlic pizza.
Price wise its fair and good value for money.

In the last 10 years I have celebrated many occasions at Zia Pina and everytime we weren't disappointed. The back area is terrific for functions in Summer.

Dec 16, 2010 

7 Recommended

Food  7      Ambience  6      Service  6      Value  9     

The servings are always generous and the staff are usually friendly. I have been going here at least once a year for the last 15 years and it has always been consistent in good food quality, service and value for money.

Mar 03, 2010 

7 Recommended

Food  7      Ambience  6      Service  7      Value  8     

Zia Pina is our local pizzeria, its great value and the food is good, decor is down at heal, but adds to the charm. Don't expect to be blown away, just expect a good honest feed at a good price.

Aug 09, 2009 

7.8 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  6      Service  9      Value  8     

We frequently go here for pizza and calzone which is always good quality for the price. Staff no us well and always strive to look after us, we sing their praise. Always busy and for good reason, if you stick to the pizza and calzone you won't be disappointed.

May 02, 2009 

8.5 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  8      Service  9      Value  8     

The pickout of the local Italian joints and definitely one of Mascots oldest and well established venues. Food is traditional and well presented, service is prompt and courteous and the taste is very Italian. Ambience flows through Zia Pina as at times you would think you are in Italy.

Jan 24, 2009 

8.8 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  9      Service  8      Value  9     

I went to Zia Pina the other night with my mum and dad and I loved it, my pizza was abit oily, but tasty. My mum and dad like it as well. I would probably be going there agian.

Oct 26, 2008 

3.8 Below Average

Food  3      Ambience  6      Service  4      Value  2     

I agree with you Alf667.... I have been a local since the day I was born. Went to Mascot Public School and Zia Pina was one of our local heros....I'm now 26 and still love and live in Mascot. We grew up eating Zia Pina at school and HS so I was excited to go back as I remember one of my best friends (also a local) kept telling me how good their veal was up until today (although I’m sure she would have last eaten there about a year ago).

Since my whole family live in Mascot, I encouraged my dad to scout our local restaurants with me, one of my little projects. I also liked this restaurant because the atmosphere is so cosy and with a 3.5 yr old, this normally takes half the stress out of the evening. So we decided that we would dine in Zia Pinas and try out the dish.

When we got into the restaurant, we stood there waiting to be seated. 3 minutes must have passed and I ended up having to call someone to sit us at a table. They didn’t at all seem interested to serve us. My father ordered the veal with mushrooms and avocado, I had the veal with mushroom sauce and my daughter had the chicken schnitzel and chips.

The sauce was so disgusting that I had to scrape it off my veal to actually eat the meat underneath, which was bland and had no taste. The sauce looked and tasted like cloggy paste: water and flour; virtually swimming in oil. The meat tasted that it had been thawed out in a sink all day, pounded, cooked with no seasoning and thrown on a plate.

Can you believe it: these dishes were about $20.00 each. The veggies that it was served with were horrible too. Most of them undercooked. My dad hates complaining and since he was paying bill, I thought I'd save him the embarrassment. My daughter’s chips were soggy, but the schnitzel was mediocre. I thought to myself "dessert can't possibly be that bad...." We ordered the gelato that was on the leaflets.

The last time I remember gnawing on something that rock hard was when I was a 8, trying to get through a solid chocolate bunny on Easter. My daughter and I bent the spoon a couple of times. I ended up using a fork and knife to cut slivers of this gelato and putting it on the spoon for my little girl to eat. I’ve had pizza there and it’s ok. Their coffee is actually good. Hence the extra points.

Unfortunately, the taste of the pizza and the coffee combined is not enough to save this restaurant from this review. I used to order the boscaiolla from the restaurant, that is until it started coming to the table swimming in oil as well. It’s sad to see that such a loved place which used to have good food and service let down true believers.

I wanted to think that the kitchen staff must have been having a bad day, but considering the consistency of their “oily dishes” and inattentive service, that’s highly unlikely. I don’t think I will be going back there…

Sep 06, 2008 

8 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  9      Service  7      Value  8     

I go to Zia Pina's for birthdays, and boy do they make the experience memorable.

Aug 01, 2008 

4.5 Below Average

Food  5      Ambience  5      Service  3      Value  5     

A couple of years after I first arrived in Australia in 1995, I was introduced to Zia Pina at the Rocks...the service was fast, great pizzas and good prices...

Well, 13 years on and things have definitely changed, went there with my wife a few months ago and the service was shocking: we had at least 3 waiters come to the table and none actually took control...it was very disorganised, hectic, and VERY slow. We ordered a Capresse salad and it was pathetic, a couple of bits of cheese on top of literally 5 tomato slices and some traces of basil and lots of oil...for $11.00!! The pizzas were greasy, bland and also expensive.

What a shame, management that doesn't keep a close eye on a winning formula and then its goes down the tubes. I will not be going back.

Jul 22, 2008