Set in the idyllic 1800’s De Kelder building, is the quintessential Italian family restaurant, Gino’s. Owner Dom Mazza is arguably just as popular as his bread and butter.
The historical dark wood Italian furnishings with a Hollywood twist provide a comforting and homely atmosphere. Before Covid-19, families would be chatting over red wine and a delectable meal, the kitchen staff rolling out dough and shouting orders, aromas of fresh garlic and homemade pizza sauce would fill the air, and Dom would be behind the counter laughing with a customer, as always. This is what you would see when you first enter Gino’s, the local die-hard favourite in Stellenbosch, since August 1996.
Dom Mazza and his family moved from Johannesburg to Stellenbosch in 1996. PHOTO: Savannah Bacon.
Dominica (Dom) Mazza is the youngest son in the Mazza family and is the familiar face you see night after night at Gino’s. Dom himself embodies all that Gino’s represents; family ethos, consistency, great value, and a true Italian atmosphere.
“As a business owner, the only way you can really make a difference is by being there yourself,” says Dom.
Gino’s was born in November 1983 as the brainchild of eldest Mazza son, Gino (Biagino), brother to Dom, Carmella and Antonia. Located in Robertsham, Johannesburg, running the original Gino’s was a family affair, says Dom. Even father Guiseppe and mother Antonia helped out in moulding this authentic Italian restaurant. The original Gino’s is still there 37 years later and is run by Gino and Carmella.
The original 1983 menu is displayed at the entrance of Stellenbosch Gino’s, with 145 items. PHOTO: Savannah Bacon.
Situated on the oak-tree dappled Dorp Street in Stellenbosch, Gino’s has earned an impressive reputation with the locals and Dom’s attentive and charismatic nature has earned him long standing friendships in the community.
“We’re quite personal, I think, with our customers. It’s nice to know their names,” says Dom.
Dom still answers the phones himself, highlighting the personal nature of both Dom and Gino’s. “It sometimes becomes frustrating when people order takeaways and you’re busy, and they’re chatting on the line,” he jokes.
Dom’s commitment and passion for his second home is evident in every aspect of Gino’s, whether it be the food, the service, the relationships with customers, or his bond with his staff. Maintaining the family ethos, many of the staff at Gino’s have been with them for over ten years, and some for twenty, says Dom. One staff member, James, has been with Dom since the Johannesburg days and made the move to Stellenbosch alongside Dom in 1996. Some waitresses that worked at Gino’s circa 2000 now have daughters that work at Gino’s, says Dom.
Longstanding staff members Grace Rafuza and James Chauke. James moved with Dom to Stellenbosch in 1996. PHOTO: Savannah Bacon.
Testament to the character of Dom and Gino’s, the restaurant has been supporting local non-profit organisation, Youth Outreach, which organises programs for street children in Stellenbosch. Gino’s has been making pizza’s for the children at Youth Outreach every Wednesday for twenty years now, something they continued to do even during the global Covid-19 pandemic.
The Lone Survivor
One of the main words that comes to mind when thinking about Gino’s is ‘unwavering’. In 24 years, Dom and the restaurant have consistently provided impeccable service, delicious food and great value, he says. The support from local friends that have become family has been unwavering and Gino’s has continued to live up to its admirable reputation, even during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Covid-19 has caused a worldwide standstill and with that, countless restaurants have had to close their doors. “They say 80% of the restaurants are not going to reopen,” says Dom, referring to the South African restaurant industry. He thinks that it’ll take over two years for the restaurant industry to recover from this.
The Trumpet Tree, also on Dorp Street, has had to close their doors for good. Added to this list of Covid-19 era closures are All Things Good, Meraki, and Eight at Spier. Gino’s remains, faithfully serving the community.
In the winter months, the fireplace is lit to keep patrons warm while they enjoy a home cooked Italian meal. PHOTO: Savannah Bacon.
Gino’s has not been completely unscathed by the pandemic though and when they were able to start operating again in May, they were only at about a third of normal turnover, says Dom. Irrespective of this, Dom has still managed to keep his staff earning, and all permanent staff members have received assistance from the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF). Gino’s was relying on deliveries as well as collections, and also have a WhatsApp line for orders.
“We’re very fortunate. We had quite an established delivery service. I think it’s difficult to just get into deliveries when you’ve never delivered before. There’s people that have us on speed dial and all that kind of stuff,” says Dom.
Some other restaurants in Stellenbosch have tried their hand at the delivery game with delivery services such as UberEats, OrderIn and MrDelivery. For Dom, this removes the signature authentic and personal touch and as such, they do all of their own deliveries with their own delivery drivers.
A traditional home cooked Italian meal is best served with a glass of red wine. Gino’s has an extensive wine list offering high quality and popular wines. PHOTO: Savannah Bacon.
“As far as I’m concerned there’s only one way of doing it. I’ll never hand over my product, my fresh product, to a third party, because I can’t control it. Our customers are comfortable with our delivery guys. They know them, you know? It’s someone coming into your home,” says Dom.
While deliveries and collections may provide some income, it’s difficult without the usual turnover, says Dom. “People think you’ve got cash reserves, but that’s not the case. You have to work 18 hours a day to keep people permanently employed,” he says. Dom considers his staff as family, and he says he checks in on them daily, making sure they’re all healthy and well.
Kitchen staff at Gino’s have been upholding high sanitation standards as well as high food standards. PHOTO: Savannah Bacon.
Going forward, Dom hopes to maintain Gino’s ethos through delivery and collection, an area that he says restaurants need to focus on. According to Dom, the fear of Covid-19 won’t disappear overnight, and people are still going to be scared to go out, so delivery and collections will remain a major element in the restaurant industry.
Even with delivery and collection, Dom still aims to provide great value. “As soon as you charge R800 a head, you’re making a big mistake. This is exactly why I believe in including your local market; rich, poor, normal or famous. Everyone is welcome,” he says.
Update: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that the Boschendal at Oude Bank was included in the list of Covid-19 era closures. This is false and Boschendal at Oude Bank closed in mid-2019, and another restaurant, not affiliated with Boschendal, was opened. We apologize for these errors.