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For close to 50 years, it's been a family affair at Blake St. restaurant

Three generations of the Barbaro family have donned chef’s garb at Nino’s Italian Restaurant in Barrie's east end
2021-08-19 IM nino's restaurant
Three generations of the Barbaro family have been part of Nino's Italian Restaurant in Barrie's east end. From left are Luigi, Nino and his grandson, Nino.

A Barrie family eatery has been serving it up for almost a half-century.

That’s a long time for any business and an eternity for a restaurant in the city by the bay.

Three generations of the Barbaro family have donned their chef’s outfits at Nino’s Italian Restaurant on Blake Street in Barrie’s east end.

Nino started the business back in 1973  when the population hovered around 35,000 residents  but it wasn’t his first in town.

“I had another restaurant with my sister, Pina, on Mulcaster Street,” the spry 90-year-old tells BarrieToday.

That would be Pizzeria Italia, which opened in the mid-1960s, but the family is not connected to the business anymore.

“Then I went to Italy and when I came back, I opened up this restaurant,” he says. “Before we came to this area, there were no other restaurants around here.

“People come because of the food,” he adds with a chuckle. “Before, I had a huge menu. But people like lasagna, pizza and spaghetti, all the things they know, and that’s what they want.”

Nino’s son Luigi, who is also a chef, traipsed around the restaurant as a youngster and has watched kids that came with mom and dad now bring their own children for some homemade linguine or carbonara or manicotti. Or the old standby  pizza.

His own son, also called Nino, is a chef at the restaurant like his 'nonno'.

“I’ve seen people grow up and they’ve seen me grow up in here,” Luigi tells BarrieToday. “It is generational. Barrie used to be a lot more ‘family’. Now it’s big box and not the same.”

The building, located at 298 Blake St., looks pretty much the same as it did when it opened and staff have carried on despite some challenges, not the least of which is ongoing construction on Blake Street, as well as COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.

“You can’t reopen and close, reopen and close. We’ve got take-out and now dine-in, briefly,” Luigi says.

Seating for 53 is now cut in half.

“It’s tough. It’s a struggle and it’s still a challenge,” he says. “Especially now in Barrie with so many restaurants. There weren’t that many in the beginning.”

Non-Italians can be comfortable topping up on well-made Italian food, he adds.

“If it’s authentic, it’s not bad for you,” Luigi says laughing. “The simpler, the better. Ingredients are the big focus, not the spices. We don’t use spices.”

He didn’t have to look past his dad for inspiration in the kitchen.

“I don’t know what to say about his cooking. I admire him like crazy,” Luigi says. “When I go to his house and he cooks, it’s a treat. I cook, but not like that.”