Born in Italy, Alfredo moved to the Big Apple in the early ’60s to open his own panino shop in the Bronx, serving delicious panini and classic street food to hungry New Yorkers. And this year his nephew, chef Lorenzo Petrachi (who's the former manager of Newton's beloved Gigi’s Pizzeria), opened a sunny King Street Italian eatery inspired by Alfredo. The only thing that’s different between the two trattorias (beside the year), is that Don Fred is 100 per cent plant-based. And in case you’re wondering about the name, "Don Fred" was Alfredo’s nickname. That's amore.
Sunflower-yellow walls, tiles from Italy and brown timber tables are a nod to Alfredo’s OG panino shopt, and Petrachi uses a mix of local produce and ingredients sourced from Italy to make you feel like you’re experiencing – and tasting – the real deal, but with a vegan glow-up.
Expect salty, carby and tasty snacks, as well as panini and Italian-inspired burgers. A must-order is Don Fred’s ‘polpetz focaccia’, a remix of the Italian meatball sub, but with roasted olive-meat balls, housemade Napoletana sauce, dairy-free parmesan and basil on fresh focaccia.
To snack on, we’d go for the ‘carpaccio’ with thin-grilled capsicum, rocket, parmesan and lemon; and the ‘zucchini fritti’, crumbed zucchini wedges with a housemade Napoletana sauce and oregano. On a hot summer’s day, we recommend finishing with a frozen Negroni granita, and then another.
Whether you’re plant-based, an Italian lover, or just keen on snacks (us), stroll on over to say ‘ciao’ to Don Fred.