Introducing The Junction's newest eatery
Situated on the corner of Union and Kenrick Streets is Emilio’s Ristorante.
More than just an eatery, Emilio’s Ristorante is a nostalgic revival of a family legacy that began in Newcastle over 30 years ago.
Five years ago, owner Angelina brought Emilio’s back to life in Warners Bay, and now, with this second location, she’s continuing a family story that began with her father’s passion for Italian cooking.
“Dad was a pastry chef in Italy before he came to Australia. Like many Italian immigrants, he started out doing concreting here, but one day mum saw an ad in the paper for a job at the House of Lasagne at Don Beppinos.
“Dad worked there on weekends, and when the owner, Guiseppe, returned to Italy for a year, he asked dad to take over. That’s when dad fell in love with the restaurant business,” Angelina said.
From that pivotal moment back in the 90s, Emilio’s was born on Darby Street.
The original Emilio’s, located where The Autumn Rooms now stands, was a Darby Street institution for 15 years. Angelina, who was 14 when her father opened the restaurant, would later follow in his footsteps.
After her father’s passing at 55, the family kept Emilio’s running for a short period before deciding to take a break. Years later, the desire to revive Emilio’s lingered and in 2020, Angelina found the perfect spot for a new Emilio’s in Warners Bay, close to her family home, and decided to reintroduce the beloved restaurant.
“It’s by the water, right near where we grew up and it just felt right to bring Emilio’s back so that’s exactly what we did.”
Over the past four years, the Warners Bay location has become a favourite amongst locals, offering the same warm Italian hospitality and homemade dishes that made Emilio’s famous on Darby Street all those years ago.
As the Lake Macquarie venue found its footing, Angelina couldn’t shake the idea of returning to its roots in Newcastle.
“I started looking last year but couldn’t find the right spot. As soon as this space became available, we just jumped on it. It’s a lovely location and I had a vision of bringing the same colours and warmth that we have in Warners Bay to this venue.”
Emilio’s at The Junction features a beautiful blend of modern and traditional elements. With a fresh pizza oven, a welcoming ambiance, a focaccia bar and gelato counter at the front, and beautiful restaurant space towards the back, it’s a welcome addition to the area.
“It’s a place where people can come to enjoy a proper meal, whether it’s breakfast, lunch, or dinner.”
The menu at both locations are exactly the same and are filled with Italian favourites with a few twists to keep things interesting. Breakfast offers a unique is flair, with dishes like the Italian scrambled eggs with pancetta, bruschetta, parmesan, and pesto on toasted sourdough and the sweet calzone with a lemon ricotta filling with house strawberry jam, fresh strawberries, and lemon gelato amongst the standouts.
For lunch and dinner, the focus shifts to hearty Italian classics with the wood-fired pizzas, extensive pasta offering, and house made focaccias a real feature. One of the most exciting new additions to the Junction location is the gelato, made fresh on-site.
“It’s something we dreamed about doing at Warners Bay but we didn’t have the space for. Now we’re having so much fun with it. We’ve kept the typical kids’ flavours, but we’ve introduced those traditional Italian gelato flavours.”
Emilio’s is more than just a restaurant. It’s a celebration of family, food, and the love of bringing people together over a shared meal.
“I just want to bring homemade, basic Italian food to The Junction. It’s fresh, it’s homemade, and it’s everything my dad taught me.”
With its warm atmosphere, delicious homemade dishes, and heartfelt connection to the community, Emilio’s is once again poised to be a cherished part of Newcastle’s dining scene.
