Comments on: So long, Dino’s Restaurant & Grill

By: Junior

Junior — Sat, 27 Mar 2021 17:04:08 +0000

The area has changed so much in the last 10 years but change is all part of London. Dino’s was previously Shah Jalal Restaurant and Coffee House, owned by Ayub Ali ‘Master’ from the 1920’s.

A former lascar, who arrived in London in 1919. The cafe served as an advice hub for the Indian community and ex-seamen. The upstairs was used as a meeting place for the East End branch of V. K. Krishna Menon’s India League.

By: Javier García

Javier García — Sat, 18 Jul 2020 13:03:22 +0000

I used to go to Dino’s Grill for my lunch every day. The food was great and Dino and Peggy were such good people and always cheerful.
But the company I worked for closed down in May 2002 so stopped going there for my lunches and then found out that Dino’s Grill had closed down so there are going to be so many people who’ll be sad about that.
But never mind, and all the best to Dino, Peggy and the other people who worked there bc you were all loved so much.

Javier the Spanish twin from Monroyper (Fruit Importers) Ltd, Spitalfields

By: David Hutton

David Hutton — Tue, 19 May 2020 18:53:41 +0000

I used to go about 3 times a week from the early 80’s with my great mate Simon, my favourite dish was chicken escalope with spaghetti alforno!!!! Dino you were amazing but your jokes were crap!!!! Dear Peggy always called me Mr Lloyd because we worked in the Lloyd’s insurance market! I would pretend I didn’t have enough money to pay and she would go nuts! My mate Simon Who went in to run a very successful insurance brokers alway said he would employ Peggy and put her in charge of credit control!
I wonder in Dino remembers us
Cheers Mr Lloyd

By: John Pagliero

John Pagliero — Wed, 06 Nov 2019 22:05:38 +0000

It is now towards the end of 2019 and I have just been reading all about the marvellous Dino’s restaurant that I knew back when I was working in The London Fruit Exchange.
I worked as an importer and trader for a fresh produce company called Saphir – one of the biggest names of the day. I started in 1978 and continued in Spitalfields until 1987. Dino’s was a regular lunchtime haunt for me and my friends and many of my working colleagues.
Why was it so favoured by all of us? Well, the food was great and the service and ambience, particularly that provided by Peggy and Dino – we occasionally saw Dad, Nando, – was always enough to brighten even the gloomiest day. Dino’s repartee was legendary, as was their Spanish omelette………..
Names from Saphir that I recall dining there on many occasions include Peter Pereira, Paul Cassinos, Mike Power, Bill Huth, Peter Sudlow, Bill Ashby, Graham Basset, Chris Kersley, Richard Wilson, Savvas Hagi-Giorgiou, Stewart Benn and many others whose names I have long since forgotten. We were all young then but we’re not anymore – still, I’m sure everyone went on to bigger and greater things in time.
Great days they were…………..
“Dino: I was the tall one with the beard who spoke Italian……. – ciao e cordiali saluti a tutta la famiglia.”

By: Roger Tichborne

Roger Tichborne — Thu, 19 Sep 2019 11:36:02 +0000

I used to love Dino’s. I worked in Leman St from 1993 until 2007 and it was my little refuge. Gutted when I found out it had gone. The Liver Sicilian was to die for, if I could get the recipe I’d be very grateful, tried to copy it at home many a time. The Vesuvius Penne was also amazing. Got to know quite a few regulars. Also remember there was an amazing mushroom dish, made with mushrooms that Dino or his mum had found in a forest. When I asked where, he made it clear that it was his secret supply and the info wouldn’t be shared. I even wrote a song about Dino’s cafe for my band, the False Dots, although we reworked it and re named it Espresso Soho to be about the gentrification of Soho, but we give Dino a nod in it -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHYE_Bd0fxI

By: Carlos Garcia Cañas

Carlos Garcia Cañas — Fri, 26 Jul 2019 11:53:02 +0000

Hello Dino and Peggy.
I am the Spanish Twin who used to work for the Spanish Fruit Importes and we would always go down to Dino’s at lunch time for a good feeding but then Daddy retired and the business was closed down and I never went back.
I have been living in Spain on the Coast first he last 14 years but I’m sick of it now because it never rains at all, boo hoo hoo

By: Rob

Rob — Sat, 12 Mar 2016 19:43:09 +0000

The thing I always remembered, as one of those bankers sitting next to the builders, was teh fantastic beef stracotto, and the lasagna, which was definitely molten hot when it came down in the little lifts. Dino, Mathew, if you read this, do you have a recipe book for the Italian food?

By: Alice

Alice — Wed, 04 Nov 2015 00:18:14 +0000

Hello Dino, you probably would not remember me from about 15 years ago when i knew you all…yourself, Mathew, Salvatori & his brother. I came across this page accidently, recognised the photo of Mathew and your retaurant Dino’s Grill. Sorry to hear that your restaurant has closed down, sounds like it was very popular and you had a large amount of customers that thought the world of you and your restaurant and staff, as well loved your food judging by the various positive reviews from previous customers. I hope you and your family (Mom & Dad) are well and the rest of the staff that once worked at Dino’s Grill…sounds like Mathew has done well for himself now working at the Tate Modern. I hope Salvatori & his brother are well too. Take care for now and all the best… Alice~

By: Wilson Laidlaw

Wilson Laidlaw — Mon, 16 Feb 2015 12:43:43 +0000

Just noticed this thread. Very sad to hear that Dino’s is gone. I used to eat there regularly from the early 80’s until I retired in 2003. What with that being gone and Eat and Drink Chinese Style in Artillery Passage, the two best value for money restaurants in Spitalfields have disappeared. What next – goodbye the Gun?

By: Howard Alter

Howard Alter — Tue, 11 Nov 2014 13:19:36 +0000

Hey, Dino, thanks for that comment – I’ve only just picked it up! Mmm..the mango chutney! I’ll try out the Tate Modern to see if Matthew’s still there. So difficult to find other ‘Dino’s’ these days, but I do have maybe one which is close (Ruby, Charlotte Road, Hoxton – but don’t tell anyone!)