With an uninterrupted view of Freshwater Beach, Pilu offers more than a sparkling bay vista; it provides sumptuous Mediterranean dishes and has plenty of quality AF choices for the health-conscious diner. NoLo Life caught up with General Manager, Ramsie, this week to find out more about this special venue.

What inspired you to open Pilu in Freshwater? 

Prior to Pilu at Freshwater, Giovanni was operating Cala Luna, located at the Spit.  At that time Sardinian and authentic Italian cuisine was difficult to find.  When the opportunity arose to take on the building where Pilu at Freshwater currently resides it was a chance for Giovanni to showcase Sardinian cuisine as it had never been done before in Australia.  The building was the perfect match to the refined Sardinian cuisine Giovanni wanted to produce.  21 years later Giovanni is still creating authentic Sardinian cuisine.

You have won many awards for being a leader in offering non-alcoholic options, what led you to be so non-drinker-inclusive? 

We pride ourselves on paying attention to our customers’ needs.  We started seeing a shift towards non-alcoholic offerings and wanted to ensure we not only had ample options, but unique and delicious ones for guests opting out of alcohol to enjoy.

What cuisine can diners expect at Pilu and what are your most popular dishes? 

Sardinia cuisine, which yes, is Italian but like any Italian region has very specific and unique ingredients not often seen outside of the island.  Fregula pasta, bottarga and our suckling pig are some of our most popular dishes.

What’s coming up at Pilu in August? 

We are so excited to host some excellent events this August focusing on local authors.  Our In Conversation series focuses on Australian authors and provides the opportunity to get direct insight into the process of writing, the characters created and the author behind the words.

What makes Pilu special? 

We hope that it isn’t just one aspect, but all aspects that makes Pilu at Freshwater special, but if we had to say one thing it would be our staff.  We are so fortunate to have incredibly dedicated and passionate staff on our team, from Chefs to Waiters and every role in between the people of our business are what make us shine.

If you haven’t yet had the chance to dine at Pilu, add it to your wish list, and give yourself a truly authentic taste of Sardinia, with or without alcohol!