Papa Gino’s: brothers to brothers, serving Carlton since 1973

Papa Gino’s story begins in 1973, when Gino and Silvana Brosca, Italian migrants with a deep love for food, family, and tradition, opened a small restaurant on Lygon St, Carlton.

Their aim was simple: to cook the kind of Italian food they grew up with and share it in a place where people felt comfortable, well-fed, and welcome.

Carlton was a deliberate choice. At the time, Lygon St had become the heart of Melbourne’s Italian community, full of espresso bars, family-run kitchens, lively conversation, and a strong sense of culture. It was the natural home for what Papa Gino’s would become.

Over the decades, Papa Gino’s grew into a true Carlton institution. The restaurant became known for its lively dining room, classic Italian pizzas and pasta, generous portions and, of course, an unmistakable family atmosphere.

It wasn’t just a place to eat, it was a place to gather, celebrate, and return to time and time again. Locals, students, families, and visitors all found a sense of belonging within its red brick lined walls.

After the passing of Gino Brosca, the next generation of the Brosca family continued the legacy, keeping the doors open and the traditions intact. As food trends changed and the city evolved around it, Papa Gino’s remained a constant, earning its place as one of the longest running restaurants on Lygon St.

In 2016, Papa Gino’s quietly entered its next chapter. Two hospitality professionals, Sumit and Roshan, joined the team and soon became much more than staff members.

They immersed themselves in the day-to-day life of the restaurant, learning its rhythms and traditions directly from the Brosca family, while building lasting relationships with long-time customers, many of whose photographs still line the walls today as a testament to its long-standing history.

The brothers’ dedication, consistency, and genuine respect for the restaurant’s past earned trust naturally. Eventually, after more than 50 years under the Brosca family, ownership of Papa Gino’s passed to Sumit and Roshan, a significant transition handled with care, gratitude, and respect.

Today, Sumit and Roshan oversee every aspect of the restaurant, from daily operations and staff leadership to bookings, events, and community engagement. They bring not only strong hospitality experience, but a genuine care for both the people who walk through the door and the people who work alongside them.

While their roots are Nepalese, their lives and families are firmly grounded in Carlton. This multicultural layer adds a new richness to Papa Gino’s story, reflecting the Melbourne of today while remaining deeply committed to the Italian traditions and history that define the restaurant.

Carlton has been Papa Gino’s home from the very beginning, and it remains the perfect fit. As Melbourne’s historic heart of Italian dining and culture, the street’s story mirrors the restaurant’s own migrant beginnings, strong family values, longevity, and evolution that have been passed down from the founding family to its new custodians.

Today, Carlton also represents the diversity and community spirit of modern Melbourne. More than 50 years on, Papa Gino’s remains what it has always been, a place where food, family, culture, and community come together.

Papa Gino's is located at 221 Lygon St, Carlton. •