There are Italian restaurants where you go to grab a plate of pasta, and then there’s Dino. Since September 16, this new spot on Place du Châtelain has been striking a balance between Italian and New York food culture. On the menu: hearty sandwiches, cold cuts, house-made sauces, ice-cold Spritzes, and sundaes that look like they came straight from Manhattan.
An Italian-American deli is coming to Châtelain
Behind Dino is the Dino Boyz crew, who chose Le Châtelain as their new playground. Here, there’s no intention of creating an exact replica of a traditional Italian restaurant: instead, the spot takes its cue from the Italian-American deli—that quintessentially New York institution where you order generously filled sandwiches and where Italian influences have long been at home.
The result is a menu that should appeal to fans of no-frills dining. Sandwiches are at the heart of the concept, featuring generous fillings, cold cuts sliced to order, and house-made sauces. It’s an approach that offers a slight departure from classic trattorias and fits in quite well with the neighborhood’s laid-back vibe.
Sandwiches, Spritz, and big appetites
So at Dino’s, you don’t necessarily come for a three-course Italian meal. Instead , you can settle in with a generously filled sandwich, order a Spritz, and round out the experience with something decidedly sweeter. The charcuterie and house-made sauces give the sandwiches their character, while the Spritz adds that essential aperitivo touch to this transatlantic encounter.
And then there are the sundaes, billed as particularly decadent. Here again, the inspiration comes less from traditional Italian pastry and more from a certain American dessert culture: generous, nostalgic, and unapologetically indulgent.
A new spot that plays the comfort card
With Dino, Place du Châtelain welcomes a spot that doesn’t seek to reinvent Italian cuisine, but rather to take it on a journey. Italy serves as the starting point, New York brings its deli traditions, and the result is a menu with a strong street-food focus.
A great excuse, then, to switch things up a bit from the classic Châtelain aperitif: here, you come for a hearty sandwich, pair it with a Spritz, and— if you’re still hungry or in the mood for a treat—finish off with a sundae. Not exactly light, but that’s probably not the point!
📍Address: Place du Châtelain 38, 1000 Brussels
