Melbourne has an all pink restaurant and I’m not sure what to make of it.
I’m invited to a sneak preview to visit Pink the restaurant before the main opening next Thursday 13 June. I go because I’m curious to see what an all-pink restaurant looks like. I’ll admit – I am as susceptible to Instabait as the next ‘grammer!
The venue is upstairs of Rozzi’s, an unremarkable Italian chain restaurant on Swanston Street that mostly seems to serve tourists. But once you get up the stairs then bam! you are hit with head to toe Millennial Pink.
The walls, the tables, the chairs, the lamps – all pink. The toilets, the crockery, the table decorations – pink AF. I reckon many kids might enjoy the feeling of stepping into the Barbie Dream House too.
On the other hand, the constant self-love messaging feels forced and overly earnest.
Maybe it’s because I’m a cynical Generation Xer. But I feel ridiculous posing at the ‘selfie studio’ so I push my pink-adorned friend to stand in front of a lovely mural….
Find Hotels and Airbnbs near Pink The Restaurant, Melbourne
….pose with flamingos #pinkvibesonly…
…and pretend to converse with her invisible friend in front of the flower wall.
It is commendable that Pink the restaurant has pledged to donate $2 to women’s mental-health charity Liptember for every photo posted on Instagram with the hashtag #frompinktoyou. On the other hand, I’m not entirely comfortable with aligning the colour pink so blatantly to women after so many years of telling my own kids that there’s no such thing as ‘girl colours’ and ‘boy colours’.
Also, I cannot deal with affirmations on toilet mirrors (‘Be More You, Less Them’) and a possible menu item called ‘Self Love Pimped Out Fairy Floss’ served with a side of rose quartz crystals ‘which opens your heart to yourself and others’. ROFL.
Other items on Pink‘s Mediterranean inspired menu includes pink-tinged focaccia, a ‘wholesome AF salad bowl designed to amplify your radiance both inside and out’ rainbow superfood salad with blue soba noodles (which taste exactly like normal brown soba noodles), pizzas using beetroot pizza bases and pink chocolate fondue.
It’s good to see that there are many vegan and vegetarian options and items suitable for kids. The food comes out of the same kitchen as Rozzi’s downstairs so sometimes there is a wait.
I think Pink is a fun and frivolous outing – the playful setting makes for some great photos and the food is pretty but pedestrian. But I don’t think I’m the target demographic for the restaurant and I really don’t buy the ‘authentic self-love’ aspect of the concept.
Is Pink is HOT or NOT? In this case, I’m falling on the NOT side because I don’t think I can truly recommend it except for a drink with friends and as a pretty photo backdrop. Maybe go once for the novelty factor, camera in hand.
