Our Story
The story of a passion passed down from generation to generation.
Pépé Zino's Legacy
Imagined by Pépé Zino, the grandfather of the two founders, our restaurant was born from his dream: to share real Italian family recipes and make them accessible to everyone, in a spirit of generosity and conviviality.
Pépé Zino's Dream
Pépé Zino, a passionate grandfather, dreamed of sharing his family's authentic Italian recipes with everyone.
Family Heritage
The grandchildren took over and decided to make their grandfather's dream a reality.
Pépé Zino in Aubagne
The restaurant opens its doors in Aubagne, perpetuating the authentic Italian culinary tradition in an elegant setting.
Italian Authenticity
The chefs are Italian, the director is Italian too. They do everything according to what is done in Italy. We truly reproduce real traditional Italian cuisine.
Exceptional Products
A large majority of our products are imported directly from Italy. Each ingredient is carefully selected to guarantee the authenticity of our dishes.
How to Recognise a Real Italian Restaurant
Six simple signs separate handmade Italian cooking from an imitation. Here are the ones we apply every day in Aubagne.
An Italian brigade in the kitchen
Our chefs are Italian, our manager is Italian. Italian cooking is passed from chef to chef, never from a simple recipe book.
Fresh pasta made on site
Fresh pasta and hand-rolled gnocchi: a real Italian table works its dough in its own kitchen rather than taking it out of a bag.
A carbonara without cream
The test that never lies. Traditional carbonara binds without cream, and that is exactly how we prepare it.
Ingredients that come from Italy
A large majority of our ingredients are imported directly from Italy, from PDO cheeses to extra virgin olive oil.
A pizza dough that took its time
Our dough rests through a long fermentation before being spread by hand, as in Neapolitan pizzerias.
The trattoria spirit, not the chain
Generous portions, a family welcome and dine-in service only: a trattoria welcomes you, it does not hand out a standardised product.
What to Order to Discover Real Homemade Cooking
To judge an Italian table, order what leaves no room to hide: fresh pasta, gnocchi, a pizza. Here, the pasta is rolled in our kitchen, the gnocchi are shaped by hand and the Neapolitan pizzas come from a long-fermented dough. You will find these dishes on our menu, served in our Italian restaurant in Aubagne.
The difference between a trattoria and a chain is not written on the sign, it is tasted: a menu that follows the seasons, sauces made to order, a dining room where people come as a family. That is what we call the trattoria spirit, inherited from Pépé Zino and passed on to every chef who joins the kitchen.
Italian Authenticity at the Heart of Our Restaurant in Aubagne
The story of Pépé Zino is one of a family passion passed down through generations. Our authentic Italian restaurant in Aubagne was born from the dream of Pépé Zino, the grandfather of the two founders, who wished to share real Italian family recipes in Bouches-du-Rhône. This vision of a generous and authentic Italian trattoria guides our team every day.
Passionate Italian Chefs
What makes the difference in our Italian restaurant in Aubagne is above all our team. Our chefs are Italian, our manager is Italian. They faithfully reproduce traditional Italian cuisine as it is actually practiced in Italy. No compromises, no adaptation to French taste: we serve real Italian cuisine, the kind found in family trattorias in Rome, Florence, or Naples.
This authenticity is felt in every detail: the precise gesture to spread a Neapolitan pizza, the knack for making a creamy risotto, the secret of a smooth carbonara without cream. These skills are transmitted only from chef to chef, respecting centuries-old Italian culinary traditions.
Exceptional Italian Products Imported Directly
The authenticity of our Italian cuisine in Aubagne also relies on the exceptional quality of our products. A large majority of our ingredients are imported directly from Italy: extra virgin olive oil from Puglia, San Marzano DOP tomatoes from Campania, Parmigiano Reggiano and Pecorino Romano PDO cheeses, artisanal charcuterie, durum wheat flour for our fresh pasta.
Each product is selected with the utmost care by our chefs who personally know the Italian producers. This quality requirement ensures that each dish on our menu offers the authentic flavors of Italy, even here in Aubagne, near Marseille.
A Philosophy of Generosity and Sharing
True to Pépé Zino's vision, our Italian restaurant in Bouches-du-Rhône cultivates the spirit of generosity and conviviality typical of Italian trattorias. We are not a stuffy gourmet restaurant, but a real Italian home where you come with family or friends to share a good meal in joy and good humor.
This approach is reflected in our generous portions, in the warm welcome from our team, in the friendly atmosphere of our 120-seat dining room. Whether you come from Marseille, La Ciotat, Cassis, or Aubagne itself, you will find authentic Italian hospitality at Pépé Zino.
A Commitment to Culinary Excellence
Our commitment to Italian authenticity doesn't mean we remain stuck in the past. On the contrary, we constantly evolve to offer you the best: new seasonal dishes, chef's suggestions, special formulas for your events. But always with respect for the traditions and quality that make our reputation.
It's this unique combination of Italian authenticity, exceptional products, and transmitted know-how that makes Pépé Zino much more than just an Italian restaurant in Aubagne. It's a piece of Italy in Provence, a gastronomic experience that transports you directly to an Italian family trattoria.
Learn more about the Slow Food movement and traditional Italian cuisine