EATALO cafe (previously Bertoni) — Restaurant in Sydney

I apologise in advance for how long this is however the fact I needed to write this much speaks for itself. I went today with a group and there wasn't much seating which was understandable considering the amount of people who went with us however that is no excuse for the atrocious customer service we received (this is also a response to your horrible answer to one of the reviews left by another group member). I want to mention that one of the workers the same one that serviced me and others I knew was most definitely discriminatory we dealt with many dirty looks when speaking our native language from this staff member. There is no reason to justify these actions she took and there shouldn't be any excuses based on misunderstanding our English as everyone who was there are all fluent. We were very patient whilst we dealt with this snappy attitude for no reason. One of the senior teachers was belittled for asking for a sandwich and a staff member proceeded to rudely interrupt her "The price is right there" In a mocking tone again she asked for a sandwich (this lady knew what she was doing her facial expression gave it away). No this was no mistake either, she most definitely heard her right we even had others witness this racism and deal with the same issue. You claim that the lady who serviced her was a non-native meaning her English may not be great and whilst I understood this excuse however the lady who served her most definitely spoke great English dare I say she is white. And all the people who had issues were serviced by the same staff member. The food that was served was very poor for example under-cooked pasta, may I ask how could you undercook pasta that was already prepped and just required heating up? You claim 'Our pasta is cooked al dente, the Italian way and just like at any other Italian restaurant and we have a great reputation for that". I've been to an Italian restaurant thank God they know how to cook pasta so not that isn't the "Italian way" if anything that insulting to Italian people's food. Also, the only reputation it seems you have thanks to a quick scroll through the reviews was racism and that's only from people who bothered to leave a review I pity who else nearly cracked their tooth on under-cooked pasta. You didn't address the food at all in the post from another group member you ignored it and focussed on what you could cover up. Another concerning thing was the same staff member judging me for ordering something on their menu. Yes as weird as that sounds I got a judging look and she asked "Just this?" After I clarified that I didn't want the drink she assumed I said. I don't want to say that she was racist but come on I ordered the same drink as a lady in front of me you can't dismiss that, I grew up here as well so my English is great. "I also recall as per the ticket that the chicken wrap was ordered not toasted". No, I ordered it toasted I would know since I WAS THE ONE WHO ORDERED IT yes it wasn't written on the ticket as for some reason you print it out before you pay or get to ask but a kind staff member did ask not blaming her but just evidence that your lying for no reason. Stop twisting words to justify your terrible service. Also about the whole pricing case the customer was asking for the total as she was paying by cash did you expect her to add it up in her head even though that the staff's job to inform the consumer? I work in hospitality so I am very familiar with how this all works this experience would have been so much better if it weren't for the racism and rudeness of just one staff member, the rest of the staff was alright it was just the same lady with horrendous customer service. To conclude this staff member we had an issue with did not serve us with a smile despite what you claimed which again doesn't bother me everyone has their days and smiling can be tiring however the attitude and disrespect were inexcusable and I regret not going to...

I do not recommend this restaurant to anyone AT ALL. First and foremost, the food is such low quality. You would think a restaurant would know how to ensure the food doesn't come to the customer cold. They even forgot to give my friend her chips that she ordered.

Whoever manages this cafe, please consider employing new staff. The girl who served us clearly had an agenda towards ethnic people for multiple reasons. Constantly rolling her eyes, annoyed when we asked how to pay, and were clearly judgemental towards our group for correcting the waitress who kept writing down our order wrong. The worst part of it is that when my senior teacher, was trying to talk to the waitress, the waitress showed so so much hostility and was yelling at her. If you are serving someone who has a thick accent or whatnot, as a waitress you should be attempting to understand what they're saying and not escalate the situation by being rude and hostile. If you wish to lie that there was no issue with the teacher than you don't just have an issue with your staff being rude and unwelcoming but also liars. There were 20 students who witnessed this waitresses attitude and if you think that you can lie about, it's not okay. You would assume that in a multiculturally diverse city like Sydney, that people wouldn't be genuinely racist?

My issue isn't just this, but the fact that whoever replied to my friends review attempted to justify this with various excuses. I understand it is hard to serve a group of 20 when we did not book, however, this should not alter your perception or attitudes of service towards us. The fact that the restaurant was DEAD and had little to no other customers besides ourselves proves that this cafe is that of low quality. How can you get upset about a group of 20 coming to eat without reserving when the restaurant literally had no one, and we gave YOU business? If anything you should be grateful. Not once in the reply you gave to the other review did you discuss the waitresses blatant racism. Attempting to excuse racism with saying that we 'didn't book beforehand' is that of poor quality. There is NO excuse for racism AT ALL. If this is how you treat those visiting, I'd hate to imagine how you treat those visiting from overseas?

To summarise, do not support or visit this cafe. It is possibly the worst service I have experienced in Sydney's City. The food was bad, the waitress was rude and blatantly racist and clearly there is an issue with management for employing such a worker and defending her actions which further insinuates that the cafe management itself is okay with racism. Do not eat here if you don't want to be treated poorly purely based on your ethnicity or race. No excuse will justify both the actions of the waitresses hostility nor the management, for excusing her behaviour. The fact that your reply to the other review was full of excuses and a seemingly sarcastic apology...

As someone who is gluten intolerant, I’m limited with what I can and can’t eat, especially in this area of the city with not that many cafés within the area. Bertoni is one of, if not the only place near my work where I can get a hot breakfast.

On some Friday’s I venture down to Bertoni’s full of hope and excitement (with a little skip in my step as it’s finally Friday!) and think “maybe today is the day the get it right!” but alas, every time I am thoroughly disappointed with the experience. I go and order a “bacon and egg roll on gluten free bread, please!”. Doesn’t seem like a hard order, right? But no, the person taking my order is looking at me like I’m wearing underpants on my head while playing an Irish flute. Hesitation and doubts set in as they put my order through ask for my name “Taylor” I say, and they proceed to charge me $1 over the price of the meal. “Sorry, but it should be $10, not $11… GF bread is only $1 extra” I say. Now, I’m not a stingy person, a dollar is a dollar, but customer service is important and its more about the principle.

After putting my order through with the correct price, I stand to the side and wait for 58 years while they make my order (no doubt wrong), but still! I am hopeful that today is the day! Orders are flying out left right a center and I see people who had ordered after me, collect their food. Names are being called out, orders are being left to go cold and I am still waiting. After what feels like my very soul has left my body from being starved, I tell them I am still waiting for my order. They ask what my name and order is, and I say “My name is Taylor and I’m waiting for bacon and egg roll on GF bread” After coming to the realisation that they have entered my name as Susan, and have been calling her for 15 minutes, they tell me my order is here. I confirm if it’s GF bread because I just know in my bones that it’s not (intuition is real, guys!) and surprise, surprise, it’s not!

After waiting for another 15 minutes for them to re-do my order, and me thinking that if I don’t eat soon, I’ll disappear into nothing and cease to exists, it finally arrives, and I go on my merry way to work to devour the warm meal that’s now in my hands. I sit at my desk and take the first bite, and the bread crumbles into what I can only describe as warm sand in my mouth, causing me to feel so thirsty I’m willing to drink the glass of water that’s been sitting at my desk since yesterday afternoon. Feeling defeated and let down, I proceed to eat the banana I bought for breakfast as a back-up, thinking that this whole experience was a waste of time.

The staff at Bertoni are not trained. They are not efficient. And the food is below average and too expensive for what you get. I’ve given out enough chances to redeem themselves, but I won’t be going back to save...