Celebrating a family event? Gathering with friends for a good time? Or maybe just need a night out. And you want a place with good food and plenty of fun. Check out Pinstripes – a collection of experiential dining venues that feature Bistro, Bowling, and Bocce. It’s a unique experience with a contagious atmosphere.
The beginning
It all started in the Chicago suburb of Northbrook in 2007, with the concept of offering made-from-scratch Italian and American fare and the social fun of bowling and bocce. Since then Pinstripes has expanded to 16 locations throughout the U.S., with another four set to open over the next few months.
Don’t think of Pinstripes as your typical bowling alley that serves food and drink. Each Pinstripes venue is a sophisticated bistro serving an extensive chef-driven menu with flavorful seasonal entrées, a curated wine list, local beers and craft cocktails. Restaurant-style seating provides flexibility for guests to enjoy their meals at booths, tables surrounding the bar, or on the patio in front of big-screen TVs airing major sporting events.
Great food
Menu highlights include wood-fired pizzas and flatbreads, delectable sandwiches, and intricate chef entrées – in other words, something for everyone. We visited the newest Pinstripes location in Paramus, NJ on two occasions, enjoying two of their signature sandwiches on the first visit. The Cowboy Burger and the Prime Rib Dip on a pretzel bun were delicious. Some of their featured entrees include a nice selection of pastas and chef specialties such as an espresso-rubbed bone-in pork chop, maple-glazed salmon, a blackened Ahi tuna, and the Italian “Jambalaya.”
We visited a second time to experience one of Pinstripes’ Weekly Specials – Half-Priced Handcrafted Cocktails, all day on Thursdays. We enjoyed some delicious cocktails and an even better Legendary Lobster Flatbread. Other Weekly Specials at the Paramus location include Whiskey Wednesdays, with special prices on whiskey cocktails, and the Friday Wine Down, with all bottles of wine 50% off. Check out the rest of the Weekly Specials or the ones for the location nearest you on the Pinstripes website.
Enjoy the games
Dine wherever you please – in the comfortable full-service bistro featuring tables or large booths, in the bar area, on the outdoor patio, or right at your reserved bowling alley or bocce court. Reservations for dining and bowling or bocce are recommended and can be made on the website.
Mondays through Fridays from 3:00 to 6:30, in the bar, bowling, bocce and patio areas, the Pinstripes’ Happy Hour offers some great pricing on draft beers, featured wines, select handcrafted cocktails, pizzas & flatbreads, and a selection of starters.
Pinstripes offers its Pintastic Weekend Brunch Buffet every Saturday and Sunday. The menu includes a variety of starters with baked goods, shrimp cocktail, smoked salmon and more. There are also a signature waffle station, a made-to-order omelet station, and a carving station featuring prime cuts. On both days at many of the locations, bottomless mimosas and Aperol spritzes are available for an extra charge.
Great for groups
A large part of Pinstripes’ activity is their events – corporate outings; wedding receptions; holiday parties; birthday parties for adults, kids or teens; or just a large group of friends getting together for a fun night out. A variety of flexible room sizes are available for groups from 20 to as much as 1,500 people.
Kids are welcome, too. The first Friday of each month April – December from 10:00 to 3:00 pm is Kids Club at Pinstripes. A ticket includes 1 hour of a kids activity with a seasonal party theme and $10 to use towards food & beverage during the event.
Pinstripes wants to connect with you for exclusive invites, offers and news. Just sign up on their website and receive a complimentary wood-fired pizza or flatbread on your next visit.
The demand for experiential dining, whether in a corporate event or just with family or friends, has seen a huge increase following the Covid experience. And a night at Pinstripes might be just the right ticket. Check the Pinstripes website to see if there is one near you – and add a new “spin” to your night out.
All photos provided by Pinstripes.
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