These same principles have been handed down to Wendy’s three children, Antonio, David and Elisa, all of whom have forged careers in hospitality.
With Wendy’s backing, Elisa and business partner Lucy Koehler have reinvented popular restaurant and wine bar, Vino Lokal, situated just a few doors away from Darling’s.
A contemporary breakfast, lunch and dinner menu is complemented by an enviable wine list featuring 160 wines, including such labels as Esperosa (Brett Grocke), Forage Supply Co (Scott Rogasch) and Rock of Wisdom (Pete Hiscock).
“All of these people are customers who saw us grow up, and we saw their families grow,” says Elisa.
The strong female-led team at Vino Lokal includes former Darling’s front of house staff, Meg Frost and cocktail aficionado, Georgie Lehmann.
“We really wanted to create an extension of what Darling’s is,” explains Elisa, “a neighbourhood bistro that’s vibrant and approachable where people know, love and share an understanding of the Barossa’s food, wine and coffee.”
Bringing the coffee is David who, with business partner, Alex Loft has founded ethically farmed and sustainably sourced Kindred Coffee.
“Coffee now is where the wine industry was in the early 90s,” explains David.
“I’m highlighting variety and origin and celebrating the farmers, the way the wine industry does.”
However Elisa qualifies there’s a time and place for coffee – and for the Trottas, that’s first thing in the morning: “Hardly a word is spoken before we have our first coffee!”