Dino Balocchi of Littlefork Restaurant and Bar/Dirty Laundry - Biography

Dino Balocchi’s first major ambition in life was to play music. He’d been writing and performing in his hometown (Ottawa, Illinois) for years when he started bartending to help support his aspirations. It was simply a way to make money until he started at Longman & Eagle in Chicago, Illinois. There he became more interested in individual spirits, their characteristics, flavor profiles, and how they work with the different components of a cocktail.

While working at Longman & Eagle, Balocchi made the acquaintance of Brian Butler, the beverage director for Dave Reiss’ restaurants in Los Angeles (Sunny Spot, A-Frame, The Brig, and The Alibi Room). Balocchi had been contemplating moving to L.A. to give his musical career another go when Butler mentioned that Reiss would soon be opening Littlefork. With Butler’s nudge, Balocchi decided to make the move and take the reins of the cocktail program at the new venture. At Littlefork, his crafty creations, such as the ever-popular Thai Town Mule—a refreshing gin drink with Thai basil, peppercorn, Creole bitters, and house-made ginger beer—are a welcome part of the growing cocktail scene in La La Land.