Gusto Italian Grill & Bar

What Gusto Italian Grill & Bar does

Güsto Italian Grill & Bar is an independent, privately held full-service Italian restaurant operating since 2005 from a single location at 130 Westmorland Street in downtown Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada. The restaurant serves an authentic Italian dinner menu built around wood-fired hand-thrown pizzas, scratch-made pastas (linguini, fettuccine, spaghettini, casarecce), prime steaks, and seafood, supported by an extensive beverage program of Italian wines, craft cocktails, and imported beers. Operational hours are dinner-only, six days a week, with no lunch service.

Revenue is generated through dine-in service, call-ahead pickup, third-party delivery via Chews Local, in-restaurant and e-gift cards (the latter via Toast Tab), and a group/event dining vertical that serves parties of 30+ with curated multi-course menus priced at $39.99-$49.99 per person. A signature in-house cheesecake program has been spun out into a dedicated sub-brand, Güsto Cheesecakes To Go, sold through a standalone e-commerce site (gustocheesecakes.ca) by the slice ($11.99-$12.99) or in Gustini multi-packs. Customer acquisition is driven by word-of-mouth and review platforms (Trip Advisor, Google Reviews) reinforced by a weekly $100 gift card giveaway for reviewers, plus a Birthday and Anniversary Club loyalty program.

The business is founder/locally owned with no disclosed institutional investors, no parent company, and no second location. Two named executives — Executive General Manager Rean J. McKinley and Executive Chef Kathleen Gougen (Goguen) — lead front-of-house and back-of-house operations respectively, with server hiring standards requiring a minimum of 10 years of experience. Technology infrastructure is composed entirely of third-party SaaS tools (Squarespace, Toast Tab, Exploretock, Chews Local) with no proprietary technology, AI/ML, or app of record.

Name

Gusto Italian Grill & Bar

Legal name

Güsto

Website

https://gustoitaliangrill.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Güsto Italian Grill & Bar is an independent, single-location full-service Italian restaurant in Moncton, New Brunswick, founded in 2005, serving wood-fired pizzas, scratch pastas, steaks, and a signature in-house cheesecake program (also sold retail) to individual diners, families, and private group events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Full-Service Italian Restaurant

NAICS

Full-Service Restaurants (722511), Restaurants and Other Eating Places (72251)

SIC

Retail-Eating Places (5812), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Brasseries, Bistros & Trattorias (THAFACAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Special Occasion & Destination Restaurants (THAFACAK), Steakhouses & Seafood Restaurants (THAFACAE)

Keywords

• Italian restaurant dining
• Wood-fired pizza
• Handmade pasta dishes
• Group event catering
• Signature cheesecake retail

Headquarters

HQ city

Moncton

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Dine-in Service: Full-service Italian restaurant with dine-in experience offering appetizers, pastas, pizzas, steaks, seafood, and desserts. Features live music atmosphere and upscale Italian dining experience.
2. Delivery and Takeout: Online ordering for delivery through Chews Local platform, and phone orders for pickup. Offers full menu items for home consumption.
3. Gift Cards: Physical gift cards available for pickup at restaurant and e-gift cards through Toast Tab platform. Gift cards provide upfront cash flow and drive future visits.
4. Güsto Cheesecakes To-Go: Signature cheesecakes sold by the slice ($11.99-$12.99) and as 'Gustini' portions ($6.99 each or $26 for 4). Available through separate website at gustocheesecakes.ca.
5. Group and Event Dining: Curated group dining packages for parties of 30+ featuring multi-course Italian menus (Tuscano $39.99, Siciliano $43.99, Bella Italiano $49.99). Wine available by the litre for $35.99.
6. Beverage Program: Extensive beverage program including wine (glass $6-$12.50, bottle $32-$375), cocktails ($12.75-$15), draft beer ($8-$10), craft beer, and specialty coffees ($11.75).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Gusto Italian Grill & Bar is a full-service Italian restaurant in downtown Moncton, New Brunswick, serving hand-thrown wood-fired pizzas, scratch-made pastas, prime steaks, seafood, and signature in-house cheesecakes. The restaurant supplements dine-in service with takeout, delivery via Chews Local, group/event dining packages for parties of 30+, gift cards, and a separate e-commerce sub-brand (Gusto Cheesecakes To Go) for cheesecake retail.

Product overview

Güsto Italian Grill & Bar is an authentic Italian restaurant located in Moncton, New Brunswick, operating since 2005. The restaurant operates as a single unified dining concept offering a comprehensive Italian culinary experience. The core product is the dinner menu featuring wood-fired pizzas, fresh housemade pastas (linguini, fettuccine, spaghettini, casarecce), prime steaks, and seafood dishes. Supporting products include an extensive beverage program with curated wine selections, craft cocktails, and imported beers. The dessert program centers on signature in-house cheesecakes and layer cakes, which have spawned a separate sub-brand (Güsto Cheesecakes To Go) available at gustocheesecakes.ca. Additional services include gift cards (physical and e-gift via Toast Tab), group/event dining for parties of 30+, and the Güsto Exclusives loyalty program featuring Birthday and Anniversary Club memberships. Food ordering is available via delivery platform Chews Local and call-ahead pickup.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Güsto Cheesecakes To Go: Separate online platform for ordering Güsto's signature cheesecakes and layer cakes for takeout. Available at gustocheesecakes.ca

Products and services

• Dinner Menu Full-service dinner menu featuring Italian cuisine including hand-thrown wood-fired pizzas, fresh handmade pastas (linguini, fettuccine, spaghettini), prime steaks, seafood, chicken dishes, and vegetarian options, served to dine-in guests at the Moncton restaurant.
• Kids Menu Kid-friendly Italian dishes including spaghetti with sauce or meatballs, fettuccine Alfredo, pepperoni or cheese pizza, and chicken bites with fries, all priced at $10.99 with a beverage for children 10 and under.
• Cocktail Menu Craft cocktail menu featuring classic cocktails (Mojito, Negroni, Espresso Martini), signature creations (Limoncello Sangria, Italian Godfather), single malt scotches, cordials, grappa, brandy, and specialty coffees priced $12.75-$15.
• Beer Menu Draft and bottled beer selection including international brands (Birra Moretti, Peroni, Heineken, Corona), craft options (Gahan Craft, Granville Island), ciders, and specialty beers, with draft beer priced $8-$10 for 16oz.
• Wine Menu Curated wine selection including house wines (Gusto Bianco and Rosso), Italian wines (Pinot Grigio, Chianti, Barolo, Amarone, Brunello di Montalcino), French Champagne, and international selections, with wines priced $6-$12.50 by the glass and $32-$375 by the bottle.
• Gusto Cheesecakes Signature in-house crafted cheesecakes with multiple proprietary flavors including Ferrero Rocher, Dark Chocolate Ganache, Carrot Cake Della Nonna, Peanut Butter, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Strawberry, Velluto Rosso, Cookies and Cream, and Torta Di Limoncello, sold by the slice for $11.99-$12.99 and via Gustini portions for takeout.
• Gusto Layer Cakes Specialty in-house layer cakes including the 24-Layer Chocolate Cake and Gluten & Dairy Free Chocolate Torta, crafted with traditional recipes and offered as part of the dessert program.
• Gift Cards Gift cards available for in-person pickup at the restaurant and as e-gift cards via Toast Tab for digital delivery, redeemable across dine-in, pickup, and delivery experiences.
• Group & Event Dining Private group dining experiences with three curated multi-course menus (Tuscano $39.99, Siciliano $43.99, Bella Italiano $49.99 per person) for parties of 30 or more, including wine by the litre ($35.99) and signature desserts, booked via email reservation.
• Delivery & Pickup Service Food ordering service enabling customers to order the full Italian menu for delivery via the Chews Local platform or for call-ahead pickup directly from the restaurant.
• Gusto Cheesecakes To Go Separate e-commerce sub-brand operating at gustocheesecakes.ca for ordering Gusto's signature cheesecakes for pickup or delivery, including specialty Gustini portions such as Ferrero Rocher and Nutella sold by the slice ($11.99-$12.99) or in Gustini multi-packs ($6.99 single or $26 for 4).

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 20 years of continuous operation since 2005 demonstrates sustained business viability and customer loyalty
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Chews LocalcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDelivery partnership with Chews Local platform for online ordering and home delivery of Güsto menu items. Customers can order through Chews Local for direct delivery.
• ExploretockcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorReservation booking platform used for table reservations, particularly for group dining and special events. Link: exploretock.com/gustoitalian/experience/160923
• Toast TabcoreTechnology or IntegrationE-gift card platform provider for digital gift card sales. E-gift cards available at order.toasttab.com/egiftcards/gusto-italian-grill-130-westmorland-street
• Trip AdvisorminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCustomer review platform where Güsto actively encourages guests to leave reviews. Runs weekly $100 gift card giveaway for reviewers.
• Google ReviewsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCustomer review platform where Güsto actively encourages guests to leave reviews. Runs weekly $100 gift card giveaway for reviewers.
• BeePond & Son ApiariesminorOthersLocal honey supplier used for specialty menu items including Honey Pistachio Crusted Salmon and Bee Sting pizza (hot honey drizzle).

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Scaddabush Italian Kitchen & Bar: Casual Italian restaurant chain in Ontario with wood-fired pizza, hand-rolled meatballs, and a scratch Italian menu. Comparable Italian casual-upscale segment and wood-fired cooking technique.
• Buca: Italian fine dining restaurants in Toronto offering handmade pastas, premium Italian wines, and curated Italian dining experiences. Comparable to Güsto's premium Italian positioning and specialty cooking approach.
• Cibo Wine Bar: Italian wine-focused restaurant in Toronto offering wood-fired pizzas, pastas, and an extensive Italian wine list. Closely comparable wine program and Italian cuisine focus.
• Il Fornello: Italian restaurant chain in Ontario featuring wood-fired pizza, fresh pasta, and a full Italian menu. Direct competitor in the wood-fired Italian casual-upscale dining segment.
• Terroni: Multi-location upscale Italian restaurant brand in Ontario featuring wood-fired cooking, scratch-made pasta, and a premium wine program. Closest Canadian analogue to Güsto's upscale Italian, wood-fired pizza, and pasta-forward concept.

Broad incumbents

• Joey Restaurants: Canadian upscale casual restaurant chain with global menu, premium cocktails, and full-service dining. Comparable full-service dining experience, beverage program, and Canadian market presence.
• The Keg Steakhouse + Bar: Canadian steakhouse chain with full bar program and premium protein-forward menu. Comparable to Güsto's steak and seafood offerings, premium beverage program, and full-service dining experience.
• Cactus Club Cafe: Canadian upscale casual chain with premium menu, cocktails, and signature dishes. Comparable to Güsto's premium casual positioning and beverage-forward dining experience.
• Earls Kitchen + Bar: Canadian upscale casual restaurant chain with global menu, premium beverage program, and dine-in/takeout operations. Comparable full-service Canadian dining concept and pricing tier.
• Boston Pizza: Canada's largest casual dining chain with sports bar, pizza, pasta, and family menu. Comparable full-service casual Italian-leaning dining concept in the Canadian market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gusto-italian-grill-&-bar

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Gusto Italian Grill & Bar