A sacred holiday is upon us. October 25 marks World Pasta Day – a special occasion for carb connoisseurs to savour and salute the culinary perfection that is pasta. This year, we’re celebrating with a round-up of Brisbane’s finest pasta places. From family recipes to authentic tributes and fine-dining creations, you’re simply spoilt for choice amidst Brisbane’s Italian eateries. Whilst we couldn’t possibly crown a winner, we can clue you in to some of the best.
1889 Enoteca, Woolloongabba: The go-to spot for authentic Roman fare for the past 15 years, 1889 Enoteca is an institution. Known for serving up hand-made pasta and an unbeatable selection of flavoursome wines, this Woolloongabba wonder has kept true to the classics since day dot. Whilst the seasonal menu means there’s always something new to sample, you can expect classics like carbonara, braised pork and beef pappardelle or gnocchi with pork and fennel sausage.
ATTIMI by Dario Manca, Paddington: With his degustation-centric restaurant, top chef Dario Manca is injecting a bit of Michelin-inspired fare into Brisbane’s Italian cuisine scene. Though his menu traverses a broad array of Italian specialties, there are a few pasta dishes on the a la carte menu work booking in to try, including arlecchino cappelletti with Mooloolaba king prawns and mascarpone filling, bisque sauce, buffalo stracciatella and basil and chilli oil, tagliolini arrabbiata with ‘nduja and oregano, South Australian mussels, buffalo blue cream and breadcrumbs, and game farm rabbit ragu cavatelli with chestnut butter, goat cheese cream, caper leaves and coffee jus.
Bar Alto, New Farm: You wouldn’t expect to find an upscale Italian restaurant inside the grungy surrounds of Brisbane Powerhouse, but Bar Alto has been turning out plates of perfection for years now. On the menu, you’ll find delights like Alto’s famous pappardelle with goat ragu, crespelle with ricotta, pumpkin and burnt sage butter, and caramelle (Sardinian suckling pig ravioli with pear, macadamia and rosemary butter). Perched overlooking the Brisbane River, Bar Alto serves up a sensational menu of Italian classics, paired with a primo view.
Beccofino, Teneriffe: This perennially popular restaurant has featured on a bunch of best-of lists, so one more couldn’t hurt. Beccofino is renowned for its authentic Italian fare, and the pasta is no exception. The kitchen regularly changes up the menu according to seasonal produce but you can always rely on the restaurant’s famous pappardelle al ragu d’Anatra (duck and tomato ragu) and the decadent crab pasta with cherry tomatoes, chilli, garlic and bisque.
Bianca, Fortitude Valley: The Anyday group’s eye-catching Ada Lane trattoria isn’t all about looks – its menu boasts a load of substance, especially its house-made pasta selection. Though couched in a sense of simplicity and classicism, Bianca revels in delivering bold and punchy flavours. Just dip a fork into a bowl of Bianca’s paccheri al pomodoro with stracciatella, the orecchiette with spanner crab, nettle and pangrattato, or the delicate Agnolotti lunghi served with pumpkin, brown butter and pine nuts.
Doughcraft, Brisbane City: Having already cemented itself as one of Brisbane’s best boulangeries, the Doughcraft team has turned its attention to nighttime trade. It’s inner-city ristorante sees the team expanding its dominion over all things dough, with a selection of primo pasta including the likes of crab spaghetti, pumpkin gnocchi, brisket ragu fettuccine and squid-ink ravioli filled with baccalà mantecato and potato.
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Elementi, Paddington: While we’d easily rank Elementi’s pizzas among the upper stratosphere of Brisbane’s best, we also want to give love to its pasta menu, which is similarly stellar. The menu is ever changing, featuring comfort classics like lasagna as well as house creations like the Sicilia (tagliatelle with fried eggplant cubes, cherry tomatoes and smoked mozzarella) or the Emiliana (fusilli with pumpkin purée, crispy guanciale and pecorino).
The 203, Fortitude Valley: This farm-to-table restaurant serves up a decadent Italian-style menu, with an emphasis on the world-class steak that’s sourced from the restaurant’s partner cattle farm, Stanbroke. Beyond the sensational steak (expect eight to ten cuts, including four on-the-bone options), you’ll find a tight list of homemade pasta – offering the perfect start to your feast. Discover moreish morsels like the house cappellacci that’s filled with roasted pumpkin and buffalo ricotta or the decadent lobster linguine.
Julius Pizzeria, South Brisbane: Although the name of this South Brisbane destination indicates pizza is a specialty, don’t sniff at the pasta selection – it’s on par with any slice. Good luck picking between the likes of pappardelle with duck and tomato ragu, linguine with tiger prawns, cherry tomatoes, friarielli, chilli, garlic and nduja butter or the ricciarelle with a ragu of slow-cooked beef shin, tomato and white wine.
Mosconi, Fortitude Valley: Tucked away at the quieter end of James Street, Mosconi is all about offering its patrons an honest food experience. Plates of hearty conchiglie with confit duck, pea, prosciutto and dusted in pecorino, tagliolini with mud crab, fennel and champagne cream, and potato gnocchi with eggplant, roast tomato and salted sheep’s ricotta are our picks of the menu.
New Farm Deli, New Farm: Born in 1975, this neighbourhood delicatessen has long been a hub of authentic Italian cuisine. Nestled in Merthyr Village, New Farm Deli is home to a well-stocked pantry section and salumeria that’s always brimming with provisions imported from the motherland as well as a menu of Italian classics from breakfast to lunch. Tuck into delicacies like the spaghetti all’amatriciana or the crab lasagne – each made with family recipes and the highest quality ingredients.
NUG, Fortitude Valley: Though this Bakery Lane restaurant is small, its pasta offering is big on flavour. The menu rotates often, so it can be hard to pin down a signature. That said, outstanding past dishes have included orange conchiglie with Queensland spanner crab, chilli and fennel, whipped truffle ricotta agnolotti with eggplant and walnut sauce, and zucchini casarecce with stracciatella and pine nuts.
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OTTO Ristorante, South Bank: The Fink Group’s high-end riverside eatery boasts a stellar ambience and views to accompany it. Don’t let the twinkling lights of The City across the water distract you from the menu – it offers up a host of must-try dishes such as the signature long thin pasta with champagne lobster, garlic, chilli, white wine, lemon butter and bottarga, the long tube pasta with Moreton Bay bug, squid, blue swimmer crab and confit tomato.
Pilloni, West End: Pilloni. Showcasing a selection of pasta styles not typically spied in Brisbane, the menu of West End Italian eatery Pilloni is a must-try. The menu changes frequently, but you’ll likely spy Sardinian staples like culurgiones filled with potato and mint, tomato, pecorino and basil, malloreddus with sausage, tomato, saffron, pecorino and fennel, and spaghetti with Tasmanian sea urchin, yellow tomato, bottarga and macadamia.
Popolo, South Bank: Situated on the banks of the Brisbane River, Popolo is the perfect location for a feasting frenzy, especially when pasta is involved. How does the likes of the chef’s signature (linguine, Moreton Bay Bug, spanner crab and lobster bisque) or pappardelle with veal ossobuco ragu sound? Pretty damn good, if you ask us.
Ramona Trattoria, Coorparoo: This suburban restaurant is, perhaps, one of the busiest eateries in Brisbane. It’s all thanks to head chef Ashley Kent’s adherence to the deep-rooted culinary traditions of Italian pasta making, which means it’s kneaded, shaped and cut by hand. We often daydream about Ramona’s tagliatelle al ragu bianco (white bolognese style ragu, salumi, rosemary and parmigiano reggiano), casunziei all’ampezzana (half-moon pasta with beetroot, goat cheese, lemon butter and poppy seed) and the raviolo girella al tartufo (filled with Australian truffle, ricotta and parmigiano fonduta). If you want more, visit Ramona’s younger brother Bar Rocco on Wednesdays for its bang-on pasta, pizzetta and pinot nights!
Ripiena, Fortitude Valley: Ripiena is a hole-in-the-wall pasta joint looking to prove that the perfect pasta is best made (and served) in an uncomplicated manner, letting exceptional ingredients speak for themselves. At any point diners will be able to sample a selection of freshly made long pasta, filled pasta and sides, including the likes of tagliatelle doused with either butter and parmigiano reggiano or a rich bolognese ragu, tortellini stuffed with pork loin, prosciutto crudo di Parma and mortadella, and agnolotti del plin filled with slow-cooked beef cheek.
Rosmarino, Fortitude Valley: The menu at this Fortitude Valley stand-out pays tribute to many of Italy’s culinary traditions – especially its legacy of hand-made pasta. Helmed by chef Tommaso Belfort, the restaurant is home to a tight primi menu that includes the likes of fusilli ai gamberi (spiral pasta with Mooloolaba prawns, cherry tomatoes, lemon butter and parsley oil), hand-rolled gnocchi with octopus, three yellow tomato sauce, cherry tomatoes and tomato butter, and Rosmarino’s famous culurgiones alle castagne (three Sardinian ravioli, chestnut puree, truffle-infused burnt butter, truffle pecorino, fried sage and oxalis).
Rustichella, Nundah: A suburban gem, Rustichella is a pasta bar that goes to extra lengths to ensure its homemade strands and parcels are as good as it gets. Organic free-range eggs form the base of the dough, which is sculpted into the likes of tagliatelle (served with a rich bolognese beef ragu), ricotta and parsley tortelloni (with butter and sage), spaghetti (with gorgonzola and walnuts) and potato gnocchi (with garden veggies). An ode to the region of Emilia Romagna, Rustichella serves up traditional tributes to Italian classics.
Sasso Italiano, Woolloongabba: This swish and sassy restaurant does everything well, but its pasta is worth an up-close look all on its own. Spaghetti gamberi (Queensland prawns, garlic, chilli, white wine, semi-dry tomato, pangrattato, herbs), tagliolini Moreton Bay Buys (squid ink pasta, garlic, chili, nduja, tomato, chives and bottarga) as well as the potato gnocchi (parmesan cream, sherry and hazelnut dressing, basil oil and pecorino) are all exquisite options.
Settimo, Brisbane City: If there’s anyone that can curate an on-point pasta experience, it’s superstar chef Guy Grossi. His Brisbane restaurant Settimo is a love letter to the Amalfi Coast, which means its menu is filled with light and zesty options, including the likes of pasta al limone, the seafood-loaded scialatielli all’Amalfitana, and the cappelletti (ring-shaped pasta stuffed with snapper).
Tartufo, Fortitude Valley: Pasta is only as good as the ingredients you pair it with, and Tartufo aims to source only the best seasonal goods from local suppliers. The menu takes inspiration from Naples and its surrounding regions of Tuscany, Umbria and Abruzzo. We’re giddy at the thought of house-made linguini with scampi, squid ink risotto, and rigatoni served with Italian pork sausage, fried eggplant and smoked mozzarella.
Honourable mentions: There are more excellent pasta places in Brisbane than there are strands of pasta in a primo bowl of spaghetti bolognese. If your hunger for pasta knows no bounds, be sure to also check out ATTIMI in Paddington, Bar Rosa in South Brisbane, Scugnizzi in The City, Allonda in Newstead, Doughcraft in The City, Gemelli’s Italian in Fortitude Valley, FIRMA Italian in South Brisbane, Si Baby in Newport, Il Posto in Paddington, Justin Lane in Fortitude Valley, Marinara Trattoria in Hawthorne, Il Molo in Bulimba and Antica in Wilston.
Think there’s a pasta palace that has been missed? Drop us a line at [email protected].