Buon Appetito: The Best Italian Restaurants in Brisbane

The Italians know a good thing or two about wine, carbs and cheese — three of life’s greatest joys. Grill anyone with the hypothetical ‘you can only eat one cuisine for the rest of your life’, and we bet the majority say Italian. It’s just that good.

With a dining scene that gets better year on year, it’ll come as no surprise that Brisbane is home to its fair share of Italian establishments that run the gamut from fine dining glam to hidden gem status. Whether you fancy a banquet or a la carte, the Italian restaurant scene in Brisbane will deliver. Read on for our favourites.

Bianca

Elegant, refined, Italian glam… that’s Bianca. This upmarket eatery on James Street is the effortlessly cool girl next door (restaurant edition). The food is understated and classic, and the rustic, tiled aesthetic of the fittings makes the perfect backdrop to an afternoon of spritz.

Sitchu Tip: Charli XCX was spotted dining here in February 2025 while visiting Brisbane for Laneway Festival.

Shop Am5 Ada Lane, 46 James Street, Fortitude Valley

Mosconi

Mosconi inhabits one of Brisbane’s old ex-WWII buildings but the space has been revamped into a chic, two-level wine bar and restaurant with gorgeous European decor.

When you’re not drinking in the finer details, you’ll be diving into stunning plates of meats, seafood, pasta, risotto and more. Think duck tagliatelle, blue swimmer crab risotto and Moreton Bay bug pappardelle.

164B Arthur Street, Fortitude Valley

Olive & Angelo 

This CBD dining spot might just be the friendliest Italian joint in town. Owned by Angelo and Yuliya Leonforte, Olive & Angelo is a laid-back, mostly alfresco dining destination in Brisbane’s CBD that serves up traditional meals inspired by their family recipes. 

12 Edward Street, Brisbane City

Gusto da Gianni

Italian dining with a river view? Say no more. Gusto da Gianni is an icon of the Brisbane Italian dining scene. This bright and airy restaurant at Portside Wharf serves up flavourful antipasti and Italian cuisine, both alfresco and indoors. For group affairs or celebrations, you can book out the private dining rooms to feel right at home as you dine. 

Portside Wharf Remora Road Hamilton

FIRMA

FIRMA evokes memories of Southern Italy via freshly sourced and local ingredients crafted into elevated comfort food. Dine a la carte on slow-cooked ossobucco, risotto Milanese, pork agnolotti and soft polenta, before diving into the tiramisu dessert trolley.

Emporium Hotel, 267 Grey Street, South Brisbane

Como Restaurant

Drawing inspiration from beloved regions throughout Italy, Como Restaurant envelops diners in the laid-back, yet refined essence of Lake Como. Kick back with the intimate booth seating or perch at the bar. Mood lighting sets the tone for a cosy date night or a catch-up with your closest confidantes. The menu offers delicate bites to share, wood-fired pizza, and pasta plates that will linger in your mind long after you leave.

119 Melbourne Street, South Brisbane

Establishment 203

Chef Ben O’Donoghue takes the lead at Establishment 203, where you can expect exemplary steak offerings, Italian pasta pairings and trademark cocktails. Ben draws on his love of Italian cuisine, European travels and time spent at London’s famous River Cafe to craft the absolute best steak dining experience in the country.

Using traditional techniques with modern equipment, the kitchen houses Queensland’s first Michelin-quality MKN induction cooking suite, alongside live wood-fired Mibrasa cooking stations to ensure incredible flavour with every bite.

6 Marshall Street, Fortitude Valley

Pilloni

Pilloni aims to transport you to the breezy Sardinian Island, and we’ll happily visit any time we feel like a holiday in the Mediterranean. Most of the dishes here have been flame-kissed for that iconic flavour, and the kitchen works with producers, growers and hunters to use only the best ingredients.

166 Hardgrave Road, West End

1889 Enoteca

Located on the fringe of Brisbane city in Woolloongabba, 1889 Enoteca‘s food and wine are inspired by the flavours of Rome. Dine from land or sea, with our pick of the menu landing on the Cicale Di Mare, a dish of Moreton Bay bugs, basil pesto cream and sundried tomatoes. The carbonara has also been on the menu since 2008, so you know it’s good!

The wine list is equally considered, with natural wines (vini naturali) taking centre stage. These wines are made in the ‘old way of doing things’, with minimal intervention, small crops and indigenous yeasts.

The Moreton Rubber Building 10 – 12 Logan Road, Woolloongabba

Elementi

A Brazilian, a Colombian and a Sicilian walk into a bar… and soon after one of the best Italian restaurants in Brisbane is born. Elementi offers an eclectic and ever-evolving dining experience to each guest who enters their Paddington establishment. Plating up dishes like the Polpo, grilled octopus on fennel puree served with green olives, charme radicchio, jalapeno parsley emulsion and mandarin oil, the menu at Elementi promises to keep you inspired and keep you guessing.

257 Given Terrace, Paddington

Antica

Antica means ancient or ‘in the manner of the ancients’, a nod to their traditional style of cooking Neapolitan-style pizza. Owners Luke and Mike began their journey with the world’s first mobile pizza oven, housed in a 1962 Volkswagen Kombi van. The ‘Pizzantica’ van was soon looking to put down roots after the demand for a permanent location was heard from their customers. Thanks to the demand, now we have easy access to some of the best Italian!

1 / 70 Kedron Brook Road, Wilston

Rosmarino Ristorante

What began as a plan for an intimate wine bar, plating up perhaps a few cheese boards and some prosciutto, soon evolved into a 175sqm restaurant as the dream for Rosmarino Ristorante took shape. Naturally, the wine list is top-tier but the food is equally delicious, with the likes of culurgiones ravioli and risotto sardines dotting the menu.

6 McLachlan Street, Fortitude Valley

Gemelli James Street

Gemelli — Italian for twins — is the brainchild of twin brothers who opened Gemelli Italian in the hopes of sharing the home-style family recipes they grew up enjoying. Kick things off with antipasti (say YES to truffle parmesan butter on your house-baked focaccia), before moving on to wood fired pizzas, a sizeable pasta list and a curation of larger mains. You’re absolutely mad if you don’t save some space for their dessert gnocchi.

15 James Street, Fortitude Valley

Sasso Italiano

This neighbourhood trattoria pairs Italian eats with natural wines. Serving up old-style faves in a family-style way, the seasonal menu has everything from fresh pasta to crudo and pizzas cooked in their bespoke Marana Forni woodfire oven.

With a kitchen helmed by Amalfi-born, Gabriele Di Landri, you’re in good hands at Sasso Italiano.

4/148 Logan Road, Woolloongabba

New Farm Deli

New Farm Deli is an absolute Brisbane institution for authentic Italian dining.

The hefty menu is full of traditional classics, but we love poring over the cabinet treats to see what the sandwiches or piadines of the week entail. Make sure you save room for dessert, the limoncello cake and vanilla slice are worthy of a visit on their own!

Merthyr Village, 900 Brunswick Street, New Farm

Massimo

Eagle Street’s most authentic Italian eatery is serving up a taste of Abruzzo and one of the best views in Brissy. Having reopened late last year, you can expect house-made pasta, bouncy focaccia and ocean-caught seafood from kingfish to chargrilled octopus and showstoppers like lobster. Enjoy Amalfi Coast-style eats and cocktails with a glittering view of the Brisbane River, with the coveted Riverside CBD location.

123 Eagle Street, The Riverside Centre, Boardwalk Level, Brisbane City

Beccofino

It’s impossible to look past Beccofino when exploring Brisbane’s very best in Italian. With an indulgent menu spanning pizza, pasta, antipasto and desserts, this Teneriffe-based restaurant has been keeping hungry stomachs happy for years.

A popular haunt for date night or simply midweek dining, our favourite dish at Beccofino has to be the Rigatoni alla Vodka, a creamy tomato-based sauce that fills your soul as efficiently as it does your belly.

10 Vernon Terrace (Corner of Florence Street), Teneriffe

OTTO Ristorante

At OTTO, meals are minimalistic yet perfectly balanced, allowing the quality of the ingredients to shine through. The staff are attentive and dedicated to ensuring a positive experience, which has created a loyal following of regulars and rave reviews for this South Bank restaurant.

Sidon Street, South Bank

Osteria Epoca

Steeped in family traditions, Osteria Epoca functions not only as a restaurant but also as a cafe, bar, provisions store and deli. With a concise yet decadent dinner menu (porchetta, anyone?), this authentic Italian experience will make you feel right at home.

17 Orontes Road, Yeronga

Popolo

Another long-standing Brisbane favourite, Popolo is one of South Bank’s most popular dining destinations. Popolo means “people” and this is the mantra of the restaurant, with hearty meals designed to be shared, enjoyed and lingered over.

 3 Sidon Street, Brisbane

Il Verde

Located in the bustling King Street dining precinct, Il Verde focuses on using seasonal and sustainably sourced produce to create mouthwateringly authentic Italian dishes.

With hearty portions of pasta, risotto and classic pizzas, the flavours of these expertly crafted dishes will have you returning time and time again.

2 King Street, Bowen Hills

Once you have worked your way through Brisbane’s best Italian restaurants, it’s time to check out our round-up of the best new restaurants in Brisbane, or skip to more Mediterranean eats with our guide to the best Greek restaurants in Brisbane. You can thank us later.

Writer

Lexie Mamo

16 December 2025

Lexie is the Brisbane Editor at Sitchu and has been part of the team since October 2020. Her background lies in fashion eCommerce and content marketing, having worked in digital roles across brands like Lorna Jane, Black Milk Clothing and dk active. A Brisbane native, Lexie covers food, lifestyle, events, and travel guides for the Sunshine State. When she’s not writing, you’ll find her reading, visiting coffee spots or snapping shots of her rescue cat for his Instagram account.