West Side Pizza
In November, the team behind Mama Taco, Mario’s and Luigi’s Italian will lift the cloche on its new concept West Side Pizza, an intimate pizza bar nestled on the corner of Vulture Street and Hardgrave Road in West End. Taking over a sliver of the building previously home to Sol Breads (now also housing sandwich and coffee spot The Twin), the cosy 18-seater venue (which is inspired by the hole-in-the-wall pizzerias of Italy) will look to add an elevated option for those seeking a place for informal drinks and snacks, intimate dinners and handy takeaway. Here, you’ll be able to enjoy a few variations of pizza, including Neapolitan-style options served whole, as well as a range of pizza Romana and apizza/a’pizz (an evolutionary form of thin-crust pizzas popularised in New Haven, Connecticut) served by the slice. The same detail-oriented approach that underpins Mama Taco will shape West Side Pizza’s offering, with the team focusing on everything from fermentation periods and use of flours (including combinations of Australian and Italian flour) for the pizza dough to cooked sauces and gourmet meats for the toppings. To maximise speed and versatility, the kitchen will be equipped with both a woodfire oven and an electric oven. Beyond pizza, the venue will serve an assortment of arancini (both rice and pasta arancini) with fillings including pistachio, lobster and porcini mushroom, plus parmigiana and seasonal dishes. Gelato will also be a specialty, with an imported Cattabriga gelato machine churning out seven boutique flavours made from authentic ingredients. Though concise, the joint’s drinks selection will offer something for everyone, including roughly 12 wines (both boutique Australian and Italian varieties), a ten-strong cocktail list, a clutch of boutique beers and a solid representation of amari and grappa in the back bar. West Side Pizza is looking to open in early November – stay tuned for a closer look in the coming weeks.

Giallo
That’s not all the Italian-centric news we have for you this week. Tomorrow, Wednesday October 26, will mark the soft opening of Giallo, a brand-new Sicilian-inspired eatery from the team behind Teneriffe’s Lava Ristorante. Taking over the space previously belonging to Giovanni’s on Kenrose Street in Carina, Giallo will look to instil its own a bright and welcoming aesthetic anchored by vibrant yellow tiling. Italian cuisine with distinct Sicilian inflections will be on offer, starting with a selection of Sicilian arancino (filled with the likes of lamb ragu and mushroom) and moving on to a solid selection of woodfired pizzas, hearty pastas and sizeable secondi. A liquor licence is undergoing an approval process, but when it’s secured Giallo will start pouring a selection of Italian and Australian wines as well as beer off tap. Giallo will open for takeaway only to start, but dine-in custom will launch once the restaurant scores its permit for footpath dining. Check in soon for more information on this one!

Berlusca’s Italian
Singing waiters, food fights and meatball-eating competitions – this is what you can expect at Berlusca’s Italian, the new pizza and pasta pop-up from the crew behind Karen’s Diner. Berlusca’s will take over a popular Brunswick Street eatery early next year for what is being described as a hilarious un-Italian dining experience featuring an electric atmosphere, giant yard-sized pizzas and loads of cocktails – the fine dining without the fine. Singing waiters will be twirling their napkins overhead while they serve the likes of share-style entree boards, five kinds of pizzas (available in half- or full-metre sizes), confit garlic focaccia, burrata caprese and arancini. Oh, and there’ll be dessert too, including ricotta-filled cannoli, tiramisu and chocolate tarts. The team behind the concept will be giving a small number of diners a sneak peek of the fun with a special preview dinner on Saturday November 5. Tickets are available for two sittings, with $55 per person including entree, pizza, dessert and a drink, as well as all of the evening’s entertainment.

Dakabin Hotel
The Comiskey Group, the team behind Sandstone Point Hotel and Eatons Hill Hotel, is having a big year. In addition to the news that the group will be launching new festival and camping grounds Coochin Fields and opening live-music venue and hotel Aura in the coming months, the team is also set to add a new pub to its portfolio. The team will soon break ground on a new development that will include the Dakabin Hotel, a 2500-sqm shopping centre, and a boutique village (with cafes and a gym) across 3.75-ha of Moreton Bay land. The Dakabin Hotel itself, which the team hopes will elevate the traditional pub format, will be equipped with a new restaurant, bar, gaming room, playground and large outdoor area. Construction on the hotel and shopping precinct is set to commence in early 2023.