Upon arriving in Australia, Arturo was amazed by the welcome he received. Tocco Italiano, which opened in Chelmer in 2016, is Arturo’s way of giving love back. Seeing an opportunity to capitalise on his extensive expertise and passion for cooking, Arturo got on the horn to his good friend and Michelin-starred chef Enzo Ninivaggi to convince him to join him in Brisbane to help realise his vision – a top-flight eatery serving traditional Italian with a fine-dining twist. It’s not an easy sell to convince an acclaimed chef to move to the other side of the world, but eventually Enzo took up Arturo’s invitation and started working at Tocco Italiano’s Chelmer location, with Arturo whipping up the pizzas while Enzo plated up edible art in the kitchen. Although limited to Chelmer’s small kitchen space, Enzo and Arturo’s vision quickly started to take shape, earning them enough popularity to take the next step in the plan – a second, much-larger location in Teneriffe. Arturo snagged the prime location – the former home of Grinder’s Coffee – and immediately converted the entire space to align with his specifications. The mammoth venue boasts two seating areas, a fully equipped bar, an imported pizza oven and a spacious kitchen for Enzo to work his magic.

When it comes to food, Tocco Italiano’s primary focus is enrapturing three senses – sight, smell and taste. Arturo and Enzo have worked on the little details, not only respecting the traditions but also the ingredients to ensure the meal is as close to the quality you’d expect when dining along the Amalfi Coast. Not only does each dish look good and smell great, but the flavours on offer will surely captivate tastebuds. Not convinced? Well, we think dishes like buffalo mozzarella and prosciutto paninis, fennel sausage and tomato pizzas, spaghetti with San Marzano tomato, pillowy gnocchi with broccoli cream, clams and sun-dried tomatoes and soft ravioli filled with buffalo ricotta sound pretty damn tasty. Arturo is gradually expanding the bar offering as he imports more of his favourite drops from Italy. Wine and beer is readily available, but keep your eye on the cocktail list as it rapidly expands to encompass numerous spritzes, in addition to a greater selection of whiskies, grappa and cognac varieties.

Tocco Italiano is plating up its eye-catching dishes now, so be sure to check out the Stumble Guide for contact details and opening hours.