Pixie Food & Wine is bringing coastal Italian to Byron Bay
There’s no denying that Byron Bay is in the throes of a culinary renaissance. The once sleepy seaside township has evolved tremendously in recent years, attracting top-tier talent from around the country, each keen to make their mark on the rapidly changing foodie scene. Renowned restauranteurs James Sutherland and Kim Stephen, who have also brought us Light Years, Moonlight and Frankies, have added another cab to the ranks with a brand-new coastal Italian sip-and-snack spot called Pixie Food & Wine, now open on Johnson Lane.
Located alongside natural-wine bar Bar Heather and a new (larger) outpost for the immensely popular Asian diner, Light Years, Pixie Food & Wine will combine Byron’s signature beachy vibe with the refined aspect of city dining, delivering a modern and coastal twist to traditional Italian cuisine. “We noticed a gap in the market for a venue that, while being sympathetic to beach culture, has a level of sophistication that you would expect in Sydney or Melbourne. Pixie will be a place where the magic of Byron Bay relaxation comes together with national talents,” Pixie’s co-owner James said. “[Pixie offers] an elevated experience unlike any other in the Byron area.”
The national talents James speaks of are head chef Matteo Tine (previously of Melbourne’s Grossi Florentino) and distinguished designer David Flack from Flack Studio, who is the mastermind behind Pixie’s Italian-inspired luxe interiors. As for the menu, Matteo has drawn upon his Sicilian roots, as well as his more recent experience in Melbourne to deliver a menu that delivers nostalgic flavours within refined dishes. Dishes such as savoury sfinci (Sicilian fried doughnut) filled with a warm cacio e pepe sauce and finished with a thin slice of house-made air-dried stone-axe bresaola, and spaghetti alla chitarra made with a sourdough pasta, vongole and bottarga sauce, fermented chilli oil and lemon and fennel pangrattato. “Using produce that is local to you is the key to cooking real Italian food. My menu will be modern Italian with a vintage kick, meaning the flavours will be familiar and authentic as I let the produce shine,” Matteo says. When it comes to the drinks, Pixie’s cocktail list has been curated by sip specialist Joe Jones (Romeo Lane), who has worked alongside Matteo to create a selection that complements the flavours and ingredients in the dishes. The wine list showcases a mix of modern and new-world wines, as well as Italian classics. When it comes to Flack Studio’s fit-out, diners will be transported to a coastal Italian summer, where they can sit for a complete meal, drop in post-beach trip or celebrate a special occasion.
Pixie Food & Wine is open seven days a week from 5:00 – 11:00 pm at 139 Jonson St, Byron Bay.
Image credit: Parker Blain and Anson Smart
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