Since opening in November last year, Los Angeles-inspired taco joint La Bodega has a become a favourite amongst East Brisbane locals. Soon, the team behind the terracotta-coloured taqueria will take a neighbouring tenancy on its Lytton Road corner to open OLLI Italiano closer to mid-year. Looking to honour timeless culinary traditions while nudging the boundaries of what an Italian restaurant can be, this 45-seat pizza and pasta bar will see the team serve an array of punchy Italian-inspired eats and drinks. We’re talking crispy Neapolitan-style pizzas, a selection of saucy pastas, a clutch of Italian chop sandwiches and an ‘out-there’ item the OLLI team is calling negroni jello olives. OLLI will also be serving primo vino and a bunch of classic Italian cocktails. Like its Mexican-inspired sibling, OLLI will seek to serve the neighbourhood as thoroughly as possible, with a number of take-home, heat-and-eat options like luscious lasagna expected to be on offer. OLLI will feature an eye-catching interior aesthetic courtesy of a red, white and brown colour scheme, with a tiled counter offset by leather booths and benches for added texture. OLLI Italiano is set to open in the next two-to-three months. We’ll have more info for you soon!