The best Italian restaurants often aren't the fanciest. Rather they're the ones that are relaxed, warm and welcoming, while they serve up hearty amounts of pasta.
That's exactly what you get at Beccofino, on the Brisbane suburb border (kind of) of Teneriffe and Newstead.
Being a local Italian favourite, Beccofino attracts young couples, old couples, families with small kids, families with teenagers, families hanging out with other families, etc. etc. Basically if you and whatever family you have need to get out of the house for some quality time over a satisfying meal, this place is a pretty good pick.
That's exactly what you get at Beccofino, on the Brisbane suburb border (kind of) of Teneriffe and Newstead.
Being a local Italian favourite, Beccofino attracts young couples, old couples, families with small kids, families with teenagers, families hanging out with other families, etc. etc. Basically if you and whatever family you have need to get out of the house for some quality time over a satisfying meal, this place is a pretty good pick.
I recently dined here with my small family consisting of my plus 1, where we had a lovely night eating satisfying Italian food and then trying in vain to walk it off with a stroll along the nearby Brisbane river afterwards.
For aperitifs, we opted for a taste of Italy, with a Campari on ice, and Punt e Mes, also on ice. Both were refreshingly bitter with the Punt e Mes having a thicker syrupy texture. They went well with our shared starter:
This was spring on a plate. The ricotta in these flowers was light and fluffy, but the added truffle gave it a really nice earthy depth.
For aperitifs, we opted for a taste of Italy, with a Campari on ice, and Punt e Mes, also on ice. Both were refreshingly bitter with the Punt e Mes having a thicker syrupy texture. They went well with our shared starter:
- Fiori di Zucca: Roasted zucchini flowers stuffed with truffled ricotta
This was spring on a plate. The ricotta in these flowers was light and fluffy, but the added truffle gave it a really nice earthy depth.
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We then made the most of the pasta menu:
Both of these dishes were just plain satisfying.
The small bits of pork cheek were melt-in-your mouth, while the crab meat was fresh and delicious. We asked our waiter to not hold back on the parmesan, and thankfully he didn't.
- Mezze Maniche con Guanciale: Short tubular pasta with crispy pork cheek, tomato, chilli and pecorino cheese
- Linguine al Granchio: Long thin pasta with crab meat, cherry tomatoes, chilli, garlic, white wine and olive oil
Both of these dishes were just plain satisfying.
The small bits of pork cheek were melt-in-your mouth, while the crab meat was fresh and delicious. We asked our waiter to not hold back on the parmesan, and thankfully he didn't.
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Normally a belly-full of pasta makes me think about pulling back on dessert, however this posed a problem. On the one hand I was kind of full, and on the other hand there were Italian desserts on offer.
The cream and sugar won.
The panna cotta was just as panna cotta should be- not too firm with a silky texture. The orange wafers were delicate and just had a nice hint of citrus.
When I see the word "fried" in a dessert menu, I know I'm probably going to like that particular dish and I was right. The brioche dumplings were just as decadent as they sounded. These little balls of fried goodness worked really well with rich chocolate sauce.
The cream and sugar won.
- Panna cotta: Vanilla bean panna cotta with rooftop honey and orange wafers
- Frittelle: Fried brioche dumplings with chocolate sauce and fior di latte ice cream
The panna cotta was just as panna cotta should be- not too firm with a silky texture. The orange wafers were delicate and just had a nice hint of citrus.
When I see the word "fried" in a dessert menu, I know I'm probably going to like that particular dish and I was right. The brioche dumplings were just as decadent as they sounded. These little balls of fried goodness worked really well with rich chocolate sauce.
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It's always nice to have a restaurant that's a bit of a home away from home, and that's how we think of Beccofino. Not that I usually fry up my desserts at home, but you know what I mean.
The Particulars
The Particulars
- Beccofino can be found at 10 Vernon Terrace, Newstead 4006
- Open Friday - Sunday for lunch and Tuesday - Sunday for dinner.
- Dinner mains $21 - $30.50.
