Beccofino

After living elsewhere in Australia, Beccofinos’s Paolo Biscaro moved to Brisbane and saw an opportunity for a well-priced bistro open past pensioner hour. He wasn’t wrong.

Since 2004 Beccofino customers have been returning time and time again for the restaurant’s home-style Italian cooking. When it attempted to remove the rich duck ragu with handmade pappardelle pasta from the menu, there was uproar. It’s the kind of meal you could eat and die happy.

Beccofino’s famous thin pizzas make up the majority of the menu and are cooked in a traditional wood-fire oven. In traditional Italian style, the toppings adopt a less-is-more approach, where quality produce reigns supreme.

The service is relaxed but efficient, and inside or out, the floor-to-ceiling glass doors and huge alfresco space reinforce the mellow atmosphere.

Those waiting for a table by the bar can order from the wine list dominated by Italian bottles and the short cocktail list including the house special, Beccofino Breeze, a tart concoction of vodka, Aperol and fresh grapefruit juice.

A recipe from Beccofino is featured in The Broadsheet Italian Cookbook. Buy your copy at shop.broadsheet.com.au.