48h Pizza e Gnocchi Bar Elsternwick

Pizzerias – Melbourne has no shortage of them. Gnoccherias? They’re a little trickier to find. 48h is both, found right next door to Elsternwick’s Classic Cinema.

Lining all four walls of the restaurant are Italian imports. Floor to ceiling shelves host grissini sticks, preserves, Italian cakes, chocolates and the like, while a deli fridge sits in the back corner, packed with cold meats and cheeses.

Among the retail offerings is a restaurant, which specialises in both pizza and gnocchi. Food comes out of the open kitchen which sits at the back of the space, providing diners with the opportunity to see how the gnocchi is made, while the chefs’ conversations add to the vibrant energy created by the almost all-Italian wait staff.

Gnocchi is made ‘della nonna’ – small pillows of potato as opposed to large ones. One thing that nonna wouldn’t traditionally do is make her gnocchi gluten free – which 48h does. The restaurant offers both simple gnocchi dishes, including one with tomato and basil, and more complicated options such as the alle fave with broadbean puree, oyster mushrooms, ricotta and shallots. A real point of difference is the activated-charcoal (virtually black) gnocchi, which comes in a including a pesto, mint and broccolini version – one of the restaurant’s most popular dishes.

There is a mix of traditional and modern pizzas, as there are Italian and Australian drinks. Finish things up with a light panna cotta or a tiramisu.