Elementi
Paddington
Elementi in Paddington is a chic contemporary Italian eatery and bar serving up some of the best pasta and pizzas in Brisbane.
Brought to Given Tce by a trio of talented folks who hail from Julius Pizzeria and Beccofino, Elementi is the go-to for casual yet top notch Italian dining and bar drinks.
Take a seat in the stylish minimalist dining area, or European style on bar stools in front of the bar or pizza oven and enjoy everything from aperativi and bar snacks to a divine meal of pizza, pasta or dessert.
To start, there's marinated olives, arancini, focaccia (buttermilk ricotta & thyme oil) or must0try olive acolana (truffle stiffed olives, sherry vinegar and aioli).
The selection of Antipasti includes Tomino & Speck (Tomino cheese, speck, caramelized onion, soft herbs and grilled focaccia), Crudo di Pesce (thinly sliced raw fish, ricket, lemon, fried capers & little beak peppers) or Affetati (assorted cured meat board, house made bread sticks and pickles).
Pizzas here are an absolute highlight - choose from Rossa (red), Bianca (white) or Sfizio (special). Rossa pizzas include the highly recommended Marina (tomato, mozzarella, white anchovies, artichokes and rocket), Margherita and Salamino (tomato, mozzarella, salami and olives).
Must try from the Pizza Bianca menu is the Gamberi Ubriachi (ricotta, prawns, Worcestershire, caramelized onions & sherry vinegar) while the Sfizio include the likes of Calzone, house specialty Baciata - for 2 (crispy flat foccacia filled with buffalo mozzarella, mortadela, pistachio and lemon juice) and Panotto Caprese (large pizza panini filled with fresh diced tomato, truffle stracciatella cheese & fresh basil).
Equally delectable are the Primi - think Lunga ai Gamberi (linguine, tiger prawns, chilli, garlic, tomato suga & bottarga) and Raviloi Burro & Salvia (filled with artichokes, potatoes & sweet onions & served with a butter, sage and mint sauce). Leave room for Dolci (dessert) with heavenly delights like deconstructed cannoli or chocolate cake with hazelnut praline & raspberry ice-cream).
Drinks-wise, Elementi has an excellent curated wine list including an impressive selection from Italy, as well as boutique Australian wineries. Beer drinkers can enjoy craft beers from Australia or Italian beers from Sicily or Piedmonte. There's also a choice of spritzers, aperitivi and classic Italian cocktails such as Negroni.
Need to know - Elementi also do takeaway pizzas and pasta.