Like the tragic heroine of her namesake, new Brisbane restaurant Pizzeria Violetta totes the beacon of a passionate love affair, this time with Napoli’s most honoured dish.
The greatest care has been taken for Pizzeria Violetta to represent the thousand-year-old legacy of Neopolitan pizza making. Setting her apart from other pizzerias is the DOC label of quality assurance prevalent within every aspect of Violetta from the custom-built wood-fired oven to every pizza that comes out of it.
The resulting experience of having a Violetta pizza is an unparalleled sensory assault. Flurries of 00 flour gust through the air as five odd strains of garbled Italian echo off the white tiles. A small panel of hopeful diners perch at the bar with a fresh goblet from the all-Italian wine list. From behind a glass partition they survey a performance by one of Violetta’s Napoli trained pizzaiolos as he works a ball of dough into an ivory flan upon the marble slab. Within moments the dough is dressed with a rubicund sauce, shreds of cured meat, and generous tearings of the softest Bufala mozzarella, then, just as suddenly, whisked away and into the scorching depths of the domed oven. Our captive dining audience has barely any time to repine the disappearance of their beloved pizza before it reappears a mere 90 seconds later, gleaming with a searing lustre. The whole restaurant is heaving with excitement and dinner hasn’t even been served.
As for the pizzas themselves, there is one to match every mood and palate.
For a classic, traditional foray into the wonders of Violetta you cannot look past with one of their stunning Margheritas with jammy San Marzano tomato sauce and leaves of fresh basil.
If you’re considerably more game, the Diavola spotted with Inferno salame is like a heat-seeking missile to your mouth, and is beautifully complemented by the fresh and cooling Venere salad of watermelon, cucumber, mint and feta, with rucola, hazelnut crouton, and saffron vinaigrette.
The bianche pizzas are a pure delight with the potential to wreak real havoc on your arteries. For culinary seduction we love the Boscaiola, an indulgent mass of mozzarella, porcini mushrooms, bresaola and talleggio cheese, drizzled with truffle oil. And for anyone with a healthy appreciation of cheese, the Quattro Formaggio with mozzarella, gorgonzola, provola, and parmigiano is an exercise in Violetta’s power to set hearts hammering.
But I you really cannot be tempted to stray into the gluttony of pure carbs, Violetta have designed a menu of lush and nourishing salads that qualify as substantial meals in themselves. Our favourite is the Minerva with broccolini, fried calamari, sundried tomato, grilled eggplant, pistachios, spinach and Aperol vinaigrette.
New Italian restaurant Pizzeria Violetta is open every night and they do not accept bookings, but all items on the menu are available for take-away so you’ll never go hungry.
Image Credit: Ariana Gillrie