D.Vino Bistro & Vinoteca

Tucked away in a side street of Woolloongabba is where you’ll find D.Vino Bistro & Vinoteca, an uber romantic dining spot from the owner of Ashgrove’s Arcade Wine, Danilo Duseli. Born and raised in Asti, a picturesque town on the border of Italy and France, Duseli has brought his heritage to life at D.Vino, and you’ll feel a world away from the ‘burbs of Brisbane ensconced in the cosy venue. 

Seating just 40 people, D.Vino’s all-black interiors are dotted with vintage Italian artwork, rustic wooden accents and of course, plenty of wine bottles, making it feel like a true hidden gem. Don’t be fooled by the size though, because the Italian flavours coming out of the kitchen here are anything but small, and the wine list is some 400 bottles strong, with over 50 of them available by the glass. 

Part restaurant, part wine bar, you can opt to drop in for a few glasses and snacks like mini blue fin tuna tataki burgers, gnocco fritto with prosciutto and fresh figs, and beef carpaccio, or just settle in for a multi-course feed with wines expertly paired by Duseli himself. Head Chef Mirco—another Italian native—has crafted a menu that melds tradition with modern creativity, so either way, you are in for a treat. 

Standout dishes include the charcoal grilled octopus with green pea foam, stracciatella and dehydrated olives, and a margra lamb loin with radicchio, plum and carrot cream. The real star of the show though (and what their regulars keep coming back for), is the warm pistachio souffle with berry compote and gelato—though we’d have to say the chestnut mousse with miso salted caramel and spice crumble currently on the dessert menu is equally rave worthy. 

Image credit: Supplied