By Rosie Panetta
Che Meraviglia!
Which is Italian for, “Oh my god! I just ate my weight in some of the most delicious pasta my tastebuds have ever touched in Adelaide, and I’m ready to go again… who’s free?!”
Okay, so maybe it doesn’t.
But it does mean a very big ‘bravo’ to Adelaide’s newest Italian destination, iTL: one of four new restaurants within the SkyCity expansion.
Stylishly nestled into the ground floor of the casino complex, iTL’s sun-drenched space and earthy-toned contemporary décor is an immediate breath of fresh.
The spacious 200-seat restaurant offers several dining options — from bar seating, to romantic tables-for-two overlooking the riverbank precinct and long tables fit for larger groups of carb-loving friends and family — all beautifully streamlined around its central open kitchen featuring two towering pizza ovens (literally, these things are huge!)
The menu is very much like the space; sleek, uncluttered and simple.
Created by Italian-born head chef, Luca Giotto, here you’ll find authentic Italian dishes, wonderfully reimagined with the help of South Australian produce.
Locally sourced olives, oysters, kingfish, burrata and cured meats are highlights from their appetizers, which are perfectly plated up to share.
Next up, the real star of the menu: iTL’s signature pasta dishes.
Freshly made in-house, Giotto has successfully added his personal touch on some classics.
Among them, a pappardelle served with melt-in-your-mouth braised lamb ragu, a beautiful flower-adorned cacio e pepe with bucatini and two divine seafood options with their fregola di mari and spaghettino chitarra — both fun to say, and delicious to eat.
Lovers of traditional thin-based wood-oven pizzas will rejoice because here, you’ll find pizzas just like back in the motherland herself (…we’re talking Italy!)
iTL prides itself on their dough which is made in-house, and is matured for 36 hours before being smothered in all kinds of deliciousness, proving good things really do come to those who wait.
With both traditional tomato-based and white-based ‘pizze bianche’ options, there’s some surprising must-try’s including the octopus & chorizo, the spicy diavola and their signature iTL — topped with fresh tomato sauce, local prawns, stracciatella and basil pesto, it is a worthy namesake.
The rest of the menu is sprinkled with fresh, seasonal ingredients and an enticing dessert menu which includes a chocolate & caramel tiramisu (a delicious interpretation on the classic), and a drool-worthy range of house-made gelati and sorbet.
And if we can’t be in Italy this Summer, iTL’s drinks menu can have you feeling a little like you’re sipping cocktails on the Amalfi Coast! Alongside a comprehensive list of Australian and Italian wines, you’ll find an exciting Negroni menu and a rainbow of Spritz options: including a Limoncello Spritz you must try!
Team that all up with its delightful staff and its ideal location which perfectly complements a visit to the Festival Centre, Adelaide Oval or a night in the city — and iTL is well worth checking out.
Rosie xx
