Pizza to pappardelle – we’ve uncovered some of the Gold Coast’s best Italian restaurants

Feb 05, 2025, updated Feb 13, 2025

There’s something deeply satisfying about plunging a fork into a bowl of freshly made pasta topped with just the right amount of sauce, that first eagerly anticipated sip of a slightly chilled red or wrapping your mitts around a sizeable slice of pizza straight from the oven – it’s the culinary equivalent of a big, warm hug, which sounds pretty darn great right now. To point you in the right direction, we’ve put together a handy list of some of the Gold Coast’s best Italian restaurants, in no particular order …

Tommy’s Italian, Currumbin: Snacking on freshly shucked oysters with chardonnay mignonette and grilled prawns while sipping on a crisp glass of wine at Tommy’s is a delightful way to spend a sun-kissed day on the Gold Coast. This modern coastal trattoria brings a touch of luxe with its famed seasonal menu and elevated eats. While it’s all worthy of hero status, the prawn fettuccine with garlic, chilli and prawn oil is truly delizioso.

Sofia’s Restaurant & Bar, Broadbeach: Nestled within the row of restaurants at The Oasis in Brodbeach, Sofia’s Restaurant & Bar is bringing a little taste of coastal Europe with a mouth-watering menu that is designed for sharing. The venue’s owner Henry Hunt wanted to bring people together with good food and good wine, which is precisely what you’ll find here.

Piatto, Mermaid Beach: Piatto, which translates to ‘plate’ in Italian, is an intimate 16-seat eatery from the Pearce family – who also own Cantina next door and previously gifted us Lupo and Espana Tapas Bar. Reimagined in mid-2022 as a dedicated Italian bar and ristorante, Piatto offers a refined dining experience with handmade pasta and aperitif-style cocktails, all served in a moody, dimly lit atmosphere.

Cucina Vivo, Broadbeach: Inspired by the cliff-top restaurants of the Amalfi Coast, Cucina Vivo at The Star Gold Coast dishes up classics and inspired crowd favourites in a convivial and relaxed setting, which is centered around a giant woodfired pizza oven. It’s great for group dining, there’s an extensive wine list and the Italian desserts (looking at you, ricotta-stuffed cannoli) are a culinary delight.

Balboa Italian, Palm Beach: This multi-level dining spot brings a little piece of Italy to Palm Beach, and is well known by locals for its delicious woodfired pizzas and handmade pasta. Start your food journey with a bite of stuzzichini before lingering in the antipasti section with the likes of crispy sage focaccia, kingfish crudo and arancini. The pasta here is legendary, so don’t fill up on bread.

Piada Co, Burleigh: With its bright maroon tables and orange-striped upholstery reminiscent of Amalfi’s iconic beach umbrellas, Piada Co has brought Italian street food to Burleigh. The chic 50-seater exudes a breezy, seaside charm that invites you to linger with an Aperol in one hand and a piadina – or piada, as they’re known here – in the other. If Aperol isn’t your vibe, do yourself a favour and try the frappes, which are canned on the spot using Japanese soft serve.

Bar Monte, Miami: A hot new contender for the list is Miami’s new nosherie from the team that created popular modern-Asian diner Light Years. The menu at Bar Monte aims to put a refreshing and modern twist on traditional Italian cuisine, with snacks, share plates and mains. Start with the house-made focaccia with whipped butter and hot honey, or the Ortiz anchovy toast with smoked-tomato butter and lemon, and don’t look past the burrata. Cacio e pepe headlines the pasta offering, and further down the menu there are mains like porcini-rubbed bistecca with onion and bone-marrow butter, joined by sides like zucchini fritti with hot honey, mint and lemon.

Amore Ristorante, Southport: Opening late last year, Amore Ristorante is nestled within the brand-new TRYP by Wyndham Southport delivering a people pleasing selection that spans from casual eats to elevated Italian cuisine. Think oysters and Venetian scallops alongside blossoms stuffed with crab mousse and burrata from Byron Bay. The pasta is a stand-out, with each pillow and strand made in house. The wagyu beef bolognese is a crowd favourite, and don’t even get us started on the perfectly crisp pizza!

Goccia Italian, Mermaid Beach: This is a true neighbourhood gem. You’ll smell the traditional pizzas from miles away, so follow your nose and you’ll be greeted with a hearty ‘ciao’ from owners Anna and Goccia before settling in for a truly authentic feast. Pizza is the hero here, but there’s also a handful of starters and share plates, alongside daily specials. Just so you know, the ‘bosco’ pizza (mozzarella, porcini mushroom, blue cheese and prosciutto) is highly addictive.

Pepé Italia Deli, Palm Beach: Bringing people together over traditional homemade Italian food, the refreshed deli-restaurant continues to showcase quality Italian ingredients and recipes, including antipasti, traditional woodfired pizzas and handmade pastas, that are sure to tantalise taste buds. Get your Pepé fix by sitting in at the cosy Palm Beach restaurant or takeaway the delicious deli offering of sliced meats, cheeses, pastas and sauces to indulge at home.

Gemelli (Broadbeach) and Gemellini (Nobby Beach): If it’s nonna’s cooking you crave, then you can’t go wrong with these two traditional Italian siblings. Gemelli in Broadbeach is larger and armed with a more extensive menu, while Gemellini brings a more intimate vibe to Nobby Beach – both keep it simple and authentic, serving pizzas, handmade pastas and more. There’s also Roy’s by Gemelli in Sorrento – a neighbourhood trattoria serving loyal locals with hearty Italian fare.

Crispy Italian Bar, Burleigh Heads: Filling the panini-shaped void in our collective hearts, Cripsy Italian Bar in Burleigh Heads offers up mouth-watering Italian cuisine, coffee at any time of the day, perfect pizza and aperitivos at sunset. As the name suggests, the paninis are delightfully crisp on the outside and packed with oozy cheese and flavour on the inside, and the pizza is cooked to crisp perfection in the venue’s woodfired oven. See for yourself why it’s earned a spot on the list.

Sogno Italiano, Mermaid Waters and Burleigh Waters: When Sogno Italiano opened its doors in Mermaid Waters, the response from the local pizza-loving populace was an immediate and resounding yes. Fast-forward a couple of years and tables in the suburban 55-seater are just as in demand as the day they opened, prompting owners Sushil and Prajwol Maharjan to scope a second spot at Treetops Plaza, just a pizza-toss from their original home. 

Bottega Chevron Village, Chevron Island: Bridging the gap between fine dining and casual trattoria, Bottega sits somewhere in between. At the helm is head chef and owner Enzo Loterzo, who draws on his 30-plus years of experience with chefs from Bill Marchetti to Simon Humble and has a reputation for being an artist of food. Just trust us on this one.

Radici Pasta House, Coolangatta: Translated to mean ‘roots’ in Italian, Radici Pasta House offers a culinary experience that is deeply rooted in Italian food culture – something which owners Valentina Dominici and Otello Mancini and the venue’s head chef Marco Minore are incredibly passionate about. The trio grew up in various regions of Italy surrounded by gastronomic traditions, traditions they hope to share with all who dine here.

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Modo Mio, Broadbeach: This elevated Italian eatery is by Max and Amanda Alfieri, who have owned and operated restaurants at Sanctuary Cove for years. When it comes to the menu, it’s a culmination of favourites from their 28 years in hospitality. There’s Neapolitan-style pizzas, entrees (or Primo Piatto, as they’re called here), pasta and mains. Modo Mio brings Max and Amanda’s passion for great food and ambience to life in a stunning marble-filled setting that provides the perfect backdrop for dining, drinking and making a day (and night) out of your shopping expeditions.

Oscar Italia, Varsity Lakes: If you’re looking for a budget-friendly option to feed the fam, this is it. Oscar Italia dishes up a drool-inducing array of pizzas and authentic Italian mains in a relaxed and convivial setting. While it’s all delicious (tried and tested), the pan-seared gnocchi is a must try!

Double Zero, Coolangatta and Robina Town Centre: Specialising in authentic Italian food made with love, these two sister venues feature a relaxed and welcoming disposition and rustic charm. The state-of-the-art pizza ovens (which have been flown in from Italy) churn out a seriously moreish range of pizzas that achieve that perfect balance between crispness and crust. 

Salt Meats Cheese, Surfers Paradise: Pizza, pasta, cheese, charcuterie, wine – this is where you’ll find all of life’s greatest pleasures under one roof. The gnocchi is divine, the baked cheese is an absolute must try, and the famed cheese-wheel pasta is what dreams are made of. Oh, and don’t get us started on the authentic woodfired pizzas …

Costa D’oro, Surfers Paradise: There’s something delightfully comforting about the long-standing institutions that have been around for forever and a day and ‘Costa’ (as it’s known to locals) is one of them. Serving authentic Italian food from the same premises in Surfers Paradise since 1987, this family-owned and operated establishment prides itself on creating traditional Italian dishes using fresh Australian produce, with grass-fed veal and beef and local hormone-free chicken forming part of an impressive menu of classics. Don’t leave without experiencing the tiramisu.

Romanas Italian, Nobby Beach: Reaching similar icon status is Romanas in Nobby Beach, which is celebrating 41 years in business. Specialising in traditional home-style cuisine including pizza, pasta and seafood, this long-standing institution greets guests like family. Oh, and for a little bonus, it’s BYO wine from Monday to Thursday.

Gnocchi Gnocchi Brothers, Southport: This dedicated gnoccheria won over hearts and stomachs in Brisbane for years before making the move south, setting up shop in Southport in early 2020. Gnocchi Gnocchi Brothers specialises in authentic handmade Italian gnocchi, all made from scratch on site. The menu is kept intentionally simple with a choice of six gnocchi variations, plus sides and snacks like marinated olives, Italian salad, truffle-salted potato chips, and golden salt-and-pepper calamari. Save room for a cannoli, chased with some limoncello.

Ioesco, Sanctuary Cove: If you’re a firm believer that Italian food is best enjoyed on the water’s edge, then Ioesco will certainly tick that box for you. Steeped in tradition, Ioesco has been delighting diners with its modern Italian fare for more than a decade – it’s well known for its true Italian hospitality and contemporary interpretations of classic Napoli cuisine. 

Lello’s Pasta Bar, Brunswick Heads: Venturing further south from the Gold Coast, head to local Lello’s at Brunswick Heads for pasta approved by Nonna.  Sit out on the side verandah and drink in the small town hospitality, where the staff make you feel like family. It’s all about simple dishes done well – the classic flavours of fresh basil, tomato and mozzarella sing, salt-and-pepper calamari is lightly coated the traditional way and the tagliatelle lamb ragu will not disappoint. Lello’s is a glorious celebration of Italian food.

Spaghetti & Jazz, Robina: If you’re hunting for dinner with a side of fun and live music, Robina’s Spaghetti & Jazz has you covered, deliciously and delightfully. If you’re yet to experience this unique dining concept, book yourself a table, stat.

Bar Italia, Surfers Paradise: Celebrating 15 years, this Surfers Paradise institution offers the perfect perch for a spot of people watching. The alfresco setting is perfect for coffee, breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Curb your daytime craving with a panini, or just make a bee-line straight to the pizza and pasta – there’s no wrong answer here.

Mario’s Italian, Broadbeach: When a restaurant has been operating for nearly 30 years, you can assume they must have the formula right. Despite its facelift in 2017, Mario’s retained its history and charm, while elegantly stepping into the modern day. The menu spans from pizzas, to handmade pastas, Italian share plates and more – and it’s all best enjoyed with a well-made negroni in hand.

La Calabrese, Surfers Paradise: Located on level one of Ocean by Meriton (opposite COAST Beach Bar & Kitchen), La Calabrese has the art of dining nailed with comfortable leather booth-style seating running down the centre of the dining room, an open kitchen filling the air with irresistible aromas and the team jovially conversing in their native Italian tongue.

Enzo’s Cucina, Surfers Paradise: The focus here is on fresh and homely Italian food that is served with the warmth of southern Italian hospitality. Every bite that makes its way on to a plate has been lovingly crafted by the team to deliver a flavour bomb to your taste buds. The gnocchi, for example, are made from scratch by Enzo’s nephews. The meatballs pay homage to Enzo’s mother’s cooking. In true Italian style, every meal is a celebration.

Of course, this really is just the tip of the ice berg! When it comes to Italian cuisine, the Gold Coast truly is spoilt for choice. If you’re still hungry for more, check out Figo in Broadbeach, Alfresco Italian in Surfers Paradise, That’s Amore in Miami, Go Eataliano in Oxenford and Bassk Italian in Coolangatta. George’s Pizza Wine Bar opens its doors in Tallebudgera on Friday and Saturday nights, and speaking of pizza, keep your peepers peeled as we’ll be working on a slice-by-slice guide to the Gold Coast’s best pizza oh-so-soon.