Adelaide’s new wave of Italian restaurants

Pizza, pasta – that’s amore. A new wave of Italian restaurants show that simple foods like pizza and pasta have never gone out of fashion

Ettore Bertonati’s handsome pizzeria has been packed since opening two months ago. Photo: Matt Turner

A new wave of Italian restaurants shows that simple foods like pizza and pasta have never gone out of fashion

Ettore Bertonati’s dough is left to prove for two days before it is used at his restaurant Madre. When the dining room is full, however, the pizzas can be stretched, tossed, topped and cooked in minutes.

That’s a good thing because the handsome-looking pizzeria has been packed since it traded for the first time two months ago in the south of the city.

Madre is one of the new wave of Italian restaurants that have opened around SA in the past year.

Of the 20 new restaurants to make the delicious.100 list, released on Sunday, six of them serve Italian food.

Ettore Bertonati at his restaurant Madre. Photo: Matt Turner

Joining Madre are appealing new ventures including the welcoming pasta specialist Nido in Hyde Park, Andre Ursini’s game-changing eastern suburbs eatery Orso, and Lot 100, where the tastings of different beverages are complemented by a menu including wood-oven pizzas.

It all goes to show that, despite often dramatic changes in the way people eat, comfort foods such as pizza and pasta never go out of fashion.

“People love Italian food because it is very, very simple,” Ettore says. “You can really understand what you are eating compared to other foods.

“For example, pasta with tomato, basil and cheese can be a full meal for us.”

Ettore’s reputation as one of the best pizzaioli in the country ensured that there was already huge expectation for Madre.

“People were waiting for us for a long time,” Ettore says.

Now, on a busy night, that can mean orders for 130-plus pizzas that can be in and out of the wood oven in as little as 60 seconds.

The “assunta” with portobello mushrooms and pancetta, and the simple “margherita” are the favourite toppings, Ettore says.

57 Gilbert St, city, pizzamadre.com.au