Pippo opens its doors in former Cafe Paesano site
It’s been 12 months since the longstanding Cafe Paesano shut its doors in North Adelaide. Now, new restaurant Pippo promises to fill the restaurant void.
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Gone is the black bar and marble tiles, dark timber tables and sterile downlights.
Pippo has taken over the former Cafe Paesano site in North Adelaide, and it’s a brighter, lighter incarnation of the prime corner spot on busy O’Connell St.
The all-day restaurant, brought to life by the husband-wife team, James and Danielle Elia (PublicCBD, Bowlsome), officially opens its doors tomorrow.
“We’re so excited. There has been such a buzz in the area,” says Danielle, who designed the fresh-look interior with light timber panelling, travertine tiling and red ochre bricks.
“We refitted the entire space including the floors and ceilings. It was quite dark, so I wanted to lighten the space and ensure our patrons feel relaxed and welcomed.
“North Adelaide has such beautiful tree-lined streets, which we really noticed once we took the wrap off the windows and the natural light flooded in.”
It’s been 12 months since the site’s former tenant, Cafe Paesano, shut its doors. The Archer hotel across the road has also closed and reopened in that time.
But it hasn’t all been doom and gloom on the strip, with new restaurants including L’Italy and Piccoli Piatti also opening this year.
“James and I believe to have success in this industry you must get the formula right to begin with, and open in a location that has the population for it to thrive,” Danielle says. “This area has had tremendous success in the past, however we also felt as though there was a gap in the market for an all-day eatery.
“PublicCBD was opened seven years ago with a similar formula of what we are planning at Pippo: honest, simple delicious food, served in a relaxed atmosphere.”
While PublicCBD is open late on Fridays, Pippo will be open for dinner daily, and all-day brunch on weekends.
Chef Jaime Glennie from PublicCBD will oversee the kitchen team, turning out dishes from chickpea and wattleseed hummus and crispy squid, to housemade pasta, wood-fired pizza and whole lamb shoulder, also cooked in the wood oven.
“We hope that families bring their kids here (and) the workers in the area pop past for great coffee and an on-the-go item or linger for lunch,” Dani says. “On the weekends, we picture young groups brunching and families enjoying their time together.”
Pippo, 67 O’Connell St, North Adelaide, 7am-late daily