Businessmen Luke and Ben Bridge-McClelland to launch Alfio’s Table

The men behind a Whitsunday cleaning company are hoping to bring a little bit of Italy to a small town off the Bruce Highway.

An Italian-style cafe and restaurant to be launched in a small town adjacent to the Bruce Highway will serve authentic recipes from a beloved family member’s ‘cookbook’.

Whitsunday businessmen Luke and Ben Bridge-McClelland are hoping to launch Alfio’s Table in the town of Bloomsbury by the end of November.

The Bridge-McClellands moved to Midge Point from New South Wales three years ago, making a home there and starting a commercial cleaning company, Clean Team Whitsunday, which was nominated for a Whitsunday Tourism Award.

The inspiration for Alfio’s Table comes from Ben’s grandfather, Alfio himself.

Ben wanted to recreate his grandfather’s signature dishes.

A new Italian restaurant is coming to Bloomsbury hoping to resurrect the recipes of the owner's beloved grandfather.

“We’re going to be doing handmade pasta from scratch, cheeses, pizzas and your normal cafe food during the day,” Luke said.

“It’s going to be a thriving little spot.”

The highlight of the menu is Alfio’s handcrafted meatballs “made from a perfect mix of succulent local meats and fresh ingredients, all simmered in our made-from-scratch meatball sauce”.

Cakes, toasties and other treats will be on the Alfio’s Table cafe menu.

Ben will also be serving up his grandfather’s signature carrot cake recipe which the Bridge-McClellands described as a “perfect blend of flavours and love”.

“We want it to be very simple and homely,” Luke said.

“I think it’s the perfect location for what we’re doing… we’re trying to give the place a little bit of Italy.”

They plan to serve classic cafe fare during the day including toasties and “refreshing mango smoothies” and will also be fully licensed.

Alfio’s Table will be right across the road from the Bloomsbury BP Truckstop near the turn off onto Midge Point Rd.