Lily’s Restaurant is the newest Italian joint to open in Highfields

Fresh made pasta and locally sourced produce are proving a hit with Highfields residents at this newly opened Italian restaurant on the New England Highway.

The thing that Lily’s Restaurant owner Bruce Ryman loves most about Italian food is its freshness.

So when he and his wife Heidi took over the running of the Highfields Motel at the start of June, they were able to use the then-shuttered restaurant as a blank canvas.

Italian was the obvious choice.

Mr Ryman loves serving up traditional northern Italian food, a cuisine he’s been cooking after learning from an Italian nonna a quarter of a century ago.

“In winter you get those really deep, slow-cooked, braised foods that just fill you up and you walk out happy,” he said.

“And in the summer you get fresh pastas.”

Adding to the freshness is the fact that all Mr Ryman’s dishes are made from scratch – even the pasta.

And he’s also keen on locally-grown produce.

All the herbs are grown in the motel’s garden, the eggs are free range from Goombungee, the meat comes from Bannock Brae Meats at Meringandan West, the bread’s from Ravensbourne, and Top of the Range Gourmet Mushrooms even dropped up some delicious mushroom varieties on Thursday, which Mr Ryman said he was looking forward to incorporating into one of his pastas.

“We’re adding to the menu on a weekly basis and just growing it slowly and containably,” he said.

Lily’s Restaurant is located at the Highfields Motel at 10552 New England Hwy, Highfields, and is open for dinner from 5pm on Friday and Saturday nights.

Bookings for Lily’s Restaurant are essential and can be made by calling 4699 6996.