Sunshine Coast restaurants: Tony Kelly to open Bocca Italian

An experienced chef with an Italian background and a pizza oven imported from Italy will add to the authentic offerings at Tony Kelly’s new restaurant.

An experienced chef with an Italian background will add to the authentic experience at hospitality identity Tony Kelly’s eighth dining establishment on the Sunshine Coast.

The businessman behind Rice Boi and Giddy Geisha will open his eighth venue, Bocca Italian, at Bokarina Beach in early June.

The restaurant will be located at the ground floor of Clark Group’s beachfront Seanna Residences at 21 Kombi St.

Mr Kelly said it would have a “refined casual” dining experience, seat up to 150 people and include a 14-seat private dining room.

“We have some incredible local suppliers as well as traditional Italian providores from Melbourne and Brisbane so will have a strong focus on fresh produce and iconic pasta dishes as well as stunning pizzas from the stone base Moretti pizza oven which we have imported from Italy,” Mr Kelly said.

“This will be a restaurant where locals and visitors will come regardless of if they are celebrating a special occasion or coming off the beach with sand between their toes, they will all be welcome with traditional Italian hospitality and stunning flavours you would expect to enjoy in any coastal Italian town.”

Similar to Mr Kelly’s Market Bistro restaurant in Maroochydore, Bocca Italian would have a bottle shop next door with local and imported wines, spirits and craft beers that customers can purchase and enjoy in the restaurant or take home.

Market Bistro manager Luke Stringer and executive chef Harry Lilai will be business partners and driving forces behind Bocca Italian.

Mr Lilai has established and operated Italian restaurants including the 250-seat Cecconi’s at Crown Casino in Melbourne, which he later opened in Hong Kong and Macau.

Experienced Sunshine Coast restauranteur Tony Kelly is opening his eighth dining experience, Bocca Italian, at Bokarina Beach.

He has also been involved in Greca at Howard Smith Wharfs, Baby in Richmond and the award-winning Town Hall Hotel in Fitzroy.

“With his Italian background, Harry’s food is all about giving, his experience as a boy growing up with six siblings, an Italian mother and an Albanian father along with an enormous extended family have all influenced the professional side of his career and this shows through with the depth of flavours in the menu he has prepared,” Mr Kelly said.

Bocca Italian will open seven days a week from 11.30am until late.

Mr Kelly’s other Sunshine Coast establishments include Rice Boi and Spero at the Wharf Mooloolaba, Miss May Sippy Downs, Market Bistro and Giddy Geisha at Maroochydore, Piggyback at Palmwoods and the Eudlo General Store.

Originally published as Sunshine Coast restaurants: Tony Kelly to open Bocca Italian