Business
3 February, 2024
Restaurant forever Italian
MIDWAY along Shields Street is where you will find Pist4cchi Restaurant and Cocktail Bar, Cairn’s very own slice of Italy where two Italian chaps are sharing the warmth of their Nonna’s love and inspiration with us all.
From the welcoming greeting, the chill vibe with undertones of a Nonna’s hug, exciting cocktail choices, and the delicious authentic Italian cuisine on offer, get ready for a ‘Bellissima Esperienza’.
For owners Paolo and Francesco, Pistacchi truly is their dream come true. A culmination of their life-long friendship, love of family, food and fun.
A meeting of four teenagers starting their careers in hospitality industry in Italy, led to a great friendship between the four with their collective passion for travel and food saw the foursome adventure together worldwide for over 20 years.
The time came for the foursome to divide, with two friends having to return to Italy for family reasons. Their final evening together wound up with the four lifelong friends reminiscing over a bag of pistachios, which led to quick late night dash to a tattooist for a last group tattoo – of a pistachio, of course.
Paolo and Francesco continued with the foursome’s dream, to combine their knowledge and love of Italian cuisine and finally take the leap into their own restaurant.
Paolo said they both knew exactly where they wanted to settle – Cairns. “We are so honoured to call Cairns home, and to be able to transport our guests to Italy with every bite,” he said.
Their dreams came true when they opened Pist4cchi in 2021. Pronounced ‘pistakki,’ which is of course Italian for pistachios. The A is replaced with a 4 to honour the lifelong friendship, now family, of the foursome.
The menu combines recipes from their southern Italian mothers and nonnas, along with favourites from northern Italy they have gathered on their travels, all recreated with a modern ‘pistacchi’ twist.
In keeping with traditional methods they make everything they can by hand, just like Nonna did back in the old country.
Handmade pastas and breads and sauces, using fresh and local ingredients as well as adding the magical ingredient to any Italian dish – that extra dash of love. Delicacies such as prosciutto, salami and cheeses are brought in from only the best Italian delis, stored and only sliced when you order so can genuinely enjoy the freshness and fullness of their rich flavours.
No Italian meal is complete without wine. Pist4cchi has every palate covered with over 100 Italian wines and some select Australian labels to complement your meal, or simply enjoy with something light from their tapas menu at the cocktail bar.
