Mosconi

Mosconi is a small, comfortable and refined restaurant in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane, built around food, wine and hospitality. Established in March 2019, the venue describes itself as a product of people coming together to share what they love, with an emphasis on an honest dining experience and hospitality with heart.

The à la carte menu draws strongly on Italian cooking while making room for Australian produce. Starters range from Pacific oysters with apple mignonette and Shark Bay scallops with hazelnut and herb pangrattato to Byron Bay burrata with beetroot, mandarin and walnut. There is also Fremantle octopus, beef tartare and roasted quail, giving diners plenty of choice beyond the pasta section.

Pasta and larger plates are a major focus. Options include pappardelle with lamb shoulder ragù and aged Reggiano, blue swimmer crab agnolotti with lemon butter, risotto with Western Australian scampi, and fettuccini with local mushrooms, truffle shallot and warrigal greens. Seafood and meat dishes include reef fish with fregola and vongole, veal cotoletta with celeriac and smoked pancetta, and market beef served with hand-cut fries and peppercorn sauce. Sides, a selection of cheeses and desserts such as tiramisu, banoffee tart and orange-and-almond buddino round out the offering.

Mosconi suits diners looking for a considered restaurant meal in a more intimate setting, whether sharing a full dinner or choosing from the wine, sweet wine and amaro selections. It also caters specifically for groups: parties of eight or more can select from set group menus, with dietary alterations available. The mezzanine is offered for groups of 13 to 22, the downstairs dining room for 25 to 30, and the full restaurant for private events of roughly 40 to 65 people. Group and private dining bookings require advance planning, with the venue asking groups to choose their menu one to two weeks before the booking.