Overview
Hanging out by the river in Brisbane isn't the same as hitting up Italy's coastline, but it'll still give you a tase of la dolce vita at Howard Smith Wharves' Festa Italiana. The waterfront CBD precinct debuted its first-ever Italian food market in 2023, and now it's bringing it back in 2024 for two big four-day weekends celebrating cuisine and beverages from the other side of the world.
When it pops up from Thursday, May 23–Sunday, May 26 and Thursday, May 30–Sunday, June 2, the event will again boast a guest of honour: Naples-born and -raised, Sydney-based D'Elia chef Orazio D'Elia of Bondi Beach's Da Orazio. He isn't just making a second trip to Brisbane. The culinary figure with experience as Head Chef at Sydney's iconic Icebergs Dining Room and Bar alongside Maurice Terzini, who has then been keeping that collaboration going by opening Da Orazio Pizza + Porchetta, is once more behind Festa Italiana alongside HSW.
"The energy, people and sunshine in Brisbane reminded me of my hometown, evoking a sense of nostalgia. Brisbane's love for food only deepens the connection, adding to the familiar warmth I feel when I'm there," said Orazio about last year's fest and market, and 2024's return.
This year, he'll be bringing back two dishes he's known for — vodka rigatoni (made with tomato and vodka sauce) and focaccia con porchetta (with the meat fresh from the rotisserie, and paired with chilli-marinated grilled eggplant, cos lettuce and mayonnaise on schiacciatina bread) — alongside a few new menu additions, some of which he's keeping a surprise until the event.
"The other dishes I'll be cooking are inspired by my latest trip to Napoli," he advised. "Napoli is a city with a lot of energy and every Neapolitan loves food. The food in Napoli is tasty and has punchy flavours. Once you've tried them, you'll never forget."
"At this year's Festa Italiana, expect to see dishes like caserecce alla genovese (Neapolitan-style veal ragù) and fusilli alla luciana (tomato-braised baby octopus, black olives and capers). I think the hero dish will be the caserecce alla genovese, famous for its simplicity — it's a 'must-try'."
Timed to wrap up autumn and say hello to winter over its two weekends, as it was last year, Festa Italiana will take over HSW's main lawn with its Italian bites and sips — which will also span a live pasta station making fresh pasta onsite, a pop-up spritz bar, buffalo mozzarella, woodfired bread and fritto misto, all to live tunes providing a soundtrack.
Entry is free, with everything you're keen to eat and drink purchased as you go. The event will run from 4pm–late Thursday–Friday and from 12pm–late Saturday–Sunday.
Festa Italiana takes place at Howard Smith Wharves in the Brisbane CBD from Thursday, May 23–Sunday, May 26 and Thursday, May 30–Sunday, June 2. Head to the precinct's website for further details.