Gemelli Italian James St

Overview

Gemelli Italian has set up shop in Fortitude Valley's bustling James Street precinct, marking the Gold Coast-based chain's first Brisbane outpost. You might've eaten at brand's spots down the coast, which include a restaurant in Broadbeach and a trattoria in Nobby Beach, but now it has made the trip up north.

Decked out with timber arches to break up the space, and featuring large windows as well, Gemelli's James Street eatery has a light and airy feel. Settling into the McLachlan and James street corner site that was previously home to Bucci, it's serving up pizza, pasta, antipasti and sweet dishes such as deep-fried dessert gnocchi and Nutella calzones, all inside a three-level dining space.

Here, you can start with the cherry tomato, buffalo mozzarella and parmesan-topped bruschetta, then move on to a black olive and black anchovy pizza or the carbonara, or opt for bistecca or saltimbocca.

The drinks list favours Italian beers and wines, too, and you can sip classic Italian cocktails — negronis, bellinis, rossinis and the like — or try house concoctions such as the Sicilian margarita.

Those pizzas? They're cooked in a bespoke oven from Naples. Those tipples? They hail from the bar at the back. Fancy some salumi? There's a display fridge filled with it.

Images: PHNX Digital.