Chef owner Tony Percuoco draws on his Napoli roots and takes traditional Italian fare up a notch. Housed in Fortitude Valley’s modern Emporium Hotel, inside it feels like stepping into a bistro in Naples. Under tall ceilings of pressed black metal are cosy red leather booths and tables with crisp white cloths. It’s intimate enough for a date but also ideal for a gathering, with dishes made for sharing.

All pasta is house-made and the linguini is perfectly al dente, served in a creamy mascarpone and mushroom sauce with hints of truffle and salty parmesan shavings. The entree is large enough to share and leaves room for rollata di vitello – tender veal filled with a thin thyme and tomato frittata, rolled in pancetta. A light carrot puree and sauteed spinach balance the saltiness of the rollata.

There are five desserts and a good selection of Italian cheeses to finish. Worth trying is the round, generous serving of tartina di pera. Buttery, crumbly pastry is baked with an almond meal and amaretto-infused filling, topped with pear slices and sitting aside a macadamia gelato and macadamia crumble.

There’s also an eight-course degustation and wood-fired pizza menu. A metal-topped bar runs the length of the restaurant with the extensive drinks menu celebrating Italy’s wine regions. This refined approach to traditional food and wine extends to the faultless, friendly service, and artful presentation.

 Must-eat dish: Linguine ai funghi tartufati