Festa Italiana Brings Back Its Greatest Hits – and a Pop-Up from Amalfi’s Conca del Sogno

Festa Italiana is back for its fourth year, bringing a hit of Italian summer to Brisbane winter.

Sydney-based Italian chef Orazio D’Elia is back at the helm, curating a program of food, drinks and music which captures the spirit of Italian hospitality.

Headlining this year’s festival is Conca del Sogno’s Australian debut. Conca del Sogno is a prestigious family-run beach club and restaurant on the Amalfi Coast. Tucked alongside Recommone Beach in Nerano, it’s the sort of place where long lunches turn into champagne-soaked afternoons. Chef and host Pierluigi Guidone is coming to Brisbane for the festival. He’ll be serving the restaurant’s famous spaghetti alla Nerano and its signature sgroppino.

“Conca del Sogno has always been a place I’ve loved, not just for the food and hospitality, but for the memories attached to it,” said D’Elia in a statement. “It’s actually where I got married, so having them come to Australia and be part of Festa Italiana this year feels really special.”

Other Italian treats will be on offer too. Vendors will serve up antipasti classics like melon and prosciutto, caprese salad, gorgonzola with figs, as well as bigger snacks like seafood fritto misto and arancini.

Naturally there will be pizza – margherita, salamini and capriccosia – and pasta including D’Elia’s signature rigatoni alla vodka.

Other substantial feeds include porchetta alla romana, lasagna and a cacio e pepe risotto topped with prawns.

For sweet tooths there will be a Messina cart serving Italian-inspired scoops, cannoli, tiramisu and Neapolitan “lobster tail” pastries.

Beyond the sgroppino, drinks will include spritzes, Bellinis and Italian wines as well as a bespoke Italian lager from Felons.

There’ll also be a pop-up Italian deli selling everything you’d need to bring the Festa Italiana energy home with you.

Festa Italiana will return to Howard Smith Wharves over two weekends. From Thursday May 28 to Sunday May 31 and then again from Thursday June 4 to Sunday June 7.