Pitzi Pasta Bar

Fico is the golden child of Hobart’s dining scene. If you can’t get a table there, try its younger sibling Pitzi (Italian for “little one”), a pasta bar where the Fico team has let its hair down a little.

Its co-owners and chefs Federica Andrisani and Oskar Rossi (ex-Vue De Monde) met in the kitchen at the Michelin-starred restaurant El Coq in Vicenza. Here they offer a deliberately concise menu. Slices of house-made focaccia are enjoyed with hazelnut oil and an anchovy. During the cooler months, go for house-made tagliatelle tossed through alfredo sauce and layered with shaved truffle from Tasmanian Truffles. And afterwards, you might like Sicilian coffee granita served in an elegant dessert glass, topped with Fernet caramel and a swirl of panna montata (whipped cream).

At Pitzi, it’s wise to bring a crew and order one of everything. Set up at one of the inviting communal tables, designed by local maker Laura McCusker. Or, if you’re dining for two, up at the front bar. The walls are adorned with artworks by Rossi’s father, the late Tom Samek. You can settle in with a chinotto spritz, cherry Amaretto Sour, or ask for a recommendation from the mostly Tasmanian and Italian wine list.