ITALIAN IN NORTHCOTE 3070

QIKI History: Italians as the Godfathers of Melbourne Cuisine

After arriving in large numbers post-WWII, Italian-Aussie immigrants made their first imprint on the culture by setting up fresh market shops – like farmer’s markets. That way, local farmers were encouraged to grow fresh produce like tomatoes, olives (for fresh-pressed extra virgin olive oil), eggplant, arugula, sage, and more. With these fresh ingredients came an incredible culinary tradition that changed the face of the restaurant scene, starting in the 1950s. Now, Italian influence on the Aussie palate is a welcome benefit to our culture!

Look for incredible kinds of pizzas, pastas, and Italian dumplings (gnocchi) at the local Italian restaurants in Northcote. We have found some of the best pizzas in Melbourne at these spots, so do not overlook them. Take a closer look at some of the incredible dishes offered below.

QIKI Primer: Local Specialties from the Italian Restaurants in Northcote

Here are a few of our favorite local specialties – right off the menu of the Italian restaurants in Northcote. This section can give you a good idea of what dishes and flavor combos to expect when heading out.

Margherita Pizza

Baked from homemade pizza dough, this traditional Italian classic can be found at every Italian restaurant in Northcote. If you are trying to introduce someone to Italian food, this is a good place to start. The San Marzano tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, garlic, olive oil, and basil make this pizza arguably the most popular pizza in the world. Try it out at the local Italian restaurants in Northcote.

Lamborghini

Here is a true local specialty from the Italian restaurants in Northcote: 12-hour slow cooked lamb, garlic, goat cheese, fior di latte, onion, olives, and rosemary make this pizza an absolutely authentic, yet unique, delight. Highly recommended, a QIKI Cuisine favorite.

Westgarth

Made with roasted peppers, Confit tomato, zucchini, eggplant, Stracciatella, and goat cheese the Westgarth is a fully vegetarian plate. However, the veggies are so perfectly roasted that we would recommend it to meat lovers too. Definitely try it out to taste the flavorings of roasted zucchini and eggplant melded with tomatoes and goat cheese!

Fettuccine

House made fettuccine with slow braised beef ragu. Do we have to say more? Find it at the local Italian restaurants in Northcote!

Gnocchi (vg)

House made gnocchi with mixed mushrooms and a touch of cream, gnocchi the Italian dumplings are another QIKI Cuisine favorite. These little potato-pieces of heaven are a blessing for any meal – pray for the Pope when eating gnocchi. The Italians did us a solid on this one.