Il Verde rules supreme in King Street’s Italian dining scene. Owned by Simon Barakat, Dom Barakat and Ibrahim ‘Bob’ Haddad, the restaurant fuses traditional techniques with modern flavours for a creative twist. It’s a welcome addition to Bowen Hills in Brisbane.

Il Verde uses fresh, local produce for their dishes. Customers rave about Il Verde’s specialty wood-fired pizzas which are baked in the traditional way. Meat lovers fall for their high-quality Australian wagyu beef and Italian sausage. Smoked salmon and calamari are also available. Take the Wheel is parmesan cheese night, when diners get a drink on arrival plus entrée, pasta and dessert for only $45. This only happens on Tuesday and Thursday, so the restaurant is booked out every week.

Health-conscious diners can order easily from Il Verde’s menu, which points out dishes that are gluten-free or good for vegans and vegetarians.

Restaurant Design

A wood-fired pizza oven stands out in Il Verde’s commercial kitchen. It produces wood-fired pizzas such as the restaurant’s signature dish, Pizza Il Verde. This specialty pizza consists of slow fermented dough with olive oil, cherry tomatoes and fresh mushrooms, topped with shaved parmesan and delicious fior di latte.

Il Verde’s commercial kitchen has an island layout. As a result, it’s easy for the head chef to supervise cooks in their respective stations. This is important because Il Verde’s dough and sauces are made in house.

The floor plan of the restaurant’s kitchen allows cooks to quickly get ingredients, prepare dishes and cook them. This is because Il Verde’s coldroom is right beside the prep area, and stainless steel benches are fitted with undercounter refrigerators. Chefs just have to turn around after prepping because most cooking equipment are in the middle of the commercial kitchen.

Il Verde was designed with two passthroughs, making it easy for servers to pick up dishes and deliver them to guests. The chargrill is visible from the dining area, so waiting customers can watch lamb cutlets, deboned chicken and wild caught prawns being grilled in the kitchen. A glass panel protects the grilled food from contamination. It also prevents guests from getting spattered with oil.

The Italian restaurant offers various types of seating for guests. There are cosy booths and comfortable banquet seats around the dining area. Guests could also dine al fresco in Il Verde’s beautiful garden.

Bar Design

The bar is strategically located at the front of the restaurant to serve diners in-house or alfresco. Il Verde’s drinks are perfectly chilled thanks to an undercounter pre-mix cooler and refrigerators. Beer kegs tucked under the counter keep the font flowing, while feature shelves display more choices of drinks to the restaurant’s patrons. A specialty coffee grinder and coffee machine provide espresso to caffeine lovers.

Food Strategy’s foodservice designers used their extensive knowledge on various brands and types of catering equipment while working on Il Verde. They considered the menu and specific needs of the food business to choose the right equipment for its commercial kitchen.

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