La Dolce Decade: Locale Noosa
Deb Caruso discovers the secret family recipe that has seen Locale Noosa deliver a sweet decade of dining delights.
For ten years Locale Noosa has been dishing up authentic Italian dishes and signature events with heartwarming hospitality and passion.
Rio started working in Hastings Street in 1998 and worked his way up from waiter to barman to restaurant manager, and eventually owner of Lindoni’s in 2007. When it was forced to close due to redevelopment, he joined Ogilvie Group to open Locale, an Italian restaurant built on family values.
Surrounded by lush gardens in a protected corner of Hastings Street, the interior is sophisticated, captivating and alluring – almost cave-like with deep, rich colours, luxe velvet textures, dramatic lighting, and statement pieces by Petrifleur. Fully air-conditioned and protected from the elements, it is perfect for all seasons.
Drawing heavily on Italian traditions, the menu changes seasonally using local ingredients, including from Ogilvie Group’s Maravista Farm, along with premium imported ingredients.
Executive Chef Chris Hagan’s culinary wizardry brings together textures and flavours that redefine indulgence and pay homage to the food of Rio’s homeland of Bari in Puglia, Italy.
They entered the tenth year having achieved Chef’s Hats for two consecutive years and with three goblets awarded for Australia’s Wine List of the Year in 2023.
The New Year’s Day party started 2024 with a bang for what Rio hopes will become a must-do annual event as guests dressed to impress and danced to live DJs whilst indulging in exquisite canapés and food stations, amazing cocktails and premium champagne.
Rio is renown for his hospitality with his homemade Limoncello often providing guests with a traditional digestif at the end of a meal.
In fact, when we launched IN Noosa Magazine, Locale had not long been open so we held our first ever wine lunch there with Rio providing a very memorable Limoncello Making Masterclass. We are super excited to announce that we will again host a wine lunch in spring at Locale with Rio preparing a special something extra. Stay tuned for that!
With a focus on treating customers like family, weddings and celebrations are next-level at Locale and it is often the children of customers from Lindoni’s who are now choosing Locale for weddings and celebrations.
“You get to know people over the years and they mean something to you,” Amanda says. “In our booking system you can see how we get to know our clients and what they need.”
When I arrive to chat with Rio and Amanda, she is trying to source a make-up artist for a Melbourne bride whose parents used to dine at Lindoni’s; Rio shows me the heirloom tomatoes that the father of the bride has sent from his garden to be used on the menu; and it will be Rio’s Vespa that will be used in the wedding photos – now that’s family hospitality.
For Amanda, its special celebrations that have provided some of the key highlights from the past decade.
“The weddings have been very lovely,” she said. “A lot of them are people we’ve known and loved for years and to deliver their special day is so meaningful. We become part of their lives and then they start bringing their children to the restaurant, so a relationship begins with the next generation.”
Rio said his highlights from the past ten years was working with great people along the way.
“You should never underestimate the importance of the people who are working for you,” he said. “Every chef, waiter, restaurant manager, everyone who has worked behind the bar, on the floor and in the kitchen – they are what makes Locale great.
“You can’t do everything so without them, the restaurant is nothing. We want to say thank you to everyone who has been part of the journey.”
For Rio and Amanda, family and their team is everything with their children and they are very proud of their daughter Ellie who gained her start in hospitality in the family business and their son Corrado who first started working when he was twelve and now works alongside them at Locale.
When asked what the secret to their success was, Amanda said they really didn’t know but there was an x-factor that can never be quantified in any project.
“Maybe it’s old school hospitality, being present and really caring for our customers and team – or maybe it’s Rio’s accent,” she laughs.
“I think it’s mostly because we persisted,” Rio adds.
Whatever it is, here’s to the next ten years of working it out.
DON’T MISS:
Locale Long Lunch – 1st Sunday of every month. Four courses with Aperol Spritz and live music, $95pp. Children’s menu available. www.localenoosa.com.au
Noosa Eat & Drink events:
The Locale Long Italian Lunch – Friday 31 May, 12 noon. Indulge in a traditional long lunch featuring artisan cheese makers and premium local produce, in collaboration with chef Will Cowper of Otto, Brisbane. $210pp.
NED Beach Club – Saturday 1 June, 3 sessions of 2 hrs each. Enjoy an Italian Grazing Platter with two cocktails or 4 standard drinks. Tickets start at $440 for four.
The Locale Gala Dinner – Sunday 2 June, 7pm. Chris Hagan of Locale, Jason Saxby of Rae’s at Wategos, and Ben Williamson of Agnes will take you on a culinary journey over four courses with paired wines. $270pp.
Book via www.noosaeatdrink.com.au
