The Art of the Aperitivo at Locale
Blending Italian tradition with a dash of nostalgia, Nicole May discovers how Locale Noosa is redefining winter as a season for nourishing the soul.
If there’s one Italian tradition that I can totally embrace, it’s the aperitivo that takes place at the end of the day and involves having a drink and a light meal (cicchetti) as a kind of warm up to dinner – or sometimes, as dinner itself.
With the shorter days that settle over Noosa in winter, it’s the perfect time to embrace this concept. There is a particular stillness as the midday glare softens into a honeyed glow and the lush gardens surrounding Locale Noosa take on a rich green. Here, a different kind of clock is ticking – one that measures time in the clink of ice against glass and the shared flavours of the Cicchetti menu.
For owners Amanda and Rio Capurso, this Italian pre-dinner ritual represents a return to the heart of their heritage and is designed to bring a renewed energy into the bar to transform it into a social hub – somewhere to gather as the sun starts to dip. It signals a deliberate pause in the day, a moment of reflection and rejuvenation.
Reintroducing a concept that is as much about lifestyle as it is about flavour, aperitivo will run from 4pm to 6pm daily with a dedicated cicchetti menu and drinks specials.
“Cicchetti originated in Venice and are small bites that are the quintessential accompaniment to an aperitivo spritz or an Aperol Spritz,” she says. “To enhance this experience, we will be putting on live music every Thursday and Saturday to create an upbeat atmosphere, pre-empt the weekend and bring energy back to Hastings Street during a time of year when it can feel
a bit too quiet.”
I can just imagine wanting to linger longer, settle in and sample more cicchetti or move slowly into dinner.
“We used to run Cicchetti in the Locale bar when we opened 13 years ago and we want to bring that nostalgia back as a tribute to where we started,” Amanda said.
The centrepiece is a dish that carries the weight of a decade: the baked pumpkin and sweet potato gnocchi. Originally a crowd pleaser from their previous Hastings Street restaurant, Lindoni’s, and a staple when Locale first opened its doors, the gnocchi has been reimagined by Head Chef Chris Hagan for the bar as a single-portion Cicchetti served in a charming individual ramekin.
This warm, molten bite of history is perfect for a winter afternoon when the air turns crisp. Perfetto!
As guests move from the social hum of the bar into the main dining room, the winter menu reflects a commitment to the rhythm of the land and locally-sourced produce, from the restaurant’s own Maravista Farm.
“Every season we update the menu because produce changes and availability changes,” Amanda notes. “Winter at Locale is about weight and depth. You don’t want to be eating salads in August when it’s cold and wet.
“A nice glass of red wine and something a bit more hearty feels more nourishing in winter.”
While the full winter menu is being finalised, the dining room will feature winter classics designed to provide comfort. The true hero of the season will be a signature ragu, with the kitchen currently debating between duck, venison, or veal shin. This slow-cooked specialty, paired with handmade pasta will serve as the ultimate, heartwarming winter dish for diners looking to escape the chill. Other seasonal highlights include burrata with grilled figs and truffle-infused pasta as well as daily specials, ensuring the menu remains deeply connected to the best seasonal produce Winter at Locale is all about rekindling connections and, with the summer crowds gone, it is the perfect time to reclaim one of the region’s most iconic dining rooms.
Whether you are stopping by for a $15 Margarita and a nostalgic bite of gnocchi during Aperitivo Hour or settling in for a long dinner centred around a steaming plate of ragu, Locale offers a space where the community can gather, nibble, and toast to the season. It’s about the energy of the bar, the integrity of the paddock-to-plate produce, and that perfect Italian bite
that makes the world feel just a little bit more intimate – and a whole lot more delicious.
TASTES OF WINTER AT LOCALE:
Aperitivo Hour: $15 Margaritas and Spritzers; $10 beers and wines from 4pm – 6pm daily in the bar.
The nostalgia plate: Baked pumpkin and sweet potato gnocchi (served as a single-portion Cicchetti).
The sound: Live music every Thursday and Saturday from 4pm.
Winter pairings: Burrata with grilled figs and truffle-infused handmade pasta, best enjoyed with a robust Italian red.
Paddock-to-Plate: Seasonal produce sourced directly from The Ogilvie Group’s own Maravista Farm
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