Waterfront Fantastico at Noosa Waterfront Restaurant
The love of Italian food is universal especially when those classic sun-kissed flavours are taste triumphs, effuses Helen Flanagan.
Is there anything finer than a waterfront table admiring the Moreton Bay figs as the odd gondola drifts past, enjoying classic Italian dishes punctuated with modern panache and passionately created by Italian-born chefs? As the Italians say ‘la vera cucina’ – the real kitchen.
Peppered with knowledgeable, inobtrusive service, surely this is what the well-practiced Italian art form of a long lunch or dinner is what the good life is all about.
All this and more at the Noosa Waterfront Restaurant and Bar, tucked well away from the hubbub of Hastings Street and a big hit with food-lovers and urban sophisticates from Brisbane, interstate and locally.
Head chef Simone Zambetti and sous chef Matteo Stefanoni both hail from Milan, renowned for fashion, design, art and exquisite cuisine; chef Edoardo Caponetti is from the Marche region, celebrated for its rich history, art, culture and delicious cuisine; and the fourth member of the team is Alex Moore, a very talented pastry chef from the UK.
The team has been working at the restaurant for several years and each dish they prepare has carefully considered elements of simplicity, texture, temperature, taste – and in the case of desserts, 5-star good looks too!
Suppliers are hand-picked and extensive research is used to source the best products locally and elsewhere.
Where to start? Maybe a caviar experience with Champagne; Sydney rock oysters and sherry vinaigrette with finger lime and shallots; or perhaps a selection of appetizers such as Ascolana Olive – a meaty crumbed beef and pork stuffed Sicilian olive with olive mayo; the signature Bundaberg half shell scallops with prawn butter and smoky chorizo.
Entrees are next level. Begin with Antipasto All’Italiana – a serious selection of primo Italian cured meat, cheeses, house pickled vegetables and charred house-made bread; and Fritto Misto All’Italiana with softshell crab, prawns, calamari, whitebait and vegetables in a wispy dust of semolina with homemade tartare sauce, both perfecto. Lemon marinated Hiramasa kingfish is accompanied by rockmelon, lemon and black garlic jelly with a coconut and dill dressing and sourdough crisp; delicate Western Australian whiting is wrapped in crisp prosciutto spinach and ricotta; and pan-seared slices of duck breast Piadina pairs perfectly with pistachio slaw and duck fat sweet potato chips.
Pasta is made in-house; gluten-free is an option. Take a delightful journey to the Mediterranean coast with Acquerello risotto with saffron, baby zucchine con fiore, and salame infusion; Tonnarelli pasta with mussel velouté, stracciatella and house smoked Mooloolaba tuna loin and toasted breadcrumb is as good as it sounds; and the Mancini spaghetti with fresh north Queensland lobster, chilli grilled cherry tomatoes, preserved lemon and bisque is called a signature dish for good reason.
Mains deliver more starpower such as a classic Tuscan Cacciucco – a seafood medley, simmered in a rich tomato and white wine broth, and served with garlic crostini for the perfect balance of flavours. It’s hard to go past the Sovereign Lamb Saddle roll with Provençal herbs, bullhorn capsicum, broad bean puree and roasted almonds.
If sharing a main course is your happy plate, consider Cotoletta alla Milanese – a 400g veal cutlet, grissini crumbed, pan-fried in butter and herbs and served with potato dauphinoise; an 800g rib eye steak on the bone with grilled vegetables and jus; Hanger Steak of tender 2GR Wagyu with roasted baby carrots, house-pickled onions, grilled endives; or for fish aficionados consider the oven-baked whole barramundi served with garden salad.
Room for dessert? Hopefully, especially when it features the restaurant’s original version of classic tiramisu with Venezuelan chocolate and coffee bean gelato. The simpy-titled ‘Mango’ is a dreamy blend of tropical mango compote, rich vanilla ganache, crunchy macadamia praline, and velvety white chocolate – a work of art!
As is Waterfront Lemon with its lemon curd, pinenut gelato, treacle tart and lemon balm mousse which looks like a postcard from the Amalfi Coast, tastes like a dream. Magnifico!
Adding accolades to the already impressive award-winning wine list is the latest addition of 2 glasses (3 is the maximum) in Australia’s Wine List of the Year Awards for 2025. Not surprising when looking beyond the bounty from Italy on the list to some top Aussie names, some familiar, some not, while the odd Burgundian and New Zealander also get a mention.
If you cannot decide what to eat and drink, the six-course tasting menu with matched wines will have your tastebuds dancing on your palate.
When it comes to feedback about Noosa Waterfront’s popularity for sensational birthday celebrations and elegant weddings, organisers and guests all concur, ‘it’s not just a perfect space, it’s an exceptional one. And everything else is too!’ The location has a lot to offer for creating memorable experiences to deliver the brightest ideas and wishes.
Fantastico Noosa Waterfront Restaurant et molto bene head chef Simone Zambetti, your team and, of course those front of house maestros.
