Ripiena — Restaurant in Brisbane City

I have recently returned to this restaurant remembering it was amazing when i tried it in October 2023, especially the mushroom pasta.

We booked in advance but happened to have an extra person, staff were kind to assist us with the seating given the short notice.

Starters: burrata, this was really nice, flavours were nice, burrata was smooth.

Mains: we ordered 4 pastas to share. The two of the pastas were undercooked, we notified the staff, staff were kind to us to explain that there is nothing wrong with the pasta, that is how it is cooked and they were happy to exchange it. The staff member explained that the pasta is undercooked if the core of the pasta is still white.

I could accept that comment and accepted another dish offered. Then another staff member collects the returned dish and aggressively states, "this is an Italian dish, it is not undercooked". This isn't a way to treat it talk to any person.

I was looking forward to the truffle mushroom pasta as it was amazing last time. This time it was disappointing, the pasta was undercooked, the flavours of the filling were not there (maybe out of season, or recipe changed) , being slightly dry also.

Overall happy with table service except by the comment from one of the team members. Two of the four dishes were nice and cooked al dente. I think the dishes are a bit and miss...

First review in 2024 - lunch with a friend: What a find. How I didn't know about this place and it's been there 5 years?! I'm shocked. This is a treat of a place. It's authentic, real, and just perfect. There is no signage for the place, so you just need to know where to look. There is a neon logo on the back wall that helps to recognise it. The food is excellent, the wine selection is good, and the service is good too. You definitely need to book as it's a small size restaurant with around 20 seats. We went on a Wednesday for lunch and it was full. We spent $70 each, which included a starter, main, and two glasses of wine. I'll definitely be going back.

July 2025 - Anniversary celebration with my husband: I finally went back with my husband, and we loved it! Service is good, food is delicious, and it's so affordable, especially for this area! You really need to book as they were full on a Wednesday night! My husband loved this place so much he wanted to go back the next day or order takeaway of another pasta so he could try more of their food the next day. They have a sign on the window now, so slightly easier to find. The decor of this place is so basic, but it's so perfect as this place is so authentic, it's all about the food! We love it and will definitely go back sooner...

Ripiena is a touch of authenticity amongst a Brisbane Italian restaurant scene which often comes up well short. Having visited Emilia Romagna many times ( the 'home' of filled pasta ), I can say the filled pasta here ( pasta ripiena ) was 'just like mother makes' in Bologna, Parma, Fidenza and Reggio Emilia. The Parmesan sauce on the Tortelli di Bologna was expertly made ( and not a touch of cream or milk was used ). Our meal started with a generous tagliere plate of prosciutto di Parma, lovely cotto of high quality ( ham, as we know it ) and mortadella. All washed down with a tasty biologico ( organic ) Rosato from Abruzzo. A refreshing brief visit to this gorgeous part of Italy where everything was 'normale' ( just as it should be ). No fuss and a simple fit out - just quality throughout. To those Italian restaurant owners in Brisbane, who just throw odd ingredients together and call it 'carbonara' or 'napoli' .... you may care to shout yourself lunch at Ripiena. At the end, we bought some tortelloni filled with asparagus to cook at home for tomorrow. A tip - it's a bit hard to find as no street sign, but it's opposite the start of James Street,...