Alfresco Italian Restaurant — Restaurant in Gold Coast City

Hello fello food lovers. My wife and I went to the Gold Coast 11th to 15th July for our daughters Acro National Championships. We stayed at the Q1 29th floor ocean views it was awesome. What made it even better is across the road there is a restaurant called Alfresco Italian. It has the great ole Italian style about it and it was packed. I know why now, because the atmosphere and the FOOD is excellent. Even packed without a booking they found us a seat for three. We ordered The Garlic Cheese Pizza to share, Chilli Prawns (entree), large Aussie Pizza with mushrooms and prawns, Fettucine Napoli and Ravioli Spinach Ricotta. My mouth is watering talking about it. It came out QUICK, HOT and DELICIOUS and very good portions. The pizzas are wood fired ones and the taste was amazing. That crusty nonoily slightly over cooked bottom OMG DELICIOUS. Our waitress KAJA was really good and was very polite and helpful. Whenever she came over to us always had a massive smile and was very friendly even though she was run off her feet. It gets better, after our meal I tell Kaja how great it was and tell the chefs what an awesome job they did. I go up to pay and I see the manager, which I think is the owner, and I'm not sure but I think his name was DANILIO. (Don't quote me on that one). So, I tell him how it was great food and a great experience. He was so happy to hear and told me not many people say much so it meant a lot to him. Then he asks if I drink Lemon Chello and before I could answer he says, "Of course you do." and was behind the bar pouring me a shot. I told him he has to have one with me and he said of course. Next thing I know Danilio is saying, "Salute" in Italian of course, and down goes the shot. And even that was delicious. I write this review as I love really nice food. And I want other FOODIES or just mums and dads who want a nice meal for them and their kids to experience great places like Alfresco Italian. Thank you to DANILIO, if that's his name lol, for supplying that...

Got invited to come by my relos who sometimes live in Sydney, sometimes in Gold Coast; they’d been raving about it for years and most of the extended family has been once or twice at least! I was not disappointed!

Service

Service is excellent. We arrived out of the blue without a booking and the staff bent over backwards to accomodate our small ground even giving us an excellent table with good people watching. The place was super busy but staff regularly passed our table to give us the chance to call them over if we needed anything. The Maître D’ was hilarious and very talkative and spent heaps of time chatting which was really nice. He runs a tight ship and does an excellent job. At the end of the night the Maître D’ brought us limoncellos each - after two bottles of wine between the three of us. We were rocking and rolling by then. FUN!

Food

Big, flavoursome and fresh - like good Italian food always is. Portion sizes are above average but not silly. You can tell the chefs go the extra mile, the calamari is as tender as the heart of Mary herself. The prawns are firm and juicy. The oysters Kilpatrick are well seasoned and covered in bacon. Our pizza was almost heavy with topping but with a good firm base; a hard balance to achieve. I am glad we only ordered four different things because I can’t wait to try everything else next time.

Atmosphere

Very lively; there are people coming in and out so much it feels almost like a night club. The music is good but not too loud which was very pleasing. Whilst it is packed and there are almost no free tables, there is ample room so it’s not crowded. There are all types at the restaurant, from locals to holidayers, Aussies to internationals. Its cosmopolitan. Also the location of the restaurant is on a Main Street and right next to the tram so getting here is a piece of cake. Getting home after two bottles of wine was also nice and easy.

Overall

This place is excellent. Even when the bill came I was pleasantly surprised. 100% recommend this place...

"The ambiance was fantastic, earning a solid 10/10 for its cozy setting, warm lighting, and enclosed feel. The service was a highlight with a 5/5 rating – the staff was attentive, friendly, and consistently checked on our satisfaction throughout the meal.

The pizza, while tasty with a 3.5/5 rating, left something to be desired. The use of what seemed like low-quality ingredients, especially the olives, impacted the overall flavor. Opted for the Cormor Pizza and found that the prawns needed marination, and the ham on the Capricciosa was surprisingly soft. Despite these quirks, the crust held up well, maintaining a good texture without being soggy.

On to the pasta – a bit of a letdown. The Gnocchi was notably hard and arrived cold, reminiscent of a store-bought variety. The Seafood Marina Pasta, although flavorful, lacked seafood variety for the price paid. Both sauces, unfortunately, fell short of delivering a special culinary experience.

Speaking of price, Alfresco falls in the $$ range, averaging around $40 per person. While it might be considered expensive, the location justifies the cost to some extent.

Now, onto customer service. The lady at the front with blonde hair left a less-than-welcoming impression. Instead of a warm greeting, we were directed with a simple 'wait over there.' A more welcoming and friendly tone from the front staff could significantly enhance the overall experience.

In summary, Alfresco's Italian Restaurant offers a pleasant atmosphere and attentive service. The pizza is enjoyable, but improvements in ingredient quality are needed. The pasta fell short, and the pricing is fair for the location. A slight adjustment in customer service tone could go a long way in making patrons feel...