Pilloni Restaurant

Pilloni, West End- a mixed bag.... I’ve been meaning to get to Pilloni in West End for ages, and finally made it there on a lazy Sunday night when the thought of cooking felt like too much. Pilloni promises to bring “the soul of Sardinia” to your plate, and the ambience starts delivering on that claim, food well you decide. The open kitchen, complete with its impressive fire-powered stove, sends warmth through the dining room and fills the space with the comforting crackle of woodfire. The wine list is extensive, catering for most budgets and tastes, from premium drops by the glass to bottles under $90 and a few well-chosen cellared wines. To cool down at the start of the evening, we opted for a Hibiscus Margarita. It arrived vibrant and beautifully coloured, with a solid hit of alcohol that didn’t shy away. For wine, we chose a bottle of Terre dei Buth Pinot Grigio, one of the few 100% organic wineries in the Prosecco DOC region. It was nice enough, though not a drop I’d be rushing back to. We kicked off the food with a couple of entrées. The house-baked focaccia with whipped bottarga and lemon myrtle oil was simple but satisfying, light, salty, and fragrant. The polpo (Fremantle octopus with potato foam, black olives, and octopus mayo) was the standout starter, it was tender, well-seasoned, and evocative of the sea. I’d happily return for this dish alone. For mains, we had the fish of the day, swordfish, served with acqua pazza sauce, a panzanella salad, and the carpaccio di zucchine. The swordfish was fresh and cooked well, though a slightly larger portion would have made the dish feel more generous. The panzanella was bright and refreshing, and the marinated zucchini with goat cheese, pistachio, burnt yuzu, and mint oil was delicate and balanced. To finish, we opted for a cheese selection. The Foglie di Castagno was outstanding, creamy and earthy, but the Castelbelbo had sadly been kept too long and carried a strong ammonia smell and taste. The waitress was genuinely apologetic, had it removed from the bill without fuss, and offered us dessert. We chose the Millefoglie Sardo, a Carasau mille-feuille layered with white chocolate namelaka, vanilla and basil strawberries, and macadamia. It was sweet, textural, and a lovely way to end the meal. Overall, I’d return to Pilloni for the flavours and the atmosphere, but it’s worth noting that prices are on the higher side and both portion sizes and quality were a bit inconsistent across the night. Service was friendly but needed some polishing, a few wines were sold out, and it took a while to catch staff attention at times. Still, there’s enough promise here to bring me back for another go but not in a hurry sadly.

Amazing place - excellent service, wonderful food, atmosphere, design, présentation of dishes, great wine list and knowledgeable staff, all in a relaxed vibe. But especially interesting and delicious menu and flavour combinations. It felt like we were dining in Europe… or Melbourne. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

This was a bit disappointing unfortunately. The venue is beautiful. The service was passable, mistake with order, forgotten drink and not very attentive, although friendly. The focaccia was fine - a few burnt bits. The flavour of the granita of the oysters was nice although they weren’t shelled properly and had mouthfuls of shell in more than half of the oysters. Not acceptable at $7 per oyster. The plate of meats and THREE pieces of one type of cheese was $54. This was supposed to be enough charcuterie for three people, I’ll say it again, that’s ONE piece of cheese each??? The presentation of the kangaroo tartare was gorgeous and I really wanted to like it but the flavour was just really off, I couldn’t have more than one bite. It was minced, not chopped as it should be and had a very strong juniper berry sauce which I didn’t think paired well at all. The portion size of the octopus was also incredibly small. 4 tentacles. It wasn’t bad but nothing special. Calamari was also really disappointing. There was three pieces of calamari and the rest of the pile was anchovies which was a shame as the batter and sauce were nice. Overall the flavour was lacking, the portions are small and it was overpriced.

Good experience!! Had my birthday here. Food was delicious, the environment is quite dark but I enjoyed it. The only thing maybe can be improved is add more food into the menu.

One of the best dining experiences i have had in Brisbane. Food was cooked to perfection, special mention to the culurgiones. Our waiter Andrea was excellent too! The place is stunning and the ambiance was great! 10/10 definitely recommend from a European that knows his food well!

Outstanding food, service and atmosphere. You're taken to another world through the menu. We had the set menu and it was sensational. Every course was met with oohs and ahhhs by our group. Highly recommended for any occasion.

Delightful experience here as it has been on other occasions. Good, warm service and delicious food. My old fashioned’s were perfect and the whipped bottarga and lemon myrtle oil dip is pretty special. Will be back again!

As an Italian, I was absolutely delighted by this restaurant in Brisbane. It was a truly beautiful experience, both in terms of food and service. We had the porcetto (traditional Sardinian roast suckling pig), which we had to pre-order in advance, and it was simply outstanding. The culurgiones, handmade and filled with so much flavor, were incredible. The octopus was perfectly cooked, and the smoked kangaroo tartare was a surprising and delicious highlight. Everything, including the wine, was excellent. The atmosphere, attention to detail, and warm hospitality made it feel like a real trip back home for me. I can’t recommend this place highly enough - an absolute must-try if you’re in Brisbane!