Ombra Italian - Handmade Pasta - Chermside

25/08/2026

Helloooooo,

Wow... okay.... I got A LOT of messages after yesterday's Newstead post... sooo let's answer the most common.

Q: Will you really come back to Newstead?

A: Yesss I love the community, but it really depends on finding a venue that's the right fit.

So a lot of you already know my background and my story, so I won't bore you. If I open a venue, I want it to be small, local-focused, handmade and genuine.

A lot of venues I find are "manufactured" hospitality, with expensive fit-outs, mass-produced food marketed as authentic and kinda feel a bit style over substance. But its not always their fault, the industry is in a rough state with most venues only making 3%-5% profit and 1 in 8 closing every year (22,000 closed last year).

This means that places like Newstead crush small operators with high rents and fees, creating a barrier that only large, million-dollar venues can really thrive, as people gravitate to what's trendy, not necessarily real.

I had a great landlord and really lucked out with the venue, rent and honestly, I'm super proud of how much we really accomplished on a tiny corner, with no marketing, no foot traffic next to a scooter store.

So when I do come back, It would be to create a small community-focused venue again, for locals, not trends. But that is increasingly difficult.... but if anyone has a space they dont need..... just saying....

Anyway, thanks for being awesome guys and I hope to see you all at Chermside :)

24/08/2026

Hey Peeps.

A lot of people have been asking, and today I officially found out the answer!

Ombra Italian - Newstead (Waterloo St) will close permanently.

About 6 months into my lease, the property was sold to a developer, which meant Newstead always had an end date; it just kept getting extended. Now with the end of my lease I opted not to stretch to the handover date. Its a mix of staffing issues and health. So I decided that for my health, to step back and focus on the new venue rather than keep working the 98hr weeks.

Its been an amazing ride and I've loved being part of the community. I do plan on returning to Newstead with a new venue at some point, but for now, it's all about Chermside :)

21/08/2026

Back on the subject of Campangia!

We're testing out a true classic of the region with "Gnocchi alla Sorrentina"

Blistered cherry tomatoes sautéed down with garlic, chilli, and fresh herbs, then baked in the oven alongside some fresh mozzarella, and a lot of basil.

Its simple, but thats what a lot of the best Italian is.

We're now open for lunch Friday, Saturday and Sunday, so if you feel like having a lazy lunch with some of Brisbane's best pasta.... come say hi :)

Thanks for making us your #1

Ombra Italian - Chermside.
🎉Finalist RCA "Best New Restaurant - Brisbane 2026"
📆Walk-in only (we can't take reservations).
⌚️10am - 1pm Friday / 11am - 2pm Saturday and Sunday
⌚️5pm - 8pm (every night)
📍 590 Gympie Road, Chermside.
⛪️ We're an independent pasta venue on the side of the CKCC.
🚗 Heaps of Parking.
🐾 Dog-friendly.
🍾 BYO (we use tumblers)

18/08/2026

PASTA FOR THE PEOPLE - A quick history :P

Its getting close to another new menu and this time I want to take you on an adventure to the south of Italy.

I'm looking to swap out some of our current pasta dishes for a few that draw inspiration from Campania, where pasta became everyday food: generous, uncomplicated and made to feed everyone.

Pasta wasn’t always at the centre of Neapolitan life. For a long time, the people of Naples were known as mangiafoglie, or “leaf-eaters,” because vegetables made up such a large part of their diet.

That began to change around the seventeenth century. Wheat became cheaper, pasta production became more efficient and dried pasta offered ordinary people something affordable, filling and easy to eat. Before long, the Neapolitans had a new nickname: mangiamaccheroni, the “macaroni-eaters.”

This was pasta before it became romanticised. It was boiled, covered with grated cheese and eaten in the street, often with bare hands. Tomato came later and changed the story again, creating the relationship with pasta that we now immediately associate with Naples.

So keep an eye out :)

17/08/2026

So..... how about starting the week with some fresh, handmade pasta?

Monday to Wednesdays tend to be a bit on the quieter side, so if you just want to chill out with some of Brisbanes best pasta.... Then this is the place to chill.

And yes, we do make everything in-house, by hand... (usually mine), so we can run out from time to time....

So hurry up.....

Thanks for making us your #1

Ombra Italian - Chermside.
🎉Finalist RCA "Best New Restaurant - Brisbane 2026"
📆Walk-in only (we can't take reservations).
⌚️10am - 1pm (every day)
⌚️5pm - 8pm (every night)
📍 590 Gympie Road, Chermside.
⛪️ We're an independent pasta venue on the side of the CKCC.
🚗 Heaps of Parking.
🐾 Dog-friendly.
🍾 BYO (we use tumblers)

14/08/2026

Ombra Behind The Scenes:

This is probably the least exciting part of owning a pasta restaurant, but I've got 55 kilos of lamb to prep today. It cooks for about 18 hours. There's no secret ingredient. It just takes -----> ages.

It is possible to get it pre-cut, but the quality is usually not as good and tends to have a higher gristle + fat ratio. At least doing it by hand, I can better control the quality.

11/08/2026

You heard him!

We're closed on Wednesday, 12/08/2026, so everyone can enjoy the showday.... while I hopefully get the chance to do a bit of touch-up work on the place :)

See you all Thursday!!!

10/08/2026

Helloooo Beautiful People!

Just a quick Ombra Update.

Can you believe it? It's been just over 1 year since I opened up in Chermside, and in that time we've served over 35,000 of you fantastic peeps.

During the last 12 months, we've made magazines, lists and award nominations. But now it's time to look a bit inward and make some improvements.

1. We'll be closed on Wednesday 12th; I'm going to try and get a bit of a repaint happening inside.... maybe..... Thinking Sicilian themes.

2. We know what we are and we're doubling down on our fresh, handmade pasta; you've made it clear that that's what you love. So because of that and some health reasons, we're changing how the cafe part of the venue operates.

3. We want to try and ramp up Friday - Saturday - Sunday lunch! So I'll be working on some different pasta options for the lunch menu, to add a bit of variety :)

There's plenty more changes to come, and I don't want to bore you, so I'll end it here.

Thanks for making us your #1

Ombra Italian - Chermside.
🎉Finalist RCA "Best New Restaurant - Brisbane 2026"
📆Walk-in only (we can't take reservations).
⌚️10am - 1pm (every day)
⌚️5pm - 8pm (every night)
📍 590 Gympie Road, Chermside.
⛪️ We're an independent pasta venue on the side of the CKCC.
🚗 Heaps of Parking.
🐾 Dog-friendly.
🍾 BYO (we use tumblers)

09/08/2026

It's awesome to be recognised as a tiny hole-in-the-wall serving up some of Brisbane's best pasta.... just sayin :)

When it comes to authentic culinary experiences, few cuisines can match the heartfelt charm and robust flavours of Italian cooking. Across the nati...

06/08/2026

Hungry for handmade?

https://order.toasttab.com/online/ombra-italian-chermside-590-gympie-rd

Thanks for making us your #1

Ombra Italian - Chermside.
🎉Finalist RCA "Best New Restaurant - Brisbane 2026"
📆Walk-in only (we can't take reservations).
⌚️10am - 1pm (every day)
⌚️5pm - 8pm (every night)
📍 590 Gympie Road, Chermside.
⛪️ We're an independent pasta venue on the side of the CKCC.
🚗 Heaps of Parking.
🐾 Dog-friendly.
🍾 BYO (we use tumblers)