OTTO Ristorante Brisbane

OTTO's Brisbane restaurant sits on the riverfront at South Bank, on Sidon Street. The menu is modern Italian, built around fresh, seasonal produce and generous sharing, and the kitchen is led by head chef Richard Ptacnik. Ptacnik joined OTTO in 2004 after cooking with European chefs in Berlin, Switzerland and Prague, spent five years as sous chef to James Kidman, and became head chef of OTTO in Sydney in late 2009 before bringing his cooking to Brisbane. His style is simple modern Italian with classic roots. OTTO belongs to the Fink Group, which also runs OTTO Sydney and Bennelong at the Sydney Opera House. The dining room has colourful interiors, while the bar opens onto a deck by the river.

Several dishes have become signatures. Beef carpaccio is a classic opener, Champagne lobster spaghettini is the dish many people come for, and a 300-gram Rangers Valley scotch fillet anchors the mains. For groups, the Mangia! sharing menu is served family-style, with dishes brought to the middle of the table. The wine list concentrates on Italian varietals and has won awards, including Wine List of the Year at the Australian Good Food Awards and Best Queensland Wine List from Gourmet Traveller Wine.

The restaurant describes itself as refined and elegant, and it caters for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and allergy-sensitive diets, with staff advising on suitable dishes. Families and guests of all ages are welcome, which makes it a good choice for a celebration involving several generations. A celebration cake can be added to a group booking.

Opening hours are concentrated in the second half of the week. The restaurant serves all-day dining from noon to 9pm, Wednesday to Sunday, so a late lunch flowing into the evening is easy to arrange. The OTTO Bar, on the deck, opens Wednesday to Sunday from noon until late, serving drinks and small bites, and accepts walk-ins. Restaurant bookings can be made online or by phone, and the team can help plan special occasions.

OTTO suits couples, business lunches and family celebrations, and anyone wanting a polished Italian meal with river views. Its South Bank location puts it in the same riverside precinct as South Bank Parklands, so lunch here combines easily with an afternoon at Streets Beach or a walk along the Grand Arbour. The parklands are served by South Brisbane and South Bank railway stations, the Cultural Centre and South Bank busway stations and several CityCat terminals.