Bowl food is the epitome of soul food at Newtown’s the Italian Bowl. This pasta institution has stood the test of time, still drawing in crowds down King St almost 20 years since it opened. It’s pretty clear the Italian Bowl is doing something right – and that starts with their plentiful portions of pasta.
Lining up to order is a blessing in disguise as it gives you lots of time to pick your own pasta and sauce. There are seven shapes to satisfy your carb cravings including fettuccine, linguine, spaghetti, penne, potato gnocchi, spinach and ricotta ravioli, and beef tortellini. The creamy pesto sauce twirls well with thicker noodles of fettuccine; the hearty beef and pork bolognese pairs well with penne for easy scooping; the fresh seafood marinara is good for slurping up with spaghetti; and the gnocchi is a versatile pick for regional sauces like Siciliana and Napolitana.
The Italian Bowl has nothing to hide and prepares everything fresh before your eyes, serving it straight from the pan to your bowl. Along with pasta, they also offer comfort food in the form of cheesy garlic bread, lasagna, risottos and freshly crumbed schnitzels. Go all in with a pasta and schnitzel combo for $28 and top it off with a traditional tiramisu or chocolate mousse.
If the Italian Bowl's $2 BYO corkage policy wasn't already enough to entice you, the restaurant has recently upped its beverage game with the addition of Italian beers like Peroni and Birra Menabrea. Line up early and let the carb loading begin.