Book a table

NSW Limone Luke Piccolo grew up helping out in the kitchen of his parents’ café, the Griffith stalwart Miei Amici, but it was an experience cooking in a competition in Sydney that opened his eyes to the opportunities available to him should he get serious. He packed up his chef’s knives and moved to Sydney, where he worked in top Italian restaurants, and then headed overseas to Sardinia. Luke’s experience has had a powerful influence on what he’s doing at Limone, which he describes as a contemporary and regional Australian take on Italian food and a showcase for the foodie hub of Griffith. Ingredients are grown or produced locally and there’s a direct link between the restaurant and the family’s farm, Piccolo Farm (also the location of Limone’s annual long lunch). There’s no point serving seafood when you’re 600 kilometres from the coast, says Luke. In its place — and fast becoming the signature dish — is farmed Murray cod. He’s always changing how it’s served; in the latest presentation the fish is rubbed with fermented jalapeno powder, wrapped in nasturtium leaf and steamed, then served with a light fish broth. Limone’s interior is spectacular, an ode to the beauty of recycled timber. Every piece was collected by Luke’s father, Peter, and each has a story. Just like the ingredients Luke showcases on the menu. 482 Banna Avenue, Griffith. (02) 6962 3777; limone.com.au

Cosy, inviting chairs in one of the rooms at the historic Moss Hotel in Tasmania. FROM RIGHT The sandstone exterior of the Moss Hotel; a room at the Moss. LEFT A dish at Limone in Griffith, NSW. BELOW Cooking over fire is part of the three-day Orange Winter Fire Festival.