Rating: ★★★★☆

Address: G/F, 28 Elgin Street, SOHO, Central 中環蘇豪伊利近街28號地下

Telephone: 2577 7160

https://www.postopubblico.com/

Posto Pubblico is an Italian restaurant on Elgin Street, opened by duo Robert Spina and Todd Darling who came from the States and wanted to re-create in Hong Kong something similar to the NYC Italian restaurants that are opened by Italian immigrants.

The restaurant is lively, inviting and cosy, with exposed brick walls, dark wood furniture and surfaces and a tall ceiling giving the space a chic, Brooklyn vibe. The menu is jam-packed with traditional Italian favourites as well as dishes inspired by Spina’s generations-old family recipes (both of Spina’s grandfathers owned dining establishments in New York).

I used to love coming to Posto Pubblico in the weekends when it first opened, and recently was tempted to visit the restaurant again after I saw some photos of really tantalising dishes which you will see below!

(1) All the bread and pizzas are freshly made from scratch at the restaurant. The ciabatta in our bread basket does not disappoint, and is soft and fluffy in the middle and boasts a thin, crispy crust.

(2) The burrata ($208) is a dish you would not want to miss! The burrata has a nicely chewing “coating” outside and the inside is flowing with cream. The burrata is fabulously rich, and there is a generous stack of sliced organic tomatoes to go with the cheese, but I wish the milky flavour is stronger.

(3) The homemade rigatoni alla Vodka ($158) is another dish which is heavy but unforgettably delicious. The rigatoni is cooked just to the perfect texture, and the sauce is an insane combination of Vodka, fried chilli and fresh mozzarella. Just come with a very empty stomach and order this dish, and leave the restaurant a much happier person!

(4) Feeling a bit guilty from the previous dishes, we decide to forego the NY cheesecake and other creamy desserts, and instead order a fresh local fruit plate ($68). My favourite fruits are the papaya and mango, which are sweet and succulent.

(5) The latte, which is nicely frothed (and better than the coffee I had in NYC), rounds off the meal nicely.

I haven’t been to Posto Pubblico for a few years already, and I am really pleased that the dishes are still as delicious as before! Definitely a great venue for weekend meals or weeknight dinners with friends!