Sticking to Tradition at Sapori

For a genuine taste of Italy, particularly Rome and Calabria, Novocastrians need to go no further than Beaumont Street Islington to Sapori at Tailors. Opened by Romans Fabrizio and Francesca Virgili in January 2021, it is now a firm favourite for locals and anyone looking for the authentic traditions of Italian fare.

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Sapori means ‘flavours’ in Italian, and that’s what this rustic restaurant is all about - flavours and traditional cooking that is true to the origins of the recipes handed down through the family.

Francesca’s father, Rocco, has been making pizza since he was 12. You will not find pizza with BBQ sauce, pineapple or chicken schnitzel on it here, and it’s best not to ask for it - pizzas are made in the Roman style, a thinner crust with ingredients right to the edge of the pizza.

“We keep to the traditions,” says Francesca.

“We really care about that. Every recipe has a story behind it. Carbonara, for example, was a dish made for coal miners – that’s what it means. The pepper in the dish is meant to look like coal dust. And it is not made with cream. We make everything from scratch with the best produce. We import a lot of ingredients from Italy because if we want authentic flavours, we have to. The Italian speck is much less fatty than the Australian speck; the salami is spicier or more flavourful. It is all about the flavours.”

The pasta is handmade every day, as is the tiramisu and cannolo. The desserts change regularly, and Francesca makes the gelato without an expensive machine at home. She regularly makes pistachio, Nutella, hazelnut and zabaglione, much to the delight of returning customers.

Sapori at Tailors is located at 10 Beaumont Street, Islington, phone (02) 4962 3110.