Eve Jeffery
The Italian Byron Bay has been serving extraordinary meals for ten years, and having grown above and beyond being a hotel side-show, they are now the main event! The Italian has moved to a new deluxe venue on Jonson Street – the longest owned and operated eatery in town has taken fine-dining in Byron Bay to the next level. Success has meant that William Ennis and Laurie Rose have used the opportunity for freedom to grow, and turned lemons into Limoncello. William is originally from Ireland and he cheffed his way across Europe before landing in Australia. Laurie has been a restauranteur since way back when he started one of the first vegetarian restaurants in Sydney. Combined, they are a powerhouse. Now, Laurie and William are seasoned hospitality entrepreneurs (see what I did there?) and passionate restauranteurs. They are both long time residents of Byron Bay and they know what the locals want – and what they want is at 21, 108 Jonson Street!
The Italian Byron Bay reopened their doors last week, much to the delight of their fans. A bustling hive of activity and delicious tastes and smells, dinner at The Italian is not just a meal, it’s an experience. While Head Chef Janme Carbonell weaves his culinary magic over every plate, Executive Chef William has designed a menu of absolute tried and true favourites alongside elegant new dishes to compliment the old-but-new-era at The Italian. William and Laurie are just so happy to have finally re-opened! ‘Having to leave the Beach Hotel after ten years was upsetting at the time,’ said William. ‘The hotel’s new management didn’t think we were the right fit and it has turned out they were right – we didn’t fit. We have outgrown them. They did us a favour, and the new Italian is much better than the old Italian and it makes us proud. We love it and are sure our customers will love it too – happy days ahead!’
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