First Look: Get yourself to Weston Pronto, where authentic Italian food awaits
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The rich tapestry of suburban gem restaurants in Canberra is a touch richer with the opening of Pronto in Weston Creek.
We nabbed a table at the opening and can only liken it to receiving a big warm hug from a beautiful Italian Nonna.
Bothers Josh and Jon Kosteski have helped bring 300 years of Neapolitan pizza-making tradition to Canberra and Queanbeyan through their Queanbeyan Pronto and the much-loved Trecento in Manuka, which closed for a break late last year.
Cooleman Court is the chosen spot for the second Pronto – promising a family-friendly, authentic Italian pizza, pasta and shared-plate restaurant.
According to Josh, “We are so excited to have officially opened Pronto Weston. Locals have been waiting patiently while we have navigated the opening of this restaurant. It certainly took longer than anticipated but as you know (and so many hospitality owners have spoken about recently), we’re in some of the most trying times for the industry, which we were not exempt from.”
Clearly, however, the locals have forgiven the wait and are flocking to the new spot.
“The response has been better than we could have ever hoped for. The Weston Creek community has welcomed us with open arms and we have, in return, delivered them delicious Italian food and very full stomachs!”
Josh and Jon are planning on hosting a community launch very soon (with locals and non-locals invited to keep up to date on their Instagram for the date).
The brothers have kept to a good thing – keeping Pronto Weston similar to the winning formula at Pronto Queanbeyan.
The menus may vary ever so slightly at times, but the ethos remains the same: classic Italian food “designed to fill your table and be shared with family and friends”.
The night we dined, we rated the still-steaming fresh focaccia, the Linguine Gamberi and the Passionfruit Brûlée as outstanding, although to be fair, all the other dishes that arrived at the table were also heartily enjoyed by our group. The servings were generous and these all felt like tried-and-true recipes.
The sister restaurants are the only two restaurants in the Canberra region certified by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana (AVPN) in Napoli. The AVPN protects “True Neapolitan Pizza”and is one of the most highly regarded institutions for pizza making in the world, enforcing strict guidelines for pizza makers to ensure their products are 100 per cent authentic.
Pronto Weston has the capacity to host functions of all sizes with options to book out the entire restaurant and will also be running an incredible lunch special menu every day with an array of salads, pastas, pizzas and panuozzi (their famous Neapolitan sandwiches) available for $24.50, including a house red or white wine or a soft drink.
It’s petite and cozy, and the food is traditional and wholesome. We truly think the residents of Weston are lucky. Meanwhile, the rest of us should get there, pronto!
What: Pronto Weston
Where: Cooleman Court, Shop 5a Brierly St, Weston
When: Tuesday to Sunday for both lunch and dinner.
Web: prontorestaurant.com.au
