Now open at IFC – Pizzeria Napoletana FALCONE, inspired by the chaos and beauty of travelling through Napoli.

While Rome may be the heart of Italy, Napoli is the soul. “Last summer, we went to Napoli hoping to find inspiration within the city’s layers and its people. Most importantly, we went to eat really good pizza, and to experience the all-at-once purity, simplicity, artistry, and dirtiness of what this thing is supposed to taste like” recalls founder Asim.

The driving force behind this trip were Head Chef Josh of Associazione Chianti, and Head Chef and proud Neapolitan Roberta of Motorino. With the pair leading two of our Italian restaurants, a camaraderie and friendship blossomed naturally. Intrigued by Roberta’s passion for all things Napoletana, Josh encouraged that they make the trip to the birthplace of pizza. The end of this trip marked the beginning of FALCONE.

Napoli would not be Napoli without all its chaotic joy. Sitting literally on top of Mount Vesuvius is a constant reminder that anything can happen. FALCONE is fast and furious, embodying the frantic pace of Napoli. It breaks the mould of what a mall restaurant should be. No hot water, no iced lemon tea and no cappuccino, it is about staying true to Napoli because there really is nowhere like it.

The uncomplicated menu explores the culinary traditions throughout the Campania region, namely neo-Neapolitan style of pizza and pasta, complimented by an accessible list of select red and white wines. A trained pizzaiola with over a decade of experience in some of the world’s most distinguished food cities, Chef Roberta brings her untamed personality to neo-Neapolitan pizza, a style of pizza born from a new generation that stems from the same great city. Her weapon of choice: a 1500kg custom-made Pavesi brick oven.

Authentic Neapolitan pizza is governed by a strict set of rules laid out by the Association of True Neapolitan Pizza (Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana). Neo-Neapolitan violates the Neapolitan pizza code by going outside of these rules. The lower temperature and additional cook time produce a sturdier base and crunchier exterior, similar to an American-style of pizza.

“Falcone is inspired by our trip to Naples. The style of offerings including the pizza and wines are all from our memories from the trip. We are talking about my hometown Naples the most beautiful city in the world. The smell of the fresh produce from the market, the flavours of the city, the smiles and the chaos make you feel so welcome, so ‘I’m home’, full of energy, full of life. Falcone is a piece of my heart, a love letter to Napoli, something I will always carry with me.”

As with any good story, the next step is always right around the corner. Alongside Chef Roberta, Chef Josh leads the pasta programme at FALCONE. Being perched proudly on the coast, Neapolitans have a very special relationship with the sea. While pizza is often the spotlight, the menu highlights the abundance of Napoli’s seafood including linguine alle vongole (clams sautéed with white wine and linguine), gamberi al forno (oven-baked soft shell prawns with a Calabrian chilli butter), and carpaccio di gamberi rossi (red prawn carpaccio with Sorrento lemon zest, chives and olive oil).

The 70-seat restaurant designed by Melissa Collison (Grand Majestic Sichuan and Rajasthan Rifles), plays with the exaggerated abundance and intricacies of Napoli. To replicate the paradoxes of the city, the space employs a clash of colours and textures, using dark timbers, chrome, marble, big Italian mouldings, and peek-a-boo arches for the kitchen; a wallpaper of old-fashioned roses and green leaves is reminiscent of what nonna would have wall-papered in her kitchen in the 1950s. The centre wall of the restaurant is anchored by an over-the-top display filled with mismatched plates, purposefully uncool and perfectly imperfect like the chaotic city itself. “It’s what you see in Napoli,” comments Chef Roberta, “you see all the colours.”

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FALCONE is open from 12pm to 10pm seven days a week for walk-in only.

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