Il Pirata

LOCATION
In Doubleview, halfway between the city and Scarborough Beach.

PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIA
I can’t say I can remember the last time I had dinner with a pirate but it seems to happen quite regularly at Il Pirata in Doubleview. Obviously translating to “the pirate” in English, Il Pirata is a fun little place with seriously great tasting pizzas and pastas. Some might perceive the nautical theme as slightly tacky, but it certainly makes for an evening with a difference. If you pick your time right, you may even be able to share the venue with a group of fellow diners dressed as pirates!

Pizzas are what they do best here and there are more than enough to choose from. All pizza bases are made from scratch and toppings are selected from the freshest seasonal ingredients. As you may have guessed, the pizza names are also pirate themed with a decent portion of them featuring seafood as the key element. The “lady pirate” with smoked salmon, rocket and black olives is popular with the female clientele (as the name suggests) while the lads seems to adore the “dei pirate” with salami, black olives, chilli and basil. Other favourites are the “Captain Jack Sparrow” with lots of Italian sausage, and the “Aramis” with parmesan, prosciutto and rocket. If there’s a particular ingredient you like on your pizza, the crew at Il Pirata are all too happy to accommodate your request. Diners not too keen on pizza can choose from a handful of pasta dishes available, all of which are cooked fresh to order and feature a range of non-meat sauces and pasta styles. When your next pizza craving hits, give the big chains the flick and head to Doubleview to discover this hidden treasure. Arrrgh!

Karen Bilsby