Step inside iTL at SkyCity Adelaide, and you might just feel the warm breeze of the Mediterranean. There’s a fresh energy buzzing through this contemporary Italian hub, largely thanks to its newly appointed head chef, Nicola (Nico) Pulera.
With a new aperitivo menu perfect for sun-drenched afternoons and tempting midweek specials rolling out, Chef Nico and his team are dialling up the flavour, ready to transport diners straight to Italy.
Nico’s own journey began steeped in the food culture of San Severo, a historic city in southern Italy’s Puglia region. He wasn’t just surrounded by food; he was immersed in it.
As a child, memories were baked alongside his Nonna, the town’s cherished baker. He fondly recalls soaking up the secrets of breadmaking, eagerly volunteering as sous chef to any relative who’d let him near the stove.
“Pizza has always been my favourite thing to make,” Nico shares, “and it will always be my goal to perfect it. It brings me back to those memories with Nonna pulling fresh bread from the oven — the same warmth, the same sense of anticipation.”
This ingrained passion followed him to Milan for university, where studies often played second fiddle to his role at Osteria Murgie. He climbed the ranks from kitchen hand to sous chef, honing his craft in one of Italy’s most dynamic culinary centres.
Wanderlust eventually led him Down Under, landing him in Adelaide. Here, he embraced the Neapolitan pizza style at Norwood’s 400 Gradi before joining the iTL crew prior to its grand opening in 2020.
Instrumental in shaping iTL’s identity from day one, Nico now helms the kitchen, driven to create unforgettable dining experiences.
“It’s an inspiring environment,” he says, “working alongside a team of chefs who are not only passionate but also eager to push boundaries. There’s a shared energy… where everyone is constantly striving to create something new and exciting.”
That energy translates onto the plate, with a menu celebrating fresh, high-quality ingredients through a contemporary Italian lens. While the full menu tempts with antipasti, pasta, pizza, mains and dolce – best explored via four or five-course sharing options – midweek brings enticing reasons to visit.
On Tuesdays dive into a bowl of handmade pasta ($25 with any drink purchase), while Wednesdays are for wood-fired pizza ($20 with any drink), crafted from signature 60-hour matured dough boasting a light, fluffy crust.
Thursdays and Fridays raise a glass to the perfect pairing: succulent, slow-roasted porchetta matched with pinot gris or noir (from $45).
Need a quick lunchtime fix? Fluffy, house-made focaccia with four mouthwatering fillings to choose from in weekday paninis (12pm-2pm). And as the afternoon lingers, the new aperitivo menu (3pm-6pm daily) calls.
Picture yourself on the alfresco, soaking up the sun with a $15 classic cocktail and grazing on oysters mignonette, corn and sun-dried tomato arancini, or delicate coccoli pillows piled with 24-month prosciutto parma and stracchino cheese.
At iTL, it’s about bringing people together over simple, beautifully executed Italian food – share plates covering the table, Negronis clinking, and maybe an extra spoon for the gelato. With Chef Nico Pulera leading the charge, that invitation feels more compelling than ever.
Where: iTL at SkyCity Adelaide, Ground Floor, SkyCity Adelaide
$25 Pasta Tuesdays
$20 Pizza Wednesdays
Porchetta & Pinot, Thursdays & Fridays
OPENING HOURS
Breakfast: Everyday 7:00am – 11:30am
Lunch: Everyday 12:00pm – 2:30pm
Aperitivo: Everyday 3:00pm – 6:00pm
Dinner: Sunday to Thursday 5:00pm – 9:00pm
Friday to Saturday 5:00pm – 10:00pm
For more info, click here.
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