Wander through Kensington Street, known for its Asian street food, and you may be surprised to see an authentic Italian eatery. But that’s exactly what you’ll find with Str’eats by Olio. This hidden gem is serving up authentic, homemade pasta dishes for incredible value (starting at $12 for a dish) through their tiny, cosy hole in the wall kitchen.
Str’eats was born during the pandemic when their big sister restaurant, Olio, was in lockdown. Owner and Head Chef Lino had the idea to create a food cart serving up authentic Italian dishes reminiscent of his childhood and hometown in Sicily. “Seeing the huge uptake, we had from customers who still wanted authentic Italian food showed me there was a need for something like this. When you travel to Italy you want to experience the true culture and traditional food, and I wanted to bring that experience to Kensington Street.”
The pasta is created daily in the kitchen at Olio and is sitting in the deli window of Str’eats, ready to be served up. With a range of classics as well as changing daily specials, you can expect a variety of dishes and pasta varieties. The simple yet classic Aglio Olio Peperoncino ($12) simply consists of garlic, chilli, EVOO, herbs and fusilli yet the flavour it packs is robust and leaves you wanting more.
For the carnivores, you’ve got plenty to choose from between the daily special such as classic Carbonara ($16) to the Carne Capuliata which is spaghetti with wagyu beef brisket ragout ($16). And there are plenty of veggie options from their Vegan Red Pesto Rigatoni to the Broccoli Arriminata consisting of cauli, pecorino and black pepper ($14).
Perfect for a takeaway, or if the weather is good you can pull up on the outdoor seating in Kensington laneway. This chilled yet delicious pitstop will surely become a firm favourite with the local students and residents of the area.
So next time you’re strolling through Kensington street known for its Asian street food, don’t be surprised to get a taste of a small Sicilian village, right on the same street.