Doughcraft Lane

Doughcraft Lane is a funky Italian laneway bar annexed to Doughcraft restaurant, pizzeria and bakery in one of the Brisbane city's oldest laneways, Spencer Lane.

Access to Spencer Lane, hemmed on one side by heritage brick buildings with New York-like fire escapes, is off Margaret St (just opposite Stamford Plaza Brisbane).

Doughcraft Lane, covered by a cluster of suspended orange umbrellas and with Aperol Spritz signs and a bright orange vespa parked at the entry, is like stumbling across a secret and lively slice of Italy tucked down the end of the lane.

Along one wall is a colourful street art mural and at the end, near the steps up to the restaurant is an outdoor bar where patrons can place an order.

Customers can take a seat under orange sun umbrellas on the scattering of Mediterranean-style patio furniture or at a handful of bar stools and tables.

Bar drinks on offer include a small selection of Aperitivo Cocktails such as Classic, Limoncello, Campari or Hugo (St Germain) Spritz; Aperol Sour and Classic Negroni. There's also a choice of mocktails, classic cocktails, premium spirits and a curated gin & tonic selection.

Worth trying are the signature Doughcraft Cocktails like the Figoni (black fig-infused camapari, gin, vermouth & coconut oil); Piquant Margarita (chilli infused tequila, passionfruit liquor, limje juice & sugar syrup); and Lychee Basil Bisou (vodka, lychee liquor, lime juice & basil syrup). 

Meanwhile bar nibbles include house-marinated olives; truffle & pecorino chips; arancini  with Italian speck, peas & taleggio cheese: and crispy calamari on a bed of rocket salad, with lemon and mayonnaise.

For something more substantial, must-try are the pinsas (oval Roman-style pizzas), with toppings incuding Roma Mia (tender porchetta, crispy roasted potatoes & melted provola); Fantastica (gorgonzola cream, oven-baked pears & smoky speck); Goduriosa (tangy tomato sauce, prosciutto di Parma, stracciatella & crystallized basil); and Tartufo (mushrooms, savoury Italian sausage, smoky provola & fragrant black truffle). 

By Nina Panayotov

Need to know - In true European style, the al fresco bar area is smoker friendly.

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