The Times Australia
The Times Food and Dining

.
Men's Weekly

.

The Italian On The Hill - Yamba

  • Written by Greg Rogers, Editor of The Times


On a warm evening weeknight in Spring, I visited The Italian On The Hill at Yamba for a light meal with wine.

The first positive was the location. The Italian On The Hill is indeed on a hill: Pilot Hill in Yamba.

The famous Pacific Hotel is across the road facing the Coral Sea. Before or after dining, a walk along the trails on the cliff top is a must.



The Italian On The Hill is a nice looking restaurant both externally and internally. It is not large and there are not a lot of tables. The proprietor has not made the mistake of crowding tables together to fit in more guests and therefore reservations are recommended. I arrived unannounced without a reservation and was fortunate to be offered the last table.

Service from the staff was first class. The ratio of staff to customers was high and there was no waiting to order food or drinks. Yet another positive.

A man of Italian descent mingled with guests offering advice on food and drinks according to his wont. He just moved from table to table as a supplement to the efficient and knowledgeable wait staff. I suspect that he was the owner or manager.

My food arrived soon after ordering and it was stunning.

I ordered a Shiraz to go with the bottle of chilled water presented to me on my arrival and my meal was pasta based.

"PACCHERI RAGÙ - Traditional Neapolitan large tube shaped pasta, served with an aromatic pork ragù, slow cooked for 8 hours. Topped with pecorino. $38"





The meal was delicious: more than that, it was a delight, made up of the texture of the pasta, the genuine long time cooked ragu and the sauce was topped with pecorino cheese. I ordered crusty bread with an olive oil based garlic drip and its flavours perfectly complimented the main.

Presentation on arrival was again, perfect but I soon added the bread to absorb the flavours of the ragu and sauce.




The meal was most enjoyable and was exceptional value.

For dessert, I ordered Sorbet, both lemon and a strawberry passion fruit combination. Unlike many sorbets, my portions were somewhat creamy. Every spoonful was certainly the best that I have ever tasted.



While waiting for my food and while eating, I saw many meals being delivered to other guests. Each serving looked very good, were generous portions and the various interesting aromas were left behind, lingering in the air, as they passed by.

I used to judge an Italian restaurant by the quality of its spaghetti bolognese. That Italian classic was my benchmark. The Italian On The Hill does not appear to serve that meal but it does not matter as its PACCHERI RAGÙ is my new reference point of the quality of an Italian dish.

I enjoyed my first "Italian On The Hill" experience immensely. Every aspect was faultless.

The menu may vary from that displayed on the website and on arrival a daily specials list is offered with the wine list.

3 February 2024 Sad news. The Italian on the Hill is now permanently closed

https://www.theitalianonthehill.com/menu

Address: 16 Clarence St, Yamba NSW 2464

Menu: theitalianonthehill.com

Reservation: nowbookit.com

Phone: 0458 384 058

* I was a paying guest who arrived unannounced and anonymously.

Food & Dining

International lager claims crown as Australia’s most preferred beer

Launching its inaugural ‘Brand Map of Australia’, Tracksuit reveals Corona as the nation’s most preferred beer  Sydney, Thursday, 29 May 2025 - From iconic mass-produced lagers to innovative craft brews, beer is woven into the fabric of Australi...

Hundreds line up in Sydney to try viral crispy chicken

Pappa Flock’s crispy crunch causes a frenzy in Bondi JunctionBondi Junction officially has chicken fever. Sydneysiders turned out in flocks over the weekend, with queues forming from 5AM - a full seven hours before doors opened - to be among the firs...

Unique Types of Food You'll Get to Try in Australia

The Australian food experience is a combination of Aboriginal traditions, recipes from British colonies, and the tastes of global food trends today. Besides traditional food, Australia offers visitors the chance to try unique food experiences that ...

From Home Kitchen to Coles: Ballarat Food Startup Makes Middle Eastern Cooking Easy

Exotic Bazaar brings regional innovation and migrant entrepreneurship to supermarket shelves A Ballarat-based food startup is celebrating a major milestone after Coles picked up its range of Middle Eastern recipe bases for national distribution. Ex...

Times Magazine

Effective Commercial Pest Control Solutions for a Safer Workplace

Keeping a workplace clean, safe, and free from pests is essential for maintaining productivity, protecting employee health, and upholding a company's reputation. Pests pose health risks, can cause structural damage, and can lead to serious legal an...

The Science Behind Reverse Osmosis and Why It Matters

What is reverse osmosis? Reverse osmosis (RO) is a water purification process that removes contaminants by forcing water through a semi-permeable membrane. This membrane allows only water molecules to pass through while blocking impurities such as...

Foodbank Queensland celebrates local hero for National Volunteer Week

Stephen Carey is a bit bananas.   He splits his time between his insurance broker business, caring for his young family, and volunteering for Foodbank Queensland one day a week. He’s even run the Bridge to Brisbane in a banana suit to raise mon...

Senior of the Year Nominations Open

The Allan Labor Government is encouraging all Victorians to recognise the valuable contributions of older members of our community by nominating them for the 2025 Victorian Senior of the Year Awards.  Minister for Ageing Ingrid Stitt today annou...

CNC Machining Meets Stage Design - Black Swan State Theatre Company & Tommotek

When artistry meets precision engineering, incredible things happen. That’s exactly what unfolded when Tommotek worked alongside the Black Swan State Theatre Company on several of their innovative stage productions. With tight deadlines and intrica...

Uniden Baby Video Monitor Review

Uniden has released another award-winning product as part of their ‘Baby Watch’ series. The BW4501 Baby Monitor is an easy to use camera for keeping eyes and ears on your little one. The camera is easy to set up and can be mounted to the wall or a...

The Times Features

Running Across Australia: What Really Holds the Body Together?

How William Goodge’s 3,800km run reveals the connection between movement, mindset, and mental resilience As a business owner, I’ve come to realise that the biggest wins rarely c...

Telehealth is Transforming Healthcare Services in Australia

It has traditionally not been easy to access timely healthcare in Australia, particularly for people who live in remote areas. Many of them spend hours on the road just to see a...

Launchd Acquires Huume, Strengthening Creative Firepower Across Talent-Led Marketing

Launchd, a leader in talent, technology and brand partnerships, has announced its acquisition of influencer talent management agency Huume from IZEA. The move comes as the medi...

Vietnam's "Gold Coast" Emerges as Extraordinary Investment Frontier and Australian Inspired Way of Life

$2 Billion super-city in Vung Tau set to replicate Australia's Gold Coast success story A culturally metamorphic development aptly named "Gold Coast" is set to reshape Vietna...

Choosing the Wrong Agent Is the #1 Regret Among Aussie Property Sellers

Selling your home is often one of the largest financial transactions you’ll make, and for many Australians, it’s also one of the most emotional. A new survey of Australian home se...

Travel Insurance for Families: What Does it Cover and Why it’s Essential

Planning a family trip is exciting, but unexpected mishaps can turn your dream vacation into a stressful ordeal. That’s where travel insurance comes in—it’s your safety net when ...