After four years spent feeding Dutton Park locals, Little G had officially outgrown its Gladstone Road home. The pizzeria’s success belies its humble beginnings, which can be traced back into the hazy days of 2016 when Danielle and George Diacos first opened the eatery next to their cafe Gertrude and Mabel. After noticing a pizza-shaped hole in the local dining scene, the siblings decided to fill it themselves, converting a former laundromat space into the cosy pizza joint. Cosy might be putting it lightly – the 20-sqm space filled up quickly and often, forcing the team to open up the Gertrude and Mabel dining area to cater to the crowds on busy nights. As the years progressed, flaws in the setup emerged – the electricity started shorting out regularly during service and the poky kitchen space could only fit a frier and an oven (no room for a stovetop). Eventually George and Danielle began weighing up the pros and cons of moving Little G to a bigger location. Though loath to leave Dutton Park (the siblings grew up around the area), the prospect of having more room to manoeuvre was undeniably appealing. While the pair were in no immediate rush to pick up sticks, they began inspecting a select few sites around town, eventually coming across a vacant restaurant space at the base of Aria Property Group’s The Drapery in Woolloongabba (the former home of Corella). Initially wary of the venue’s refined aesthetic and fine-dining history, George and Danielle were intrigued by the idea of inhabiting the gritty purlieu of Woolloongabba’s famed Logan Road dining strip, simultaneously tempering the venue’s upscale vibe and raising Little G’s aesthetic without sacrificing its approachable feeling. Danielle believes when things are right, they’re easy, and with a fully set-up space ready to inhabit (plus a larger kitchen and bar setup beckoning), Little G hopped the border to Woolloongabba, officially opening to the public last Wednesday July 15.
As Little G’s new home came largely fully formed, George and Danielle only had to implement a couple of cosmetic tweaks to get it ready. The team brought in an olive and orange tree and removed the curtains to brighten the space up and curb some of its natural moodiness. The venue’s leather-clad booths remain, as does the sturdy bar, but the team have ditched the linen and turned up the music, instilling some of Little G’s rough-and-ready charm. Although now armed with a host of new bells and whistles in the kitchen, George isn’t in a hurry to overhaul the offering any time soon. Little G’s has transplanted its Dutton Park menu in full, leading with nine signature pizzas and two pizza specials available alongside sides and sweets. Pizza options include the classic margherita with prosciutto, as well as more complex options such as potato with Spanish goats cheese, Old Bay prawns with sweet tomatoes and jalapeno ranch, hot salami with pickled red onion and stracciatella, and wagyu cheeseburger pizza. Side plates include arancini, spiced fried corn, crispy fried chicken, crisp broccoli with ‘nduja and goats curd, and chermoula lamb ribs. Moving forward, George is keen to trial some new ideas – reaching back to his days woking at Italo-Greek restaurant La Via to potentially host pasta nights, or put his own smoker to good use with some specials. Little G is now licensed, with George and Danielle assembling a libation list out of their own personal favourites. The wine list will have something for all tastes, with a selection of tasty Australian vino available (labels include a murderer’s row of new-wave makers including Puncheon Darts, Naked Bunch, Arfion, Koerner and LATTA Vino). A small clutch of beers are also up for grabs, with XXXX Gold tinnies on deck alongside Brouhaha’s strawberry sour, a pale ale from Brendale Brewing Company, Bloke in a Bar’s lager and one rotating draught brew on tap (currently The End’s Rainbow pilsner, at the time of writing). Little G’s famous home made iced tea, lemonade and ginger beers are also available for those keen on a sauce-free night.
Little G is now open in Woolloongabba. For contact details and opening hours, head to the Stumble Guide.
