Cover The interiors of Falcone were designed by Melissa Collison (Photo: Handout)
The interiors of Falcone were designed by Melissa Collison (Photo: Handout)
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The new pizzeria brings the "chaotic joy" of Naples to the heart of IFC Mall
Pizza is a perennially hot topic in Hong Kong, and the addition of Falcone, the newest restaurant to open under the Black Sheep umbrella, is sure to fan the flames. Taking over a harbour-facing venue inside IFC Mall, the establishment aims to capture the effervescence of Naples through a menu of neo-Neapolitan pizza and pasta, complemented by an accessible list of selected red and white wines.
Helming the kitchen are head chefs Josh Stumbaugh of Associazione Chianti and Roberta De Sario of Motorino, who have honed in on the essence of neo-Neapolitan pizza by skirting the rules laid out by the Association of True Neapolitan Pizza. This allows for more creative renditions that can be cooked without the use of the mandated wood-burning oven, allowing for lower temperatures and longer durations that result in a firmer base and crunchier exterior that closely parallels American-style pizza. Falcone has opted for a custom-made Pavesi brick oven, built by a technician specially brought over to Hong Kong from Italy.
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Above Crockery and fresh produce line the walls (Photo: Falcone)
Crockery and fresh produce line the walls (Photo: Falcone)
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Above A colourful Neapolitan spread (Photo: Falcone)
A colourful Neapolitan spread (Photo: Falcone)
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The menu also highlights seafood from Naples, with dishes like vongole sautèe, gamberi al forno (oven-baked soft shell prawns with Calabrian chilli butter), aragosta e gamberi (lobster and tiger prawn spaghetti with pomodoro sauce), and carpaccio di gamberi rossi (red prawn carpaccio with Sorrento lemon zest, chives and olive oil). Falcone also serves a lesser-known pizza variation called the Pacchianella, which translates into "curvy farmer woman" in the Neapolitan dialect. Fried and then baked in its own oil, it's a decadent affair that offers a more textural experience than your average slice.
The restaurant's interior is equally decadent: designed by Melissa Collison (who was also responsible for sister restaurants Grand Majestic Sichuan and Rajasthan Rifles), it's a rich tapestry of Neapolitan heritage, utilising dark yachting-coloured timbers, chrome, marble, intricate Italian mouldings and peek-a-boo kitchen, with fresh produce, vintage rose and leaf-patterned wallpaper, and quirky crockery adorning the walls to evoke the mid-century hearth of an Italian nonna.
Falcone, Shop 1082, IFC Mall, 8 Finance Street, Central, Hong Kong; pizzeriafalcone.com
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Gavin Yeung is a Hong Kong-based writer and was the editor at Tatler Dining. He has written across the realms of F&B, design, fashion and travel, with a focus on in-depth profiles and experiential features. Previously, he held editorial positions at Hypebeast, Soho House and Vogue Hong Kong. He’s also a keen photographer and aspiring home bartender, and is constantly thinking of original, Cantonese-inflected (and occasionally questionable) cocktails to shake up. Follow him on Instagram at @gaviny.
