Will Cowper brings Pici to New Farm in September
Former Otto Brisbane chef Will Cowper is set to open Pici, a new Italian restaurant and bar, at the heritage-listed site of Gerties in New Farm this September. Cowper, who announced his departure from the South Bank restaurant earlier this year, will partner with his wife Gianna and friends Andrew and Andrea Solomon for the project.
The venue will occupy the former Gerties Bar & Restaurant premises and the neighbouring Hell Bound space at 699 Brunswick Street. Cowper describes the new concept as a “comfortable” and approachable locals’ venue, distinct from the occasion-focused dining of his previous role at Otto.
A nod to New Farm history
The site holds significant local history, having served as a New Farm bolthole for decades. Cowper notes that the location sits in the middle of James Street and Howard Smith Wharves, surrounded by new developments on Merthyr Road.
“I thought, ‘It has character. It’s in a great part of town’,” Cowper told the Brisbane Times. He aims to create a space where regulars feel at home, recalling that his wife celebrated her 18th birthday at the original Gerties.
The design, overseen by in-demand Brisbane designer Alkot Studio, involves knocking down the wall between the old Gerties lower floor and the Hell Bound space to create a main dining room with an open kitchen and counter dining.
Comfort over fine dining
Pici will feature a 60-seat capacity with a focus on uncomplicated Italian food and drinks. Cowper says the menu will be “as simple as possible on a plate,” moving away from the elevated aspects of Otto.
The drink list will include bottled beer and classic cocktails, alongside a wine list focusing on Italian producers and local interpretations of Italian wines. The upstairs area will be angled towards drinks, retaining the bar atmosphere of the original Gerties days.
“You feel like a really good Negroni and you come here and think, ‘Oh, these snacks are really cool. I might have a bowl of pasta… that bowl of pasta was incredible. I’m actually going to do a steak’,” Cowper says.
The interior will feature warm colours, burgundy tones, and marble across the bar to ensure the space feels welcoming rather than “too upmarket” for the neighbourhood.
A fresh start for the team
Cowper’s journey to this point began in 2015 when he arrived in Brisbane to open Otto. He formed a close friendship with Andrew Solomon, whose Fish Factory was one of the first stops for fresh produce.
“We were speaking every day, and it wasn’t just catching up – it was seafood related, it was the honest love for what we both do,” Cowper recalls.
It was Solomon who eventually proposed the partnership, having bought the heritage-listed corner site with his wife. Cowper admits he was surprised by his own departure from Otto, noting that “everyone thought I’d be there forever.”
Pici will open at 699 Brunswick Street in September, offering a new chapter for the storied New Farm dining scene.
