Italian

Dining Icons: Is celebrity-favourite L.A restaurant Giorgio Baldi worth the hype?

Welcome to ‘Dining Icons’ where our writers take a look at some of the world’s most iconic food and drink experiences – both reputable and under-the-radar – and report back to answer the simple question: is it worth it?. For our first edition, we’re taking a look at Giorgio Baldi, an Italian restaurant just outside…

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Surry Hills’ legendary Vasco rolls into a new era with a refreshed food and drink menu

Since 2012, Vasco has been slapped with legendary status on Surry Hills’ Cleveland Street, stuck at the forefront of the kinetic strip amongst neighbourhood gems like The Norfolk, Brickfields, and Mjolner. That’s ten years of serving as the grungy neighbourhood cocktail bar, with renown for slinging some of the area’s best concoctions backed by a…

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Woolloomooloo’s Wharf set for a big change as Il Pontile brings regional Italian flare

Woolloomooloo’s iconic Finger Wharf would be a dream location for any restaurateur, so I couldn’t even begin to imagine how overjoyed Mario Percuoco is right now as he collaborates with the latest opening by Audacia Enterprises. As the son of Buon Ricordo’s Armando Percuoco, there’s an obvious pedigree and love for hospitality that sits behind…

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a’Mare, Crown Sydney Review: Golden-age service with a side of theatre

Alessandro Pavoni doesn’t have anything to prove. His Ormeggio at the Spit – old enough to be considered legendary – has always been a reference point for Sydney’s excellent spread of trattoria-inspired eateries. The Mosman restaurant’s more recent turn, skewing seafood and flirting with Puglia, has only solidified that reputation. But the chef is clearly…

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Merivale favourite Uccello will reopen this month under new chef Nigel Ward

With the sun now springing from its winter hideout, Merivale is bringing back one of the group’s long-standing favourites, poolside Italian restaurant Uccello. Now helmed by young chef Nigel Ward, ivy pool’s popular hotspot will reveal a swift renaissance, shifting its attention to the Amalfi coast as a new menu takes its cues from the…

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Vanto is Sydney’s hidden gem of Naples-style pizza

Whether it’s traditional Naples-style pizza, classic pasta dishes or their iconic wood-fired sandwiches, Vanto restaurant is the place to be when it comes to authentic Italian cuisine. Nestled on the first floor of the Queen Victoria Building, the hidden gem pays homage to traditional and modern Neapolitan cooking. Noted as Ospitalità Italiana certified (which is…

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Woollahra’s Italian gem I Maccheroni announces rare wine dinners for July

You may not be able to jet off the Italy anytime soon, but that doesn’t mean your taste buds can’t soak up the splendour of a region as pristine and diverse as Piemonte. This bountiful northern Italian seat of typically rare and celebrates wines will be the subject of a special one-off wine dinner at…

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QT Sydney reopens Parlour Cucina with brand new menu

QT Sydney’s Italian eatery Parlour Cucina has joined a chorus of restaurants and cafes reopening in accordance with current health measures. But they haven’t just swung the doors open for dine-in guests, Exec. Chef Nic Wood has switched up the menu to sharpen focus on authentic Italian fare peppered with locally sourced ingredients. Given the…

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Pick Up at Tottis

Totti’s is now doing takeaway, and yes that puffy woodfired bread is on the menu

Totti’s has become somewhat of a phenomenon for Merivale, swiftly rising to become a dining institution thanks largely to their famously charred woodfired flatbread. Now, Totti’s has joined the chorus of restaurants around the world cutting dine-in options to adapt to social distancing measures. The beloved Bondi local will be doing takeaway from The Bottle…

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Merivale have now opened Bar Totti’s in the ivy precinct

Fast becoming an institution in Bondi, Totti’s is clearly one of Sydney’s most in-demand Italian eateries and continues to build a cult following thanks to the fresh ideas of chefs Mike Eggert and Jake Ahrens. Now an energetic spin-off has opened, and this time it’s much closer to the CBD. Taking up residence at ivy,…

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I Maccheroni, Woollahra Review: The essence of Emilia-Romagna

Rose Bay favourite I Maccheroni has relocated to Woollahra, squeezed into a site that comes with its own lofty culinary standards. Standing on Jersey Road, the slim two-storey Victorian-era building that now hosts this fantastic Italian eatery glows with the reputation of having previously housed both Pinbone and Buzo. Now, the location is once again…

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Sydney’s newest Italian cafe is letting Nonnas eat for free

The team behind the seductively playful QT Sydney have recently overhauled the hotel’s street-level diner and transformed it into the city’s newest Italian eatery, Parlour Cucina. Inspired by the café scene in Milan during the 1960’s, the space moves away from the beloved Parlour Lane Roasters and onto something entirely dedicated to traditional, uncomplicated Italian…

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Sydney’s Italian dining institution, Machiavelli, is now open on Saturdays

Often cited as one of the best Italian restaurants in Sydney, Machiavelli Ristorante Italiano has edged forward with something the institution has never before done. After three decades of serving high flying corporates, visiting celebrities, and most famously Australia’s political elite, the Italian restaurant is now extending trading hours to include Saturday nights. Historically, the…

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A massive Salts Meats Cheese has opened in Sydney’s Dee Why

Salt Meats Cheese has long been a stalwart of reliable Italian produce and dining in Australia. The group have been expanding rapidly over the past few years, so it was only a matter of time before Sydney’s Northern Beaches got their first taste of Edoardo Perlo and Stefano de Blasi’s lively concept. Following their most…

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The food world is celebrating pasta today, so we asked a top Italian chef for some tips

Delicious World Pasta Day is upon us, an open celebration of what is quite possibly (definitely) one of the top 10 things ever created. And since today is the best time to show appreciation for the diverse Italian-born food, we thought it best to have a quick chat with Aussie chef Dario Manca (well known…

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Surry Hills welcomes new pasta and spritz bar Mark + Vinny’s (Sydney)

Spaghetti and spritz bar Mark + Vinny’s has recently opened in Surry Hills, bringing the inner city suburb a neighbourhood eatery that focuses on both traditional pasta classics and modern interpretations, served with a full menu of spritzers to help wash things down. Co-owners Mark Filippelli and Vince Pizzinga have called upon ex-Icebergs chef Adrian…

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Made in Italy opens in Alexandria with free pizza this weekend (Sydney)

19 traditional flavours are on the menu at new Alexandria Italian restaurant Made In Italy, which opens this weekend and is celebrating by giving away free pizzas to anyone with the good sense to rock up between 12pm and 2pm (Saturday 19th May). Adding to their existing locations across Pyrmont, Sydney CBD, Annandale, Rose Bay…

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The Fuscaldo family have opened a new Italian restaurant and cafe near Hyde Park (Sydney)

Sydney’s ever-changing William Street has copped a new neighbourhood Italian café and restaurant with Vizio Caffé e Cucina, opening up on the Hyde Park end of the long strip with designs on serving up hearty international breakfasts, leisurely lunches and authentic Italian dinners. The venue is owned by the Fuscaldo family, who have a long…

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Fratelli Fresh is serving up pizza with a whole steamed lobster on top (Sydney)

Fratelli Fresh are upping the decadent pizza game in Sydney come next month by introducing The Lobster to their already bustling menu of special and traditional pizzas. As you can probably tell from the image above, that’s a pizza topped with rich fior di latte, garlic and parsley and a freakin’ whole steamed lobster which…

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Review: Waterloo’s Allegra Dining is a hidden gem worth digging for (Sydney)

Sydney’s food blogger community has been raving about Waterloo’s Allegra Dining for quite some time and it seems, in this particular case, it’s perfectly fine to buy into the hype. Tucked away at the far end of the breezy courtyard of 18 Danks Street, which also hosts Kepos & Co and a bunch of showrooms,…

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Review: Handmade seafood pastas a strong point for Olio Kensington Street (Sydney)

Looking out those big arched windows down onto bustling Kensington Street while heaping through some lovely handmade pasta in a generous, well-designed historic space atop The Old Rum Store is my idea of a good evening out. As is sipping a perfectly refreshing nergroni on an open-air terrazza (terrace) while the faint summer breeze blows…

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Ripponlea Food and Wine have reopened with a bold new look (Melbourne)

Taking on a motto of “kinda hood, kinda classy”, Ripponlea Food and Wine have finally reopened their venue, unveiling their expanded space after being closed for renovations since October 2. Expertly designed by Black Milk Interiors (Sash Japanese, Ms Collins), the new space features a glamourous new cocktail bar that seamlessly connects to the existing…

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Lavico is South-Western Sydney’s charming new Italian restaurant

It’s not all about the great wave of gastropub makeovers in Sydney when it comes to refocused quality dining in local institutions. Many of the city’s outer suburbs are looking to their local clubs to introduce stronger food and drink offerings, a demand slowly but surely being met across the board. Take Canterbury League Club…

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Newtown’s new Sicilian pizzeria is offering 100 free slices this week (Sydney)

Sicilian-style pizza by the slice will be landing in the heart of Newtown as of later this week as Ballaro opens on King Street. Drawing on the lively street food culture of the famous Mediterranean island, the new venture from Daniele Arnone and Stefano Zanco will be adding something distinctive to the plethora of multicultural…

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Rockpool Dining Group opens Rosetta Ristorante in Sydney next week

Rockpool Dining Group have expanded on their award-winning Melbourne ristorante by finally bringing Rosetta to Sydney, adding to the city’s rich scene of sophisticated Italian dining with a massive three-level venue which features a panoramic outdoor terrace a mezzanine dining room, and a split-level bar. Set to open next week, 15th August, Rosetta Sydney will…

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Rosebery’s Da Mario: still one of the best pizzerias in Sydney

Two years on and food lovers across Sydney are still reeling over the closure of Surry Hills’ treasured Pizza Mario. The highly celebrated pizzeria was long-established as one of the very best this city has ever seen, and its unfortunate closure in 2015 was a huge hit to the otherwise rich and consistent Italian dining…

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Proud and powerful: Machiavelli Ristorante is still one of Sydney’s finest Italian restaurants

It seems the 2016 arrival of a spin-off restaurant, imposing Rushcutters Bay warehouse restaurant Bar Machiavelli, has sparked a new flame under Sydney’s long-standing Machiavelli Ristorante, a stalwart dining destination that has been standing since 1988. There’s a real “if these walls could talk” kind of history behind this famed Italian restaurant, a sprawling space…

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New restaurant Marta to bring the flavours of Rome to Rushcutters Bay (Sydney)

In moving his beloved Popolo to the city in 2018, Flavio Carnevale has announced that he’ll be returning to his Roman hospitality roots with new restaurant Marta, a traditional cucina Romana that taps into the spirited streets of Rome to create a true neighbourhood osteria. It will be a move away from the formality of…

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Four Seasons Hotel unveils new dining spot Mode Kitchen & Bar (Sydney)

The lush Four Seasons Hotel Sydney has just revealed the new restaurant replacing Mark Best’s beloved Pei Modern, moving towards European influenced dining overseen by Head Chef Francesco Mannelli, who is best known for his work at heavy-hitters Balla, Est., and Uccello. The name for the new lobby-level restaurant is Mode Kitchen & Bar, bringing…

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Piccolino celebrates their 25th anniversary with a huge rennovation (Melbourne)

After undergoing a massive renovation, Piccolino, one of Mount Waverley’s favourite classic Italian restaurants, have once again opened their doors to the public, just in time to celebrate their 25th anniversary. First opened in the early 90s by John Dib, Piccolino started off as a humble take-away store on Mount Waverley’s Blackburn road, serving up…

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