Bar Machiavelli is the new modern Italian dining experience in Rushcutters Bay (Sydney)

Established Sydney CBD dining icon, Machiavelli Restaurant, has now opened its Rushcutters Bay counterpart on Neild Avenue in a warehouse-style venue. The new restaurant, Bar Machiavelli, is also run by original Machiavelli creator Paola Toppi and seeks to add the Rushcutter Bay’s popular Italian dining scene which already includes Popolo and ACME.

The menu will feature a revolving array of antipasti, made famous in the original CBD restaurant, as well as homemade pastas made on site in the venue’s custom glass pasta room.

“My mother, Giovanna Toppi, taught me everything I know about food as I learned by her side in the kitchen of the original Machiavelli”, says Ms. Toppi.  “She has always loved creating new concepts, and this new restaurant honours her love of a style of Italian dining that is casual and for a new generation. We feel this is how Sydney-siders want to enjoy Italian- fun, high energy, but still drawing on the classic cooking principles and well-loved dishes”.

Tatiana Simplicio of Fei Jai and Matteo Belkeziz of Palmer & Co. will also join the team.  Belkeziz’s cocktail list is a nod to Italian classics, with each drink made using typical Mediterranean ingredients to create seasonal cocktails with a twist.

Signature drinks include a barrel-aged negroni and grappa concoction called The Prince Vs The Count, as well as an enticing cocktail called La Dolce Vita, made from prosecco with strawberry, orange and lychee. Bar Machiavelli will also showcase a monthly Bellini, as well as a dessert cocktail menu, including a Tiramisu Martini.

The new restaurant, which accommodates up to 160 patrons, offers a fun and casual vibe, with décor featuring a long metallic gold-clad bar at the centre of the restaurant, surrounded by an assortment of both large and small tables. Along with its cocktail bar and dining area, Bar Machiavelli also features a multi-purpose area that can be used for events and parties.  The renaissance-inspired colours of the interiors have been chosen to reflect the venue’s Italian heritage and culture.  Designer Jason Mowen was keen to incorporate references to the Toppi family into the décor, whilst also ensuring it complemented the warehouse space’s exposed brick and beams.

“I’ve played on the grandeur of the space, instead of being afraid of its scale, the design embraces it, ” says Mowen. “From the huge, classically- inspired mural to the sculptural, low- slung gold bar and the red leather banquettes, each element would stand out on its own but comes together to make for an industrial and highly-textured interior.”

Bar Machiavelli | 10 Neild Avenue, Rushcutters Bay | Mon-Fri, 6pm-12am; Sat, 4pm- 12am; Sun, Closed |  +612 9357 7750 | www.barmachiavelli.com | [email protected]

Image: Nikki To

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