Melbourne’s Italian pasticceria Brunetti swung open the doors to its new city store on Monday 20 November.
Located at 250 Flinders Lane Melbourne, the 300-seat store has a big focus on design and a cutting-edge kitchen fit out, which includes including Australia’s first DeManincor induction cooktop and a highly specialised Marana Forni wood-fired pizza oven — both imported from Italy. The multi-million dollar fit-out, curated by Technē Architecture + Interior Design, celebrates Italian design of the 50s and 60s, featuring a gelato bar, retail wine wall and a deli section with an extensive cured meats display.
Tones of grey, white and black contrast with red marble and timber, flecked by hints of brass and live greenery. An 8m wide by 15.5m high mural of a bustling Italian town square by illustrator Filipe Jardim will overlook the space from behind the main coffee bar.
“We’re always looking for ways to reinvent ourselves. We want Brunetti Flinders Lane to be known as a dining destination in Melbourne, a philosophy which we haven’t had the opportunity to fully explore since acquiring Carlton in 1991,” says Yuri Angele, Brunetti director.
Executive chef Simon Moss (ex-Entrecote, Sapore and Wildfire Sydney) is overseeing the kitchen, which will serve-up breakfast, lunch and dinner menus.
“It’s traditional Italian with a modern twist, and a few technical flourishes. Nothing too fancy, however it will elevate the existing Brunetti food offering to a new level,” says Moss.
The menu — served on tableware by Bendigo-based ceramic artist Glenn Tebble — includes dishes such as gnocchi alla bolognese topped with Moss’s take on gremolata, thin crispy garlic chips, parsley, olive oil, lemon zest; spaghetti carbonara, garnished with thin gratings of cured egg yolk and pecorino; vittelo tonnato with slow poached veal slices, tuna mayonnaise, shaved radish, chopped chive and baby capers, served as a bruschetta; and a panino sourdough slider with pork meatballs, Fontina cheese mornay sauce, and a grated carrot salad.
In addition, Brunetti’s traditional cakes, desserts, pastries, pizzas and pastas will be served, while the Campari Bar will be dedicated to Aperol spritz.
Brunetti has created a bespoke coffee blend, partnering with global Italian coffeehouse Lavazza – a first both for Brunetti and Lavazza globally. The blend, roasted locally in the northern suburbs of Melbourne, is exclusive to Brunetti stores in Flinders Lane, Carlton and Myer Bourke Street.
Acquired by the Angele family in 1991, Brunetti now has five store in Australia and one in Singapore.