Sydney CBD restaurant Secolo has reopened at the former Fabbrica Balmain site inside the Exchange Hotel in Balmain.
Secolo owners Anthony, Tanja, and Robert Arienzale were forced to shut down the Castlereagh restaurant during Covid-19 lockdowns and secured this spot earlier this year.
The space is the former Fabbrica Balmain site, which closed suddenly late last year during the split between Public and the Love Tilly Group.
“We saw how popular the site was with locals and how much of a void the previous departure left in the community, so when we were given the opportunity to bring our authentic Italian dining experience to the area, we jumped at it,” Tanja says.
“We’ve created a space where people can feel comfortable to relax and enjoy themselves, whether that’s over a drink after work or to celebrate a special occasion with family and friends.”
Secolo will run initially as a pop-up until at least May, but the group hope to be able to extend past that date.
Italy-born Head Chef and Co-owner Mattia Senesi (ex-La Favola) will lead the Italian food offering which features a few familiar favourites from the venue’s CBD location.
Diners can expect dishes such as the signature blue swimmer crab spaghetti; oven-roasted bone marrow with focaccia; and rigatoni alla norma.
On the drinks front, Italian wine regions such as Piedmont, Veneto, and Tuscany star alongside other drops from France and Australia.
Secolo Balmain is open Tuesday to Saturday for dinner, and for lunch on Saturdays and is located at The Exchange Hotel, 94 Beattie Street, Balmain, New South Wales.