Liquid & Larder, the hospitality group behind popular Sydney venues Grandma’s, Wild Rover and Wilhelmina’s, are gearing up to launch a new Italian steak restaurant in Sydney’s CBD.
Bistecca Restaurant, Bar and Wine Shop will only serve Bistecca alla Fiorentina, a Tuscan-style steak cut, that will be cut and weighed tableside, before being cooked traditionally over fire at an open hearth in the kitchen.
Bistecca is the dream venue of childhood friends and business partners James Bradey and Warren Burns, who travelled through Italy to find inspiration for the new restaurant.
“Warren and I had been thinking about a restaurant for some time and after a trip to Italy with my family, I came back and said, Woz, I’ve got it – Bistecca alla Fiorentina,” says Bradey. “So of course that set us up the best research trip of all time. Steak and red wine from the top to the toe. As you can imagine, it was epic.”
Head chef Pip Pratt will be leading the kitchen, bringing experience working at Bentley Restaurant & Bar and prior to that Michelin-starred Club Gascon in the UK.
In addition to steak, guests can choose from a list of side dishes, including braised cannellini beans, potatoes with garlic and rosemary, cavolo nero and wilted greens. There will also be a vegetarian dish of the day for those who don’t eat meat.
The venue will also feature a dedicated cocktail bar with a huge Italian focus and a wine store where diners can choose from a selection of more than 300 wines, all of which are from Italy or made from Italian varietals. Plans for a retail wine store are also in the works, with a opening date to be confirmed soon.
Set to open late June, Bistecca will be located on Bridge Street, with access via Dalley Street. It will open from 4pm Monday to Saturday with the dining room open from 6pm.