The owners of popular Surry Hills restaurant and bar Mille Vini are promising memorable experiences including a flaming $2000 parmesan wheel and more than 25 wines by the glass when they open their first Sydney CBD venue later this year.
Rovollo will join AALIA and The International at 25 Martin Place from July, with the family-owned Esper Group taking over and elevating the space previously occupied by L’uva Pasta Wine Bar.
Seating just 40 people inside and another 30 outside, the intimate Italian restaurant and wine room will feature an open kitchen as the showpiece of the space, which will be coupled with refined finishes like a custom-made marble top chef’s table.
Esper Group director Andrew Wallace said: “Going out for lunch or dinner shouldn’t be transactional; it should be immersive.
“We want to give back to Sydney diners, by creating an atmosphere where people feel known, receive more than they expected and with memories that last well after they’ve walked out the door.”
Wallace was inspired to open the venue during a recent trip to Italy’s Amalfi Coast, where he and his family were treated to a type of hospitality that he says has become harder-to-find.
“We weren’t just there for an allocated time slot. There was genuine theatre, personal touches and we left feeling like we were part of something bigger than ourselves,” he said. “That’s what we’re looking to create here.”
Rovollo’s menu will be led by a rotating selection of pastas, each made fresh in-house daily by executive chef Cami Feliciano (ex-Seta, Woodcut and Matteo Downtown), as well as large-format proteins by newly-appointed head chef Zane Buchanan (Clam Bar).
The restaurant’s signature pasta will be served from a giant Parmigiano-Reggiano wheel – imported from Italy – atop a roving pasta cart, which will be set alight before plating.
The share-style menu will also feature a range of antipasto and premium seafood.
More than 25 wines will be available by the glass, including via Coravin, with curated pairings and free tastings also set to be a regular occurrence.
Rovollo will be open for lunch and dinner six days a week.