Now open for dinner Tuesday-Saturday and Saturday lunches (did someone say silly season catch-ups?), Sasso Italiano is the first venue from former Ovolo and QT food and beverage directors Vincent Lombino and Jared Thibault.
The menu features the unmistakable flavours of Italian cuisine in an array of dishes made for sharing, with veal and pork confit-stuffed olives, pea and mint arancini, and a dry-aged hanger steak with marrow butter and herb salad standing out as must-try plates.
Classic pastas (Amatriciana, linguine marinara) and red- and white-based pizzas (which come from a wood-fired oven laden with a Mount Vesuvius lava stone) make up the remainder of the dining offering.
In the bar, the ever-popular Negroni is a staple sip, with 15 takes available including versions using vintage Campari dating back to ’60s, while local brewery Aether has crafted a bespoke Italian-style lager, christened Birra Cazino. The rest of the beverage menu (which will be updated seasonally) reflects a restrained technicality, with an extensive wine list featuring plenty of Italian producers and low-intervention drops.
With tiled surfaces, a marble bar and olive trees lending a luxurious but laid-back Italian feel that matches the entire menu perfectly, Sasso Italiano is a must-visit addition to the soon-to-be-booming South City Square precinct; you can see the full menus and book a table here.
A handful of venues are set to come from Vince and Jared in the precinct in the next six months, so stay tuned!
