Now Open: Italian Wine Bar and Restaurant Casa Mariotti Has Brought a Little Slice of Rome to Richmond's Swan Street

These days, most of the Melbourne restaurant, bar and cafe openings we hear about come from hospitality groups with plenty of financial backing, with few independent business owners having a crack at it themselves.

That's why we were thrilled to hear about Casa Mariotti, a new family-run 110-person Italian wine bar and restaurant that brothers Guido and Guiacomo Mariotti have just opened.

Giacomo is heading up the kitchen here, creating a menu that's both inspired by his nonna's family recipes and his 20-plus years of experience working in Roman restaurants.

You can kick off proceedings with supplì 'al telefono' (traditional Roman rice balls), a small deep-fried sandwich stuffed with anchovies and mozzarella, breaded buffalo mozzarella, olive pate with anchovies and garlic, and plenty of other antipasti bites — all great for sipping and snacking.

There's certainly a focus on smaller dishes here, as Casa Mariotti leans more toward wine bar territory than a full-blown restaurant. Nonetheless, the handful of larger eats — including a few handmade pastas, sugos and polenta dishes — will more than satisfy hungry diners in need of a proper feed.

Unsurprisingly, wines are given a great deal of attention here, with the team splitting the menu into two sections — wines made in Italy with native grapes and Australian-made wines using Italian-origin grapes. These are supported by a tight list of Italian cocktails (both done classically and with some twists), local and imported beers, spirits and the obligatory aperitifs.

To celebrate the opening (in true Italian style), the Casa Mariotti is also serving up a traditional aperitivo every day from 4-6pm, where guests can enjoy a selection of wine, beer and cocktails starting at $9 a pop alongside complimentary snacks — think bruschetta al pomodoro, lupin and seasonal frittata. Be sure to score these complimentary bites ASAP, as the deal won't be around for too long.

You'll find Casa Mariotti at 258 Swan Street, Richmond, open from Wednesday–Sunday. For more information, you can visit the venue's website.

Images: Jack Carlin.