The Bar Liberty Team Is Opening a Modern Italian Bar in Carlton Next Month

Their first joint venture Bar Liberty is a widely-acclaimed Fitzroy wine bar. Now, owners Banjo Harris Plane, Michael Bascetta, Manu Potoi and Casey Wall are joining forces again, this time to open a modern Italian bar and restaurant in Carlton.

Taking over The Beaufort's former digs on Rathdowne Street, the team has swapped the red neon and divey feel for a space that's warm and fresh. Here, terrazzo tile floors and Art Deco fixtures prove a fitting backdrop for a largely Italian offering, that's spiked with influence from Australia and the USA.

Set to open its doors on August 15, Capitano will be serving up Chef Wall's modern take on Italian fare, centred around top local ingredients. Expect rotating selections of pasta and pizzas, a range of dry-aged steaks, a share-friendly lasagne dish and a fun lineup of desserts, headlined by a classic tiramisu. Enjoy your feed alongside a beer at the bar, book a table to really settle in, or fly by to grab something from the take-away menu.

Head Chef Blake Giblet will be heading up the kitchen and bringing co-owner Wall's menu to life, while Sam Rogers takes the reins front-of-house also lending his international DJ experience to the soundtrack of new wave Italo-disco.

And the bar itself has plenty to offer, from revamped classic Italian cocktails and a sprawling collection of amari, to Harris Plane's expert wine list, packed with fun Italian varietals from overseas and closer to home, as well as a few of those harder-to-find drops.

Find Capitano at 421 Rathdowne Street, Carlton, from Wednesday, August 15.