Brunetti

Overview

When one door closes, another one opens. And, in the case of Melbourne institution Brunetti, that door is bigger and better than ever before.

Forced out of its longstanding Collins Street cafe due to works on Melbourne's new Metro Tunnel, the Italian cafe has landed itself new and improved digs, opening a sprawling venue connecting Flinders Lane and Collins Street.

It's a fresh look for an old favourite — the 300-seater boasting a smart, contemporary fit-out, as imagined by the team at Technē Architecture + Interior Design. Think, brass accents, sleek marble and a 15.5-metre-high mural of an Italian town square.

The food offering has entered a new era too, with executive chef Simon Moss (ex-Entrecote) plating up full breakfast, lunch and dinner menus to complement Brunetti's mind-blowing array of signature cakes and pastries.

Dishes like spaghetti carbonara with cured egg yolk, and vitello tonnato bruschetta are served up on tableware crafted by local artist Glen Tebble, while pizzas get the proper Italian treatment, wood-fired in a Marana Forni oven suspended from the ceiling.

There's also a Campari bar, dedicated to the classic Italian Spritz, sections for deli goods and takeaway wines, and an espresso bar where waistcoated baristas are working with an exclusive Lavazza coffee blend.

Food images: Gareth Sobey.