Officina Gastronomica Italiana
The all-day dining destination serves generous and comforting Italian fare with an extensive selection of Italian wines.
Overview
Officina Gastronomica Italiana is an all-day dining destination in the heart of Hawksburn Village, Prahran. It serves strong coffee, sweet pastries, and generous Italian fare in a warm and inviting space that lends itself to easy-going, drawn-out meals.
Claudio Casoni set up what was originally Officine Zero back in 2014, and garnered a loyal following of locals and shoppers, who found respite and comfort in the humble espresso bar. However, he says he "always had a bigger vision for Officine Zero. Sustainability and the preciousness of old fashioned conviviality has always been integral to my life and…[Officina Gastronomica Italiano] is our way of introducing the philosophy of my land to the Melbourne dining scene. My hope is to promote the important connection between the artisan, the land and its produce and the customer, in a context of true enjoyment of food and authentic conviviality inspired by my heritage."
When Casoni reopened Officina, the restaurant had doubled in size, introduced a deli section, and extended its service into dinner. So no matter what time of the day you're visiting, you'll get a taste of Head Chef Gabriele Coniglio's generous, homely Italian food. Breakfast highlights include bruschetta with portobello mushroom, reggiano spread, tomatoes and eggs, 'nduja scrambled eggs with pickled chilli, and Tuscan baked eggs with slow-braised wagyu beef ragu.
The lunch and dinner menus showcase the tastes of Coniglio's childhood with dishes such as his Nonna's meatballs with tomato sugo and pecorino dolce. There are plenty of moreish snacks to start, mushroom croquettes with truffle pecorino, fried calamari with tempura zucchini, crostini with anchovy and butter, and plates of 18-month-cured Prosciutto San Daniele, sliced fresh to order. You won't be surprised that the fresh pastas are a local favourite, think pumpkin ravioli with goat cheese, egg tagliolini with cacio e pepe or squid ink spaghettoni with spanner crab and pangrattato.
If you weren't planning on having a drink with your meal, the floor-to-ceiling wall of wine bottles might persuade you otherwise. Try one of Claudio's hand-selected aperitif wines from his home region of Emilia-Romagna, and work your way through his curated list showcasing some of the finest natural wine makers in Italy.
As part of Casoni's passion for showcasing regional Italian cuisine, Officina has introduced a Taste and Pour series, which kicks off on Wednesday, September 24. With a specially curated set menu, diners will learn about and experience the tastes of the north-west Italian region of Piemonte. The menu includes pork and veal agnolotti, slow-cooked braises and chocolate amaretto desserts, paired with Casoni's specially selected Piemonte wines. Reserve your table now, and experience the intricacies of Piemonte cuisine.
Images: Supplied.
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