One of Sydney's Best Pizzerias Has Opened an All-Day Eatery in the CBD
Sister to Matteo Double Bay, Matteo Downtown boasts a dedicated mozzarella bar, a weekday aperitivo hour and a terrace primed for people-watching.
It's just as unmistakably Italian, but Matteo Downtown, the sister venue to Matteo Double Bay, is worlds away from its laidback coastal counterpart.
For this second joint project, owners Adam Abrams, Orazio D'Elia and Eddie Levy have taken their cues from the Italy's buzzing urban destinations of Milan and Rome, in contrast to the relaxed coastal vibes of its Double Bay sister. The CBD spot is a dynamic, all-day operation, that cruises from early morning espressos to late-night negronis.
Sydney design firm Acme & Co has shaped the Bond Street space to suit, complete with an intimate dining room, bustling open kitchen, sophisticated bar area and roomy al fresco terrace, primed for people-watching.
Head Chef D'Elia is tapping into both his southern Italian roots and his journeys across the north, to deliver a menu that's steeped in tradition, yet executed with modern flair. In the morning, from 7am weekdays, you'll find pasticceria and panino for the fly-by crowd, alongside a full breakfast offering of creations like Italian-style shakshuka (called uovo in purgatorio) and cacio e pepe scrambled eggs.
From 11am through 11pm, you can nab something off the express menu, or head over to the dedicated mozzarella and antipasti bar, stocked daily with fresh cheese and house-cured meats. If you prefer to linger, head to the dining room, and do so over dishes like squid ink fregola, and lamb backstrap with Jerusalem artichokes. D'Elia's much-loved pizzas will also be available — in the dining room and at the bar — with guests having 16 to choose from, including the Siciliana, topped with eggplant and ricotta, and the Capasanta with scallops, pumpkin purée and black olive crumble.
In true Italian style, Matteo Downtown celebrates aperitivo hour wholeheartedly — from 4–6pm weekdays, drop by to team your after-work spritz or wine with a selection of complimentary snacks from the kitchen. The bar offering itself boasts a hefty Italian contingent, with a carefully curated range of craft beers, spirits and small-batch liqueurs sourced from the homeland.
As well as a negroni list, the drinks menu features a spritz selection that changes with the seasons — kicking off with the Downtown Spritz: Aperol, elderflower liqueur, grapefruit bitters and homemade cucumber soda — house wines are on tap and a broad-ranging, 300-strong collection of bottled wines, which make a masterpiece of the dining room's back wall.
Find Matteo Downtown at 20 Bond Street, Sydney. It's open 7am–midnight, Mon–Fri and 5pm–midnight, Sat.
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