Rushcutters Bay's Beloved Pasta Joint Acme Is Closing Its Doors

At the end of June, the bright blue doors at the end of Bayswater Road will close for good when much-loved restaurant Acme shuts up shop.

Opened just under five years ago by Mitch Orr, Cam Fairbairn, Ed Loveday and Andy Emerson (the latter two have since left the business), the restaurant is known for its inventive takes on pasta, often combing Italian, Japanese, Filipino and Chinese ingredients, and fancy Jatz snacks, as well as its natural wine program and creative cocktails.

The restaurant also took home a slew of awards during its relatively short tenure, including regular inclusion in Gourmet Traveller's Top 100 restaurant list and a Good Food Guide hat.

Orr announced the closure today via his Instagram, saying: "we've made the decision that it has come for us to move onto the next chapter. Thanks to all our customers over the years, the ones that love and support us, those that don't quite get it and those that absolutely fucking hated it."

During the restaurant's life, chef Orr says he created over 450 dishes, never once repeating a dish, and also made regular appearances in other kitchens. Most recently, Orr and Fairbairn teamed up with Merivale for a pop-up Cambodian diner called Kingdom of Rice. While the duo hasn't yet announced any future plans, we're hoping this might be a taste of what's to come.

As for the other initials (yes, Acme is an acronym), Andy Emerson and Ed Lovely have a big CBD nightclub and bar in the works — we'll let you know as soon as we have more on that.

In the meantime, Acme will be serving up a menu "full of our favourites" for the final month. So make sure you head in for a final bowl of pig's head macaroni before it's gone.

Find Acme at 60 Bayswater Road, Rushcutters Bay until June 30.

Top image: Steven Woodburn.