Overview
The husband-and-wife hospitality mavens behind revered Sydney restaurants a'Mare, Ormeggio at the Spit, Chiosco and Postino Osteria have added yet another Italian diner to their impressive portfolio. However, this latest venture realises a concept quite unlike any of Alessandro and Anna Pavoni's previous endeavours.
Located within the Manly Pacific Hotel, which recently underwent a $30 million renovation, Cibaria offers diners the choice of several styles of Italian cuisine prepared at various open kitchens dotted throughout the beachfront venue. Delivering an interesting new riff on the recent boom in multi-venue hospitality hubs in Sydney — including the likes of The International, The Bristol and Prefecture 48 — Cibaria also features a double-storey terrazza event space for private functions and a "cocktaileria, birreria and champagneria", revamping the Manly Pacific's existing cocktail lounge 55 North with an infusion Stivali swagger.
The heart of Cibaria is the Trattoria, which will operate from 11.30am until late, seven days a week. This part of the venue features six distinct kitchens. The Forneria, centred around a woodfired oven, will be serving up freshly prepared pizzettas. The Antipaseria will offer cold and raw dishes, such as a Catalana salad of king prawns and classics like vitello tonnato, as well as gorgonzola, served from a roving trolley al cucchiaio style — drizzled with locally sourced honey.
The Friggitoria heroes deep-fried delights, including fritto misto and cacio e pepe suppli — Rome's answer to arancini. At the Spaghetteria, pasta takes the spotlight — think Venetian-inspired squid ink tagliolini with crab and slow-cooked ragú alla Bolognese with green tagliatelle. Showcasing dishes cooked over coals, the Bisteccheria will serve perfectly charred steaks, whole fish and crustaceans. Finally, the Pasticceria will round out this epicurean adventure through the cuisine of Italy with a range of desserts, from tried-and-true favourites like tiramisu and straccetti (sweet pizza dough with cinnamon, orange, honey and buffalo ricotta cheese) to house specialities, such as the soon-to-be-famous cheesecake from Head Chef Victor Moya.
If, for some inexplicable reason, you're still hungry, a visit to the Gelateria is a must. Sydney has no shortage of gelato options, but Chef Moya charts his own path through this crowded offering with authentic flavours such as nocciola (piedmont hazelnut), cremino bianco (white chocolate gelato with roasted coconut), as well as weekly specials such as burro bruciatto (burnt butter gelato, coffee cookies, caramelised peanuts) and Italian mojito (rum, lime, basil sorbet).
Catering to Manly's earlier rises, The Caffetteria, which will open daily from 9am–4.30pm, will be serving breakfast classics, top-quality coffee and a selection of takeaway options for grab-and-go diners.
After dark, 55 North will be shaking and stirring classic cocktails and spritzes alongside Italian-inspired signature mingles such as the Paloma Italiano, featuring Espolon Reposado, Campari, agave, aranciata and grapefruit juice; and the Ligure starring Skyy vodka, limoncello, lemon juice and basil. The bar snacks menu distils the flavours and techniques on display in the Trattoria into a more casual menu featuring cacio e pepe fritters, lobster rolls, a smashed burger alongside sweets like nutella bombolone and a cheese plate.
"When people think of Cibaria I'd like them to think of the Italian way of eating and socialising around a piazza. An all-day solution to different needs; from your morning espresso at the caffetteria, to an afternoon stop at the gelateria and aperitivo at the champagneria, to the spaghetteria or bisteccheria in the evening," Alessandro Pavoni says of his vision for the new venue. "The great thing about Cibaria is that you can now create your own Italian experience in one place."
Alessandro Pavoni
Cibaria will open at the Manly Pacific Hotel, 55 North Steyne, Manly, from mid-December.