Overview
Sydney's harbourside dining scene is set for a major new addition this summer, with Giovanni Pilu and Marilyn Annecchini — the husband-and-wife team behind acclaimed Northern Beaches institution Pilu at Freshwater — set to open a new restaurant at Circular Quay. Named Flaminia, the venue will bring the warm hospitality and rich flavours of Italy's port cities to one of Sydney's most iconic settings.
For Pilu, the project is both personal and symbolic — Flaminia was the name of the ship that brought his family from Italy to Australia in 1959. "It represents our journey, leaving one coast behind and arriving on another, and everything that's come from it," he says. "Naming the restaurant Flaminia is a way of honouring that story of food, family and finding a new home."
Set inside Pullman Quay Grand Sydney Harbour, the restaurant will capture the spirit of Italy's bustling coastal towns. The atmosphere will be relaxed yet refined, with a focus on warm hospitality and honest, humble dishes that let the ingredients do the talking.
The menu draws on the distinct food traditions of cities — from Catania and Cagliari to Portofino and Portovenere — while spotlighting premium Australian seafood. This ethos is illustrated at a dedicated crudo bar serving oysters shucked to order and northern Italian-style fresh seafood plates. The menu will also feature generous antipasti, seafood pasta and shared desserts, with wines that trace the Italian coastline and an aperitivo program that echoes the Italian seaside lifestyle.
While Pilu at Freshwater (pictured above), which opened in 2004, will remain rooted in Sardinian heritage, Flaminia promises a more playful take on Italian seaside dining — a natural continuation of the couple's story, shaped by over two decades of coastal hospitality.
"You walk up the stairs and it feels like Italy," Pilu says. "That's the feeling we're chasing. The salt in the air, a glass of crisp vermentino, oysters freshly shucked. It's the spirit of the ports, brought to life with incredible local produce, right on Sydney Harbour."
Flaminia will open in summer 2025-6 at Pullman Quay Grand Sydney Harbour. For more information, head to the restaurant's website.
Images: supplied.