Overview
As if Australia Street couldn't get any more vibrant, the team behind Continental Deli is opening not one, not two, but three new venues on the beloved Newtown thoroughfare. Flora, Mister Grotto and Osteria Mucca will all sit side-by-side with Continental when they open between 206 and 212 Australia Street later this year.
The rough open date for the trio of venues is October 2024, and the announcement also comes with the promise of three boutique apartments to be rented out on top of the three venues. That's right, any travellers looking for a Sydney-to-the-core experience will be able to stay on top of one of the restaurants right in the hustle and bustle of Newtown.
The ambitious project has been multiple years in the making for the Porteño Group, the crew behind Porteño, Continental, Bastardo and Bar Louise.
"Three years ago it went to council," Porteño Group Founder Elvis Abrahanowicz told Concrete Playground. "It's been an actual nightmare to get anything done. We should have been open like two years ago... so, we're just happy we're just going to be opening this year."
So, what do the three venues have in store for us? Abrahanowicz says Flora is expected to be the first to open its doors. Dreamt up in collaboration with the crew from the beloved now-closed Australia Street cafe 212 Blu, the multi-faceted spot will be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, spotlighting the best of local produce through a plant-based menu.
Supporting the eats at Flora will be coffee during the day, and a playful drinks list at night with a focus on local Australian wines and spirits.
Mister Grotto will be a small 30-seat seafood bar. Expect an ever-changing menu based on what's fresh and available, with plenty of raw delights on offer. Drop in for a couple of oysters and a sake before heading out to Newtown or stick around for clams and a drop from the daily wine menu.
The final piece to the puzzle is Osteria Mucca, the biggest venue of the lot. For this spot, the team is taking an old butcher shop and transforming it into an Italian restaurant. Keeping the bones of its former occupant, Abrahanowicz says Mucca will be a "homage to the cow" with plenty of cheese and steak Fiorentina available alongside hearty bowls of pasta.
The three new Australia Street openings will make the stretch of road between King and Lennox Street one of the highest-density spots for standout eats in Sydney — joining a slew of beloved venues including Tokyo Lamington, Westwood Pizza and The Courthouse Hotel, all within one block.
Flora, Mister Grotto and Osteria Mucca will open at 206, 208 and 212 Australia Street in October 2024. Follow along with the venues' progress at the Continental Deli Instagram.