Overview
The Love Tilly Group is bringing the Fabbrica Pasta Shop experience across the ANZAC Bridge to Balmain, opening a new pasta and wine bar within a historic Inner West hotel. Starting life as a majority provisions store in 2020, Fabbrica has been slowly evolving its dine-in options including fun experiments like Saturday pasta dinners, aperitivo hours and weekend bake sales. Next stop: this pop-up.
The team will explore an entirely dine-in version of the carb haven at The Exchange Hotel — the only catch, however, is that it is only sticking around for the rest of the year. The limited-time bar will open on the ground floor of the century-old hotel later in February, arriving with the flavour-packed dishes and carefully curated drinks lists that the hospitality group is known for across its beloved venues Ragazzi, Dear Sainte Eloise, La Salut and Love Tilly Devine.
Favourites from Fabbrica and Ragazzi alongside new pasta creations will all be on offer at the 40-seat bar, from simple comfort food staples like spaghetti cacio e pepe to more boundary-pushing dishes like tonnarelli with sea urchin or conchiglie with spanner crab and corn.
Nikki To
That said, it's not all pasta. Cured meats will be sliced to order, tuna crudo and focaccia with anchovies will be available for snacking, and Love Tilly Group's Scott McComas-Williams has created a loving Italian ode to the pub schnitzel in the form of the cotoletta alla Milanese.
While there will be a big focus on the food, the acclaimed hospitality group is never one to skimp on the drinks menu. The wine menu focuses on Italian and Australian-grown Italian varieties, specifically minimal intervention and biodynamic drops. And the bar will be making use of the pub's stunning copper taps, pouring pints of local and international brews.
The team has again enlisted the help of Studio Vista's Sarah Watt, who previously masterminded the fitouts for the CBD pasta shop, La Salut and Ragazzi. This time, Watt has maintained the core elements of the 100-year-old pub, while adding beige and timber details and Bentwood chairs to give it the warmth and welcoming atmosphere of a Love Tilly venue.
Fabbrica Pasta Bar Balmain is set to open on the ground floor of The Exchange Hotel, 94 Beattie Street, Balmain later this month — keep an eye on Fabbrica's Instagram for further details.