Bacco Osteria e Espresso Is Sydney CBD's New Italian Trattoria

Sydney's Angel Place is pretty well populated with high-end restaurants these days, with Long Chim and Mercado joining China Lane and the Merivale-encircled cornucopia last year. The CBD laneway hub will soon joined by a new Italian restaurant that boasts freshly-baked panini and pastries, handmade pastas, locally-sourced produce and two serious chefs. Bacco Osteria e Espresso is the first city collaboration between executive chef Andrew Cibej and head chef Scott Williams, both of whom hail from Surry Hills stalwarts Vini, 121BC, Berta and Chippendale's Ester. Various owners of China Doll, China Lane and Mercado are also all involved.

Designed by Anthony Gill Architects, the team responsible for the chefs' aforementioned venues, Bacco will open as a trattoria-style restaurant and espresso bar. An earthy, olive colour palette dominates the interiors, and unifying wooden finishes gives off a warm, intimate feel. The team have also imported all of their cooking equipment from Italy, so expect a highly particular menu.

Bacco's espresso bar opened mid-May, launching with a front window that turns out Little Marionette coffee and Bacco's house-baked breads, pastries and paninis, the latter of which include porchetta and pickles and vitello tonnato varieties. The team are also offering up pizza-by-the-slice, making them our personal inner-city heroes.

The trattoria-style restaurant section will open next Monday, May 29, and focus on rustic, yet polished Italian fare — think goat ragù strozzapreti and spaghetti with sea urchin, along with handmade gnocchi in a pistachio and pecorino sauce, made by Cibej's nonna no less. The decadent antipasti will offer dry-aged lamb tartare with whipped anchovy and smoked swordfish with kohlrabi and apple, and dessert includes house-baked ricotta cheesecake.

The extensive wine list has been curated by Clint Hillery (sommelier for China Doll Group) and features over 70 local and imported wines across Italian and New South Wales varietals. Overall, the team is going for an unpretentious, casual vibe.

Bacco Osteria e Espresso is located 1 Angel Place, Sydney. The espresso bar is now open Monday through Friday from 7am until late and the restaurant is opening on May 29, with opening hours on Monday through Friday from noon until 10pm and Saturday from noon until midnight.