Now Open: Dedicated Negroni Spot Bar Conte Has Launched a Second Location in Sydney's CBD
Bringing the same massive drinks list to its new location, this sister venue to the Surry Hills bar has also added refined Italian dining to the lineup.
When Bar Conte opened in 2021, the Surry Hills bar was pegged as the world's first spot solely dedicated to the humble negroni. Now, duo Raffaelle Lombardi and Victoria Hampshire have entered the venture's next chapter with the launch of a sister venue, Conte Sydney. While the new venue will also feature a massive selection of high-end negroni cocktails, it's complemented with a refined Italian dining menu spanning aperitivo bites to handmade pasta and sumptuous mains.
For those seeking a feed, Head Chef and venue partner Steven De Vecchi has shaped an inviting à la carte menu that captures the spirit of fresh and upbeat Italian dining. Expect dishes like Gambero Rosso tartare with red prawn, pickled jalapeno, salmon roe and bottarga; lobster risotto with acquerello rice and a lobster bisque reduction; and duck breast with beetroot puree and crispy cabbage.
Of course, the drinks list is as extensive as it is exciting, with Conte Sydney claiming to have the largest collection of Italian-made vermouth, amari, and gin ever assembled in a single venue. The beer, wine and spirit list is also sprawling, with Trappist and artisan brews joined by a plethora of imported tipples. These include the exclusive Vulcanica Vodka – made from rare ancient grains gathered from Mount Etna – and vino from the Amalfi's esteemed Cantine Marisa Cuomo winery.
"I have dreamt of this concept for the past 10 years. The negroni is, of course, my drink of choice and has been since I was a young man growing up in Sorrento on the Amalfi Coast," says Lombardi. "Bar Conte's popularity has completely blown us away, so the time felt right for a larger, 'grown-up' offering that realises the dream of a chic and contemporary dining and drinks space that we know Sydneysiders will want to visit as much as we do."
Food and drink this lavish demands an exceptional ambiance – and Conte Sydney doesn't disappoint. Guided by Hampshire, an interior designer, this 130-seat multi-level venue sees green marble and tiles contrast against deep brass highlights and rosso-painted walls. Featuring wallpapers from Milan-based designer Fornasetti, curtains picked from an Italian mill and custom-made seating using Italian leather, the venue's moody aesthetic was shaped without compromise.
Throughout the venue, each space delivers a distinctive atmosphere. Immersed by the nine-metre ceilings and large-scale windows, guests are welcome to choose between the restaurant dining area, banquette booths, mezzanine cocktail seating or stools at the bar if keen for a chat with the bartender. With dappled light flooding through the windows and a custom-designed installation inspired by candles, expect an evocative mood that soothes and romances as you sip down a perfectly balanced negroni.
Credit: Steven Woodburn
Conte Sydney is open Monday–Wednesday from 11am–midnight and Thursday–Saturday from 11am–1am at 151 Clarence Street, Sydney. Head to the website for more information.
Top image: Steven Woodburn.
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