Negroni enthusiast Raffaelle Lombardi and interior designer Victoria Hampshire – the duo behind popular Surry Hills Negroni authority Bar Conte – are opening a multi-level drink and dining destination today.
The business and life partners launched Bar Conte in 2021 as Sydney’s only dedicated Negroni bar. Its menu features over 40 Negronis with variations featuring rhubarb, beetroot, mezcal, and rare Italian amari, and vermouth – an offering that the team will replicate in their new 130 seat multi-level venue, Conte Sydney.
“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. It’s the ultimate pre-dinner drink and pastime,” says Lombardi.
“But there has always been more to Bar Conte in us. The venue’s popularity has completely blown us away so the time felt right for a larger, ‘grown-up’ offering realising the dream of a chic and contemporary dining and drinks space that we know Sydneysiders will want to visit as much as we do.”
Alongside the extensive 40+ Negroni list, Conte Sydney claims it will have the largest collection of Italian vermouth, amari, and Italian gin ever seen in one venue. It will also feature a Negroni and martini food pairing experience, an extensive beer list, and a wine list curated by ex-Bistro Rex Sommelier Marta Carruccio.
Head Chef and venue partner Steven De Vecchi will lead the kitchen alongside ex-Lumi chef Giacomo Rilievo. De Vecchi has been trialling dishes on the Bar Conte menu for months to test diners’ reactions.
The a la carte menu features dishes such as gambero rosso tartare; red prawn, pickle jalapeno, salmon roe, and bottarga; lobster risotto, acquerello rice, lobster bisque reduction, and chives anatra; duck breast with beetroot puree and crispy cabbage; and merluzzo, blue eye cod, fennel puree, and baby carrots in a beurre blanch.
Hampshire’s design pairs moss-green tiles with deep red walls, brass highlights, rich wallpapers, marble, and Italian leathers. “These elements reference our home, hotels, life, and travels in Italy,” says Hampshire.
Conte Sydney is located at 151 Clarence Street, Sydney. It will open Monday to Wednesday 11am to midnight, and Thursday to Saturday 11am to 1am.
