Peter Aloi (Aromi and Café Duomo), and Francesca Sanzo, and Leonardo Alfieri (Cucina & Co.) have opened Malèna Cucina & Bar in Brighton, Melbourne.
Former Cucina & Co. Head Chef Domenico Fazzari takes the lead in the kitchen and will focus on Southern Italian cuisine, namely Calabrian and Sicilian. The Michelin-trained chef grew up in Calabria where “food was at the heart of every family gathering”.
“My goal at Malèna Cucina & Bar is to share my connection to my home with the Brighton community,” says Fazzari.
“My journey from Calabria to Northern Italy has shaped my approach to cooking. Each dish reflects my heritage, celebrating the fresh, local ingredients that have defined Southern Italian cuisine for centuries.”
Southern Italian classics on Fazzari’s menu include arancini with Bolognese ragu, peas, and scamorza cheese; squid ink spaghetti with crab, cherry tomato confit, lime, and chilli; oven-baked eggplant parmigiana with Napoli sauce, mozzarella, parmesan cheese, and basil; and an eye fillet with crispy polenta and toasted pine nuts.
The must-try dessert is the ‘Cremoso al Fieno’, inspired by Fazzari’s time working on an organic farm in the Italian alps.
The wine list features Italian and Australian varieties, alongside classic cocktails including Aperol Spritz, Negroni, and Espresso Martini.
“At Malèna, we want to offer a great selection of wine. I love wine, and Italian wine in particular, it was very important to me that we offered great drops at affordable prices,” says Co-Owner Peter Aloi.
Aloi found the Martin Street venue after years searching for the ideal site. “This little pocket of Brighton has a village-like feel, and the sense of community here mirrors the close connections we had in Sicily during childhood. That’s what we love about it,” says Aloi.M“We’re not here to reinvent the wheel, we’re here to do things well — honest Italian food with a commitment to quality, tradition and freshness,” he says.
“We want Malèna Cucina & Bar to be a place that feels like home.”
Photography: Kate Pascoe
www.malena.au
151 Martin St, Brighton, VIC 3186
