“We are counting the days to when we can host our new friends and neighbours,” says Alessandro Pavoni, ahead of Postino Osteria’s Friday opening.
The restaurant is housed in the heritage listed Summer Hill Post Office, taking over the iconic space that formerly held local favourite One Penny Red.
It is the latest addition to The Ormeggio Group by Chef Alessandro Pavoni and team, joining Chiosco and Ormeggio at The Spit, a’Mare at The Crown Sydney, and soon-to-open Cibaria in Manly.
Although Summer Hill is a far cry from the waterfront restaurants Pavoni’s team has become known for, the restaurant upholds the same Italian charm and culinary attention to detail that runs through each of his venues.
The osteria, Pavoni hopes, will be “a home away from home”, for regulars and locals.
“A good neighbourhood osteria is something nobody should be denied. A place where you can stop for a vino on your way home from work, celebrate with friends and family when you deserve celebrating, come for dinner and know you’ll be looked after by a maître d’ who knows your favourite aperitivo and goes from there,” says Pavoni.
The Pavonis have embraced the old-world charm of the former post office with dark, warm timber tables, deep red carpet that lines the floors, and half-height curtains that obscure the interior from the outside street, creating a sanctuary of warm lighting and delectable food. The name is a play on words, with ‘Postino’ meaning both ‘postman’ and ‘small but cozy place’.
Devised by Pavoni, the menu consists of traditional Italian dishes at affordable prices, with sharing menus starting at $79 per person for four courses.
Menu highlights include a veal sirloin ‘saltimbocca’ topped with prosciutto, perfectly crispy leaves of sage and white wine sauce; the wagyu tonnato – slow cooked, thinly sliced Blackmore wagyu served chilled with tuna mayonnaise, pine nuts, and capers; and the spaghetti chitarra con pallottoline – home-made egg pasta with small meatballs, abruzzese sugo and Pecorino Romano.
For dessert, it’s a difficult choice between the dark chocolate and orange caramel panna cotta; a decadent pistachio tiramisu; and the millefoglie with Italian vanilla custard and mixed berries spilling out from between layers of puffed pastry.
