Ciao Cielo — Melbourne, Australia

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Dinning area at Ciao Cielo - Melbourne, Australia
(Image credit: ciaocielo)

When restaurant owners Kate and Bryan Dickens – she runs the front of house, he is the chef – decided to move their beloved local restaurant to a bigger space they may not have envisioned it would take two years.

With the guidance of design studio Atelier Wagner, they slowly transformed a heritage-listed former courthouse in Port Melbourne into a warm yet lofty space. They’ve retained the cracked sandstone walls, baltic pine floors and timber rafters and added crackling fireplace, flowing organza drapes, marble bar and muted blue leather banquettes for a contemporary edge.

The form of the room is reflected in the menu, which offers a modern take on traditional Italian dishes. Start with the likes of stracciatella given an update with caramel popcorn and parmesan, before moving on to risotto with local prawns and marjoram gremolata or Sardinian-style goat with polenta dumplings, olive and fennel. The signature dish, however, is the one-kilogram bistecca alla fiorentina (t-bone from Chianina cattle) meant to be shared.

Banquette seating at Ciao Cielo restaurant, Melbourne, Australia

(Image credit: ciaocielo)

The dining room at Ciao Cielo restaurant, Melbourne, Australia

(Image credit: ciaocielo)

The bar at Ciao Cielo restaurant, Melbourne, Australia

(Image credit: ciaocielo)

INFORMATION

Website

ADDRESS

115 Bay Street

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Carrie Hutchinson

Carrie Hutchinson is an Australian writer and editor for publications and clients around the world. A transplant to Melbourne, she loves nothing more than sharing the riches of her corner of the world with others through her stories and images. Otherwise, her happy place is the ocean, especially if it involves swimming with large marine creatures – yes, that does include sharks.