Meet Monelli, The New Northern Suburbs Restaurant With Bold Roman Flavours And Coastal Sensibilities

Come by Monelli early in the morning and you’ll likely see the kitchen team stirring sugo or prepping fresh pasta dough, while front of house pulls espressos and froths cappuccinos - it’s worth noting both the pasta flour and coffee beans are Italian imports - amid a babble of European-accented pleasantries. The restaurant is bringing big, authentic Roman flavours to Perth’s northern suburbs, and they’ve got the heritage to back it up. 

“Nonna and dad and mom always say that, you know, you make your lifelong friends at the dinner table,” shares co-owner Eleonora Patritzi.  

Image credit: Monelli | Supplied

Alongside parents Ezio Patrizi and Cinzia Di Pio, Eleonora has opened Monelli to bring luxe Italian dining and authentic Roman cooking to Burns Beach. In the kitchen, bringing those Roman flavours to life, is executive chef Luca Minetti, who’s had tenures at Volare and Print Hall as well as restaurants in St Barths. There’s an understanding of great Italian flavours, a commitment to the best produce, whether local or imported, and strong synchronicity with the venue owners. 

“What we wanted to do with the menu is to really showcase the traditional aspects of Italian cooking and Italian cuisine, especially Roman cuisine, but giving it that innovative flair and that kind of extra oomph that challenges expectations as well,” says Eleonora. 

Image credit: Monelli | Supplied

It’s always a good time to stop by Monelli. Step off the nearby beach in the early mornings to grab a quick coffee and maritozzo, swing by with friends and pick over share plates and a glass or two of wine for lunch, or visit in the evening, as the lights are dimmed and jazz music sings out through the restaurant, for a multi-course Italian feast. 

It’s a meal you’ll want to linger over. Start with the share-style antipasti, recommends Eleonora. Perhaps the stracciatella with citrus salad and a chill and garlic fermented honey, alongside the beef tonnato, a plate of thinly sliced beef carpaccio with tuna sauce, caper berries and pickled shallots. 

Image credit: Monelli | Supplied

From there, you’ll want to move on to your primi pasta course, like a tortelli cacio e pepe, pappardelle al funghi, or the cavatelli with local Shark Bay crab and roasted capsicum. Then, the secondi course, with options like braised pork belly, chargrilled swordfish with Sicilian caponata, and of course a Black Angus bistecca. To accompany, there’s a solid list of Mediterranean wines alongside drops from the Margaret River, Barossa Valley and Adelaide Hills regions. Dessert options like tiramisu and rhum baba will tempt, but there’s also an affogato al caffe for a lighter end to the meal. 

Then there’s the aperitivo offering. And while Eleonora speaks fondly of the simple aperitivo hours she’s spent with friends at Roman bars, Monelli’s version brings a little more sophistication to pre-dinner snacking.

Image credit: Monelli | Supplied

“Typically aperitivo for us is an Aperol spritz, crisps, peanuts, olives and pizza,” she explains. “You just share and nibble and pick just so you can satisfy yourself until the dinner service starts.”

Here, instead, there’s a short menu of bespoke bites to share with friends, and to accompany, bartenders will be pouring cocktails and spritzes, alongside limoncello and meloncello.

Image credit: Monelli | Supplied

 And while Monelli’s kitchen promises those bold Roman flavours, the restaurant is also a transcontinental homage to the serene coasts of southern Italy, where the family summered during Eleonora’s formative years, and northern Perth, where the family have settled. Swathes of teal linen hanging from the ceiling have been artfully curved to imitate waves, and ripple with the sea breeze that moves through the airy restaurant, while soft textural elements create a natual feel. 

“We wanted something that brings the coast alive through different textures, different feels, different structures and waves and movement,” says Eleonora. “That's what the coast is. It's always changing. It's always moving. These colors represent the colors that show in the water when you're looking at it at home. And it's bright. It's beautiful. It's clear.”

Image credit: Monelli | Supplied

The stunning venue is a much needed addition to both the local community and the wider northern suburbs, an any-time-of-day type of venue that invites connection over delicious food and special occasion dining.

“Monelli is a love letter to a 40-year journey that started with two people and has grown to a project that has brought so many people together. We want to stay true to that origin story not just through the venue itself but through the food that we create and the memories that we allow people to make in this place and the shared experiences that bring people together,” says Eleonora.

Monelli is set to open from Saturday 1 March. 

THE DETAILS

What: Monelli
Where: 59 Beachside Drive, Burns Beach
When: Open 6.30am to 9.30pm, Monday to Sunday
For more details, click here.

Main image credit: Monelli | Supplied