Racecourse Road’s New Neighbourhood Italian Is Inviting You To The Family Table

Racecourse Road is home to many establishments that feel like an extension of your own dining room thanks to their familiarity and intuitive hospitality, which is why Dimmi—a new neighbourhood Italian—is a perfect addition to the main drag. 

Business partners Will Cooke and Kamile Vingeviciute have helmed casual Italian brands (Vapiano and Corbett & Claude, respectively) so Dimmi serves as a more intentional operation for the duo made for memorable gatherings over traditional fare. Leading the kitchen is head chef Niccolo Sordi (previously Corbett & Claude) who is rolling out a menu of handmade pasta and charcoal-grilled dishes, from fried lasagne bites to cappellacci burro e oro. 

“I want Dimmi to be the place where old and new locals meet: somewhere to drop in after work, celebrate after the races or linger of a long Sunday lunch, and in time, feel as though it has always belonged here,” said Vingeviciute.

Image credit: Dimmi | Supplied

The bar shares the same ethos of connection, with a countertop that sits lower than you’d expect to encourage conversation between bartender and guest. Italian cocktails form the base of the offering, like the negroni smoked over red cedar, the limoncello sour finished with bruleed elderflower foam and an extensive selection of Italian and Australian wines. 

“Growing up, our family table always had room for one more person, and that’s the feeling I want people to have when they walk into Dimmi,” said Vingeviciute. “I hope the first thing they notice isn’t just the room, but our people. The smile at the door, someone remembering your name the second time you visit, a bartender who asks how your day was and genuinely wants to know.”

Dimmi is set to open this November.