Ask any serious Negroni drinker where to find the best in Sydney, and there’s no doubt that Bar Conte will have a place on the list.
Now, Bar Conte owner Raffaelle Lombardi with partner Victoria Hampshire, head chef Steven De Vecchi and sommelier Marta Carruccio have expanded the concept to a larger 130-seat, two-storey venue on Clarence Street in the Sydney CBD.
“I have dreamt of this for the past 10 years,” says Raffaele. “The Negroni is, of course, my drink of choice and has been since I was a young man growing up on the Amalfi Coast. The [Surry Hills] venue’s popularity has completely blown us away, so the time felt right for a larger, ‘grown-up’ offering realising the dream of a chic and contemporary dining and drinks space that we know Sydneysiders will want to visit as much as we do!”
Conte Sydney’s menu continues the model of Bar Conte, with over 40 spins on the Negroni including textbook execution of classic cocktails, premium variations on the Negroni, infused twists (beetroot, peanut butter, and coffee, for instance), barrel-aged cocktails, and a $1000, pre-order-only Negroni using 50-year-old ingredients.
As well as the focus cocktail, the bar menu includes hand-picked Italian spirits (like Sicilian-made Vulcanica vodka), esteemed Marisa Cuomo Costa d'Amalfi wines, and an expansive collection of amari, gin and Italian-made vermouth.
From the green-tiled, open kitchen, Steven’s menu covers snacks (with a rework of Surry Hills’ beloved crisp-edged focaccia, fritto misto, and Westholme Wagyu tartare), plus pasta dishes (we demolished the rich prawn busiate with lobster bisque, nduja crumb and salmon roe), and mains like a one-kilo T-Bone, and duck breast with beetroot puree and crispy cabbage. For dessert-seekers, the Negroni tiramisu is a balanced, fragrant finisher. Echoing the commitment of the O.G. location to keep the kitchen open, Conte Sydney's full food menu is served until late.
As well as the white-tableclothed dining room with tables and banquettes, the ground floor space focuses on the striking central bar—made out of Conte’s signature deep green marble—which sits under a nine-metre-high ceiling in front of double-height windows.
Vintage Italian film and alcohol advertising (sourced by Raffaele in Rome and Milan), wallpapers from Milanese brand Fornasetti, and custom-designed, Sydney-made seating using Italian leather all speak to the care and attention to detail Victoria, a respected interior designer, brought to designing the restaurant, bar and function spaces.
Conte Sydney has a few cosy booths, tall tables on the checkerboard floor, and bar seating for before- or after-dinner drinks in the bar, plus some tables for two upstairs overlooking all the action.
Upstairs is also home to the versatile functions and private dining spaces, with red curtain-surrounded long tables for shared occasions, and the fully private Negroni Room, where Raffaele envisions hosting tastings and events.
Conte Sydney | The Details
Where: 151, Clarence Street, Sydney CBD
Opening hours: 12pm–3pm and 4pm–late, Monday–Friday; 4pm–late Saturday; closed Sunday
Make a booking: Online