Bellagio Cafe

The verdict

Brunch can turn to lunch can turn to dinner at this gorgeous restaurant in Sydney’s east. Open for breakfast, brunch and lunch seven days a week and bringing the dinner and wine bar vibes Wednesday through to Saturday, the team at Bellagio are all about giving diners the very best when it comes to artisan and handcrafted items, combining interesting flavours with the freshest produce that will have you wanting to try all of the things. Almost everything on the menu the team smoke, pickle and bake themselves, from smoked meats to their butter and even their bread, all topped off with herbs grown in their own front-of-house garden.

There’s over 50 curated wines on the menu, yep 5-0 meaning you will find at least one that suits your mood, no matter the day or the time, and one of the many reasons that make Bellagio perfect for a boozy brunch. Co-owner Felix also offers diners the chance to sip on some museum releases as well as barrel ageing a selection of cocktails along with a decent range of rare and top shelf dark spirits and after dinner drinks.

Their brunch menu has a little bit of everything, from a seriously good avocado smash to fig and sultana on star-anise rye as well as a southern buttermilk fried chicken burger, because brunch means you can totally eat burgers before noon and a smoked bbq beef brisket sandwich to rival those found in New York. And guuuuuuuuuuys, the baked goods. Fresh from just down the street at their sister venue, Nelson Road Tuck Shop, you can feast on gluten free orange almond and pistachio cake, the moistest of banana bread and a rum-soaked croissant, just to name a tasty few.

When day turns to night this is the kind of place where you go sharesies or go home… well not really, their dishes are satisfying enough for you to enjoy solo but if you suffer from epic levels of food envy like we do you’ll want to bring along some like minded mates to divide and conquer the menu. Whether it’s the white anchovy and sobrassada fingers, with just the right amount of spice, served with preserved lemon and salsa verde on pumpernickel, duck liver donuts (you need to try these) or the puy lentils, complete with hazelnuts and shaved fennel topped with truffle and an egg or the melt in your mouth confit duck leg with rum cherries (is there any other sort?), tzimmus and plum. Hungry yet? Because we are.

It’s easy to get excited by the fusion of flavours on offer at Bellagio and some of the best are savoured on their charcuterie plate and cheese board. Their charcuterie is a selection of perfectly cured and dried meats with their own blend of chicken liver parfait, house churned butter and all the sides you would expect, and their cheeseboard goes down a treat with a wine or two along with fruit bread from, you guessed it, their very own bakery.

Always leave room for dessert because their not so sweet, super salty and sour preserved lemon ice cream is a must try, seriously, you must.

Image credit: Federica Portentoso