Betto Deli & Cucina

When Andrea Bettini opened Betto Deli & Cucina in Erskineville, it was less about launching a new venue and more about creating the kind of place he wished already existed.

“The concept is simple and genuine: Italian comfort food, no fuss, no fancy twists,” Andrea tells Urban List. “I cook hearty, classic dishes to honour my culture — and because I’m a nostalgic person.”

Andrea’s background is firmly rooted in European fine dining. He trained at culinary school before working in luxury hotels and restaurants across Italy and London, then spent years immersed in Sydney’s hospitality scene, learning the rhythms of the city before opening his own restaurant.

“Why now? I took my time,” he says. “I learned how Sydney works, built connections in the hospitality industry, and waited until I found the right-sized venue for my first restaurant as an owner.”

At Betto, the menu is intentionally focused. It’s a pasta restaurant and deli built around a handful of traditional dishes done properly, with gnocchi and lasagna forming the backbone of the offering.

“Gnocchi has always been a love-hate dish for me,” Andrea says. “It’s time-consuming, messy, and demanding — but when you taste those soft potato pillows that melt in your mouth, it’s all worth it.”

The sauces change with the seasons. “In winter, it was gorgonzola with roasted pumpkin; right now it’s lighter — brown butter, sage, asparagus, and toasted hazelnuts.”

Lasagna, meanwhile, stays true to tradition. “Lasagna is everywhere, but very few do it properly. For me, it has to have a generous amount of ragù, real creaminess from the béchamel, balanced tomato, and we finish it with a little mozzarella to make it special.”

That same sense of care extends to the dining room. Andrea cooks in the kitchen each day, while his partner Katherin runs the floor, greeting guests and shaping the experience with her signature personal touch.

“People are also surprised to see me in the kitchen and my partner, Katherin, managing the floor every day,” Andrea says. “Guests appreciate that we’re always present, that we take time — even briefly — to connect, chat, and ask how their dinner was. That personal connection matters to us.”

Betto is still very much a small, hands-on operation, something Andrea sees as essential to maintaining both quality and consistency.

“Until recently, I’ve been cooking mostly on my own, with chefs assisting on weekends and busy nights. Katherin has largely run the floor herself,” he says.

“Training is focused on consistency, quality, and genuine hospitality. I openly share my recipes and knowledge with the team — I’m not protective of them. If the staff want to learn, I’m happy to teach.”

From February 1, the venue will close briefly for renovations, shifting the space away from its original café-style fit-out to a warmer, more intimate, dinner-focused setting.

“We originally opened as a morning business, with white walls and bright, fresh colours,” Andrea explains. “Over time, we realised our strength was dinner… The space will become warmer and more intimate — softer lighting, warmer colours, tablecloths, and a cozier atmosphere. The focus will be on dinner and pasta.”

What won’t change, though, is the venue's mission. Andrea wants Italians "to feel like they’re back home when they eat our food, and everyone else to experience real Italian tradition, one mouthful at a time.”

It's proof that you don’t need to reinvent Italian food to stay on the radar—you just need to cook it well.

Image credit: Betto Deli | Instagram