Bel & Brio is a marketplace, deli, eatery, wine bar and coffee shop all in one at Barangaroo.
Tables of cheese, piles of cured meats and endless trays of fine Italian wine. It was a fitting opening for the new deli come eatery, wine bar and coffee shop, Bel & Brio. Joining a fleet of trendy new eateries on The Streets of Barangaroo’s new age dining precinct, Bel & Brio fits right in. The large, open space houses a small supermarket, exclusive wine cellar, beautifully stocked bar and quality restaurant.
The venue takes inspiration from the great food halls of Europe with a classically elegant fit out using a mix of natural materials. You’ll find elements including beautiful timbers, brass, copper, polished concrete and marble beautifully combined. Despite the urban feel of Barangaroo, once you step inside Bel & Brio you instantly feel like you could be somewhere in Paris or Italy.
The impressive 800 square metre site is open everyday, from breakfast to late into the evening. Grab your morning coffee and a house-made pastry, a quick or long lunch or a takeaway dinner on their way home from work. You can also swing by for a glass of wine or cocktail with colleagues over a light dinner.
On the opening night, waitstaff circled around with samples of the menu created by Sicilian-born Andrea Assenza and co-executive chef Vanessa Martin (formerly of the hatted Italian Il Piave). We tried the crispy pork belly with braised fennel and orange salad, calamari dunked in paprika mayonnaise and seared Albacore tuna with marinated artichokes in a citrus dressing.
The wine list and cellar has been curated by Jon Osbeiston, who ran the independent wine retailer, Ultimo Wine Centre. It features over 2000 different wines mainly from Australia, Italy and France. Keep an eye out for cellar tastings and other future events that Jon will be running in the coming months. The drinks and cocktails are brought to you by ex-Bentley, Ms G and Button Bar mixologist James Snelgrove.
Despite being located in the heart of the CBD, Bel & Brio boasts a “genuine farm to table philosophy” with plans for their Central Coast farm to eventually stock the kitchens with fresh produce. The Farm at Kulnura is located 70 minutes from Sydney. It’s completely chemical free and will supply vegetables and pasture-raised eggs.
The well-stocked grocery has everything from everyday pantry staples and household essentials to speciality products and imported ‘treats’. There’s also an extensive Italian pastry selection made fresh daily by Bel & Brio at their Lane Cove home kitchen.
Bel & Brio
T3.01, 300 Barangaroo Avenue, Barangaroo Sydney NSW 2000
Open Mon – Sat, 7am-11pm Sun: 7am-10pm, 02 9299 9107
http://www.belandbrio.com.au