A slice of Italy at Barbetta Paddington
Tucked onto Elizabeth Street, Barbetta Paddington is an all day Italian cafe and provedore from the brothers behind Cipri Italian next door. Think a curved, chrome edged counter, a wall of Italian pantry goods and a kitchen you can watch through glass. It suits a quick espresso just as well as a long, carb heavy catch up.
Barbetta works because it refuses to be just one thing. The front of the room is a proper Italian coffee bar, with pastries and sweets lined up behind the glass and high stools for anyone happy to linger over a coffee. Turn to one side and the shelves are stacked with pantry staples, house made sauces and heat and eat dinners, so you can take a little of the family kitchen home. The dining room is bright and relaxed, with big windows and an open kitchen where the pasta gets made. It is the casual sibling to Cipri Italian, and that is exactly the appeal. The cooking is comforting and generous, the kind you do not need an occasion for, and the pasta making workshops make it a smart pick for a date or a group who would rather roll their sleeves up than just sit and eat.
Quick Bites
EAT: The lasagne, a hot, cheesy, no fuss order that does the Italian classics justice.
DRINK: A cappuccino at the counter, ideally with a pastry from the cabinet.
PLAY: Book a pasta making workshop for a date night that doubles as dinner, then stock up on pantry goods on the way out. Or pair a Barbetta brunch with dinner next door at Cipri Italian and make a full day of Elizabeth Street.
VIBE CHECK: Warm, retro, unhurried
