By Winsor Dobbin
Balmain residents have a new restaurant to visit – one with an Italian accent. Secolo Balmain, an inner west version of a much-loved Italian restaurant and bar, recently opened inside The Exchange Hotel. It fills the void left by the sudden departure of Fabbrica in late 2023.
To celebrate their arrival, owner-operators Anthony, Robert, and Tanja Arienzale, along with head chef Mattia Senesi, held a community event on February 17.
Tanja Arienzale said the family was excited to have joined the local community, first as a pop-up and then, hopefully, as a permanent fixture.
“This is more than just a venue for us,” she said. “We’ve created a space where people can feel comfortable to relax and enjoy themselves, whether that’s over a drink after work or to celebrate a special occasion with family and friends.
“We’re passionate about supporting the local communities we’re a part of and we’re looking forward to meeting everyone.”
Before its arrival in Balmain, Secolo Dining was a mainstay of the CBD dining scene, until the impact of Covid-19, as well as ongoing construction in the area, led to the decision for the owner-operators to start looking for a new home elsewhere.
The Arienzale family have also owned and operated several other venues, including Vicolo in the city, and Sotto in Parramatta.
“We saw how popular the site was with locals and how much of a void the previous departure left in the community, so when we were given the opportunity to bring our authentic Italian dining experience to the area, we jumped at it,” Tanja says.
“Our restaurants are more than just venues to us.
“We’ve created a space where people can feel comfortable to relax and enjoy themselves, whether that’s over a drink after work or to celebrate a special occasion with family and friends.”
But the owners are hopeful they’ll be able to remain a part of the community for much longer.
Senesi, who grew up near Lake Como and was initially taught to cook by his nonna, has created an authentic Italian menu featuring modern takes on dishes not often found outside of his home country.
“I want people to feel like they’re dining in Italy,” he says.
Secolo Balmain’s pastas are all made in-house, and feature the signature blue swimmer crab spaghetti with light tomato, garlic, chilli and herbs from the CBD venue.
The wine list features an array of Italian varietals from the likes of Piedmont, Veneto and Tuscany, old-world favourites from Burgundy and Provence, a selection of new-world Australian wines, and, of course, grappa.
Secolo Balmain will operate inside The Exchange Hotel until at least May.
The restaurant is open for dinner from 5.30pm to 10pm, Tuesday to Saturday, and for lunch on Saturdays.
Secolo is at 94 Beattie St, Balmain, inside the Exchange Hotel.
Phone: 0411 542 024. Visit www.secolo.com.au to make a reservation