The Love Tilly Group has opened a new pop-up Fabbrica Pasta Bar inside The Exchange Hotel in Sydney’s Inner West. Turning pasta into the main event is what the Fabbrica brand specialises in. 

The brand’s expansion into Balmain celebrates the pasta made fresh daily in the CBD store.

“There’s been a really big push for pasta over the past few years. We’ll be bringing some serious good noodles to Balmain,” says executive chef Scott McComas-Williams.

“Pasta is food people want to eat. Fans of the Fabbrica brand will know that we only source premium ingredients. In fact, the only product we get outside of Australia is the Pecorina Roma from Italy. Everything else is from NSW,” he added.

The Balmain bolthole is an offshoot of CBD stalwarts Fabbrica and Ragazzi Wine and Pasta by the Love Tilly Group led by McComas-Williams, Matt Swieboda, Nathanial Hatwell and Cameron Birt (Fino Foods). The venture marks a second partnership with Public Hospitality Group, which owns The Exchange Hotel and The Norfolk, where Love Tilly Group’s La Salut is located.

Fabbrica translates to ‘factory’ in Italian and the focal point of the CBD store is the glassed-in workshop where the team can be seen making fresh pasta. And while the city outpost doubles as a retail outlet for pasta, wine, deli items and sourdough, the pop-up bar in Balmain is all about the dining experience.

Related review: Raise a glass to Redfern’s newest small bar, La Salut 

The 40-seater pasta bar features a raft of dishes Fabbrica customers are familiar with, such as the signature spaghetti cacio e pepe and the mafaldine with ‘nduja and prawns and tonnarelli with sea urchin, chilli and garlic. 

Studio Vista interior architect Sarah Watt was behind the fit-out, which she says represents the evolution of the brand, with a warm, neutral palette and semi-industrial feel.

“The Fabbrica Pasta Bar in Balmain is more intimate. We’ve softened the rough-hewn aspects of the space with long, elegant curtains and warm ambient light. We’ve also retained the original beautiful wooden walnut countertop and beautiful copper taps,” says Watt, who also designed the original Fabbrica King St venue as well as La Salut and Ragazzi Wine and Pasta.

The wine list, selected by Swieboda, reflects Fabbrica’s focus on organic and biodynamic viticulture and natural wines with a focus on Italy and Australian-grown Italian varietals. The pop-up is slated to remain open for 2023. 

Fabbrica @ The Exchange Hotel, Balmain
L1, 94 Beattie St, Balmain NSW 2041
ciaofabbrica.com

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