The unstoppable team behind Sydney’s Pellegrino 2000, Bistrot 916 and Clam Bar are stepping up with a bold new venture, Neptune’s Grotto, located just steps from Circular Quay. And it opens this week.

Set in a partially underground space below Clam Bar, the new venue is carved into the city’s sandstone bedrock, creating a unique, intimate atmosphere that works with the unique environment. The moodily lit room is styled with New York-inspired booths and a sleek marble bar, all designed to evoke a sense of quiet luxury. At its core, Neptune’s Grotto is a celebration of northern Italian cuisine, albeit, with more than a few of chefs Dan Pepperell and Mikey Clift’s own flavours.

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Handmade pastas are the stars of the menu, alongside regional classics like cotoletta alla panna, a creamy veal cutlet from Emilia-Romagna. Through their menu, Pepperell and Clift will write their own love letters to northern Italian food culture, an ode to its understated elegance and warmth. “There is just nothing better than, say, a perfectly stuffed tortellini,” says Pepperell, reflecting on the region’s artistry. “The care it takes to make, you can really taste it.”

Sommelier Andy Tyson is equally excited to curate a wine list that showcases the best of the region, with a particularly special selection of old Barolos arriving from Piedmont. “After a quick trip through Piedmont and Emilia-Romagna last year, I have been itching to list some of the truly iconic producers,” Tyson said in a statement, “it’s very exciting for me.”

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The drinks and cocktail menus will also avant-garde takes on classic Italian cocktails. We can see a lot of refreshed negronis in our future and digestifs sipped over stretching waistbands.

Neptune’s Grotto opens Tuesday, November 19 on the corner of Young and Bridge Streets (enter via Loftus Lane). For more details and to make a reservation, head to the Neptune’s Grotto website. 

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