You could catch the 350 bus or arrive via Vespa. But really the best way to pull up at Passeggiata is on foot. The restaurant is named in honour of the lovely Italian ritual of a leisurely evening walk undertaken for the purpose of people watching. And it’s evident that’s how the mostly eastern suburb locals found their way to this new neighbourhood eatery. From our perch at the bar, we notice there are a lot of walk-ins at this see-and-be-seen restaurant. We are joined by an impossibly good-looking couple indulging in impromptu aperitivos at the bar. A gaggle of 20-something girlfriends enjoying a giggle and a gossip. And a well-heeled Waverley family who enter the restaurant with all the pomp of a procession.

The restaurant, located on Bronte Road, is run by restaurateur and chef Nigel Ward (ex-Uccello, 10 William St and Sagra) whose vision for the venture was to create the sort of space where he would like to take his wife out to dinner.

Ward spent years living and working in Italy. But he also did his due diligence with a research trip to Rome, where he walked 60 kilometres over two days. It’s that legwork that inspired his passion for Passeggiata, both the restaurant and the concept of wandering the streets to socialise.

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Passeggiata is a testament to that vision, channelling the spirit of Ward’s favourite Roman osterias and creating a place to linger. You can’t miss Passeggiata while walking around Waverley. The place pops. The Federation-era façade is resplendent in buttery yellow and the interior plays to that palette. The two-storey terrace was once residential and that homey feel remains thanks to its wooden floorboards, exposed brick walls, niche-like windows, and original 1890s’ pressed-metal ceilings.

There is a beautiful beatific light inside the chic restaurant, which is lined with leather banquettes, has elbow-to-elbow seating at the bar, and a breezy upstairs space designed for larger groups.

Diners who keep their attention trained on their plate will find honest Italian fare with a contemporary spin. Head chef Ryan Crothers (ex-Uccello) creates dishes on the daily based on what’s in season. The kingfish crudo is a relatively new dish on the menu and it sings with the concentrated sweetness of orange balanced with thin curls of fennel and slices of radish. It’s very pretty on the plate. The fried baby zucchini blossoms are more of a hedonistic pleasure, lightly fried and stuffed with mint and delicate curls of zucchini and improved even further with the addition of pecorino.

A rustic bowl of mussels arrives on a slab of bread soaked in a rustic big-flavoured peperonata stew of capsicums, tomatoes, onions and herbs. Be smug. It’s comfort food at its finest.

The tagliolini with prawns also sticks to the Italian script. And it’s a dish that does the trick nicely, embellished with a tomato sauce flecked with Calabrian chilli and ideal alongside a radicchio salad dressed with a punchy shallot vinaigrette.

It’s all very light and summery, as is a glass of the NV Amanti Prosecco-Glera and the beautifully balanced 2021 Fontanassa Ca Adua Cortese di Gavi from the all-Italian wine list. Simply put, Passeggiata is poised to become an eastern suburbs institution. Put your walking shoes on. Diamo per fare una Passeggiata.

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