When the Cosentino siblings – designer Sarah, chefs Simon and Ryan, and front-of-house whiz Jonathan – opened Via Porta in Mont Albert in 2019, it was right around the corner from their family home and built to serve the community they knew so well.

Now that several siblings have migrated to Melbourne’s north, they want to do the same for Ivanhoe. Their latest venue, Lucci, opens today on a quiet strip of shops on Waterdale Road, replacing longtime neighbourhood beacon Lip Cafe.

“We saw a great opportunity and great space to bring what we do best,” says Simon.

“A lot has closed down in the area ... there are plenty of shops up for lease,” adds Jonathan. “Even while setting up this cafe, so many people expressed how excited they were for a cafe to come back to this spot.”

The name Lucci honours the siblings’ mother, Lucia, who instilled in them a love of food and hospitality, resulting in their first cafe, Mr Hendricks (now closed) in Balwyn, followed by Via Porta and Via Porta Bakehouse in Hawthorn, which Good Food ranked No. 8 in its croissant blind taste test in April.

But it also translates to “light” in their native Italian. “We want Lucci to be seen as a bright spark in your day,” says Simon.

The warm and welcoming eatery with its large open kitchen is inspired by the Cosentinos’ upbringing, including the homely pastas that graced the family table. The menu includes a punchy puttanesca and “nonna’s” bolognese.

“We’ve always grown up around food, and so many of our great memories as children were when the family came together around the table,” says Jonathan. “We’re trying to extend that to the communities we’re in.”

But there are also fresh ideas on show. Chicken schnitzel showered in parmesan comes with a sidecar of vodka-tomato sauce. Ricotta hotcakes served with maple syrup, mascarpone and blueberry compote are “like a hybrid between your standard pancake and your Japanese pancake”, says Ryan.

A few Via Porta favourites are also in the mix. There are fried eggs in spicy all’arrabbiata-inspired sugo; crab spaghetti with fermented chilli and lemon crumb; and doorstopper French toast, made of croissant dough that’s baked in a loaf tin then topped with poached pears, almond brittle, caramel sauce and creme anglaise.

Sarah, the co-founder and director of Studio Esteta (most recently responsible for Harriot), picked earthy interiors that subtly echo Lucci’s sibling venues, with handcrafted timber detailing and textured walls. A mid-century Italian pendant light was salvaged from their grandparents’ house and hangs in the window.

“It’s the best of Via Porta, but it’s got its own identity,” says Ryan. “Lucci is 10 to 12 years of development, starting way back with Mr Hendricks … it’s fused together all our learnings.”

There are also ready-made meals to take home, coffee by Code Black, and pastries delivered daily from the bakehouse, including croissants, caneles and kouign-amanns.

Breakfast and lunch daily

226 Waterdale Road, Ivanhoe, luccieatery.com.au