Secolo being resurrected and will open at Balmain’s The Exchange Hotel

A small Italian restaurant from the CBD which closed last year is set to open in the space suddenly vacated in Balmain’s The Exchange Hotel.

Secolo is returning to Sydney.

A small Italian restaurant from the CBD, Secolo, is set to open in the space suddenly vacated by Fabbrica Pasta Bar in Balmain’s The Exchange Hotel.

Secolo was an all-day dining restaurant on Castlereagh St which opened in 2017, but closed its doors permanently last December.

Now it can be revealed the restaurant will become the new tenants at the Public Hospitality owned The Exchange Hotel after the Love Tilly Group, who own Fabbrica Pasta Bar, suddenly cut their ties with the group on November 3.

Secolo Balmain is set to become an intimate, family friendly Italian restaurant that brings the finest ingredients, both locally and imported from Italy, to ensure that each dish embodies the essence of Italian cuisine.

Secolo Dining, which held space on Castlereagh Street until December 2022, will replace Fabbrica Pasta Bar at Balmain’s The Exchange Hotel.

The split between Public Hospitality and Love Tilly has also affected their other venues. The Love Tilly Group were operating La Salut inside Public’s The Norfolk in Redfern and was set to open another Fabbrica Pasta Bar at The Federal in Annandale this month.

In a statement, Managing Director Matthew Swieboda said “it’s a devastatingly difficult decision for us to make … but for the benefit of the staff and the suppliers, we can no longer, in good faith, continue to run our venues together with Public Hospitality”.

Fabbrica was at the Public owned The Exchange Hotel until it’s owners Love Tilly Group suddenly split from Public. Source: Supplied

Public said it was “disappointed by this development particularly as it had been in discussion with Love Tilly Group around several disputed commercial matters”.

It’s understood the two companies are now in mediation with lawyers.

Public are currently discussing concepts to take over from the space vacated by Fabbrica Pasta Bar at The Federal.

However they are still going ahead with a second outpost of Randwick’s Maybe Frank at the venue.

While La Salut is still operating at The Norfolk, just not under the management of Love Tilly.