A beloved family establishment reopened by four old friends

Four friends’ hopes of keeping a 30-year-old inner west institution alive was fulfilled, when they reopened the business under the same name on Friday night.

il Buco Kitchen reopened on Friday night, led by four friends who didn’t want to the name and institution go. Picture: Flavio Brancaleone

Il Buco, a place which those close to it described as a big family, has reopened after closing its doors about four months ago.

The Enfield establishment had operated on Liverpool Rd for more than 30 years and four old friends, who at one time worked or visited the restaurant, decided they wanted to keep the institution alive.

A look at the outside of il Buco Kitchen, at 142A Liverpool Rd, Burwood. Picture: Flavio Brancaleone

They reopened the restaurant on Friday under the same name, hoping to “bring it back to its former glory”.

“I used to work here. The other guys were customers,” chef and co-owner Giuseppe D’Andrea said.

“We missed the place and we’re trying to revive it. Bring it back to how il Buco was: A rustic eatery where everyone is welcome.”

Giuseppe D'Andrea, co-owner and chef at il Buco Kitchen preparing a pizza. Picture: Flavio Brancaleone

Co-owner and chef Giuseppe D'Andrea standing at bar in the new and improved il Buco Kitchen. At 142A Liverpool Rd, Burwood. Picture: Flavio Brancaleone

The four partners — Mr D’Andrea, Carlo Lombardo, Joseph Ghosn and Andrew Goldberg — have known each other for about 30 years.

The simplicity of Italian cooking reigns supreme at the restaurant. They’ve branded it as: “Classic no nonsense Italian food in the heart of the inner west”.

The menu includes homemade gnocchi, rigatoni with sausage, and an emphasis on fresh fish. A seafood specialty is the whole baby barramundi and snapper. “It’s always been a seafood sort of a place,” Mr D’Andrea said.

A look at the renovated il Buco kitchen in Enfield. Picture: Flavio Brancaleone

“Simplicity of the food is everything. Good ingredients, don’t complicate things and bring back the classics that everyone wants … the crowd pleasers, simple and wholesome,” he said.

“Rustic” was the word used to describe the atmosphere of the place which features brick walls, wooden tables, some red and white chequered table cloths, and recognisable vintage Italian posters decorating the walls.

Big family-size tables and vintage Italian posters at the new il Buco Kitchen. Picture: Flavio Brancaleone