Torquay venue Mortadeli opens pasta bar

Following the success of it’s deli and cafe business, Torquay hotspot Mortadeli has expanded, opening a pasta bar.

Mortadeli owner Jake Cassar. Picture: Brad Fleet

Residents of Torquay would be forgiven for thinking they had been transported to a small town by the Mediterranean after meandering down the piazza just off Gilbert St.

What they’ve really stumbled across is Mortadeli, a local favourite which has just expanded, turning owner Jake Cassar’s long term dream of a pasta bar into a reality.

“Everything’s crazy,” Mr Cassar told the Geelong Advertiser.

“Apparently we’re booked out until October.”

The bar offers homemade authentic pasta, along with a list of wines with one eye on local produce and another on European authenticity.

Mr Cassar said the process of converting the deli into a pasta bar was particularly stressful because the venue didn’t receive approval for a liquor licence until July 27, the day before opening.

The stress was worth it and Mr Cassar said the community response had been “amazing.”

“I feel like the whole town is coming,” he said.

“It’s been boarded up for ages, I was pretty strict with the builders to not leave the door open, and not open the curtains, I didn’t want to spoil the grand reveal.

Mortadeli Head Chef Glenn Laurie, venue manager Lolo Hanser and owner Jake Cassar-Mortadeli. Picture: Brad Fleet

“Everyone’s so excited, I’ve been working on the floor since opening, and all the locals have been saying ‘thanks for bringing this to Torquay,’ it’s nice, the community here is so lovely.”

The current iteration of Mortadeli came from humble beginnings, a coffee shop attempting to bring a slice of Europe to Torquay after Mr Cassar’s travel business was halted due to the Covid pandemic.

“I just thought, what I had missed so much over this lockdown, was not being able to go to Europe or anything like that,” he said.

“I was literally like, ‘I’m going to bring Europe here’.”

Mortadeli is Mediterranean down to the most minute details, along with the tastes the establishment brings the vision, smells and even the sounds, with a playlist carefully curated by Mr Cassar.

“People come in and are surprised when I tell them we’ve only been opened a week,” he said.

“They tell me that it looks like I’ve taken over the lease of a 50 year old Italian restaurant, it’s pretty cool”

He credits the authentic feel to the help of his staff, venue manager Lolo Hanser has a French background, and helped curate the wine list, while chef Glenn Laurie, who Cassar describes as “pretty much Italian,” brings the Roman flair to the food.

Bookings can be made online at mortadeli.com.au.

Originally published as Torquay venue Mortadeli opens pasta bar