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Low-key luxurious Italian cafe opens in Cremorne – and the sky’s the limit for what’s next

The team behind beachside diner Sebastian have opened Caffe Amatrice in new development, Cubitt Place. And there’s a rooftop restaurant on the way.

Tomas Telegramma
Tomas Telegramma

The team behind Williamstown’s Sebastian – Alex and Kelly Brawn, and Dave Parker (also San Telmo Group) – have gone from the bay to the inner ’burbs to open Caffe Amatrice on the ground floor of new Cremorne development Cubitt Place. It oozes low-key luxury, with glossy green marble tables and mustard-yellow tiles throughout.

Caffe Amatrice’s focaccias are filled to order. 
1 / 6Caffe Amatrice’s focaccias are filled to order.  Parker Blain
All things Italian reign at daytime diner Caffe Amatrice.
2 / 6All things Italian reign at daytime diner Caffe Amatrice. Parker Blain
Caffe Amatrice oozes low-key luxury, with green-marble tables and mustard-yellow tiles.
3 / 6Caffe Amatrice oozes low-key luxury, with green-marble tables and mustard-yellow tiles.Parker Blain
Sebastian’s burnt Basque cheesecake has crossed town to Caffe Amatrice.
4 / 6Sebastian’s burnt Basque cheesecake has crossed town to Caffe Amatrice.Parker Blain
Caffe Amatrice occupies the ground floor of new Cremorne development Cubitt Place.
5 / 6Caffe Amatrice occupies the ground floor of new Cremorne development Cubitt Place. Parker Blain
Caffe Amatrice co-owners Dave Parker and Alex Brawn and head chef Dean Little.
6 / 6Caffe Amatrice co-owners Dave Parker and Alex Brawn and head chef Dean Little. Parker Blain

It was named for a mountainous village near Rome, so all things Italian reign at this daytime diner, three years in the making.

Made-to-order focaccias filled with house-roasted porchetta and apple-and-fennel salad, and halloumi-crumbed chicken are already proving popular.

Caffe Amatrice offers the town’s signature sauce in two forms: baked with eggs and tangled through spaghetti. 
Caffe Amatrice offers the town’s signature sauce in two forms: baked with eggs and tangled through spaghetti. Parker Blain
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Refreshing and caffeinating, coffee granita comes with mascarpone, whipped cream and the optional add-on of brioche. But there’s also a homage to the owners’ Spanish-inspired Sebastian: find its beloved burnt Basque cheesecake here.

And fans of the guanciale-studded amatriciana sauce – a tomato-based Roman classic – can get it in two forms: with eggs baked into it for brunch, or tangled through a bowl of spaghetti.

It’s a sign of things to come at the group’s pasta-dedicated companion restaurant, Amatrice Rooftop, slated to open on the 10th floor of the same building later this spring.

“The idea is we’ll have an all-day Italian offering across multiple levels,” says Alex.

Open Mon-Fri 7.30am-3.30pm

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Tomas TelegrammaTomas Telegramma is a food, drinks and culture writer.

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Original URL: https://www.watoday.com.au/goodfood/melbourne-eating-out/amatriciana-sauce-comes-two-ways-at-this-chic-italian-cafe-in-cremorne-s-backstreets-20240918-p5kbiy.html