Mortadeli, Torquay’s Euro-centric sandwich bar, grocer and deli, is set to clear its next hurdle: a dine-in restaurant. Not that it will be a formal affair, according to owner Jake Cassar.

He humbly describes it as a pasta bar, situated in the space that’s been a deli and grocer for the past year. Once works are complete, the restaurant will share space with retail, so diners can watch the prosciutto or mortadella being sliced for their antipasti platter, for example.

But with 40 seats and the experienced hands of chef Glenn Laurie, who’s been cooking at the nearby one-hat La Cantina for the past two years, this little pasta bar will be a big deal for Torquay.

With hatted Torquay restaurant Samesyn closed while it transforms into a profit-for-purpose enterprise, dining options in the seaside town are currently concentrated on cafes, steakhouses, burgers and a smattering of Japanese.

“There’s no bar vibes in town,” says Cassar, who is putting a strong emphasis on drinks and the casual nature of the venue. “You won’t have to come and order three courses.”

He opened Mortadeli in September 2021 offering hefty sandwiches to-go, specialty coffee and a tight edit of smallgoods, cheese and pantry items. A vacant shop nearby, separated by a sunny courtyard, caught his eye a few months later, and he gave the deli its own dedicated space, also offering aperitivi on select evenings.

After renovations, this spot will look more like a Roman bar, Cassar says, with booths in one window and the retro flourishes of the original Mortadeli. If all goes to plan, another window will offer a peek at the pasta being made for later that day.

Amaro, limoncello, and Italian wines and beer will dominate the drinks list.

Laurie’s fresh, understated and produce-forward Italian cooking was honed at London’s River Cafe and won many fans at Little Black Pig & Co in Heidelberg, which he ran with his French-born partner Lolo Hanser.

Hanser (ex-Samesyn, Igni, Captain Moonlite) will also move from La Cantina to run the floor at Mortadeli.

They plan to open in July, with lunches and a handful of dinner services each week.

Shop 9, 4-6 Gilbert Street, Torquay, mortadeli.com.au