Get us in your inbox

Search

Bar Romantica

  • Restaurants
  • Brunswick East
  • price 2 of 4
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • Recommended
  1. On top of a black table sits a bowl of pasta, a pizza, a glass of red wine, and chips with a dip
    Photograph: Patricia Sofra
  2. Two friends sit at a wooden bar on red leather stools while a bartender makes a cocktail behind them
    Photograph: Patricia Sofra
  3. The word 'Romantica' is written in black italic print on the front window of the bar
    Photograph: Patricia Sofra
  4. A margherita pizza is pulled from the pizza oven and laid on a kitchen bench
    Photograph: Patricia Sofra
  5. A bartender places a red coloured cocktail with an orange slice inside on a wooden bar
    Photograph: Patricia Sofra
  6. A chef spoons pasta into a white bowl on a wooden bench
    Photograph: Patricia Sofra
Advertising

Time Out says

4 out of 5 stars

Brunswick East’s storied late-night haunt is back, now with natural wines and 'nduja on the pizzas

Everything about Bar Romantica nods to old-world New York – the Italian-leaning menu and plush banquettes, the warm wood walls, the simple drinks list. It obviously sets lots of expectations with the name, though that’s not entirely their fault (they inherited “Romantica” from the previous owners). The eatery may not scream romance – aside from the heart-shaped table – but it does evoke a certain lust towards the kind of hospitality it's hearkening back to. 

This is particularly true when seated at the bar – perfect for pretending you’re cooling your heels at a Manhattan dive. Being in the hot seat has perks too, like having the waitstaff’s full attention. Service here is quick and cordial in just the right amounts with drink top-ups at the ready.

The wine list is fairly traditional with a few new-school nattys by the glass and an even fresher, funkier extended offering (plus plenty of hard-to-find Euro pours). The food straddles a similar line between old-school and new, keeping things at once consistent and exciting even if a few dishes fall flat.

The handmade pasta is one of the venue’s biggest claims to fame and the quality is there. If you’ve ever had hard, store-bought casarecce, you’ll delight in the soft bounciness of Bar Romantica’s fresh (and very, very long) versions, which come with “winter pesto” and stracciatella.

If reviewing the pasta alone it would be an easy five stars but this particular dish lacks cohesion. The sauce is too oily and thin to stick to the slick pasta, instead sitting like a broth beneath it and requiring a spoon to awkwardly steal sips between bites.

The pizza, on the other hand, is a sound choice. The dough achieves the elusive balance of char, chew and crisp. Toppings like broccoli, garlic, scamorza are generous while still maintaining an Italian-style minimalism. And at $24, the price is fair.

If you can manage, save room for the hefty slab of tiramisù, which has understandably been making the rounds on Instagram. The slice is just as stunning in real life and tasted nearly as good as it looked. The cream to ladyfinger ratio sways heavily towards the former, but by our standards, that’s no crime. A little more booze would have been nice but perhaps that’s what the digestive offering is for.

Despite its flaws, it’s hard not to have a soft spot in your heart for Bar Romantica. Aesthetically and conceptually, it’s one of the few spots left where the old and new-gen converge in a way that’s nothing short of charming.

Written by
Quincy Malesovas

Details

Address:
52-54 Lygon St
Brunswick East
3057
Opening hours:
Mon, Wed, Thu 5-11pm; Fri, Sat 5pm-midnight; Sun 5-10pm
Advertising
You may also like
You may also like