South Yarra’s quarter of Toorak Road is hot property. At the top sits French institution, France-Soir, that’s wined and dined the likes of Mick Jagger. A hop, skip and a jump away is newcomer and heavy hitter Vesper Bar and Bistro. Mosey on across the street to Yagiz, one of the finest Turkish venues in the state. And a few steps down is Cosi Ristorante. An Italian icon that’s served southside masses for over two decades.
Co-owners Omar El Deek and Giacomo Pietrantuono arrived in Australia 10 years ago on working holidays visas and sparked up a friendship while waitering at Caffe e Cucina. In 2017, the duo took over Cucinetta and, soon proving themselves a force to be reckoned with, took ownership of Cosi Ristorante in 2019. The result? A complete facelift of the venue that still manages to pay homage to the venue’s origins with white tablecloths, classic, comforting Italian dishes and plenty of old-world Italian charm.
Sleek red velvet curtains cordone off nooks and crannies as if one were at the theatre; while Pavarotti is projected onto a little screen and framed black and white prints of iconic Italian celebrities adorn the walls.
A central wraparound bar lit up by neon green lights breaks the fourth wall by making the bar staff and their antics a part of the floor. A gelato cart sits pretty in the middle of the venue, and plush brown leather banquette seating lines the sides with empty premium wine bottles placed along the walls – memories of good times passed.
A sunlit outdoor courtyard is dotted with bistro chairs and promises a taste of la dolce vita.
Colossal wine glasses play host to wines off the list – think a generous list complete with local and Italian and French-leaning drops. A select cocktail list promises the classics and Negronis are flawlessly bitter.
Chef Donatello Pietrantuono (co-owner Giacomo’s brother) mans the kitchen and his voice can be heard throughout the venue calling out orders in Italian, and occasionally the kitchen will erupt in laughter. A sign of happy staff – one that sets the tone for the place.
The beef carpaccio shows off silky, thinly-sliced layers of beef with punches of truffle cream, sharp shreds of rocket and Parmesan, while minute strands of pickled mushrooms lend a hint of acidity. The cotoletta alla Milanese comes out larger than life and weighs in at a whopping 400 grams. The beef cutlet is pounded, crumbed and fried – still juicy when it's cut into thanks to the bone, complemented by the sharpness of lemon juice, and a fresh rocket, shaved fennel and Parmesan salad.
Dessert continues on with textbook Italian dishes and a customary tiramisu hits all the right notes. Creamy? Check. Ideal ratio of espresso and marsala? Check. Culminate the evening with a shot of smooth, organic limoncello by Pietrantuono’s brother’s venue Carboni’s Italian Kitchen in Ballarat and even purchase a bottle on your way out.
The latest iteration of Cosi Ristorante might look a bit sharper on the inside, but it lives up to its reputation as a classic Italian homestyle venue. It's a no-frills, tried and tested affair that has earned and maintained its reputable status for a reason.