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Big bowls of fresh pasta and a fun vibe – that’s what you can expect from Pasta Shop, a new casual Italian restaurant now open on Potts Point’s Bayswater Road in the former home of Sonora Mexican. There are a few other things to like, too. It’s BYO, for starters, the menu features 40-year-old family recipes – and nothing on the menu is over $30.
The casual pasta house is from Paola Toppi, the daughter of Giovanna Toppi, who opened the now-closed Sydney institution Machiavelli in 1988. With Pasta Shop, Paola wanted to create a delicious yet accessible eatery.
“People are doing it tough,” she says. “Pasta is for everyone, it was never meant to be exclusive.
“In Italy, it’s a staple that people of all walks of life can afford to eat every day.”
If you only order one thing, make it the spaghetti Machiavelli – al dente spaghetti twirled with just-cooked prawns, mushrooms, chilli and lots of garlic. It’s a recipe that was a firm favourite on Machiavelli’s menu.
But don’t stop there. Other menu highlights include house-made focaccia alongside burrata and roasted marinated peppers; meatballs in a rich sugo, and spicy rigatoni alla vodka.
Plus, there are classic desserts like tiramisu and cannoli, alongside Maybe Sammy cocktails – including the Maybe Margarita with Patrón, mezcal, passionfruit and mango – made just for Pasta Shop, with all cocktails priced at $20. Wines by the glass are $16 and it’s BYO wine for bottles, with a $20 corkage fee.
“We’re still using the premium ingredients we’ve always been known for, but by creating a more relaxed dining experience, people are able to enjoy them for less,” Paola adds.
Don’t want to get out of your trackies? Everything on Pasta Shop’s menu can be delivered to homes across the Eastern Suburbs.
And, it's walk-in only!
Address: Bayswater Road Potts Point 2011 Sydney
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