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The word “iconic” is thrown around too easily, but Ormeggio at The Spit has all the ingredients to make it a genuinely iconic Sydney restaurant – a must-have experience. Perched over the water at D'Albora Marina, it delivers uninterrupted water views of Middle Harbour, whether you’re sitting indoors or out. It’s owned and led by a renowned Australian chef – Alessandro Pavoni, whose skill for cooking fine Italian fare began to be recognised after opening this, his first restaurant, in 2009 with wife Anna. Speaking of 2009 – the pair have managed to build something enduring in an industry where longevity is anything but guaranteed. And, of course, they serve delicious food that transports you to Alessandro’s native Italy.
The passionate pair now have nine Sydney restaurants (plus one in Noosa), and what they know from years of experience is that, no matter how well-loved a restaurant is, you can’t rest on your laurels – adaptation is key in an ever-changing market. So, after a busy period opening newcomer restaurants including Cibaria, Postino Osteria, Vineria Luisa and now also Pizza'Mare, their focus has circled back to where it all began. Alongside executive chef and co-owner Victor Moya and head chef Federico Caracci, they’re ushering Ormeggio into a more relaxed, flexible era.
I visit with a friend on one of those golden Sydney afternoons, starting on a lounge at the waterfront aperitivo terrazza. A White Negroni ($26) laced with bergamot flavour thanks to Italicus (one of my favourite Italian liqueurs) sets the tone. Here on the terrazza, they serve snacks including Parmigiano-Reggiano waffles with stracciatella and bottarga ($12 each), prosciutto di Parma fritters with spicy mayo and fresh herbs ($16 for 2) and twice-cooked fries with rosemary and mountain pepper salt ($19).
The sun dips, and we cheers to “la dolce vita”. As we watch the luxury boats bobbing about on the water and the sky changing colour, we can easily imagine we’re somewhere along the Italian coast. That sense of ease carries into the restaurant’s new direction. Where Ormeggio was once defined by its degustation, it now leans into choice: a drink and maybe a snack on the terrazza, a shorter meal, or the full experience if you’re settling in. The updated format lets you opt for two courses (for $98), or three (for $125). (For those there for a long lunch or dinner, there is also a $240 Signature Ormeggio degustation available.)
We go for two, moving inside to a table overlooking the water. For the primo course, I go for the Yamba king prawns – a delightful surprise! They’re served, finely sliced, in a pink, creamy sauce with pickled vegetables and finely shaved cured egg yolk, with fresh witlof lettuce cups for scooping. For secondi, I choose the Rockliff spanner crab spaghetti, which comes in a rich ‘cacciucco’ (fish stew-style) sauce with confit cherry tomato. Bellissimo!
Seafood may still be the hero, but this next chapter broadens the brief – meat has returned to the menu – from wagyu bresaola threaded through silky tagliolini to herb-crusted lamb loin – giving the offering more range, more flexibility.
And that’s exactly the point. The Ormeggio experience has shifted with the menu: less rigid, more fluid. It’s no longer just a special-occasion destination that you’d book weeks in advance, but somewhere you can drop in for a drink, stay for a couple of plates, or stretch into a long, lingering meal. The view hasn’t changed, but now, it meets you where you are.
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