Rooftop bars are a dime a dozen in Melbourne . But rooftop restaurants? Not so much. That’s was sets Amatrice apart.
The 10th-storey Italian diner opens today as the cherry on top of Cubitt Place, a new, mostly commercial development in Cremorne. From Stephenson Street there’s little sign it exists, but recently opened sibling Caffe Amatrice provides a clue. “A [ground-floor] venue to hint at what’s happening on the rooftop was always part of the plan,” says Alex Brawn, who runs the Amatrices – and Williamstown’s Sebastian – with Dave Parker (also San Telmo Group) and Kelly Brawn, his partner in business and life.
What first strikes you are the views (yes, plural), which differ between spaces and span almost 360 degrees. Gaze from Richmond to the Dandenongs from the greenhouse-like main dining room, completely enveloped by glass but with a scalloped awning for shade. The al fresco, all-seasons main deck looks out across the Melbourne sports precinct and skyline, but there’s also a more intimate smaller deck and a 10-seat private dining room.
Interiors whiz Brahman Perera – designer and co-owner of Entrecote and Hopper Joint – has given the 80-seat restaurant an effortless elegance, with splashes of red (marble tabletops, velvet banquettes), and statement-making sculptural pendant lighting. Inspired by the members-only Soho House rooftops overseas, the team has filled the space with greenery and is shooting for a vibe that’s sophisticated without feelin.