Experience the elegance and hospitality of Rovollo restaurant and wine room, open today in the Sydney CBD

An intimate Italian restaurant and wine room where time stands still, old-school hospitality reigns supreme, pastas are handmade daily, cocktails reflect the turquoise blue of the Amalfi coast and desserts are decadently layered, opens today in one of Sydney’s most vibrant culinary precincts.

Esper Group, the family-owned business behind Surry Hills institution Mille Vini, have expanded into the CBD, launching Rovollo on the ground floor of Harry Seidler’s iconic 25 Martin Place skyscraper.

The 75-seat venue pays homage to the warm and atmospheric eateries of Italy, but with a grandeur and elegance befitting of its inner-city location.

Opulent design elements are everywhere, from the 10 metre-long, hand painted mural on the ceiling, to an intricate, one-of-a-kind showpiece vase and calacatta gold marble bar.

A dramatic Moya Delany pendant made from a repurposed parachute hangs above three custom-made, maroon and mustard banquettes and marble and timber tables that can accommodate both groups and smaller bookings.

Esper Group Director Andrew Wallace says everything, right down to the hand-painted side plates, has been carefully considered to create Rovollo’s immersive, 360-degree dining experience that strikes the balance of being both opulent and approachable.

“We want the care and love we’re pouring into the venue to be felt by our guests, so that when they’re here they’re doing more than just consuming a meal,” he says.

“We want to take them on a journey where they feel welcome, know they will receive elevated, yet personal service, and create memories each time they visit.”

That attention-to-detail extends to Rovollo’s menu too, with executive chef Cami Feliciano (ex-Seta) and head chef Zane Buchanan (ex-Clam Bar, Fish Butchery) creating an enticing menu that focuses on technically complex, yet homely dishes.

Traditional Italian starters like homemade focaccia, arancini, beef tartare, fried burrata and a selection of meats - which can also be enjoyed as snacks all-day and night long - are accompanied by standouts like the Oscietra caviar and mixed seafood tower featuring Sydney rock oysters, market fish sashimi, prawns and crab.

Pastas - including a picturesque vongole spaghetti served with chilli butter and zest - are all handmade daily.

The signature dish - currently a pici carbonara - is delivered to each table via a custom-made, walnut and brass trolley, set alight and tossed through a 20-kilogram Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese wheel, before it’s served and topped with a freshly-cracked egg.

Buchanan says finishing off the pasta in the wheel adds another burst of flavour and creates a sense of anticipation for guests.

“Great Italian food is about letting exceptional ingredients speak for themselves,” he says.

“We work with high-quality producers and make everything in-house, using traditional techniques.

“The best dishes are the ones that seem simple, but are quite hard to get right, like the carbonara.”

The menu also features a dedicated griglia - or grill - with a selection of large-format proteins, including a Riverine tri-tip, wagyu rump cap and 800g rotating steak, while for dessert there’s a decadent 24-layer dark chocolate cake that comes with a warm rosemary-infused berry compote.

There’s also a chef’s tasting set menu for groups of two or more for $115, which includes four antipasti dishes, a select pasta or protein, sides and Rovollo’s tiramisu spoon.

The 250-bottle wine list - with 25 by-the-glass options, perfect for an after-work aperitivo in the 40-seat alfresco area - features heavy-hitters like Italian Barolo, as well as champagne and Australian varietals.

Don’t expect to see any run-of-the-mill Italian concoctions on the cocktail list, with award-winning head of bars Alissa Gabriel instead taking guests on a journey through Italy in seven sips.

Soak up the Mediterranean with the grappa-based Amalfi, a bright and citrusy drink that’s finished with a salted limoncello blue foam, resembling when the ocean hits the shore.

The Napoli, a freezer martini made with either vodka or gin, charred focaccia vermouth, burrata whey, basil and tomato oil, is umami-laced and lingers like the crackling heat of a wood-fired pizza oven.

Then why not take a trip north to Venezia? A love affair between the city’s famous cocktail creations, the Aperol Spritz and the Bellini, it’s a bubbly, bittersweet canal sunset kiss.

Rovollo is open from 12pm to 12am, Monday to Friday, and from 4pm until 12am on Saturdays.

Reservations are available at rovollo.com.au, with walk-ins also available.