Bacco Wine Pasticceria QVB

LOCATION
On the top floor of the Queen Victoria Building. Just a minute’s walk from Town Hall train station or bus stops at the front of the building.

PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIA
The top floor of the grand Queen Victoria Building feels the perfect home for the artisan pastries, hand-made pastas and strong Italian wine that Bacco Wine Pasticceria showcases. Enjoying light streaming through the building’s magnificent arched glass ceiling, bentwood tables and chairs are clustered outside the Bacco shopfront, inviting shoppers to take a much needed break from retail therapy.

Sweet and delicate treats are lined row upon row in the shopfront glass cabinet. Eyes swoon at the sight of glossy cherry danishes, rosy macarons, buttery croissants oozing chocolate and plump, sugar-dusted canoli. Once they can tear themselves from the pastry counter, the wine list is next to seduce. Italian wine is the necessary complement to linguine topped with plump king prawns, sunny zucchini flowers and fresh parsley, or woodfired Angus sirloin steak with rosemary-roasted chat potatoes. With the bar facing the grand La Marzocco coffee machine, solo afternoon cappuccinos enjoy the company of the Italian baristas in the pasticceria that sings with a vivacious buzz. Saffron arancini balls oozing mozzarella and a salumi selection of dried lean beef are served to groups huddling in the booths, where the seats’ brown leather radiate the purple lustre of art deco grapevine lamps overhead.

Bacco Wine Pasticceria melds old world Italy with a little new world style. The dishes are each accentuated with strong flavours rather than paired back to safe and simple meals. Whether stopping by for a morning coffee or a late-night dinner, each occasion should end with one of their glistening golden pastries.

Edwina Storie