LOCATIONCorner of Liverpool and Pitt Streets, in the middle of the Sydney CBD.
PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIAOn a busy street corner in the buzzing beehive of the Sydney CBD, a warm, welcoming space offers quality coffee and hearty comfort food. Fusing Italian with modern Australian, Macchiato is open from 7am to late every day, servicing both the shopping and corporate crowds. Its central city location makes it an ideal meeting point for work lunches, after-work nibbles and group gatherings, with takeaway, catering and function options also available. Macchiato has been part of the Pitt Street landscape for many years, with current owners George and his sister Leanne taking over seven years ago. The space benefitted from a makeover in late 2008, resulting in a colourful, contemporary interior. Splashes of red paint and modern artworks blend with banquettes and small wooden tables, with floor-to-ceiling glass walls opening out on to the bustling city streets.
Start the day with a hearty breakfast and steaming cup of coffee, then ease into lunch with a Turkish vegetarian sandwich or chicken burger and fries. The Macchiato menu encompasses salads, pastas, risottos, grills and mains, but the wood-fired pizzas are the key drawcard here. Try the namesake option, layered with roasted pumpkin and capsicum, eggplant, mushroom, fetta, mozzarella and rosemary, or munch on the Agnelo, in which caramelised onion, cherry tomatoes and mozzarella complement strips of lamb. Those after a seafood fix may be tempted by the barbecue seafood platter, featuring a medley of king prawns, octopus, calamari, grilled fish and scallops, served with salad and fries. Bring a bottle or choose from the Macchiato wine list, which is heavily dominated by Australian drops. With the likes of gelato, pancakes, tiramisu, sticky date and cheesecake all featured on the dessert list, the hardest part will be choosing just one.
Lauren Barker, March 2009