Becco Restaurant

PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIA
For nearly a decade this modern Italian bar and restaurant has been a firm favourite with Melbournites. A bar rests at the entrance, where guests are encouraged to enjoy a cocktail such as the classic Cosmopolitan or a glass of something from the extensive wine list, while enjoying delicacies from the bar menu; at lunch time it might be Italian meatballs with mash, and at dinner, chicken, chorizo, and spring onion skewers. Follow the row of rooms that run the length of Crossley Street and past the open kitchen, to the main dining area where tables are linen-clad and the service is quietly efficient.

A team of chefs run the kitchen, including co-owner Elizabeth Egan, ensuring the standards remain consistently high. For entree (or first plate) choose the chilli-flour dusted calamari, or try the Italian pork sausage served with a cannelloni and borlotti bean salad. Follow with a pasta dish such as spaghettini with crab, tomato, and rocket, or perhaps the spiced wine braised rabbit pie with tarragon and carrot mash. Finish with the tiramisu; a dessert classic that has been masterfully perfected. The wine list is both extensive and innovative with updates regularly.

LOCATION
Melbourne CBD.

DETAILS
becco is the perfect place for Melbourne's city centre. A slick, sexy drop-in bar, lively restaurant, wonderful food and wine, and an inviting produce store stocked with oils, pastas and cheeses. An intangible combination of style and substance. Simon Hartley, Elizabeth Egan and Richard Lodge came together after having spent considerable time in the industry, to create Becco.

Definitely a collaborative effort involving all families: Simon Hartley's father (a builder) helped with sympathetic and utterly sexy refit; Richard Lodge's mother is a respected artist who painted the menu covers (see Menu Gallery); and Elizabeth Egan grew up on the well known Yarra Valley vineyard, Wantirna Estate, and her family's wines feature on the wine list.

FOOD & BEVERAGE
Becco team has developed a changing menu of wonderful Italian food - especially the fried stuffed olives still made by ex chef Marco Lori and torrone, both taught to him and the kitchen bridage, by his mother Fiorina - specialities of her place of origin, Ascoli, in Le Marche.

The Becco Produce Store
Home of the famous Becco roll, an addiction for many inner city workers: an authentic ciabatta roll filled with prosciutto, galbanino cheese (like mozzarella but with more flavour) and balsamic and olive oil dressed rocket leaves. But, there is more to the store than this - for inner city dwellers. There's a chance to pick up dinner on the way home: either fully prepared, or the raw produce. While here, pick up some wonderful oil, or imported pasta; biscuits, wine, cheese, or fruit for breakfast - truly all things to everyone.