LOCATIONSituated on the first floor of the Oddfellows Hotel on the corner of Madame Brussels Lane.
PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIALuce Rossa is Italian for “red light” and with its name, this small but stylish restaurant makes a nod to the colourful history of this part of town. Far more respectable these days, this area’s past as Melbourne’s red light district is reflected only in the ambient red glow from this first floor restaurant, which now services business lunchers with its classy, comforting Italian fare. Sympathetically renovated to respect the history of this historic building which has stood since 1853 (Oddfellows is considered Melbourne’s oldest hotel), Luce Rossa is an inviting space one level removed from the pace of the busy plaza below on Madame Brussels Lane.
The restaurant offers lunch on weekdays, with the warm and accommodating space available other times for private functions. Start with insalata caprese and choose from a daily changing list of mains such as orecchiette with Italian sausage, fresh tomato and rocket, spaghetti with calamari, pesto and cherry tomatoes or veal scaloppine, pan-fried in white wine and served with green beans and roasted tomatoes. Gourmet, thin-crust pizzas are also available from the wood-fired oven downstairs, with toppings such as pork sausage, broccoli and smoked scamorza cheese. Alternatively indulge in Luce Rossa’s “pasta fest”, with a wide variety of pasta and sauces on offer as well as risotto, gnocchi and eggplant parmigiana. An extensive wine list and an intimate, clubby atmosphere also help make Luce Rossa very conducive to an extended lunch.
Angela Costanzo, March 2010