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Attenzione

180 Redfern Street, Redfern, NSW, 2016
Phone
0423 976 942
Website
attenzionefoodandwine.com
Instagram
@attenzione_syd

Read time 2 Mins

Posted 12 Nov 2024

By
Alexandra Carlton

The entry to Attenzione, an Italian-inspired new restaurant in Redfern, Sydney

Everyone talks about the Italian-ish food at this new Redfern restaurant, though the real magic is in the glass thanks to a big-hearted, well-priced wine list.

The thick pico pasta at Attenzione in Sydney is a talking point
Why you goA bunch of hospo buddies (sourced from Fabbrica, Yellow, the Old Fitz among others) have banded together to create a boisterous Italian-ish restaurant in Sydney’s inner-city suburb of Redfern. The site has cycled through many past lives (Redfern Continental, The Sunshine Inn), but the neon Attenzione! sign outside the latest incarnation seems to dare the hospo gods to try and strike it down in the same way. That fate seems unlikely considering Attenzione’s buzz: everyone is talking about the pasta (especially the polarising pico strands as thick as your thumb), the beef tongue smartened up with jicama (very good) and the chicken-skin snack. But perhaps the real magic is in the glass, thanks to a big-hearted, well-priced wine list that feels as sunshiney as the venue’s grapefruit-yellow walls.
Why you stayAs you’d expect from a restaurant with a name that basically means “Oi! Over here!’ there’s a really great energy at Attenzione. The floor staff are bright-eyed and chatty, and like few things more than whipping out a bottle of something spectacular they’ve added to the wine line-up that week. The sittings are pacy – don’t expect to linger endlessly over your final grappa – but that’s all part of the experience (plus you can always pop down the road to Arcadia Liquors or The Bearded Tit if you want to keep the party going).
The interior and setting at Attenzione! in Redfern
A table with wine at Attenzione in Redfern
What drink to orderAttenzione makes a promise to its customers at the top of its wine list: “In a time when enjoying a good bottle seems unfairly unattainable, we hope to bring you a list that warrants exploration without doing away with your avo on toast” – the last part, of course, a reference to the way feckless youngsters supposedly blow all their money on brunch. That promise is made good with a really enjoyable list that won’t bust your budget; in fact, almost every subhead includes a few properly tasty drops priced south of $100. There’s always something salty and flinty from the volcanic slopes of Sicily (perhaps even by the glass if you’re lucky) and a glorious selection of big-bodied nebbiolo, both Italian and local. A strong selection of bitters and whiskies also make a not-shy showing.
Why we love it Perhaps because this is a house built on friendship, there’s a sense that everyone working at Attenzione is having as much fun as the customers. The core team members are always floating around the floor, but if you’re lucky enough to get the attention – or indeed the attenzione – of sommelier Jacqueline Turner (who you might recognise from classic hits like Chin Chin and Margaret) you can rely on her to steer you towards the tastiest of drinks.
Don’t leave without

Play at least one round of The Most Fun Drinking Game. The wine team will bring you a mystery glass of something and if you guess the grape and its home country correctly (hint: they’re really, really into Italy around here), it’s on the house.

 

A busy scene inside Attenzione! in Sydney's Redfern
image credits: Dexter Kim
Authour image
Alexandra CarltonAlexandra Carlton is a freelance writer who contributes to Australia’s leading food, wine and travel publications.
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