Ronnie Di Stasio’s Melbourne CBD outpost combines all the art, architecture and hedonistic Italianate good times we expect and celebrate from this master restaurateur.
There’s no place quite like Di Stasio Città. Even owner Ronnie Di Stasio’s other joints – the original St Kilda restaurant and bar and Di Stasio Carlton – are not quite like this dramatic, gorgeous space, aside from a shared enthusiasm, love and admiration for all things Italian. With its looping video art projected onto polished plaster walls, soaring ceilings, red-leather chairs reflected in the polished terrazzo floor, white marble bar, white-jacketed waiters and sculptural Murano glass chandeliers hovering above the bathrooms, Città is a magical combination of temple, gallery and restaurant. It certainly delivers a sense of occasion.
Whether you’re dropping in for a mid-afternoon Martini – served on a silver tray with extra olives sitting in an ice-filled glass – and a snack of fried anchovy pastries or you’re settling in for the night at a linen-dressed table with views over to the manicured Treasury Gardens, just being in this room feels like the right place at the right time while making you more glamorous and sophisticated than you might have thought possible. It’s not a cheap night out, but Di Stasio Città’s ability to completely sweep you away from everyday life justifies the price of admission.
