03 9650 0988
35 Little Bourke Street,
Melbourne
‘Mezzo’ meaning half in Italian, aptly describes this new venue being half about the wine and the other half about what’s coming off the grill. This bar and eatery occupies the site that once held Oyster Little Bourke and is still run by the same team; Luke Stinger in the front of house and Joseph Vargetto in the kitchen. ‘Mezzo’ may be how the venue has been rebranded, but don’t be fooled; there’s nothing half-hearted about the venue’s new offering that opened for business in January this year. Mezzo boasts a wine list with a more Italian flavour and a shared eating experience with impanate, stuzzichini, a salumi selection, pastas, helpings of fish and meat, and ala piastra.
“I felt like a fresh change, as did Joe. I wanted to get back to the type of service and food and wine offer that got me hooked on working in this industry in the first place. That spirit of generosity. Of caring yet with an informality. Some good fun and shared experience, but with quality still paramount,” explains Luke.
For Joe, it was about working in an environment that allowed a more direct expression of his love for Sicilian food: “I’m keen to create and share the type of food I grew up with that I absolutely adore. There are so many similarities in climate between there and Australia, so it’s the perfect cuisine with which to utilise this country’s abundant seasonal produce.”
Oh and here’s a cool time-laspe video of their refit…