After 26 years on Norton Street, Grappa has moved into the CBD, opening a second venue inside a heritage building on George Street. The former Rockpool site, vacant since 2022, is now back in action – rebuilt as a 300-seat restaurant and bar that sticks to what’s worked from day one – Italian food, an extensive wine list, and service that feels personal.
For founder Charlie Colosi, the move has been a long time coming. “I’ve always wanted a restaurant in the city, but it had to feel right,” he says. That decision landed here. “When we walked into this building, we felt it straight away – the bones, the history, the energy.” The brief hasn’t changed with the postcode. “We’re all about old-school hospitality – making guests feel at home the second they walk in.”
Upstairs, Charlie’s Bar carries a different pace. The focus shifts to aperitivo-style drinking, with a dedicated cocktail list built for pre- or post-dinner. It’s backed by a cellar that goes deep – over 300 wines, largely Italian and French, and more than 150 grappas. It’s not trying to outdo the restaurant, just extend it.
The food stays close to the Leichhardt blueprint. Everything is made in-house – pasta, pizza, bread, desserts, with Head Chef Adam Nicholls, a long-time collaborator, leading the kitchen. Signature dishes like tuna carpaccio and rock salt–baked snapper carry over, alongside newer additions.
The space itself does most of the talking. Designed by Squillace, the interiors lean into the building’s history – exposed sandstone, timber beams, and low lighting. Beyond the main dining room, there’s a series of private spaces upstairs, including a compact dining room for smaller groups and a larger bar area built around an Art Deco centrepiece. An outdoor terrace overlooking George Street, with views towards the Harbour Bridge, is set to open later this year.
It’s a bigger space, but the same approach. No reset – just a well-worn model, scaled up and dropped into the middle of Sydney’s CBD.