First Look: Seta Sydney, an Ambitious, Opulent Multi-Part Italian Restaurant and Bar, Inside Australia’s First Bank
Its executive chef ran a Michelin-starred Italian restaurant. Take a seat in the main dining room, crudo bar or chef’s table. There’s Venetian-style bite-size snacks, 30 varieties of raw seafood and three-metre-high wine fridge.
Photography: Jiwon Kim
by Aimee Chanthadavong
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Veteran restaurateur Tonci Farac can breathe a sigh of relief as he finally opens his upmarket Italian restaurant and bar, Seta Sydney, after more than three years of planning.
Farac has been patiently bringing his vision to life since 2017, when he first snapped up The Athenian restaurant, which operated at the site of Australia’s first savings bank – built in 1849 – on Barrack Street in the CBD.
Seta Sydney opens, helmed by Michelin-star chef via Zoom
Scott Bolles
Photo: Serge Linnik
Could a restaurant launch be any more COVID-era than the opening today of Seta Sydney, where its Michelin-star executive chef has to oversee the kitchen from Italy via Zoom?
Entry back into Australia for Matteo Vigotti (Peck, Novecento) has been restricted since he popped back to Italy for a quick visit to celebrate his birthday in March. He s been stuck there ever since. Fortunately for Sydney diners, Seta has head chef Giovanni Astolfoni actually in the kitchen.
When Vigotti is finally cleared to return to Australia he ll find one of the most beautiful new dining rooms Sydney has seen in some time.