First Look: It’s All-Out Italiana at Rocco’s Bologna Discoteca, the Poodle Team’s Nostalgic New Trattoria

Before Poodle Bar & Bistro officially opened on Gertrude Street in July 2020, owners Emilio Scalzo and Zoë Rubino, and head chef Josh Fry (ex- Marion and Cumulus Inc), had already garnered a cult-like following for the saucy Italian sangas they were serving out of the space during lockdown.

The offering at Rocco’s Bologna Discoteca – or “Italian Maccas”, as the crew called it – was an instant hit. So much so that they decided it was worthy of its own permanent digs.

“We obviously took the first opportunity we could to open Poodle,” Scalzo tells Broadsheet. “But with [that] came the reality that we’d be losing Rocco’s, which left a lot of people, including us, disappointed in a way.”

Each time Rocco’s was rebooted for another pop-up, which more often than not coincided with the Melbourne lockdowns, the popularity grew stronger. To the point where, Scalzo says, devotees would come knocking on Poodle’s door in search of meatball subs.

Now, two years and several pop-ups later, Rocco’s has found a permanent home on Gertrude Street, in a former Italian restaurant just a few doors down from Poodle.

With rich amber-wood details and curtain-covered windows, the two-storey space pays homage to old-world Italian trattorias and visits to Nonna’s house.

“We wanted it to feel fun, warm and like it had been there forever,” Scalzo says. “We just hope … it triggers nostalgic memories of Italian trattorias from Melbourne’s past.”

Studio Co & Co and Proper Carpentry helped with the fit-out, which features cosy booths separated by curtains, and a sprawling open kitchen. There’s also a leafy European-inspired courtyard and a bar stocked with a ton of Italian liqueurs.

The daytime food menu stars Rocco’s beloved sandwiches, of course. Namely, the signature meatball sub and fried-bologna sandwich, which will also return as a late-night option.

There’s also a slew of larger Italian-style dishes by night, including bistecca alla Fiorentina (flame-licked steak on the bone), trippa alla Romana (Roman-style honeycomb tripe braised in tomato and white wine) and a number of house-made pastas.

For something a little lighter, settle in for a salumi platter or a swirl of pistachio soft serve. Or a nip of grappa, made in-house. The potent Italian spirit will come infused with flavours like loganberry, peach and rosemary; lemon verbena; or whatever seasonal ingredients the team can get its hands on.

“We have also been making variations of limoncello and amaros using backyard recipes,” adds Scalzo. Again, they will be infused with seasonal, local ingredients like finger lime or green almond and wild fennel, respectively.

Rocco’s Bologna Discoteca
15 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy

Hours:
Wed 12pm–4pm
Thu to Sat 12pm–late
Sun 12pm–4pm

@roccos.bologna