After nearly two decades serving Melburnians from the much-loved Flinders Lane restaurant Cecconi’s, the Bortolotto family has opened a new Cecconi’s location in Toorak.

At the new Toorak Road spot, the team is joined by head chef Maurizio De Marzi, who is from Naples originally and was head chef at popular Carlton Italian restaurant Scopri for seven years. (De Marzi’s wife Beatrice Cicero also, coincidentally, once worked front-of-house at Cecconi’s CBD location.)

The menu at the new restaurant is largely influenced by the Veneto region of Italy, where the Bortolotto family hail from – though De Marzi incorporates dishes from other Italian regions, too.

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Some old favourites from Flinders Lane include the top-selling served-on-the-bone veal cotoletta and the seafood spaghetti. But De Marzi has also added dishes of his own including his rendition of baccala mantecato (a Venetian salted cod dish). His take is the “baccala cappuccino” and features salted cod served in a cup, topped with foam and dehydrated olive powder (reminiscent of chocolate powder), and accompanied by capsicum focaccia.

But the chef’s top pick is the spoja lorda ravioli, served with smoked eggplant, roast tomato and salted ricotta, which can be accompanied by one of Cecconi’s many old-world and Australian wines.

Finish on a sweet note with a tiramisu prepared with Gianduja chocolate and house-made savoiardi (sponge finger) biscuits dipped in Kahlua. There’s also a classic lemon tart served with a passionfruit gel and topped with a lightly torched Italian meringue and other Italian classics like affogatos and house-made gelati and sorbet.

The restaurant’s interior is designed by Travis Walton, largely inspired by Milanese galleries and arcades. Ascend a red marble staircase influenced by the work of Italian architect Gio Ponti, and pass through an arched walkway to enter the main dining area of the 150-seat venue.

The new Cecconi’s is finished with polished marble walls, wood panelling and warm lighting. Plus, there’s a sheltered terrace adorned with lush greenery, with a balcony that feels like it belongs in Veneto.

Cecconi’s Toorak
Level 1/489 Toorak Road, Toorak
8663 0555

Hours:
Mon to Fri 12pm–11pm
Sat 5pm–11pm

cecconis.com/toorak