Guy Grossi’s restaurant, Merchant, located in The Rialto, is a passionate, generous, open canvas from which the experienced and often, generous and open chef can express himself.

Grossi has collaborated with developers, the Grollo family, for the new Osteria (a place where a steady flow of diners is the focus rather than a formal dining structure) in the revamped Rialto, to bring a snapshot of Grossi’s Venetian heritage (from his mother’s side) to Melbourne.

Designed by Mills & Gorman and built over a two-year period, the large space allows for guests to choose how they'd like to dine. Settle into the bar, sit by the open kitchen, there’s flexibility in textures, moods and warmth in the space that carries over to the menu. Breakfast is available Monday to Saturday, lunch and dinner moves into small tastes including goose prosciutto, tuna carpaccio and oysters. The menu features a section dedicated to risotto and one to polenta, a Northern Italian favourite.

In a city where it could be argued that there is a saturation of Italian restaurants, Merchant not only extends the well-established Grossi brand, but also broadens the net for specificity in Italian dining.