Alberto’s Lounge

Alberto’s isn’t your typical Italian joint. But we’d expect nothing less from the Swillhouse Group, the team behind some of the city’s most intriguing venues in Hubert, Le Foote and Shady Pines.

Equally inspired by Melbourne’s Lygon Street and the laneways of Rome, this cool distillation of the Italian spirit is hidden between Surry Hills and the CBD proper, and has consistently been one of Sydney’s hottest venues since it opened in 2018.

The menu is a suitably Swillhousian take on Italian food; familiar in places and tastefully twisted in others. Expect three pastas – maybe a beef cheek ragu pappardelle or a Trapanese tortiglioni – flanked by small plates and proteins to share.

Simply walking up for a Negroni and a plate of burrata is certainly a possibility here – but securing a spot isn’t always a guarantee. We say book in advance and make a night of it, sampling the best of Sicily and Tuscany from the extensive wine list.

The dining room is snug, but as at all Swillhouse venues, this one oozes singular cool. The leather banquettes, candle-lit hightops and eclectic artworks scream old-school ’70s restaurant. But the soundtrack of Afrobeat and disco imbues the room with a timeless feel.

Keep an eye out for a mural by the group’s own Allie Webb in the laneway, visible through the large glass windows lined with wine bottles.