Paddington Institution Lucio’s Is Closing After 40 Years

After almost 40 years of serving Sydneysiders fazzoletti neri ai frutti di mare (squid-ink pasta topped with cuttlefish, mussels, prawns and chilli) and tagliolini alla granseola (noodles stained green with spinach and sweetened with blue swimmer crab), classic Italian diner Lucio’s will close at the end of January 2021.

Italian-born Lucio Galletto and his Australian wife, Sally, established the fine diner in Balmain in 1981, before moving to Paddington in 1983. Over the years they have built Lucio’s into one of Sydney’s most longstanding, respected eateries, serving prime ministers, former Beatles and Al Pacino.

The Gallettos sold the distinctive yellow-hued building in February and intended to remain there for the next couple of years. However, running the restaurant as well as a recently launched bottle shop and deli, all the while selling takeaway meals has become too much.

“We are now effectively running two very busy businesses out of one very small kitchen,” Sally Galletto tells Broadsheet. “It is simply too much for us to cope with long term, so we need to move sooner rather than later.”

Although Lucio’s is closing in its current incarnation, there’s a good chance the restaurant will continue elsewhere, with the family taking a break to decide on their next move.

“We thought we had given ourselves plenty of time to make a smooth transition when the time was right, but we haven’t had time to even look for another site, as we have been dealing with all changes and innovations we have made over the last few months,” Sally says.

While the future of Lucio’s may not be set in stone, there is one certainty: the art collection must go. The diner is possibly as famous for its mini art gallery as its food. The walls groan with works by some of Australia’s most renowned artists, including Sidney Nolan (an illustration on his bill was the inaugural piece in Lucio’s collection); John Olsen (whose work graces the menu cover); Tim Storrier; and Charles Blackman. Much of the collection will be auctioned off in partnership with auction house Deutscher and Hackett early next year.

“We look forward to many of our loyal patrons having a little piece of Lucio’s in their homes,” the family wrote in a newsletter.

Lucio’s will have its last service on January 29, 2021.