Trattoria Town

Small is beautiful in Sydney these days, thanks to the new breed of neighbourhood trattoria that blends cosy spaces and simple, regional flavour. Here’s a taste from four of our favourites.

Review by Sarah Macdonald

After attracting attention at Paddington’s Bistro Moore, and brief stints at Ecco in Drummoyne and Jaspers in Hunters Hill, roaming chef Giovanni Spinazzola (pictured) has finally settled into his own restaurant. And what’s more, Da Gianni Trattoria in Annandale is just streets away from his neighbourhood in Leichhardt, Sydney’s Little Italy.

Part of the inspiration for Giovanni’s menu stems from his mum’s Southern Italian cooking. “I don’t try to create new dishes, I bring the classics back to life,” Giovanni explains of this dish. “I learnt to make the sauce in Tome, and the gnocchi is made just like Mum’s.”