Bacco opening at the QVB - Italian food and bevvies at their finest.

Last night, Bacco Wine Bar Pasticceria - known for their delectable home made cakes, pastas, canapés and Italian aperitivi cocktails - opened its doors to its second CBD venue located on the second floor of the spectacular Queen Victoria Building.

I went there last night with the promise of two things: seeing an old editor there and sampling authentic Italian food. I got both. And more. I saw two old editors! Plus, I gorged on Grana Padano Parmigiano, sampled homemade tortellini, popped a few macarons in my mouth, and washed it down with Prosecco and Campari cocktails. Yes, it was hard work.

Sydneysiders can enjoy breakfast, lunch, and dinner here daily, with homemade Italian fare and a glass of wine at the lush and cosy bar, or indulge in Italian-style high tea.

Owner George Michael (yes, I went there; he gets that jibe all the time) was inspired to create Bacco after his trips to Italy.

Just like its sister venue at Chifley Plaza, Bacco QVB features marble floors and benchtops, polished timber features and the typically Italian imported Italian 'grape' lights.

The menu includes pastas, risottos, sauces, cakes and chocolate, not to mention the ingredients used in the upmarket cocktails. The bar menu includes spicy home-made Italian meatballs, cured kingfish with orange spring herbs and pan toasted brioche and mint sautéed king prawns with crispy vegetables and vanilla scented olive oil.

For dessert, Bacco’s extraordinary pastry chef, Brendan Dewar produces every cake and pastry on site plus Bacco’s own hot chocolate recipe, made from pure Belgian chocolate.

Bacco’s high tea features Italian sandwiches, sweet and savoury petite gateaux served with a fine selection of teas or choice or Campari high tea with a Campari cocktail.

Bacco’s modern Italian menu is complimented by a carefully chosen wine list featuring old and new world classic wines, well matched to the simple Italian fare.

The cocktail list, conceptualised by Bacco’s Italian bar team, ranges from a traditional Bellini to the house speciality, Giorgio Il Bello, a true aperitif from Venice, made with Aperol, elderflower and pinot grigio spritzed with homemade lemonade, served in a glass rimmed with handcrafted
orange rhubarb dust.

Exclusive cocktail making courses are also on offer to learn the secret to making premium Italian cocktails. Seriously, what a brill concept.

Bacco Wine Bar Pasticceria is located at Level 2, QVB Building, 225 George Street, Sydney. Phone 02 9223 9552. See http://www.bacco.com.au/

Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, seven days a week, from 8am.

Price guide: breakfast for $4.50 to $16, lunch and dinner $14 - $32, desserts- $15, cocktails $15, high tea from $33 - $47.

Go, peeps. It's so worth it. My next outing with hubby will deffo be here.