“Retail is decimated because of the economic climate,” says Marco Finanzio. Last week, he flipped his Thornbury pasta shop Pastificio Sandro, and the 14-seat pop-up diner Prova which opened inside in April, into a relaxed wine bar. A strategy to cope with changing tastes and tightened purse strings. “It’s an open-to-everyone, drop-in-for-a-glass-of-wine or stay-for-the-night kind of deal, which suits what the dining trends are these days,” he says.

“I think 13 out of 14 quarters have been in negative growth,” he continues. “We had to make a really tough decision to wind [the retail] part of the business down and make the dining element the core. We thought we’d make the offering a bit more approachable [in terms of] price point and make it super casual, but still execute it with as much care and tenacity as we did with Prova.”

His follows similar pivots from other high-end restaurants – including Smith & Daughters and James – into casual neighbourhood bistros, and a recent wave of spin-off bars for restaurants such as Scopri’s Bar Olo, France-Soir’s Le Splendide and Askal’s Inuman.

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The rechristened Sandro Wine & Pasta has opened the space up (gutting some of the shop’s joinery and display cases) to make way for a 35-seat dining room where you can dine among crisp white tablecloths, cabinets of fresh pasta and shelves stacked with wine. It’s more freewheeling than its predecessor Prova, but more “mature” than Finanzio’s other High Street venues, Umberto Espresso Bar, Gigi and Joanie’s.

“I’m very conscious of not self-cannibalising,” he says. “Sandro is a bit more elevated, the food is a bit more refined, and the price point reflects that. However, there’s no dish over $40.”

Prova’s set menu is replaced by an à la carte offering that includes handmade pastas and gussied up wine bar snacks – like the anchovy toast, which uses vinegary white anchovies draped over chopped green olives, sage butter and a slab of golden fried brioche.

Pastas currently include a classic bucatini all’amatriciana; a squid ink calamarata (named for its resemblance to calamari rings) with calamari ragu and black olive crumb, inspired by head chef Anthony Palermo’s nonna’s recipe; and a lighter, summery version of Prova’s bottoni brodo (button-shaped pastas filled with ricotta and Parmigiano Reggiano, in broth) with pea shoots and parmesan foam.

Prova’s mortadella skewers – where mortadella ribbons are threaded onto a skewer, chargrilled over a hibachi and slathered in fermented chilli honey, then served on house-made flatbread and stracciatella – have survived the change-up. “They’re not going anywhere,” says Finanzio. “We sold out on the weekend!”

Pair one with a pre-batched Drinks by Loro bergamot Negroni and a wine from the approachable list, which currently includes a William Downey pinot and Patrick Sullivan chardonnay by the glass. Sandro’s retail licence remains, so you can also take a bottle and some fresh pasta home with you or order pasta online.

Finanzio is also excited about the neighbourly vibes Sandro promotes. “It’s such a tight space, it’s fun and vibrant, you’ll end up talking to the table next to you, and that’s what we want. It’s about keeping it very local.”

Sandro Wine & Pasta
822 High Street, Thornbury

Hours:
Wed to Sat 5pm–late

pastificiosandro.com.au
@pastificio_sandro