It’s intimate, elegant and the consummate place to enjoy Italian wine and cuisine without making the arduous plane ride from Australia. Instead of traveling, spend the time at Enoteca Boccaccio enjoying outstanding wine and excellent food in a bespoke interior created by Mim Design.

As the diamond in the crown of the D’Anna family’s holdings, which include Boccaccio Cellars and Grocers, Enoteca Boccaccio is all that a celebration of Italian culture should be and so much more. Located in the Melbourne suburb of Balwyn, this tucked-away destination punches above its weight. Soon after opening, it even received a Chef’s Hat from AGFG.

The brainchild of Anthony D’Anna, CEO of Boccaccio Group, Enoteca Boccaccio is a showcase of fine wine, culinary delights and most importantly, family and heritage. Positioned above the Cellars and accessed at ground level by a side doorway, this small restaurant is a feast for all the senses and especially those who savour fine design.

Emma Mahlook is Creative Director Mim Design and, as project lead alongside her team, has conceived an interior that is both sophisticated and comfortable. Materiality informs the colour palette with marble and brass, timber and tiles all utilised within the spatial layout.

At just 120-square-metres and with seating for 50, Enoteca Boccaccio is intimate but large enough for the family or even a crowd. Authenticity is key to the interior and the design encapsulates the D’Anna family’s passion for sharing excellent produce and preserving Italian culture and food.

From the doorway up the staircase, the entry to the restaurant features walls of custom wine refrigeration opposite a cheese maturing room. With glazed doors, rounds of cheese and bottles are on show and set the scene for the culinary adventure to come.

Central to the design is the bar with a countertop of Carrara marble and façade of domino granite with a fluted pattern finish. Charcuterie, oysters and cheese are displayed in the above counter cabinets and guests can sit on leather topped stools and enjoy a glass of wine at the bar.

Mahlook explains: “The bar is undoubtedly the hero of the space, presenting a concept where the seamless combination of wine, meat and cheese in a traditional enoteca setting is truly unique in Melbourne.”

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Brass detailing from the staircase is continued in the bar area, in the cabinetry and overhead bulkhead. Italian clay tiles have been laid throughout and the ceiling has been painted with a textured finish in white. Originally three rooms, the space is now combined. However, there is flexibility and areas can be partitioned off with drapery for more intimate dining, when required. 

There are marbled-topped tables for two and IVA dining chairs aside the bar and within the larger room at the rear. The back wall is draped with chocolate leather bolsters and framed by American walnut timber.

To add pizzazz to the colour palette, pops of burgundy have been included through free-standing cabinetry and complements the integrated Rosso Levanto marble. This magnificent marble has also been included in the bathrooms and provides depth as well as drama in the space.

Everything within Enoteca Boccaccio is in balance. It is quiet luxury that is appropriate and speaks of tradition, albeit contemporised for today’s clientele. Mim Design has conceived a refined concept where architecture, interiors and furnishings combine for best practice, function and beauty.

Enoteca Boccaccio celebrates the wonderful wine collection of the D’Anna Family and the superb cuisine from the chef and the interior provides the style and finesse to ensure that this is the perfect package of design and hospitality.

Mim Design
mimdesign.com.au

Photography
Peter Clarke

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