Located at The Star Sydney, Cucina Porto offers an Italian dining experience set within a richly layered interior. A space designed to exude the warmth and familiarity of dropping into a friend’s place for dinner, whilst seamlessly transitioning from day to night.

With the brief provided to create a premium casual offering, the juxtapositions continue seeing old-world detailing mixed with modern aesthetics and sensibilities. Reminiscent of an Italian apartment building, framed glazing as well as solid rendered sections of the façade come together with brass accents, inset tile detailing and a stepped-in Palladiana stone floor, perfectly setting the tone. Textural and bold, executed with restraint, the aesthetic reflects the culinary offering of Cucina Porto; a selection of classic Italian dishes accompanied by the bar serving up a selection of Negronis, classic cocktails, spritz varieties as well as local and Italian wine and beer.

The dining area sees a mix of patterns and textures utilised to bring an element of eclecticism to the interior. Warm timber flooring and the strategic use of curtains separate different dining zones whilst further enhancing the residential feel. A variety of seating options have been applied including banquette seating, bar seating, loose seating and large communal tables. Open shelving used to house and display bowls, plates and bottles of wine amongst and an assortment of eclectic decorative objects and art provide the casual elegance of a friend’s home. The ambient and elegantly moody private dining room offers a different experience, with bold and richly saturated inset carpet, layered sheer curtains and a sculptural brass pendant light, creating a luxe and modern European aesthetic.

A stone bar projects from one side of the kitchen, adding an element of food theatre for guests to enjoy with sight lines into the kitchen and tiled pizza oven. The stone skirting and reveal leading into the kitchen vestibule area is reminiscent of European residential interiors, as are the lighting choices and selection of indoor plants which all contribute to the casual, comforting and eclectic nature of Cucina Porto.

Photography Damian Bennett