Nestled behind the sandstone walls of one of Sydney’s most significant civic buildings, Spezia brings the warmth of an Italian piazza to Bridge Street. The first Sydney venture from hospitality, workspace and wellness group Florence Guild, the 130-seat, open-air restaurant occupies the once-private courtyards of The Lands by Capella and feels instantly of its place. This is an intimate Sydney setting framed by nineteenth-century grandeur.
The building itself tells a remarkable story. Designed by Colonial Architect James Barnet in 1876, the former Department of Lands building was a statement of ambition and colonialism. Standing on Gadigal Country, it was from here that the colony surveyed, mapped and allocated land, a history that gives the building a more complex resonance today. However, it was technologically advanced for its time – messages travelled between floors through pressurised tubes, plans were drawn up for an observatory to survey the night sky, and at its centre sat a strong room believed to be the first fireproof room in Australia. The clock tower remains a landmark of the city’s Sandstone Precinct in Circular Quay.
For decades, much of the building was closed to the public. Now owned by Singapore’s Pontiac Land Group, it has been carefully restored and adapted by Hassell in collaboration with heritage specialists Purcell Architecture, opening its marbled corridors and courtyards to visitors. Spezia sits at its heart, and was conceived to anchor and draw the building together.
Michelin-star executive chef Jae Bang (Freyja Melbourne, ex-Ree-naa, Arzak), and head chef Aaron Caccia (Freyja Melbourne, ex-Ree-naa and noma) are at the helm. For Jae Bang, the setting decided the cuisine: “It was the space itself… It reminded me of visiting small Italian towns, where you walk around a corner and suddenly a piazza appears, where the community gathers over good food and wine.”
That sense of discovery is part of the experience. Guests make their way through the building’s corridors before the courtyards reveal themselves. “The hidden location is part of its beauty and what makes it special,” Bang elaborates.
The interior design was undertaken by Florence Guild, guided by a single idea. Spezia is Italian for spice, and the palette and textures recall the colours of the ancient markets along the Silk Road, the trade route that carried spices through Venice and Rome and shaped Italian cooking for centuries.
Sumptuous stone sets the overall tone. Large slabs of honed Breccia Rosso marble, carved with the Spezia name, stand sentinel in each courtyard, their burgundy, terracotta and blush tones streaked with dramatic brecciated veining. The same stone is used for every table, creating a quiet continuity across the two spaces. Chocolate Zellige tiles, handmade in Morocco using centuries-old methods, add depth and a subtle shimmer, and nod to the Moorish influence that travelled into Renaissance Italy.
The north and south courtyards are linked by two carriageways, originally built so that horse-drawn carriages could turn within the building. Between them sits the bar, its surfaces finished in a lime-based Venetian plaster in rich Tangier red, a treatment repeated on the wait stations. Interior walls lined with wine bottles frame a handful of intimate tables, while a list of more than 500 bottles from Australia, Italy, France and further afield, including 36 by the glass, rewards lingering.
In the courtyards, signature red awnings overhead bring joyful colour and retract or extend to offer shade on bright afternoons and shelter when the weather turns. Greenery further lines the courtyards, softening the sandstone and lending the spaces a tranquil respite from the bustle of the city. Spezia is a restaurant made for long summer lunches beneath shaded umbrellas and balmy Sydney evenings that drift on well past dessert.
Related: Hassell’s work at The Lands by Capella
The menu is Italian first, however, Bang says that “we’ve also added hints of spice to every single dish, which adds a layer of complexity and difference that you won’t find anywhere else.” The Grilled Octopus with Calabrian Chilli is a must, as is the Duck Ragù Casarecce, while the Rib Eye, served to perfection, may well be one of the best in Australia. Servings are generous, and service is warm, efficient and genuinely welcoming.
“It’s all about getting the foundation and little things right,” Bang reflects, and that philosophy extends well beyond the kitchen. At Spezia, considered design, a storied setting and a generous spirit come together to create a restaurant that feels both timeless and entirely at home in its Sydney setting.
Spezia
spezia.com.au
Photography
Griffin Simm, Skyline
