One of Florence’s best-known sandwich shops has arrived in the Sydney CBD. All’Antico Vinaio has launched its first Australian outlet near Circular Quay, bringing oversized Tuscan schiacciata and a large international following.
The takeaway shop opened at 50 Pitt Street, near Bridge Street and between the Circular Quay and Wynyard precincts this July.
Florence’s famous flatbread reaches Pitt Street
The Mazzanti family established All’Antico Vinaio in Florence in 1991. The business built its reputation around schiacciata, a Tuscan flatbread baked with olive oil and salt.
The bread has a crisp surface and a softer centre. Staff split it and fill it with cured meats, cheeses, vegetables and creamy spreads.
The Florence shops became tourist destinations, helped by long queues, travel recommendations and widely shared food videos. The company later expanded to cities including New York, Los Angeles and Dubai, with Sydney marking its first Australian location.
Fifteen sandwiches and a Sydney creation
The Sydney menu features 15 schiacciata combinations, currently priced from $19 to $29. It includes several of the company’s established recipes alongside one sandwich created for the Australian market.
The Paradiso combines mortadella, stracciatella, pistachio pesto and chopped pistachios. La Favolosa includes sbriciolona salami, pecorino cream, artichoke cream and spicy eggplant.
The Sydney sandwich pairs Papandrea’s Wagyu bresaola with DOP parmesan shavings and rocket. It is the most expensive item on the current menu at $29.
The schiacciata is baked fresh on site each day, while the creams and pesto are made in-house. Launch material also says selected Italian ingredients are imported, including aged Prosciutto di Parma.
There is no dining room, so the venue operates as a takeaway business. Customers will need to eat nearby, take their order back to work or carry it elsewhere in the city.
Andy Allen joins the Australian venture
The Sydney project brings together founder Tommaso Mazzanti, chef Andy Allen and Fladgate Hospitality Group operators Jonny Stewart and Ali Mattar. Allen is a co-owner of Three Blue Ducks and a judge on Network 10’s MasterChef Australia.
Launch coverage says Allen became involved after posting about his experience at All’Antico Vinaio in Italy. That interest later developed into a partnership with the Mazzanti family and the Australian hospitality group.
A global name enters Sydney’s lunch market
The Pitt Street location places the business among CBD offices, hotels and major transport links. It gives the shop a steady stream of potential customers, including workers, tourists and commuters moving through the northern end of the city.
For Surry Hills residents, the venue is accessible by light rail or train through the CBD.
