Glorietta bar & restaurant – Sydney

Alexander & CO. were commissioned to design Glorietta, an Italian bar & restaurant in located North Sydney, their main challenge was how to transform a cold, double-height glass box within a new corporate tower into a warm, lively dining and entertainment destination. Spoiler alert… they hit each and every milestone!
Inspired by the client’s love of all things Italian, the designers swathed the space in natural materials such as wood, rattan and linen, and olive, apricot and rust-red accents evoking the charm of the Italian countryside. Equal parts contemporary and classic, Glorietta oozes an effortless sophistication that reflects the authentic taste of the wood-fired pizzas, the glorious wine list from select Italian and Australian winemakers, and the classy effervescent spritzs, negronis and other aperitivo classics.
Having to contend with a glass-enclosed, open-plan space the team divided the 220-seat restaurant into separate complementary zones, anchored by a slender white arbour housing the open kitchen, the bulbous pizza oven, and the elegant bar counter. The zones are delineated by different floor treatments, including polished concrete in the bar and northern dining area, timber boards in the central dining space, and broken stone slabs surrounding the kitchen. Distinct seating arrangements further enhance this configuration and imbue the spacious venue with intimacy. High tables with stools and communal tables encourage socializing, built-in banquettes evoke laidback comfort, and rust-red hued square tables with bentwood chairs foster one-to-one moments, while a vintage round family table was selected for its sentimental value.
The space feels warm and welcoming despite the building’s corporate architecture thanks to an earthy colour palette and the use of the natural materials such as recycled timber which were selected for their durability and sustainability.