Grill Americano’s beloved tableside tiramisu is set to make its way to Sydney this spring, as veteran restaurateur Chris Lucas announces he will open a new Sydney outpost of the popular Melbourne grill this September.
“I wanted to create a big city brasserie,” says Lucas. “I know in Sydney, there’s been a few grills open lately, but I don’t want it to be overly masculine.”
The Sydney version promises to scale up the Melbourne offering, with a bigger dining room and kitchen, as well as a breakfast service. “We’re going to do a little Milanese coffee routine so you can come in for a morning snack and have a coffee or espresso,” says Lucas.
The opening will mark the second Sydney venture for Lucas Restaurants, following the arrival of Chin Chin to Surry Hills in 2017. Together with his wife and design collaborator Sarah, Lucas is the powerhouse behind one of Australia’s most established restaurant groups, comprising 10 Melbourne venues, plus outposts in Geelong, Canberra, and Sydney.
Grill Americano Sydney will take residence in the historic Qantas House building, better known as No. 1 Chifley Square, close to the new Martin Place Metro. “I love historical buildings,” Lucas tells Gourmet Traveller. “Chifley was the tallest building when it was built in the ’50s, and Qantas House was the original headquarters for Qantas.”
The ground floor site has been vacant in recent years, with Lucas spying the opportunity to convert the vast glass-fronted space into a dining room. “Sometimes I think coming from outside in, you go, why can’t this be a restaurant?”
Lucas is hoping to tap into the renewed energy in Sydney’s CBD following the opening of the new Metro. Interiors will be steered by his wife Sarah Lucas and interior designer Samantha Eades of Mitchell Eades, who were also responsible for Grill Americano Melbourne and the newly opened Maison Bâtard.
The expansive restaurant will seat 160 people, and include two private dining rooms, plus a bar for 60 people. Like the Melbourne original, it will take cues from the great eating cities around the world. “We call it an Italian-Venetian style restaurant with a bit of a New York vibe to it,” explains Lucas.
Sydneysiders can look forward to top-tier steaks, Josper-grilled veggies, and a raw seafood bar delivered by polished servers in white jackets. Prime beef cuts will be the main star of the show, following the same signature preparation method as in Melbourne.
“We take our steaks, we marinate them in olive oil, garlic, rosemary, and oregano. They sit in there for two days, like the Italians do. After we’ve grilled it, we brush it with a little bit more olive oil and a touch of lemon,” says Lucas. An iced raw bar will satisfy Sydney’s endless appetite for crudo and oysters, while four Josper grills will fire up all manner of steaks, vegetables and seafood.
Chef Damian Snell will oversee the project, as general manager of culinary, with the team already recruiting a mix of Melburnian staff and fresh talent from Sydney.
Grill Americano first opened on Melbourne’s Flinders Lane in March 2022, captivating diners with its glamorous dining room and wood-grilled streaks, and earning a nomination for Best New Restaurant in Gourmet Traveller’s Annual Restaurant Awards.
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