The good pasta, good wine and good times are set to roll a little while longer at Sydney nightclub-turned-trattoria Don Peppino’s, with the restaurant’s owners announcing an extension to their lease, along with a new, moody private dining room for guests’ exclusive use.
Since opening its doors in October 2018, the neon-lit Italian joint has become a fixture on Sydney’s dining scene, cementing its reputation as the go-to for the best garlic bread on Oxford Street. But for owners Daniel Johnston, Harry Levy and Tom Merryweather, the restaurant was only ever supposed to be a pop-up. Their initial lease was due to expire in October 2019, but was then extended until February this year. Now, diners can rejoice once more; Don Peppino’s is sticking around for another year.
“We’ve been chasing another lease extension and we can finally confirm all is signed and set,” says Merryweather.
But there is a catch. The new lease contains a demolition clause that allows the building’s owners to demolish the space with just three months’ notice. “We don’t think that’s going to happen,” says Merryweather. “We’re pretty confident we’ll be throwing some banging Christmas parties this year.”
L to R: Daniel Johnson (seated), Tom Merryweather, Harry Levy.
(Photo: Saskia Wilson)In addition, the team has opened a sultry private dining room complete with gold surfaces, wine bottle candle holders, and a banquet table large enough to accommodate between 15 and 24 diners.
“It’s actually the original Grand Pacific Blue Room dining room,” says Merryweather, in reference to the storied nightclub that once occupied the site. “There’s one, long marble table with simple Don’s gold, bags of Tipo 00 flour, and produce on the shelves.”
Positioned off the stair’s top landing, the room is slated to open March 21. Diners who book the room will be offered a four-course set menu for $70 per person. The menu changes fortnightly, but a night in the Don Peppino private room could see a cavalcade of antipasti, tonnarelli with prawn and radicchio, whole roasted river trout with burnt butter, and sorbet for dessert.
Here’s hoping the wrecking ball holds off for the rest of the year.
Don Peppino’s 1 Oxford St, Paddington, NSW, (02) 9326 9302
Open Wed-Sat 6pm-midnight
