Bondi Trattoria: Italian by the beach
With a commanding position opposite the southern stretch of Bondi Beach, Bondi Trattoria is a postcard perfect tourist magnet. Don’t let that put you off though. The Tratt, as it’s usually referred to, is a remarkably cosy, understated Italian eatery, warmly regarded by locals and blow-ins alike. In fact, it’s been a fixture on Campbell Parade (a street not known for the longevity of its restaurants) since 1987.
The restaurant wakes up early to greet sun-seekers with a particularly tempting breakfast menu, and there’s hardly a better place in Bondi to greet the morning than at the outdoor tables, set on the sidewalk within sea spray’s reach of the beach.
The view’s nice from indoors too, with folding glass doors framing a wide sweep of the ocean. Service is a strong point here – it’s thoughtful, charming and refreshingly family and kid-friendly. The Tratt glows day and night with a relaxed, happy buzz.
The food is straightforward, reliable Italian trattoria cuisine, using good Australian ingredients like wagyu bresaola, Boston Bay mussels and Hiramasa kingfish.
The pastas are a highlight, in particular the fresh, simple angel hair pasta with raw tuna and chilli-infused oil, and the rich and comforting pappardelle with veal shin ragu. A basket of beautiful buffalo mozarella, truss tomatoes, olives and crostini makes an excellent appetiser to share, as does the king prawn pizza spiked with basil and chilli oil. Desserts include the usual gelato, affogato and panna cotta and a surprisingly lovely chocolate crème brulee. There’s a concise, moderately priced wine list, and a selection of local and imported beers behind the bar.
On paper Bondi Tratt seems slightly on the expensive side, but when you factor in the location you realise they could probably get away with charging more. Plus, serving sizes are heart-warmingly generous (the “main” sized pastas are enormous), and they do BYO too, for $8 a bottle. It’s easy to see why the Tratt has become a Bondi mainstay. It’s a perfect place for families and offers hearty, easy to please Italian flavours with an absolutely priceless view.
Posted by Fiona Davies
