There’s a new Italian restaurant hiding in plain sight in the heart of Circular Quay, and you’ll need to venture through the sandstone walls of one of Sydney’s most historic buildings to find it.
Spezia, the first Sydney venue from hospitality, workspace and wellness group Florence Guild, has opened inside the former Department of Lands building, now home to The Lands by Capella.
The 130-seat restaurant occupies two greenery-filled courtyards that were once private, transforming them into an open-air Italian piazza framed by heritage sandstone, marbled corridors and bright red awnings.
Now that spring has arrived, the leafy courtyards are calling for long lunches, late dinners and glasses of wine in the sunshine.
Inside Spezia’s hidden Italian piazza
The restaurant takes its name from the Italian word for spice, which is fitting given its menu draws inspiration from the forgotten flavours of the Silk Road and the historic trade routes that connected cities including Venice and Rome.
The menu stays rooted in Italian tradition, nudged in a new direction with subtle layers of spice. “First and foremost we’re an Italian restaurant and we want our guests to leave feeling like they’ve just had that type of experience,” Bang says.
“We’ve also added hints of spice to every single dish, which adds a layer of complexity and difference that you won’t find anywhere else.”
At the helm is Jae Bang, the former Re-naa chef who earned three Michelin stars at the Norwegian restaurant before making the move to Sydney. Head chef Aaron Caccia joins Bang in the kitchen, bringing experience from both Re-naa and Copenhagen institution noma. Together, they’ve taken classic Italian dishes and given them a distinctly Spezia spin.
Food & drink get a Silk Road-inspired twist
The ravioli del plin is Bang and Caccia’s playful take on carbonara. Pecorino-filled pasta lands in an egg yolk and dukkah oil emulsion, with beef jus and asparagus bringing depth, richness and a little freshness.
There’s also spaghetti chitarra with blue swimmer crab bisque, anise and fresh chilli, finished with prawn tartare. Nothing is treated as an afterthought—not even the bread. The puffy, high-protein pane soffiato is baked to order, while the kitchen slow-cooks its octopus and makes its own dukkah spice mix.
Bang says his approach starts with getting the small details right, from baking the pane soffiato fresh to order to slow-cooking the octopus and making the dukkah spice mix himself.
Bang has designed the menu for slow lunches and dinners, as well as more casual visits for sfizi—Italian for little indulgences—and a glass of wine.
Moreover, the wine collection features more than 500 bottles from Italian, Australian and international vineyards, with 36 wines available by the glass. There’s also a small cocktail selection for those sticking around after dinner.
The list, like the food, follows Italy’s history of trade, discovery and culture, with each wine telling its own story of place, tradition and craft.
From sandstone corridors to an Italian courtyard
Spezia’s sense of discovery starts before you even sit down. The restaurant was once hidden from public view behind the sandstone facade of the Bridge Street building. Guests now make their way through its marbled corridors before emerging into the courtyards.
Inside, Italian Breccia Rosso honed marble brings deep colour and texture to the space, inspired by the visual richness of the world’s historic spice markets.
Two greenery-filled courtyards form the heart of the restaurant, linked by carriageways that were once used by horse-drawn carriages to turn around inside the building.
Between them sits the Tangier red, Venetian-finished bar, surrounded by wine bottles and tables. Signature Italian red awnings add another splash of colour while sheltering diners from Sydney’s unpredictable weather.
“It was the space itself, it reminded me of visiting small Italian towns, where you walk around a corner and suddenly a piazza appears, where the community gathers over good food and wine,” he says.
Enter through the sandstone facade, wind your way through the building and you’ll eventually emerge into a courtyard that feels a world away from Circular Quay.
Spezia is located at 5 Gresham Street, Sydney, now open Tuesday to Saturday for lunch from 12pm to 3pm and dinner from 5pm to 9pm, with breakfast set to join the schedule soon.
