The beloved Lorne Hotel will become home to Australia's fifth Totti's venue (and the first outside of New South Wales) this February.
If you’ve got the urge for Italian done right, Lorne will be the place to be come summer with the opening of Sydney’s much-loved Italian eatery Totti’s, slated to open this coming March.
Sydney hospitality giant Merivale (who purchased the historic Lorne Hotel last May for $38 million) have announced that the iconic Great Ocean Road pub will host their most popular restaurant concept Totti’s.
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Launching as the group’s first Victorian opening, the restaurant will see Merivale Executive Chef (and Totti’s creator) Mike Eggert, along with Lorne Hotel Executive Chef and Surf Coast local Matt Germanchis at the helm, bringing Totti’s famous puffy woodfired bread, house-made pastas and seafood to the Surf Coast.
The 200-seat restaurant will permanently move into the bright and beautiful ground floor space, which previously housed MoVida Lorne which closed earlier this year.
Mirroring the incredibly popular casual Italian eatery that Mike Eggert first built in Bondi in 2018, Lorne’s version of Totti’s will partly reflect the Sydney originals (including the puffy bread), while Germanchis will be given enough space to add his own local spin to Eggert’s concept of wood-fired bread, house-made antipasti and grilled snacks, meaning we can expect to see a slew of new dishes starring local Victorian seafood.
Similarly, the wine list will also be updated to focus on Victorian vineyards and producers, featuring an expansive lineup of drinks for all preferences.
“It is an amazing opportunity to bring Totti’s laid-back style and signature dishes to one of the most iconic coastal locations in Australia that is Lorne,” said Eggert.
“Totti’s is a restaurant where you can walk off the beach for a quick bite and glass of wine or stay for a long lunch with friends and families, which fits Lorne to a tee and pairs perfectly with the choose-you-own-adventure nature of the menu.”
“I cannot wait to build a menu with Matt Germanchis that heroes the local producers he has longstanding relationships with, and the unicorn finds around this region. Matt is a gifted chef, the collaboration between his expertise in woodfire cooking, extensive knowledge of the local seafood and Totti’s classic menu is a match made in heaven.”
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This marks the fifth outpost of Totti’s, and stands as the group’s first Victorian opening, with other locations including Totti’s Bondi, Totti’s Rozelle, Bar Totti’s in Sydney CBD and Totti’s Pasta Bar at Allianz Stadium.
Totti’s Lorne will be located at 176 Mountjoy Parade, Great Ocean Rd, Lorne, from March, 2023.
