RAGAZZI + FABBRICA: PASTA TO GO

Transforming a dine-in restaurant into a drive-through is a standout idea, and one that Ragazzi owners Nathanial Hatwell, Matthew Swieboda and Scott McComasWilliams executed within days of closing their Italian wine and pasta bar in Sydney’s CBD. Customers could simply drive (or walk) by and pick up a fresh pasta pack with duck ragù or puttanesca sauce to go. On the other side of town, Hatwell and Swieboda’s other venues – Dear Sainte Éloise and Love, Tilly Devine – pivoted to lush produce boxes, trays of lasagne and their own line of pantry goods. Now, all of their venues have reopened, including a shiny new location called Fabbrica: a stand-alone pasta deli and bar on King Street. “The world has changed a lot this year,” says Swieboda. “We wanted to create a shop that empowers customers to produce amazing restaurant-quality pasta meals at home.” It was the enthusiastic response they received during lockdown that empowered them to push forward with the project, which opened in early October. Alongside the permanent retail offering of Fabbrica, the team is also focused on finessing the outdoor seating at their sister wine bars, Dear Sainte Éloise and Love, Tilly Devine, thanks to City of Sydney’s relaxed restrictions around al fresco dining.