Since opening in 2019, Hawthorn’s Via Porta Bakehouse has become a local staple – thanks largely to its carefully crafted viennoiseries such as chocolate coffee kouign-amanns and kale, silverbeet and feta croissants.
Nearby, Via Porta Eatery-Deli in Mont Albert is a go-to for pantry items, small goods and daytime dining with a Southern Italian lean.
Now, sibling co-owners Ryan, Simon, Jonathan and Sarah Cosentino have opened Lucci – a daytime eatery named for their mother Lucia that draws from both these venues, and from insights learned across their collective careers.
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At its core, Lucci is more than just a family business – it’s a community the siblings have fostered since opening their first cafe, the now-shuttered Mr Hendricks in Balwyn, in 2014.
“We’ve got customers from back then who frequent our shops more than we do,” Jonathan says. “They’re not just customers anymore. They know our kids. They’re part of the Cosentino hospitality family.”
For Via Porta regulars, familiar favourites are front and centre. The crab scrambled eggs – a signature dish from the deli – has made the cut, along with the French toast topped with poached pears, almond crisp, caramel sauce and crème anglaise.
But the new additions are gaining traction, too. One standout is the chicken schnitzel, served with a creamy vodka sauce, parmesan and herb-heavy salad. There’s also dark rye topped with goat’s cheese cream and both smoked and cured salmon.
Pasta, imported from Italy, is another deli staple that’s made the jump. The crab spaghetti with garlic, fermented chilli, tomato, and lemon crumb is a time-tested favourite, while the pork and fennel sausage pappardelle is a new addition.
There is, of course, a changing display of pastries from the bakehouse and ready meals from the deli, plus Code Black coffee. “It’s sort of an accumulation of what we’ve done for the last 12 years,” says Ryan. “We thought the best approach would be to open with the best of the best.”
Sarah, co-founder of Studio Esteta, led the venue’s design. She’s given Lucci its own identity with neutral tones, timber furnishings and a mid-century Italian pendant light salvaged from the Cosentinos’ grandparents’ house.
Lucci Eatery
226 Waterdale Road, Ivanhoe
Hours:
Mon to Fri 6:30am–3pm
Sat & Sun 8am–3pm
luccieatery.com.au