Sydney does restaurants with a view better than most cities, but few have managed to weave setting, service and staying power into a single story quite like OTTO Ristorante. Perched on Woolloomooloo’s Finger Wharf, OTTO has just hit its 25th birthday – a milestone that cements its place as one of the city’s most enduring dining institutions.
Some restaurants chase novelty; OTTO has built its reputation on consistency. That doesn’t mean it’s stuck in the past. Head Chef Richard Ptacnik, who has led the kitchen since 2009, has a knack for keeping the menu fresh while staying true to the house style: modern Italian that is produce-driven, approachable, and distinctly Sydney in its lightness.
Mangia, Mangia
OTTO Ristorante Sydney. Image: Supplied
To mark the anniversary, OTTO has launched the Mangia Menu ($89) – a three-course shared feast that feels both celebratory and relaxed. “Mangia” isn’t a polite suggestion, it’s a call to action: eat, enjoy, stay awhile.
The journey begins with antipasti that set a confident tone. Grainge Angus beef carpaccio is dressed with truffle, aioli and Parmigiano-Reggiano, a dish that balances indulgence with restraint. Zucchini flowers arrive stuffed with Moreton Bay bug and snapper mousse, their delicate crispness giving way to the sweetness of seafood and a bright lemon-dill sauce. And then there’s burrata, paired here with cherry tomato, watermelon and balsamic – a combination that’s equal parts playful and refreshing.
Pastas are where Ptacnik’s kitchen really shines. The strozzapreti with prawns and calamari is buoyant with tomato and black olive – as Mediterranean as a midsummer swim – while the mafaldine with braised lamb and cavolo nero digs into more rustic territory. The lamb is slow-cooked to richness, the gremolata and pecorino cutting through with freshness. Both are hearty, yet polished enough to hold their own in a fine-dining setting.
Dessert is a wink to tradition. Instead of tiramisù, OTTO offers Lemonmisù, layered with citrus and paired with sorbet. It’s lighter, brighter, and just the right punctuation to a meal that doesn’t want to end.
The Man In The Kitchen
OTTO Ristorante Sydney. Image: Supplied.
Richard Ptacnik has been with OTTO for more than two decades, moving from sous chef to head chef in 2009. His food has become shorthand for “Sydney Italian”: unfussy, produce-first, and designed for a city that likes its fine dining generous rather than pretentious. He’s not interested in culinary fireworks for their own sake. Instead, his cooking is confident, anchored in classical Italian technique but never afraid of a little improvisation.
That confidence is visible across the broader menu, from aged Acquerello risotto with truffle to dry-aged Wollemi duck breast with kumquat and Grand Marnier jus. Even the vegan à la carte and degustazione menus feel considered rather than tokenistic, proving OTTO’s inclusivity without compromising on flavour.
The Scene On The Wharf
OTTO Ristorante Sydney. Image: Supplied
Dining at OTTO is as much about atmosphere as it is about food. Sitting waterside, you watch boats glide past, hear the soft hum of conversation, and feel Sydney at its most glamorous. The service team strike a delicate balance: formal enough to feel polished, relaxed enough to feel personal. There’s a reason so many long-standing regulars treat OTTO like their second dining room.
Inside, the dining room carries a quiet elegance: timber floors, neutral tones, and the kind of lighting that flatters both the plates and the people. Outside, the tables spill onto the boardwalk, giving guests the ultimate Sydney postcard backdrop. On a sunny afternoon, with a glass of prosecco in hand, it feels like the city is putting on a show just for you.
Special Touches
OTTO Ristorante Sydney. Image: Supplied
OTTO has always been a restaurant that knows how to mark an occasion, and its anniversary year is peppered with celebratory touches. Father’s Day, for instance, will see the team pouring a six-litre Jeroboam of Torbreck’s The Factor Shiraz 2000. Served from its own cradle, it’s part theatre, part indulgence – and exactly the kind of flourish loyal guests have come to expect.
The Mangia Menu itself feels like a gift: accessible enough to encourage group dining, but still elevated with touches of luxury. Paired with a curated Italian wine flight, it captures OTTO’s philosophy in one sitting – generosity, seasonality, and a sense of occasion.
A Quarter Century Later
Not every restaurant survives 25 years, let alone thrives. OTTO has managed to do both by never losing sight of why people dine out: to be looked after, to share good food, to feel part of something bigger. The restaurant has been rewarded with loyalty that spans generations – regulars who came here for dates in the late ’90s now bring their children for milestone birthdays.
The secret isn’t complicated. OTTO has never pretended to be anything other than what it is: a celebration of Italian food, Sydney produce, and harbourfront living.
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Dining and Cooking