Two Magill Estate alumni take over Bibo, bringing their southern Italian soul & wine label to Kent Town hotspot

Images: Bibo Bar and Eatery (supplied)

There’s just something about southern Italian hospitality. You know, the genuine smile at the door, the kind that makes you feel like family before you’ve even sat down. It’s that same warmth that Gaetano and Luca, two former Magill Estate stalwarts and the duo behind boutique label SØŪTH Wines, have brought to Bibo Bar & Eatery, their new passion project in Kent Town.

The space, previously owned by hospitality head Manuel Francesconi (of La Moka fame), has been given a new lease on life.

“It’s a beautiful space, and the concept — cafe and wine bar — suited the boys. It just needed some fresh energy,” says marketing manager and Gaetano’s wife, Jasmin.

For the past five years, SØŪTH has quietly made its mark across South Australia, supplying small-batch Italian varietals to restaurants and a loyal online following.

“We never had a cellar door,” Jasmin explains. “So when the opportunity came to have a space of their own, it just felt like the perfect fit.”

Housed in the same light-filled space locals already love, Bibo’s new chapter is less about reinvention and more about “refining.”

The pair has kept the bones of the original fit-out – clean lines, soft lighting, warm timber, exposed brick and Euro-centric marble – but they’ve added small, sentimental touches. Black-and-white photographs sourced from Italy now line the walls, capturing scenes of rural life from the region where the boys grew up. “It just needed our heart in it,” says Jasmin.

In the kitchen, its soul remains Italian, stretching regionally between the Marche and Emilia-Romagna. Chef Mattia Bardeggia leads, steering the food toward confident simplicity and a menu that changes seasonally. Nowhere to hide, no need to. Pasta takes centre stage, with early favourites like Linguine alle Vongole and Pasta alla Genovese already finding fans among locals.

At the bar, the fine-dining pedigree shines. The cocktail list, curated by Gaetano, leans contemporary and refined, thoughtfully in tune with the food. A crisp Negroni to start, maybe, or a house spritz brightened with vermouth. A handful of beers rounds things out, but the real story is of course the wine.

Luca’s behind the curation, and SØŪTH’s own bottlings – Primativo and Rosato – anchor the list that’s uniquely south-Italian oriented. Tastings are encouraged, even if they’re reluctant to call it a “cellar door.”

While their names might be new to Kent Town locals, their faces won’t be unfamiliar to anyone who’s dined at Magill Estate. Both Gaetano and Luca cut their teeth at Magill Estate as manager and assistant manager – and it shows.

“We’ve had such amazing feedback already,” Jasmin says. “The reviews we’ve had on Google — people we don’t even know — they’ve all said how warm it feels. And that’s exactly what we want.”

The spot is what Jasmin calls a “dining destination,” where people can enjoy fine dining service in a more relaxed setting. Grab-and-go options are available, but people are encouraged to linger. Fridays slide naturally into aperitivo hour, with platters that stretch into dinner service, and Saturday nights are currently reserved for private functions that are already booking out.

“The new menu is a full offering – we want to be a destination lunch spot, being in the heart of a business district. We want people to come in for a nice lunch,” shares Jasmin.

It’s early days, but the team is already dreaming up wine-pairing dinners and pasta nights to come. Until then, it’s all about the simple mantra to la dolce vita.

“Honest Italian food, nothing too complicated, how it should be,” Jasmin says. “Proper table service, real hospitality — the kind that makes you feel looked after.”

What: Gaetano and Luca of SØŪTH Wines take over Bibo
When: Monday to Thursday 7am-3pm, Friday 7am-9pm, Saturday 8am-3pm
Where: 97 King William street, Kent Town
@bibo_barandeatery
For the website, click here.