Spaghetti Club, a Southern Italian restaurant that has been built around a faded orange recipe book from Sicily, has opened in Richmond.
The Mamas Dining Group venue in Melbourne draws directly from the childhood of co-founder Lucas Gugliandolo, whose late Nonno spent years cooking across Sicily before moving to Australia.
Gugliandolo’s grandfather, who worked at still-operating Bar Irrera not far from the family’s home, filled a worn orange notebook with recipes over his decades-long career.
Gugliandolo says the orange book was never meant to become a restaurant.
“It was simply Nonno writing down what he cooked throughout his life, from pastry kitchens in Sicily through to the dinners we all grew up around. Seeing those dishes evolve into a menu in Melbourne feels incredibly emotional for our family,” says Gugliandolo.
The family’s lasagna, involtini, and pasta alla norma recipes have now found a second life at the Swan Street venue.
Head Chef Michael Fleming (ex-Totti’s Bondi, Botanical Hotel, and Press Food and Wine Adelaide) will lead the kitchen, working closely with Gugliandolo’s family. Fleming grew up in Myrtleford, a regional Victorian town shaped heavily by Italian migration, and has interpreted the family recipes, translating them through the venue’s live-fire kitchen and house-made pasta program.
The menu occasionally balances Italian tradition and Australian food, including a Vegemite focaccia inspired by the pantry staples and Italian-Australian households Fleming grew up around.
“It’s not about replicating the dishes exactly. It’s more about preserving the feeling of their generosity, simplicity, and food that naturally brings people together around a table,” says Fleming.
Menu highlights include cacio e pepe arancini with black garlic aioli, house-made spaghetti vongole with bottarga and lemon, involtini filled with provolone and herb crumb, and Nonno’s Lasagne layered with bolognese, béchamel, and ricotta before being baked.
Mamas Dining Group Beverage Manager Aaron Wall (ex-Eau-De-Vie) has curated the beverage list which leans into Italian aperitivo culture through spritzes, negronis, Italian lagers, and local wines.
Cocktail highlights include the Sicilian Sour which is a take on the Amaretto Sour, the Not You Nonna’s Negroni which is a twist on a classic, and an espresso martini.
The wine list features Italian classics, such as Barolo, Negroamaro, and Primitivo, alongside Australian blends.
Spaghetti Club is open Monday and Tuesday from 5pm to 11pm, and Wednesday to Sunday from 12pm to 11pm. Aperitivo Hour takes place every Saturday and Sunday from 3pm to 5pm.
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Dining and Cooking