The Old Library

This Cronulla newcomer began life as a church in 1908, before morphing into a community hall and library in the '70s. But it's this latest incarnation that has truly endeared it to the locals. The lovely, contemporary, light-filled space is part restaurant, part bar, with lots of cute nods to the building's bookish past. Consultant chef Danny Russo and head chef David Magill bring a decidedly Italian bent to the menu with stuzzichini, antipasti, pasta, pesce, carni and contorni. The lighter offerings, including ocean trout carpaccio with truffled dwarf peaches, and seared scallops with hop puree and grilled fennel, are deftly executed. More substantial mains include beautifully poached halibut, braised octopus, olives and peppers, and a rich, fall-apart braised lamb shoulder with eggplant, zucchini and anchoiade. End the night perched at the bar with a choc budino and a snifter of grappa, and salute owner Mario Kalpou for bringing some contemporary style and savvy to Cronulla.