Changing of the guard at the Carlton Wine Room

After five years at the helm, business partners Connie Cappello and Jay Bessell have sold the Carlton Wine Room, with new owners Domenic Zanellini (of Carlton's Briscola Espresso) and Fiona Sheeran (ex-Sarti) taking the keys to the building on Wednesday, March 30.

The pair will shut the doors for a couple weeks for minor renovations, including a lick of fresh paint and a new bar on the mezzanine level that will seat 10 or so for a quick glass of wine or a negroni. The existing booth seating will remain.

Zanellini and Sheeran will bring in an entirely new kitchen team, including young gun Aaron Starling in his first head chef position (he was most recently sous-chef at Crown's Bistro Guillaume) and French expat Benjamin Dehaye (ex-L'Oranger, London) as Starling's sous.

Expect a revamped menu of mod-European classics: "simple food cooked well" – maybe a veal shin ragout in tagliatelle, dory with anchovy and cos, and whole roast chooks on Sundays, says Sheeran.

So what's next for the Carlton Wine Room's founders? After a break, Cappello plans to set up as a hospitality administration consultant and Bessell has taken on a role with Ian Curley, Con Christopoulos and Josh Brisbane's ever-expanding empire; he's headed for a sommelier role at the European, for starters.

The Carlton Wine Room will reopen on April 12.

Open Tue-Sun 7.30am-11pm.

172-174 Faraday Street, Carlton, 03 9347 2626 thecarltonwineroom.com.au