Gorosito opens Bridge St Garage Bar & Diner

Named after a small log bridge that crossed the water supply for the fledgling colony of Sydney, Bridge Street's past might have revolved around water, but its future is firmly fixed on food.

Rockpool on George is relocating to the Burns Philp Building, Fratelli Fresh is already there and venues such as the Bridge Room have been quietly building Bridge's eat-street credentials. But wait, there's more.

The site under the Bridge Room looks set to finally proceed as a venue after protracted negotiations. Oscar Gorosito is opening Bridge St Garage Bar & Diner in mid-August at 17-19 Bridge Street. Born in Argentina, he trained as a lawyer before jumping to a career in the kitchen. He worked in Italy and the highly rated Las Tortillas de Gabino in Madrid.

One of the entrances to the Argentinian's Sydney venture will be via a hand-cranked garage door on Bridge Lane. A Bridge St Garage spokeswoman says gunpowder was stored at the address until it ignited in 1866 and took the building with it.

''A new building went up in the early 1870s and this is the same building that stands today,'' she says.