Just Open: Ape, Potts Point

Ignore the carb barbs, the pasta bar is heading full steam into Sydney in 2016.

A Tavola owner-chef Eugenio Maiale has plans for a new pasta bar at the Tramsheds development at Harold Park in the inner west, while Antonio Sabia from Puntino Trattoria has jumped on the pasta wagon with the opening of Ape in Potts Point. "It's a retail shop with 12 seats to eat-in," Sabia says.

Ape, which stands for Artisan Pasta Espresso, is also the name of the three-wheel light commercial vehicle found across Italy, one of which Sabia is currently customising to home-deliver pasta.

Pasta is made fresh from the tiny shopfront; rigatoni with ripped buffalo mozzarella and ravioli filled with Japanese pumpkin are on the opening menu.

"I've been wanting to do this since I was 18. We're also contemplating gluten free pasta down the track," the chef says.

Ape: 142 Victoria Street, Potts Point Mon-Wed 5.30-9.30pm; Thu-Sat 11.30am-9.30pm.