Ross Chessari learnt about food and commerce in his family's grocery businesses in Brunswick and Fitzroy North and grew up to become a funds manager and venture capitalist. Now he's returning to his food roots with the imminent opening of Sagra in Malvern.
It's an ambitious and multifaceted business, with a basement production kitchen, combined restaurant-deli-coffee bar, art gallery and bar ranging over four levels, and Chessari has lavished time and money on the project, having bought the former motor garage three years ago. But he has no regrets. "I didn't do this to be here for five minutes. I didn't do this to sell it. This is a lifelong ambition," says Chessari.
The street-level restaurant will seat 120 around a central bar-kitchen, serving handmade pasta, pizza and dishes cooked in the Josper grill. Silvana Iacobaccio (ex Pizza e Birra and Ladro) has been helping devise the menu and assemble the kitchen team.
A deli at the rear will sell cheese, salumi, housemade antipasti and ready-to-serve meals. It will eventually host cooking classes to share the Sagra philosophy. In Italy, sagra means festival, often celebrating a seasonal ingredient or a local dish – ciambella (doughnuts), fettuccine and panzanella salad all have sagra in their honour.
Sagra's mezzanine art gallery will double as a function space and the rooftop bar, accessible via a lift, has space for about 100.
Sagra, at 256-258 Glenferrie Road, Malvern, will open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner from the end of January.
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