Melbourne CBD venues Bar Americano and Pentolina to close

Two venues in Melbourne's CBD, Bar Americano and Pentolina, have announced they are closing, signalling tougher times may be ahead for hospitality as interest rates bite and the goodwill between tenants and landlords during the pandemic wanes.

Bar Americano, a widely recognised leader among Melbourne's cocktail bars, will mix its last negronis in its hidden laneway location on October 31, due to a change of landlord and termination of its lease. It comes after 11 years of trade.

The building in which the tiny 15-person bar is located was purchased in April by a company controlled by George Sykiotis, a former partner in George Calombaris's restaurants.

Matthew Bax, Bar Americano's proprietor, says he has been seeking information on Sykiotis's plans since the sale, but to no avail. In a since-edited post on social media, he said he received a letter on October 3 stating the lease was terminating at the end of the month, and his application for a month's extension was denied.

Sykiotis said he had in fact given Bax extra time but did not respond to questions on how much extra time he offered. Instead he answered:

"Unfortunately, I'm not going to get involved in a slanging match."

"Things are getting blown out of proportion."

He said he has plans to renovate the ground floor of the site where the bar is located, but there's no change to the leases in place for first and second floor tenants.

Further along Little Collins Street, Italian restaurant Pentolina will be closing its doors on December 17 after failing to negotiate with its landlord regarding future rental rates and arrears accrued during lockdowns.

"The pandemic affected everyone differently, but small businesses like me and independent landlords like ours have really done it tough," says owner Julia Picone.

The venue in a laneway off Little Collins Street has served handmade pasta and a swathe of regional Italian dishes in rustic surrounds since May 2018.

Picone says she and her landlord have been trying to find a solution for months but were unable to reach a middle ground. She was at pains to point out there are no ill feelings between the two parties.

"I just feel like it's an impossible situation for us to find middle ground, we both suffered such huge losses."

Rising interest rates have affected the outlook of landlords, in her opinion, as well as consumer spending at the restaurant.

The end of rental relief before CBD trade is yet to return to normal has also been a critical factor. Picone says the city "hasn't rebounded the way we expected to". While she is keen to revive Pentolina, it will most likely be in a suburban location after taking a short break.

Until December, chef Gabriele Olivieri will be serving old favourites, such as the baccala croquettes, alongside new spring and summer dishes.

Meanwhile, the founders of Hemingway's Wine Room announced on October 4 they are selling their East Melbourne restaurant and bar, which opened at the onset of the pandemic. Ashleigh Dyer, one of the partners, said that after two-and-a-half years, it was time to move on to other projects and priorities in her life.

"I can't deny it was an uphill slog making it through COVID. I really do think [Hemingway's] was a casualty of the worst timing…" she wrote in a post on social media.

Dyer was unable to comment on the sale, apart from confirming that Hemingway's would continue to operate under new owners and operators, with a two-week handover period.

The closures of Pentolina and Bar Americano cast a shadow over Melbourne's reputation as a bustling metropolis of independent businesses of all sizes, many of them tucked down CBD laneways.

Bar Americano will go from trading three days a week up to seven days to give people one last shot at an expertly mixed negroni. Bookings are also available. Bax has not decided whether he will reopen in a new location.

Bar Americano, 20 Presgrave Place, Melbourne, baramericano.com

Pentolina, 2/377 Little Collins Street, Melbourne, pentolina.com.au

Hemingway's Wine Room, 150 Wellington Parade, East Melbourne, hemingwayswineroom.com.au