Campari House

THOUGH it may sound like the Melbourne consulate for Italy’s much-loved bitter red aperitif, Campari House is actually the latest incarnation of an old-school Italian bistro that opened its Hardware Lane doors in 1968.

In its old form, Campari was mostly about a ground-level restaurant that exuded a classic wood and terrazzo style and was a favourite of the city lunch crowd. Now, after adding House to its name, it has joined the vertical laneway brigade with two levels above the restaurant with their own retro-themed charms.

First up is the Lounge, two flights above the street via a stairwell that’s been thoroughly muralised in lively Jean-Michel Basquiat-channelling style. There’s more of the same on the ceiling above the semi-private booths in the Lounge, a comfortable, carpeted space that mixes Chesterfield couches and ottomans with raised window tables and reasonably ergonomic bar stools. The room references Campari’s past, with its wood panelling and retro lightshades, but doesn’t try too hard and is all the better for it.

Another flight above the Lounge is the Rooftop, a great addition to the genre in the city with its Astro Turf, plethora of seating, suitably urban, skyscraper-studded views and a general let’s-get-this-party-started vibe that rooftops seem to naturally exude.

Weatherproofed with a surfeit of heating and shade, the Campari House Rooftop is one of the city’s best places to consume an alfresco pizza. Both the Lounge and the Rooftop share a limited menu of snacks and pizzas. The pizza is decent with a crust that runs to thin and very crisp and toppings that range from the classic (Margarita, $16) to the heftily meaty (Maialona — ham hock, sausage, salami and tomato, $18).

Campari House also does a good line in cocktails, many that feature its namesake. There are classics (Negroni, $18), twists on classics (Campari Collins — gin, lemon juice, Campari, soda, $20) and some originals that lean towards combinations that can seem a little bizarre (Whisky Warm September — Jameson whisky, Cinzano Rosso, cinnamon-infused gomme syrup and a maraschino cherry, $18).

The beer list is ho-hum but there’s a decent amount of well-priced interest in the choice of wine by the glass and on the bottle list, which has a slight lean towards Italian wines and Australian-made Italian varietals (La Riva Dei Frati Prosecco, $52).

Campari House is not out to push any boundaries but it knows comfortable and friendly.

On many levels, it’s a good addition to the city mix.

SOURCE: Epicure