Grappa opens second Sydney restaurant in The Rocks with harbourfront al fresco

Grappa has opened a second Sydney restaurant at 107-109 George Street in The Rocks, bringing the Leichhardt institution's style of Italian hospitality to a heritage sandstone building overlooking the harbour. The venue seats more than 200 guests across two levels, with an open kitchen and bar on the ground floor, a cocktail lounge and private dining rooms upstairs, and al fresco tables along the George Street terrace.

Charlie Colosi, who founded Grappa with his father Antonio in Leichhardt in 1999, leads the new venue with his wife Virginie. The pair had not planned to expand, but when the George Street property became available, they saw an opportunity to bring their style of old-school Italian service to a location with a far larger tourist and local audience than Norton Street. The building was originally constructed as a bakehouse in the 19th century and later housed the original Rockpool restaurant before its refurbishment.

Grappa The Rocks arrives on George Street

The Leichhardt Grappa remains the family's primary restaurant, open Tuesday to Sunday with a menu built around handmade pasta, wood-fired pizza and classic Italian desserts. The Rocks menu follows the same template but adds items exclusive to the harbourside location. Spaghetti alla chitarra with live eastern rock lobster, salt-baked whole snapper and a selection of wagyu steaks cooked over charcoal and Ironbark wood appear alongside the long-standing Leichhardt staples such as spaghetti alle vongole and tuna carpaccio.

Head chef Adam Nicholls has worked with the Colosi family since 2001 and oversees both kitchens. The pasta, pizza dough, bread and desserts are all made in-house each day, using the same suppliers and recipes developed over the original restaurant's 27-year history. The wine cellar holds more than 300 Italian and French labels, and the grappa list runs to more than 150 expressions, one of the most extensive in Australia.

The harbourfront terrace

The George Street terrace runs the length of the building and seats around 60 diners, with views back toward the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House forecourt. The terrace is uncovered and operates year round, with heaters in winter and shade umbrellas through summer. It is the largest outdoor dining area in The Rocks precinct and has quickly become one of the most sought-after reservations in the CBD for long lunches and pre-theatre dinners.

Inside, the ground floor dining room wraps around the open kitchen and bar, with booth seating along the front windows and counter positions facing the pizza oven. The upstairs cocktail lounge, named Charlie's Bar, opens at 5pm and stays open until late, serving a dedicated list of negronis, spritzes and martinis alongside a smaller bar menu of snacks and share plates.

Private dining and events

Two private dining rooms are located on the upper level, each with harbour views and capacity for 16 to 40 guests. The larger room can be divided into two smaller spaces for corporate functions, birthdays and wedding celebrations. The kitchen can tailor menus to the occasion, with options ranging from a simple three-course Italian set menu to a full seafood and meat barbecue cooked on the charcoal grill.

Events enquiries are handled by a dedicated functions team at events@grappatherocks.com or by calling (02) 4419 7777. Minimum spend requirements apply depending on the day and time of booking.

Booking and contact details

Grappa The Rocks is open Monday to Sunday for lunch from 12pm to 3pm and dinner from 5pm. Sunday dinner closes at 9:30pm, while Friday and Saturday stay open until 11pm. The cocktail bar opens at 5pm and operates until late on all nights. Walk-ins are accepted for the ground floor dining room, but reservations are recommended for the terrace and private dining rooms, particularly on weekends.

The address is 107-109 George Street, The Rocks, Sydney NSW 2000. Reservations can be made through the Grappa The Rocks website or by calling (02) 4419 7777. For the current menu, opening hours and accessibility information, visit grappa.com.au/the-rocks. More about the venue's history and the Colosi family is available on the about page.

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