Edition Group has announced the next chapter of Florentino, one of Melbourne’s longest-running dining institutions, as the Bourke Street venue continues under new custodianship.
Established in 1928, Florentino has traded continuously for almost a century. Edition Group’s approach is not simply preservation, but reinvigoration, securing Florentino’s place at the top of Melbourne dining once more through renewed energy across food, wine and identity.
Rebecca Yazbek, founder and CEO of Edition Group, said: “Florentino is one of Australia’s most significant dining institutions. Taking on its custodianship carries enormous responsibility, but also opportunity. Our focus is on honouring what has made the restaurant so important while reinvigorating the venues to ensure Florentino secures its place at the forefront of Australian dining once again.”
Located within the heritage-listed building at 80 Bourke Street, Florentino operates as a three-venue precinct comprising Florentino Dining Room, the renamed Café Florentino (previously Grossi Grill), and Cellar Bar.
Florentino Dining Room remains the flagship restaurant within the building. Led by respected chef Michael Greenlaw, and executive chef Brendan Katich, the menu is grounded in traditional Italian cuisine and informed by contemporary technique and seasonal produce. Dining is offered through three-, five- and seven-course menus.
Dishes from Greenlaw and Katich’s menu include: coral trout with king crab, zucchini and bisque; Sher wagyu with potatoes, truffle, black garlic and Chianti; and a range of house-made pastas including caramelle filled with caramelised onion and risotto al tartufo with black truffle and hen-of-the-woods mushrooms. Long-standing desserts such as the chocolate soufflé and tiramisu remain, now made using Melbourne-based Cuvée Chocolate.
Greenlaw said the menu focus has been on continuity: “Our intention has been to respect what Florentino represents while allowing the menu to reflect the quality of produce and producers we have access to today. It’s about continuity, shaped by seasonality and precision rather than reinvention.”
The dining experience is supported by a wine program led by group sommelier Steve Senturk. The list focuses on the breadth of Italian wine, exploring regions such as Piemonte and Sicily while representing others through their most expressive styles, alongside a curated international selection. Florentino serves as Melbourne’s ambassador for the renowned Italian producer Gaja. With more than 1,100 bottles and 30 to 40 wines by the glass, the program is designed for both serious exploration and immediate enjoyment.
Café Florentino marks a return to the restaurant’s origins. It was under this name in 1928 that former owner Rinaldo Massoni first established the venue’s Italian identity, beginning a near 100-year story that continues today. Inspired by Tuscan grill traditions, the restaurant centres on a wood-fired grill and Josper oven.
The menu features steaks including the quintessential Bistecca alla Fiorentina from O’Connor in Gippsland and Westholme wagyu, free-range Marque pork tomahawks and Barnsley lamb chops, alongside seafood such as crayfish and local flathead. Handmade pasta remains central, with dishes including doppio ravioli combining fontina cheese with erbette silverbeet from Ramarro Farm, pistachio, oxtail anolini with fermented bullhorn peppers, and spanner crab tagliolini with fennel and bottarga. Complementing the menu, the wine program features one of the most extensive Tuscan wine lists in the country, reinforcing Café Florentino’s focus on regional Italian dining.
Dining is offered à la carte or via a two- or three-course express prix-fixe menu, well suited to business lunches and pre-theatre dining. Whether for a quick midday meal or a more relaxed evening occasion, Café Florentino delivers a refined yet approachable experience, centred on quality produce cooked simply and precisely.
Cellar Bar continues its legacy as one of Melbourne’s original all-day wine and pasta bars, offering simple yet refined Italian dining throughout the day. Pasta remains at its core, with dishes such as tortellini di zucca with pumpkin, brown butter and sage; spaghetti alle vongole; gnocchi alla fiorentina with peas and pecorino; lasagne with pork and veal ragù; and cotoletta milanese with fennel, orange blossom and smoked chilli.
The concise wine offering is handwritten on a chalkboard and presented tableside, encouraging conversation and discovery. With 15 to 20 wines by the glass, the focus remains firmly Italian. The cocktail list includes a freshly pressed Garibaldi alongside the Martini Piccolo, and an ever-changing weekly selection of amari. Aperitivo Hour runs Monday to Saturday from 3pm to 6pm, reinforcing Cellar Bar’s role as an after-work meeting place.
Yazbek has ideas for future design changes across the venues, that will be undertaken gradually and with consideration for the heritage-listed building.
Yazbek added: “Right now I am enjoying watching my team thrive on the possibility, the privilege and excitement that we are now the custodians of what might well be the most important restaurant building in the country.”
Florentino Dining Room is open for lunch Wednesday to Friday from 12pm, and for dinner Monday to Saturday from 5.30pm.
Café Florentino is open for lunch Monday to Saturday from 12pm, and for dinner Monday to Saturday from 5pm.
Cellar Bar operates Monday to Saturday from 11am until late, offering all-day service.
