a'Mare

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

A love letter to Italy's coastal regions, written in Sydney

a'Mare — Italian for "by the sea" — sits on Level 1 of Crown Sydney at Barangaroo, where the dining room looks out over the harbour and the cooking looks back to Italy's coastline. The name sets the tone precisely: this is a restaurant shaped by the sea on both sides of the world, drawing on fresh Australian produce and the timeless recipes of Italian tradition. Gambero Rosso recognised it with 2 Forks, a mark of distinction that places it among the more serious Italian tables outside of Italy itself.

Chef Alessandro Pavoni and the kitchen behind the food

The restaurant is led by Chef Alessandro Pavoni, whose cooking is rooted in Italian memory and shaped by a respect for local ingredients. Alongside him, Executive Chef Giuseppe Fuzio — from Andria in Puglia — brings what the team describes as "warmth, energy, and authentic southern Italian flair." Together they produce dishes that are, in their own words, "simple, soulful, and unforgettable": handmade pastas, vibrant seafood, and plates finished tableside with a touch of theatre. The approach is fine dining, but the spirit is deliberately unhurried and familial.

Three experiences under one roof

a'Mare is not a single room but a collection of distinct spaces sharing the same Italian hospitality. The main dining room offers plush seating, soft lighting and an atmosphere the team compares to "a beautifully appointed home." Beyond it, the waterside terrace is open for meals as the light shifts across the harbour. Then there is Vista'Mare Snacks & Spritz Bar, centred on cicchetti — the small Venetian bites — and home to one of only a handful of Campari Seltz Machines in the world, alongside a cocktail list of more than nine Spritzes. Pizza'Mare, the third concept, handles the casual end of the spectrum.

The cellar and the table

Wine is treated with the same seriousness as the food. The cellar holds over 600 labels spanning Italy's iconic regions and standout Australian varietals. a'Mare is a proud Australian ambassador for Gaia, one of Italy's celebrated winemaking families, and the wine list has been recognised with Best New Wine List at the 2021 Wine List of the Year Awards Australia, as well as Three Goblets. The sommelier team guides guests through the list and, periodically, the restaurant hosts intimate winemaker dinners — a recent example brought St Michael Eppan's CEO Günther Neumair to Sydney for a five-course dinner designed by Pavoni and Fuzio.

The setting

Barangaroo Avenue on Sydney's western waterfront gives a'Mare a location that earns its views. Whether the occasion is a long lunch, a sunset aperitivo at Vista'Mare, or a private dinner in one of the restaurant's event spaces, the Italian fine dining experience here is grounded in something the kitchen calls la dolce vita — without ever making it feel like a performance.