The Restaurant Pendolino

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

An Italian Dining Landmark Since 2008

Situated on the second floor of Sydney's Victorian-era Strand Arcade, The Restaurant Pendolino has been one of Australia's most highly respected Italian dining destinations since it opened in 2008 — the same year it was named Best New Restaurant in Australia by Restaurant & Catering Australia. Named for the Tuscan Pendolino olive, the restaurant was conceived from the outset as a celebration of premium extra virgin olive oil, and that founding idea still shapes every meal served here.

The Chef Behind the Kitchen

Executive Chef and Proprietor Nino Zoccali grew up in country Western Australia, shaped by two distinct food cultures. His mother came from a farming family in Capel; his father, a first-generation Italian migrant, made everything from scratch — charcuterie, tomato sugo, homegrown meats and vegetables. That table seeded a lifelong commitment to sourcing premium produce from Australia, Italy and beyond.

After a double degree in Economics and Italian, Nino opened his first restaurant at 25 in Margaret River, then moved to Sydney in 1998 to lead the opening team of Otto Ristorante Italiano on Woolloomooloo Wharf. Pendolino followed a decade later. He has since authored two cookbooks — Pasta Artigiana and The Venetian Republic — and has been a regular member of the Australian National Olive Oil judging panel for over 20 years, bringing genuine expertise to the ingredient that anchors his menus.

What to Expect at the Table

The restaurant offers regionally-inspired Italian cuisine built around an evolving menu. Fresh pasta is made daily in a dedicated pasta kitchen, and a carefully curated selection of Australian extra virgin olive oils is presented to every guest alongside freshly baked breads at the start of each meal. The broader menu extends through à la carte, a six-course degustation, and an express format for lunch and dinner.

The adjoining Bottega Pendolino wine bar offers a more casual setting, with share plates, charcoal-grilled dishes — including a Cape Grim Bistecca Fiorentina and whole deboned barramundi — and an impressive list of Italian wines available by the glass, sourced directly from boutique Italian labels through the restaurant's own importation program.

Recognition That Reflects the Work

Gambero Rosso, Italy's foremost Italian food authority, has recognised Pendolino with its fork award, placing the restaurant in a select global index of top Italian dining. Locally, the accolades are equally consistent: the Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide has listed Pendolino continuously since 2010, and the Australian Wine List of the Year has awarded it the top "3 Glass" rating across multiple years, including 2023 through 2025. In 2025, the Restaurant & Catering Association named it NSW Restaurant of the Year (Sydney) and NSW Best Italian Restaurant (Formal) — recognition that reflects nearly two decades of sustained quality in one of Australia's most competitive dining cities.