What began as a distant restoration dream is now a reality for four iconic Australia Street restaurants — each with its own identity, yet still unmistakably connected by a love of great produce, sustainability, and thoughtful design.
We caught up with Sarah Doyle, Creative Director and founding partner of Paisano & Daughters, to talk about this iconic Inner West strip and shared vision over the past decade to bring Australia Street back to life — starting with Continental Deli, and now including Flora, Mister Grotto, Osteria Mucca and Australia Street Suites.
Photography by Hugh O’Brien.
“Each space reflects who we are and the way we work: hands-on, evolving and always looking for ways to make things better, or at least more beautiful.”
A family affair
Paisano & Daughters is a family business I’m part of with my brother and sister-in-law, Joe and Ana Valore, as well as my husband, Elvis Abrahanowicz. Our journey on Australia Street began with the Continental Deli in 2015.
Photography by Amber Barnes
Why Newtown?
We’ve all lived in the Inner West for years — Elvis and I for around 25 — and Newtown has always felt like home. It’s a place full of creativity, community and character and it’s hard not to feel inspired by it every day. Naturally, we’ve wanted to invest back into the area that means so much to us.
Continental was the first of our venues on Australia Street and it sparked a bigger idea, to bring the original 1911 H. May building back to life. That dream has grown into four restaurants, and now also includes our accommodation offering: Australia Street Suites.
Until now, there hasn’t really been a great place to stay in the heart of the Inner West. With the Suites, we wanted to offer something beautiful and thoughtful, a place where guests can really experience the neighbourhood like locals. Newtown is just 5km from the CBD, with easy transport connections, but it also has its own rhythm. We love that it’s full of energy and soul and now, a place where you can stay, eat, and explore all in one spot.
How have the venues evolved?
Most venues are shaped by the people who work in them and the community around them. That’s definitely been true for us. We started working on Continental over a decade ago and while some things have shifted, the core of what it is hasn’t changed much. It’s still open all day, every day (364 days a year) and still feels like the heart of what we do. We’re always adding to the walls, rearranging, refining but its spirit has stayed the same.
Since then, the strip has changed significantly. The opening of Flora, Mister Grotto, Osteria Mucca and the apartments has really brought new life to the street. It’s started to feel like a destination in itself — like its own little strip of King Street.
Building a sense of community
While each of our venues is unique and independent, there’s a strong sense of connection between them, not just in how they look and feel, but in how they function. The shared black-and-white table and chairs out the front of each venue give the block a sense of cohesion, but it’s what happens behind the scenes that really brings the community to life.
There’s a friendly sense of support across the teams, rather than competition. Cian, Head Chef at Continental, makes a range of incredible pickles and ferments that get used across all the venues. We also have a shared ‘plate library’ if someone needs a dish for a special, they can borrow from the collection and return it when they’re done. Even the simple act of pulling a chair out front can lead to shared moments between teams and customers. That’s the kind of place we want to be, one where you feel like you’re part of something, whether you’re working here, dining with us, or just wandering down the street.
“Each of our venues has its own unique personality, but they’re all connected by a shared, nostalgic approach; collecting, layering and surrounding ourselves with pieces we genuinely love.”
Flora
The buttery yellow tones on the façade and in the terrazzo floor, along with timber detailing, give Flora a warm familiarity.
As the first in the line of our restaurants on Australia Street, it sets the tone with its modern vintage styling; vintage wall vases, jelly moulds and platters evoke a sense of nostalgia, while elements like Dunlin pendant lights and bespoke painted canvases of non-traditional florals, derived from vegetables and produce, keep it feeling fresh.
The space feels inviting and reflects our commitment to showcasing fresh, seasonal ingredients in a thoughtful, comforting way.
Continental
Continental opened with a nostalgic, timeless feel that just gets better with time. Red is the colour that defines the space — from the exterior to the brilliant terrazzo floor.
Dark timber, vintage art and an eclectic mix of collected artefacts, layers that have built up naturally over the past ten years.
As you walk in, the cheese and charcuterie fridge is one of the first things you see — always well stocked with a great selection.
One of Continental’s defining features is its vintage in-house canning machine, used to create its now-iconic canned drinks and goods.
Mister Grotto
Mister Grotto is an intimate seafood restaurant that feels somewhere between a fisherman’s cabin and a boat. The timber-lined ceiling echoes the inside of a vessel, while blue wall panelling, dim nautical lighting by Dunlin, and a marble shell-like floor add to the mood.
A long concrete bar runs through the room, finished with a moulded rope detail — a subtle nod to the sea. The daily catch display greets you as you walk in, showcasing the best and freshest seafood sourced directly from the fisherman.
We began collecting for Mister Grotto the moment we decided to open it. The space is filled with vintage nautical and fishing artefacts — boat plaques, fishing reels and rods, lures, and even a collection of duck decoys. The back bar features a hand-painted map of Australia, showing where some of the country’s best seafood comes from needless to say the best seats are definitely at the bar.
Osteria Mucca
Set in a former butcher shop, Osteria Mucca is the most classic in feel — drawing on nostalgic Italian charm while honouring the building’s past. Located at the far right-hand end of the block, it’s the last in the line of our venues on Australia Street.
Deep, classic green is Mucca’s signature colour — a nod to traditional Italian cuisine — paired with dark timber and green-and-Carrara marble checkerboard flooring. Custom-made mirrors line the walls, and booth seating runs through the centre of the room, adding to the sense that this space has been here much longer than it has.
Unlike the other venues, the styling at Mucca is intentionally minimal, allowing the heritage features to speak for themselves. That said, we can’t help ourselves — vintage plates and old photographs have started to appear, including a favourite behind the bar that we’ve owned for over 20 years. Soon, we’ll be adding a collection of old cleavers and butcher’s tools — a quiet nod to the building’s history.
Australia Street Suites
Australia Street Suites is quite the opposite — we wanted to offer something that felt local and design-led, modern and fresh and quite minimal. They sit somewhere between a spacious apartment and a boutique hotel (without the formality).
Each suite takes its name and palette from the restaurant below it and we’ve worked with Australian artists, makers, and craftspeople to create spaces that feel special and comfortable. With skylights, luxury beds and bedding, fun colours and furniture, and all the things you actually want during a stay, the Suites are designed to feel easy, welcoming, and a bit indulgent.
Book Australia Street Suites1. The ‘must have’ dish at each venue?
Flora - Brussels Sprouts and Potato PIEROGI, Sour Cream, Crispy Leaves, Pickled Mustard Seed.
Mister Grotto - Live Redclaw Yabbies in Seaweed Butter & Lavender Honey Cornbread.
Continental Deli - ‘Martinny’ - our canned Martini - not a dish but it does come with an olive.
Osteria Mucca - FINOCCHI - Parmesan Crumbed Fennel for me but everyone loves GNUDI brown butter & sage.
2. Three words that best capture each venue?
Nostalgic, fun, delicious.
3. Dream customer, living or dead?
David Chang - he’s a true innovator, an inspiration and really gets good food!
4. Favourite seat in the house?
Always the bar!
