Bondi Beach is famous for surf, sunrise swims and smashed avocado — but its Italian food scene deserves just as much attention. Here's how to do Italian in Bondi properly, from the first spritz to the last cannolo, by the team at Santino's Bondi on Campbell Parade.

Start with aperitivo, the Italian golden hour

In Italy, the evening begins with aperitivo: a bittersweet drink and a few salty snacks as the sun goes down. Bondi may be the best place in Sydney to honour the ritual — the beach faces east, so late afternoon light turns the whole of Campbell Parade gold. Order an Aperol Spritz or a Negroni, add a plate of olives or arancini, and watch the surfers catch their last waves. Our bar pours aperitivo classics from midday.

Share your antipasti — that's the point

Italian dining is built around the table, not the individual plate. Start with burrata and prosciutto, calamari fritti and a shared antipasto board. Ordering "one of each for the middle" is not over-ordering; it's tradition.

Pasta or pizza? The honest answer is both

The eternal question has a simple Bondi solution: come back twice. Our hand-made pasta — silky carbonara, slow-cooked bolognese, seafood linguine — is rolled fresh every morning. The wood-fired pizza comes out of a 450°C oven with a charred, pillowy crust. If you truly can't choose, split a pizza for the table while you wait for your pasta. No one has ever regretted it.

When to go

  • Weekday lunch: the quietest tables and the same full menu, minutes from the sand.
  • Golden hour (5–7pm): peak aperitivo, best light, best people-watching.
  • Friday to Sunday evenings: the full trattoria buzz — we're open until 11pm. Booking ahead is smart.

Finish like an Italian

Skip the flat white after dinner (Italians consider milky coffee after midday a minor crime). Instead: tiramisù and an espresso, or an affogato that neatly settles the coffee-versus-dessert debate. Then a slow walk along the promenade to complete the most Italian evening Bondi can offer.

Find us on Campbell Parade

Santino's Bondi is at 94 Campbell Parade, directly opposite the beach — open Mon–Thu 12–10pm and Fri–Sun 12–11pm. Book a table or wander in for a spritz at the bar. Ci vediamo a Bondi!