The phrase “tutto passa” might sound like an Italian dish or a style of eating, but translates to “everything passes” – and it’s a phrase used liberally by the staff at Mornington venue Mr Vincenzo’s.
This is your first clue that the restaurant has a bit of a backstory: the Mr Vincenzo’s team were the proud operators of acclaimed but short-lived Mornington restaurant Colt Dining, which was destroyed by fire just weeks after opening in 2023.
In spite (or because) of the team’s fiery past, Mr Vincenzo’s is bright and vivacious. Scarlet jungle flame flowers and splashes of vivid orange are complemented by subdued sage and 70s-style brown ceramic tiles, while orb sconce lighting and outdoor crazy paving complete the mid-century look.
Chef and co-founder Matti Fallon says the inspiration behind the restaurant’s decor is a kind of retro rumpus room.
“There's a sense of escapism in there,” he says. “It's just a totally different world. You feel transported.”
Step into Mr Vincenzo’s (possibly straight from the beach, towel draped over your shoulder) and one of the first things you’ll be greeted by – alongside the enthusiastic staff – is the scent of whatever vibrant ingredients are being cooked up.
Matti explains that an Italian-inspired menu made sense because it gave the team a chance to loosen up and get playful after a rocky start. The Mr Vincenzo’s menu isn’t pizza- or pasta-driven, though: it’s bursting with creative concoctions of whatever juicy local fare is currently in season. Think: mussels with nduja, leeks, saffron and cannellini beans; stuffed calamari with feta, capsicum and black barley; or spinach casarecce with wild garlic pesto and smoked buffalo mozzarella.
Given the place’s coastal setting, there’s an ample representation of seafood. The offering changes regularly in concert with local farmers and fishermen: “tutto passa” is a motto that extends to the food, too.
Head chef Michael Kharsas, who was sous chef at Colt, has a resume that includes esteemed spots like Tedesca Osteria, Point Leo Estate and Port Phillip Estate, while sommelier and manager Gilles Allo Ausina has experience at Tedesca, Melbourne’s Tipo 00 and Colt.
In terms of the wine list, Gilles says it’s a pleasure to select Italian wines because Italy is home to a diverse range of wine regions.
“I really like all the small growers that respect the terroir, respect the land… The list is growing every month,” says Gilles, who is originally from Provence and gained a wine education during stints all over Europe.
“I have a love for natural wine,” he continues. “So [the wine list is] minimum intervention, organic or biodynamic… I also like a clean wine… Sometimes [natural wine] can be a bit funky and outside of the box – I’ve just got one or two like this.”
The name Mr Vincenzo’s, like seemingly everything else here, has a story behind it.
“We wanted something catchy and short, so I was like, ‘Vine, wine, vin… Vin is good’,” says Matti. “And then [business partner Lisa Princé] was like, ‘My grandfather's name was Vincenzo’.” (Colt had been named in honour of Matti’s grandfather, who had a connection to horseracing.)
Vincenzo, meanwhile, has become something of a patron saint, representing fun, tenacity and old-world charm. The real Vincenzo can be seen smoking and sitting atop a crescent moon prop at Luna Park in a small, circa 1950s black-and-white photo near the front of the restaurant.
Arrive in the afternoon and expect to see colourful produce strewn across the counter as kitchen staff swap banter and prepare for the night, or to overhear a discussion about whether the day’s cocktail should include smoked rosemary. It’s this combination of seriousness and playfulness that makes Mr Vincenzo’s work – that, and the killer food. Come for date night, a boisterous group dinner or a post-beach wine and snack in the sun.
