The story of Machiavelli Ristorante Italiano started in 1988 when Giovanna Toppi opened her doors to the world. A passionate home cook who had grown up with a love for food, Giovanna was determined to share the joys of Italian cuisine with others. She travelled from Naples to Sydney with a suitcase full of lessons learned from her mother in traditional Neapolitan cuisine.

Since then, we’ve become one of Sydney’s most beloved restaurants. We’re proud to have been a part of this community for so long, and we look forward to many more years of making memories with all of you!

Our passion for food has never changed. We only use the freshest ingredients available—locally sourced whenever possible—to prepare dishes bursting with flavour thanks to our Executive Chef Laurent Cambon, who infuses his Michelin-star experience into every menu item he creates.

Our central antipasto table is still stocked with cured meats and fresh vegetables that are hand-picked by your waiter straight from the table. This focus on the finest ingredients extends to the rest of the menu, where Laurent uses the freshest produce and, wherever possible, organic. Seafood is delivered twice daily from the Sydney Seafood Markets and converted into beautiful dishes that sing with flavour. After 28 years at the helm of Machiavelli, Giovanna sold the restaurant to Nicolae Bicher—an ex-Olympian who had previously dabbled in hospitality with a focus on growing international produce, hence his appreciation for fresh ingredients. Nicolae has maintained what he loved most about this historic restaurant.