The enduring charm of Chianti
Opening at the height of Adelaide’s 1980s restaurant boom, Chianti continues to deliver – with heart.
When Frank and Maria Favaro put rabbit on the menu at their Chianti Classico trattoria in Light Square in 1985, it was a hard sell.
Four decades on – and with a new generation at the helm – rabbit is among the mainstays of Chianti’s well-loved Italian offering.
“They won hearts over,” say siblings Jess and Nick Favaro, who took over the reins from their parents three years ago. And it’s a statement that extends well beyond the food itself.
Celebrating 41 years in 2026, Chianti – which moved to Hutt Street in 2001 and later dropped the “Classico” from its name – is an Adelaide institution, weathering hospitality storms, fleeting trends and a flood of new openings.
Indeed, it’s oft said that Adelaide has more Italian restaurants per capita than anywhere else in the country. Just look around and you’ll find the city is rich in interpretations of the cuisine, from the pizza-spinning Etica to the pasta-fuelled Borsa and New York-inspired Fugazzi.
Diners can be fickle, forever attracted to the next new thing, but Chianti stands the test of time – and that’s in part testament to the Favaros staying true to their path. Jess and Nick plan to steer the ship for the next 40-plus years, along with its sibling venue Bar Torino, which they opened in 2015.
There’s a sense of occasion that comes with a visit to Chianti – the gorgeous heritage two-storey brick building, the smartly-dressed waiters with thick Italian accents, the exceptional hospitality. While there’s a moody romance to it all, the music is upbeat – it reminds me of my cousin’s First Communion celebration, Naples, circa 1998.
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It’s a Tuesday evening when my best friend and I visit. The demographic leans mature, though there is one young table near us – a very sweet first or second date, we suspect.
We’re seated adjacent an impressive wine shelf, which becomes a talking point in itself: a considered collection of Italian labels alongside contemporary local drops. There are seven styles of Nebbiolo alone, and that’s just in my line of sight.
The menu is equally enchanting. Split into spuntini (one or two-bite snacks), antipasti share plates, pasta and secondi (larger plates); it’s classic cooking, crafted with a contemporary hand. Take the anchovy toast – nary a modern menu would do without it – here taking cues from the traditional bruschetta with a base of fresh crushed tomatoes, topped with an anchovy and a strip of lardo (cured pork fat) that melts on the tongue.
In keeping with the small fish theme, sardines alla scapece is as joyful to look at as it is to eat. The plump Port Lincoln fillets are charred hard and fast, then lightly cured, softening the “fishiness” of the flesh. Seven of them are staggered in a neon green puddle of herb oil and sharp housemade red wine vinegar, along with pickled cipollini onion and crisp discs of carrot. It’s fresh, it’s vibrant, it’s punchy – and it’s sure to convert even the most stubborn sardine sceptics.
Buffalo mozzarella, one of life’s great pleasures, is showcased in various forms across Chianti’s seasonal menus. Today, it’s perched atop a mound of scorched, wilted radicchio that’s been given the “agrodolce” treatment with more of those sweet cipollini onions, currants and toasted walnuts for texture. The more we dig, the more an assertive ashiness begins to emerge, threatening to eclipse the cheese’s delicate milky sweetness. A previous iteration with pickled zucchini, mint and hazelnuts offers a smoother match.
A touch of dining room theatre never goes astray, and the sfoglia lorda in brodo – or filled pasta in broth – deservedly captures attention. The dish is finished at the table with the pouring of the most glorious, golden chicken broth over mini ravioli shapes, which soon begin bobbing in the spirit-lifting elixir. The texture of the pasta itself is slightly chalky, a mild distraction to what is overall a beautiful dish.
The menu progresses into a selection of five generously-sized pastas, from my personal favourite spaghetti alla vongole, to gnocchi with Adelaide Hills rabbit and pancetta. Secondi are equally captivating, including yellowfin whiting with nduja and Boston Bay mussels, and chicken roasted with grapes, cavolo nero and Chianti jus (I’m returning for that).
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Tonight, we’re lured by the risotto special – a jet-black squid ink number, which relaxes across the plate and is decorated with tender pieces of fire-roasted octopus and dollops of gremolata. It’s belly warming fare, rich in umami and the grains of rice still with bite. Be sure to catch some of that gremolata with each forkful, which adds brightness and helps bring the dish together (and keep licking your lips, if you don’t desire black lipstick).
To finish, a white chocolate panna cotta has all the wobble one hopes for, and is accompanied by poached rhubarb that could afford to retain more of its sour edge.
The time is ripe for Hutt Street, with Adelaide City Council’s long-planned revitalisation of the precinct beginning in 2027, along with Fortis and Otello’s multi-million-dollar luxury apartment development. Meanwhile, Chianti’s younger culinary neighbours – Sugar Man Gelato, Bar Sofia and Latteria, to name a few – are injecting fresh energy into the strip.
If you need an extra excuse to visit, the Favaros are inviting diners to help celebrate their 40-year milestone in August, which will include a revival of well-loved dishes from years gone by.
They’re sure to win hearts over, once again.
Chianti
Chef: Josh Cooke
Cuisine: Italian
Wines: Inviting mix of Italian and new age local drops
Cost: Share-style small plates $30ish, mains $40-50
Must try: Sardines alla scapece
160 Hutt Street, Adelaide
Open: Lunch Mon-Sat, Dinner Mon-Sat
Hot take: Date night
This article first appeared in the July 2026 issue of SALIFE magazine.
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