Tucked away in the laneways of World Square near the bull statue is newcomer Margherita & Co, a stylish Italian eatery that serves up dishes that are just a bit different, in a brightly decorated space that evokes a breezy sidewalk cafe in Europe somewhere.
We started off with their Gamberoni, featuring butterflied king prawns which had been lightly grilled with chilli, garlic and lemon butter for a kickstart to get our tastebuds going – I especially liked how easy it was to get the juicy prawn meat out from the half-shells (eating shellfish is usually so messy).
Gamberoni, $15
We always go for the Arancini if its on the menu, and Margherita & Co’s rendition did not disappoint – in fact, we thought their presentation in a cardboard egg holder was quite clever, but beyond the looks these nicely crumbed arancini were the real deal with a delicious black truffle and mushroom filling that was enhanced with fontina cheese.
Arancini, $12
From the mains, we chose the Potato Gnocchi which featured chewy pillows with shredded blue swimmer crab tossed in. The pasta was served in a light mix of peas, mint, green garlic and green chilli. Needless to say, the whole dish tasted very green and definitely wasn’t as heavy or as filling as your usual creamy or tomato based pasta.
Potato Gnocchi, $19
We also tried one of their pizzas – the Carne which should satisfy meatlovers with plenty of cured meats represented in the toppings, namely double smoked ham, pancetta and spicy salami, paired with lemon thyme and BBQ tomato. The pizza base was nice and thin, but otherwise was fairly pedestrian compared to the other dishes we tried.
Carne Pizza, $24
We didn’t have much room for dessert but got some tasters of their gorgeous Premio Gelato selection on our way out – the Caramel Fig, Balsamic and Pink Salt gelato was absolutely divine and worth coming back for.
Our verdict: Margherita & Co is a welcome addition to the World Square dining scene – reasonably priced Italian fare in a vibrantly decked out space that makes it a great spot for a casual catch-up.
Excuse Me Waiter dined as guests of Margherita & Co
Margherita & Co
Hordern Arcade, World Square
Shop 12/91 Liverpool Street, Sydney NSW 2000
Phone:(02) 9283 8634
