Grossi Florentino facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Grossi Florentino |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Restaurant information | |
| Established | 1928 |
| Current owner(s) | Grossi Family |
| Head chef | Guy Grossi, Chris Rodriguez |
| Food type | Italian |
| Dress code | Smart |
| Rating | 2 Chef Hats in 'The Age Good Food Guide' |
| Street address | 80 Bourke Street |
| City | Melbourne |
| State | Victoria |
| Postal/ZIP code | 3000 |
| Country | AUSTRALIA |
| Coordinates | 37°48′42″S 144°58′15″E / 37.8117782°S 144.9708405°E |
| Seating capacity | 210 |
Grossi Florentino is one of Melbourne’s oldest and most famous restaurants. It's known for its delicious Italian food. The special Mural Room upstairs has been a fancy dining spot since the 1930s.
A Taste of History
Florentino started as a wine shop in 1918, bought by Samuel Wynn. He slowly grew his business, even making his own wine later on. In 1920, he bought a popular cafe called Café Denat and moved it upstairs in his building in 1924.
In 1928, Rinaldo Massoni took over the cafe. He changed its name to Café Florentino and started serving Italian food instead of French.
The Mural Room Appears
In 1934, the restaurant bought the building next door and joined the two spaces. A new dining room was created upstairs. It was decorated with 8 amazing murals (large paintings on walls). These murals were designed by Walter Butler and painted by students of the famous artist Napier Waller. This beautiful room was named 'The Mural Room'.
It's said that a chef from Florentino's made the first ever cassata (a type of Italian ice cream cake) in Australia. Some of the ingredients used back then were not allowed, but the dessert was still a big hit!
New Owners and Changes
After Rinaldo Massoni passed away in 1941, his son Leon and partner George Tsindos took over. In 1954, the restaurant got a new license. This meant they could openly sell more types of drinks that were previously not allowed.
George and Leon also opened 'The Cellar', a more casual spot for quick meals. A few years later, they opened the 'Bistro Grill' too.
Leon Massoni eventually sold his part of the restaurant to George. Later, Leon owned other restaurants with Pietro Grossi, whose son Guy Grossi now runs Grossi Florentino.
George Tsindos sold 'Florentino' after 50 years. Later, in the late 1980s, Branco Tocigl sold it to Floyd Podgornik. Floyd Podgornik made many changes to the historic building in 1989. The upstairs rooms were carefully restored, and the ground floor was updated while keeping its old charm. Floyd Podgornik passed away in 1990, and his wife Lorraine continued to run the restaurant through a challenging time.
In 1999, the Grossi family bought 'Florentino' and renamed it 'Grossi Florentino'. In 2013, the Grossi family gave the upstairs restaurant a fresh new look with a three-month renovation.
Exploring the Restaurant
Grossi Florentino still has three main areas, just like it did in the 1930s. Each area offers a different dining experience:
- The Cellar Bar: This is a relaxed spot that serves simple and tasty Italian food.
- The Grill: This area has an open kitchen, so you can see the chefs at work. It's more casual than the main restaurant.
- The Restaurant: Located upstairs, this is the formal dining area. It serves both modern and classic Italian dishes. The Restaurant has two special rooms: the Mural Room and the Wynn Room.
The Mural Room
The 'Mural Room' is famous for its large murals painted in 1934. These paintings show beautiful scenes of Florence, Italy, and the areas around it. The murals are very important and are protected by The National Trust. Let's look at some of the murals and their artists:
Panel 1: Florence's Golden Age
Artist: Calvin Smith This painting shows Florence at its peak during the Renaissance. You can see famous sculptors like Ghiberti, Donatello, and Luco della Robbia. Great artists such as Raphael, Michelangelo, Botticelli, and Leonardo da Vinci are also pictured.
Panel 2: Lorenzo the Magnificent
Artist: Jeane Diamond This mural features Lorenzo de' Medici, also known as "the Magnificent." He was a very powerful and important leader in Florence, and here he is shown riding through the city streets.
Panel 3: Building the Duomo
Artist: Anne Montgomery This panel shows events from the 13th to the early 15th century. It includes artists and architects like Giotto, Cimabue, Arnoldo de Cambro, Francis Talenti, and Brunelleschi, who all helped create the famous 'Duomo' (Florence Cathedral). You can also see famous writers Dante and Beatrice.
Panel 4: Noble Life in Florence
Artist: Walter Beaumont This painting shows noble people from 14th-century Florence. It features a nobleman getting ready to go to a festival. Lovers in a private garden represent the romantic spirit of that time.
Panel 5: Bibbiena Town
Artist: Jeane Diamond This mural shows Bibbiena, a small town in Tuscany with beautiful old palaces. It's known as the birthplace of Cardinal Bibbiena. The Arno River flows through the countryside at the foot of Bibbiena.
Panel 6: Fiesole and the Arno
Artist: Calvin Smith This panel pictures the small town of Fiesole, which sits on a hill overlooking Florence. The Arno River flows in the front of the painting. People are shown near the river, some having just bathed in its waters.
Panel 7: San Gimignano's Towers
Artist: Anne Montgomery This mural shows the hill town of San Gimignano on the road between Florence and Sienna. It depicts a struggle between rival groups, the Guelphs and Ghibellines. The town's many towers show how stormy those times were. Dante visited this city in the late 13th century.
Panel 8: Vallombrosa's Beauty
Artist: Jeane Diamond This panel shows Vallombrosa, a hill town with old shrines and chapels surrounded by pine forests and vineyards. Below Vallombrosa, you can see the beautiful valley of the Arno River. The road next to it was once walked by Dante and Saint Francis of Assisi.
Panel 9: The Oldest Bridge
Artist: Walter Beaumont This mural shows the first Roman bridge over the Arno River, called Ponte Vecchio. It was built by Caius Flaminius in 187 BC.
