Italian Restaurants Sydney - Balla

A little piece of Milan with Sydney's best views

The setting is Milan. Dine at Balla and let us take you there.

Balla is a modern interpretation of the classic Osteria Milanese, with a menu built around the heart of traditional Italian cuisine. The addition of a wood-fired grill to Stefano Manfredi's Italian kitchen reflects his dedication to delivering truly authentic cuisine.

We welcome guests into the Balla Aperitivi Bar for pre-dinner drinks or fast-tracked dining. With its stunning views over Sydney Harbour, the bar is at Balla's heart.

Manfredi returns to the Sydney dining scene with what he describes as the most Italian restaurant he has ever done.

Book your table at Balla now! If you’re looking for the best Sydney restaurants, you need to be thinking The Star!

Awards for Balla:

1 Hat (2013):
The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide
Best New Restaurants of 2012 - Hot Tables:
Condé Nast Traveller

Three Glasses & Best International Hotel Restaurant Wine List (2012):
Gourmet Traveller Wine List of the Year Awards

Award of Excellence (2012):
Wine Spectator Restaurant Wine List Awards

Stefano Manfredi has influenced the way we eat since opening
Restaurant Manfredi in 1983

Balla at The Star

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Signature Dining

30

May

Gold Gala Event

All proceeds from dinner service at The Star’s signature restaurants on Thursday May 30 will be donated to the Sydney Children’s Hospital Gold Telethon. Come and enjoy dinner at Sokyo, BLACK by ezard, Momofuku Seiobo or Balla and know your money is going to a great cause. It’s the best play date you’ll make all year.
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Italian Regional Menu Series

14

May

7 PM

Journey To Lazio

This May you are invited to experience the authentic flavours of Lazio's unique culture, with a four-course menu and matched wines for just $90 per person. To book call 9657 9129.
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Balla

Lunch Specials

Choose from two delicious menus at Balla with a view that's one of a kind. Two courses, $39pp or three courses, $49pp.
See Lunch Menu
Functions & Events

Private Dining at Balla

Balla has a beautiful private dining room with spectacular harbour and city views available for functions and events. Click below for more information on holding your event at The Star.
More Info
Balla

Pre-Show Dining

Coming to the Event Centre or Sydney Lyric Theatre? Why not enjoy a delicious meal at Balla before your show. Check out Balla's Pre-Show dining offer below (available for evening sessions and Wednesday matinees).
Balla Pre-Show Menu

A delightful menu inspired by modern Milanese cuisine

Balla is a reflection of a true Italian Osteria. Stefano Manfredi's menu is generous, yet focused, from its range of antipasti and pasta right through to the wide selection of seafood, meat and vegetables cooked over the 100 year old seasoned Ironbark wood-fired grill.

A LA CARTE MENU
Lunch Menu
PRE-THEATRE MENU

A taste of what's in store at Balla

ANTIPASTI
ANTIPASTI

Olive miste e giardiniera di stagione
mixed olives and seasonal pickled vegetables

Polpo con patate
slow cooked octopus with potato and Tuscan olive oil

Cecina al forno
baked chick pea tart

Crostini con caprino e 'nduja
toasted ciabatta, soft goat cheese and spicy salami

Crudo di pesce
raw fish dressed with lemon and Lake Como extra virgin olive oil

Insalata di testa di vitello
veal terrine salad

Vitello tonnato
poached veal with tuna and caper sauce

Prosciutto di Parma e Grana Padano
Parma ham with Grana Padano chunks

Burrata, verdura grigliata, salsa salmoriglio
fresh burrata, grilled vegetables, olive oil, garlic, oregano and lemon

OSTRICHE oysters shucked to order
OSTRICHE oysters shucked to order

Sydney Rock

Pacific

SALUMI per 50g served with Balla grissini
SALUMI per 50g served with Balla grissini

Prosciutto di Pino

Prosciutto San Daniele

Bresaola

Pancetta

Lardo

Sopressa

Salame Casalingo

Salamino Balla

Finocchietta Balla

PRIMI
PRIMI E PASTE (entrée size)

Ribollita Fiorentina
twice cooked Tuscan-style bread and vegetable soup

Cappellacci di burrata e fiori di zucca
burrata and zucchini flower ravioli, cherry tomato and marjoram

Maltagliati al sugo d'anatra
traditinal squares of egg pasta with duck ragu

Gnocchi di patate alla polpa di grancio e piselli
potato gnocchi with spanner crab, green peas, chilli and garlic

Maccheroncini integrali ai batti batti
wholemeal maccheroncini with Balmain bug, tomato and basil

Trenette al sugo di dentice
curly pappardelle pasta with tomato and snapper sauce, garlic, chilli

PESCE E CROSTACEI
PESCE E CROSTACEI

Pesce del giorno sui carboni con salsa verde e salsa salmoriglio
wood-grilled whole fish of the day, salsa verde, salsa salrmoriglio

Blue eye in guazzetto
Blue eye simmered in tomato, basil and garlic

Sardine fritte con caponata
pan fried sardine fillets with eggplant caponata

Tonno, fagioli e cipolle
wood-grilled tuna, borlotti beans and balsamic onions

Gamberoni alla griglia con cuori di lattuga, aglio e peperoncino
wood-grilled Yamba prawns, wilted cos lettuce, chilli and garlic

CARNE
CARNE

Petto d'anatra, indivia e balsamico
pan-fried organic Jum Jum Farm Muscovy duck breast, witlof, balsamic

Bistecchina di manzo ai ferri, funghi e Grana
wood-grilled grass-fed “minute steak” with mushrooms and Grana

Galletto alla diavola
wood-grilled whole spatchcock with garlic and chili, grilled radicchio

Costoletta di maiale alla griglia con peperonata
wood-grilled pork cutlet with braised red and yellow capsicum

Spalla di vitello e dragoncello
wood-grilled veal shoulder with tomato and tarragon salsa

La tagliata Fiorentina
traditional wood-grilled 800g Florentine T-bone – allow 40min (for 2)

CONTORNI
CONTORNI

Patate al forno
roast rosemary potatoes

Fagiolini con olio, aglio e prezzemolo
green beans with parsley, garlic and extra virgin olive oil

Insala di pomodori e basilico
tomato and basil salad

Insalata mista
mixed leaf salad

Insalata di rucola e parmigiano
rocket and parmesan salad

Verdura grigliata, salsa salmoriglio
wood-grilled seasonal vegetables with olive oil, garlic, oregano and lemon

* Please be advised that any group reservation for 8 persons or more will incur a surcharge of $10 per person when dining at Osteria Balla.

Stefano Manfredi

Stefano Manfredi has influenced the way we eat since first opening The Restaurant Manfredi in 1983 (Three Chefs Hats - 1995). Since then, Manfredi has owned and operated several restaurants in Sydney, most notably the award winning Restaurant Manfredi (1983-1996) and Bel Mondo (1996-2002).

In 2007, Stefano took the helm at Manfredi at Bells (One Chefs Hat – 2008 to present; Good Living Sustainability Award; Best Regional Wine List - 2012 SMH Good Food Guide Awards). Here he has overseen the planting of 500 square meters of gardens, supplying the restaurant with approximately 15% of its produce.

Stefano also currently writes a weekly food column for the Sydney Morning Herald's Spectrum supplement and is a passionate advocate for local, sustainable and seasonal produce.

Gabriele Taddeucci

Head Chef

Gabriele Taddeucci is Balla’s Head Chef. After a stint working at Sydney’s Hotel Westin in 2004/2005, Taddeucci moved in 2008 to work alongside chef Massimo Bianchi to open Uccello at Merivale’s Ivy. Most recently, he was Head Chef at Merivale’s The Beresford. Taddeucci started his career as a pizza hand in his home city of Lucca back in 1994. His work as a chef has taken him from Italy to France, Switzerland, the US, UK and Australia.

Luca Carichini

Restaurant Manager

Balla’s new Restaurant Manager, Luca Carichini, most recently worked closely with Stefano as Restaurant Supervisor at Manfredi at Bells. Carichini has had a long history in hospitality in both Italy and the UK.

When he travelled to Australia in 2007, he did so to become the Restaurant Manager of North Bondi Italian. Carichini made his move to Australia permanent and has been working with the Manfredi family at Bells since that time.

Fabio Danzi

Sommelier

Balla’s sommelier, Fabio Danzi most recently worked as Sommelier at Tetsuya’s Relais & Châteaux. His experience spans many countries, including Italy, UK and Australia, where he spent time in 2004/2005 at Sydney’s Hotel Westin and Aqua Luna Restaurant. Danzi will work with Manfredi on delivering a unique all-Italian wine list, perhaps the only restaurant in Australia to do so.