When our friend and long-time client Chris Lucas opened Grill Americano in 2022, the glamorous, Venetian-inspired steakhouse in Flinders Lane was an instant fan favourite. Fast forward a few years and following successful negotiations to secure the grand, glass-fronted site in the CBD’s landmark 1 Chifley Square building (formerly Qantas House), Sydney now has a Grill Americano to call its own.
With interiors designed by Chris and his creative director, wife Sarah Lucas, in collaboration with designer Samantha Eades, the space has Americano’s distinct DNA – signature blue velvet banquettes, a sensational 30-metre marble-topped bar, elegant white-jacketed service and an open kitchen equipped with wood fired oven and Josper grill – that combines seamlessly with the iconic space’s soaring ceilings and double-height windows to create a new 170-seat version of Grill Americano very much at home in the harbour city.
Given our longstanding relationship with Lucas Collective, KDPO was able to hit the ground running with the Sydney launch campaign, drawing on deep knowledge of the Melbourne original while making it clear this was no carbon copy. We highlighted the menu’s inclusion of Americano’s most-beloved dishes – the signature 15-strong bistecca menu, scampi alla Veneziana on saffron pilaf, and the iconic tiramisù Americano, served tableside – alongside the dishes from the culinary team, led by chef Vincenzo Ursini (Ristorante Reale, Mugaritz) developed exclusively for Sydney. These include prawn panzerotto with Oscietra caviar, tuna ‘nduja and anchovy crostini and handmade bufala ricotta ravioli.
The response was emphatic, with over 100 features and mentions across print and online in titles like Sydney Morning Herald, Gourmet Traveller, Daily Telegraph, Tourism Australia’s Hot List, Broadsheet Sydney and Time Out. A triumph of cross-city pollination.
