Il Santo, Claremont
A banned 1905 Italian novel about a man who walks away from excess in search of something more honest lends its name to this new Claremont osteria, and the reference feels on song. The Bay View Terrace site that housed Nolita for years has been stripped back and reopened by Lyndon Waples and the team behind Il Lido and Canteen Pizza, with Studio Gram again on design duties. The room is one of the more considered openings Perth has seen in some time, and Nicola Lunardi’s food matches it. We sat down with the people behind it to find out how it came together.
Lyndon Waples, Owner
“Neighbourhood osteria” is a phrase that carries real weight in Italy. What does it mean practically in a suburb like Claremont?
Yes, it carries real weight indeed. They are typically less about formality and more about familiarity. The kind of place people return to instinctively, a quick pasta, a glass of wine, aperitivo after work or dinner with friends, because it feels woven into the rhythm of the neighbourhood. Nolita was a trattoria and it had been a successful part of the broader Claremont community for many years, especially in its earlier years, but after a few changes in ownership in recent times, it really had lost its identity and become tired. It just wasn’t relevant anymore. So, for us, it was the perfect moment to bring a neighbourhood osteria idea to Claremont by creating a new venue that feels relaxed, social, and genuinely lived in. Somewhere locals can enjoy once a week or three times a week, where anyone else in fact can feel confident dropping in time and again, where the room has energy, the hospitality feels personal, and the experience is as much about atmosphere and ritual as it is about the drinks and food.
So many venues get lighting wrong: too bright, too dim. Yours sits in this low but generous sweet spot that makes the whole room feel grown up. How much thought went into getting there?
The brief was quite deliberate, and it has been workshopped as well, as we started talking about direction 18 months ago. We worked with Studio Gram again. I really love what they do. We worked with them for Canteen Pizza in Applecross. They get hospitality, they get the brief, and they get the need for functionality with design. Hospo is one of their specialty areas and they have worked with some very good operators whose venues I enjoy immensely. Dave Bickmore, one of the directors, is quite social, really engaged with the industry, and obviously super clever. We both grew up in South Australia, so we have had that instant connection. We spent plenty of time over coffee, sandwiches, lunches, pizza, and bottles of wine discussing our projects but also chatting about the wider industry, venues we enjoy, aspects of operations we admire or don’t get, trends, branding and so on. I think all of this social connection we have enjoyed has added to the understanding of what was needed for our projects.
Nicola Lunardi, Executive Chef
The Shark Bay prawn sandwich with iceberg and house tartare is one of the most fun things on the menu. Was there any debate about whether something that playful belonged on an osteria menu?
Not at all. For me, that is exactly what an osteria should be about. A place where you can come in for a couple of glasses of good wine and some really delicious snacks, without overthinking it. The sandwich is playful, yes, but it is also very honest. Simple, fresh, crunchy, fun, and just really well executed. It is the type of dish where, I hope, someone will take the first bite and immediately order another, maybe with one more glass of wine as well. That kind of easy and spontaneous enjoyment is what we wanted to create at Il Santo.
The lemon tart with chantilly is the kind of dessert that looks like restraint but is actually very hard to pull off. How do you define a perfect version of a classic?
When nothing feels unnecessary, and every single element is right. The lemon tart looks simple, almost restrained, but that is what makes it challenging. There is nowhere to hide. The balance has to be spot on: the lemony tartness, the sweetness, the texture of the pastry, the lightness of the cream. When a classic is done properly, it will feel very easy to eat, even though a lot of care and precision went into it. That is always the goal for us, simplicity with real attention to detail.
The pasta section is compact but specific: cavatelli, linguine, mafaldine. Is it made in-house, and how do you decide which formats belong on a neighbourhood osteria menu?
All the pasta is handmade in-house, some at Il Lido and some directly at Il Santo. I think the pasta section in a neighbourhood osteria should be compact and focused, just a few dishes done really well. We are focused on the classics, pasta that feels simple but deeply satisfying, sometimes even a little decadent, like our linguine alle vongole. It is a classic, but we lift it a little with fermented chilli and bottarga, which gives the dish some personality. Then there is the mafaldine e fagioli, a pasta I really love. It is from my childhood. Traditionally it is a simple vegetarian pasta soup that comes straight from the roots of my culture and the cucina povera tradition, but my version is more pasta than soup. Delicious and very satisfying.
There is a noticeable absence of the dishes turning up everywhere right now, which is refreshing. What are the three dishes most important to you and the vision for the menu?
We had a really firm direction for the menu, so it was always going to be a bit different from what you might be seeing everywhere at the moment. Some of the most important dishes for me are definitely the skewers: octopus, swordfish belly and mortadella. Those dishes really define the spirit of the antipasti section. Then there is the pork costoletta, which is a very nostalgic dish for me. It is the kind of thing my grandmother used to cook every second day, but here we do it with a lot of care, dry-brined with salt and herbs to really boost the flavour. Simple and superb. And finally, probably our signature finish: cantucci e vin santo. It is a Tuscan tradition, old school and simple. Dipping those almond biscuits into the fortified wine is a perfect way to end your Il Santo experience. Nothing more needed.
Sally Lovell, Floor and Sommelier
Perth diners are increasingly wine-literate but the natural wine conversation can feel forced in a room like this. Where do you land on that, and how does it shape what you pour by the glass?
I have never thought that any wine conversation should be forced or feel like a lecture or tutorial. We have an amazing selection of beverages, and I always strive to find what works for that particular person in that moment. Wine chat is always about understanding what the customer wants and how we accommodate that. Having more than 30 options by the glass also means we can find the perfect fit for any diner. At the end of the day, one of the best parts of my job is to bring something new to the table. I honestly love to introduce people to something that may become their new favourite glass. It makes me so happy to share a wine that I love and see a smile on someone’s face once they taste it, and to know that I have nailed the brief, along with that sense of trust that follows. It is intrinsic to what we do. At Il Santo, we really wanted to have a great range of wines to please everyone, even the most discerning guest.
What does the list do for someone who wants to drink Italian all night without going above $100 a bottle?
It absolutely enables that. There are so many options, especially in this current climate, to allow anyone to go from one bottle to many, always with a skewer or prawn sandwich to help wash it down. The list encourages people to hover in that price range and have an opportunity to explore Australia, Italy and a little of Europe too. We can travel the world without our passport. There is also the chance to explore so many different wines by the glass, giving our guests the opportunity to taste and try wines without having to commit to a whole bottle. Having BYO on Monday nights also keeps the price of going out on a school night more accessible, and I get to see some wonderful wines being brought in by people with cellars I would love to raid.
What kind of feeling and vibe are you going for in terms of the overall dining experience?
I am honestly so excited about this venue. It was a vision that has been executed, in my opinion, correctly. When you think of Rome, Paris, Sydney, Melbourne wine bars, there are those venues that automatically make you wish they were in Perth. I think Il Santo is that venue. The food makes me salivate, the venue is beautiful, the wine list is fun, interesting and accessible. To be honest, if I did not work there, I would apply for a job.