After less than a year in business, Enoteca Zingara, Alta Trattoria’s smaller sibling venue, permanently closed after service on Friday February 7.

“We felt overall that there just hadn’t been enough of a response last year to continue into 2025,” says James Tait, who opened the venue with manager Luke Drum (ex-Carlton Wine Room), chef McKay Wilday and Carlo Grossi (Ombra Salumi, Grossi Florentino), in May last year.

While Alta is focused on Piedmont cuisine, the more casual Brunswick Street enoteca led by Alta head chef Wilday, had dishes that took a wider look at Italy and was positioned as a spot for aperitivo and snacks. The bar was known for its Ligurian sardenaira (a cheese-free pizza) and lardo-topped crescentina modenese (a flatbread cooked in a waffle-iron-like pan called a tigelliera).

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“We tried tweaking our product along the way whilst remaining true to what an enoteca is, but sadly we just couldn’t gain the traction we were looking for. Saying that, we understand the current economic situation is tough in many ways and perhaps, had we opened some time in the future, the outcome could have been different. Who knows?”

The team took over from Rum Diary, and Zingara – meaning “gypsy” in Italian – was a nod to the venue’s past life as beloved local stalwart Gypsy Bar. The lease has been transferred, and Tait says the team doesn’t have any plans to reimagine or revive Enoteca Zingara.

“We’re proud that we were able to rejuvenate an iconic Fitzroy and Melbourne hospitality site for another operator to pick up and continue the story,” he says.

Enoteca Zingara at 334 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy is now closed.