Savio Volpe’s interior also foreshadows the simplistic yet unique experience that awaits. Stanghetta’s Ste. Marie design studio, which undertook the project and worked with local craftspeople to create bespoke furnishings, sought inspiration from iconic Italian designers Bruno Munari, Carlo Mollino and Enzo Mari, who acted as guiding lights. As a result an earthy “feast” has come about with wood being the dominant player, either in the form of pleated panelling or solid oak, giving a warm ambiance to the 75-seat dining room. Marble and metal elements, complete the picture along with wondrous bespoke light installations, also designed in-house by “Ste. Marie” endowing an iconoclastic aesthetic to the space.

The light structure hanging above the bar was conceived as a riff on the classic Stilnovo chandeliers, while the wall lighting takes cues from religious typology, emitting a soft, inviting light. The two surreal paintings hanging on the North wall by Italian artist Edoardo De Falchi, through which a set of lights are threaded, along with smaller paintings found at thrift shops, act as additional “rays of light” on this spectacular wooden canvas, adding an elegant yet dramatic element. “In the same way a kerchief, patterned tie, or a pair of playful socks give bravado and audacity to an otherwise understated suit, the upholstery throughout the space gives life to the minimal and quiet materials”, says Stanghetta.

In the middle of the restaurant stands the central eating bar which serves as the core of action, from where diners can view the activity going on in part of the open kitchen. Quarry tiles, bespoke shelving, big wooden sharing tables that bring to mind those of an American diner and 70s sofas dressed in patterned fabrics, all blend into an ongoing interplay between the assertive and simple, elemental and modernist - a mainstay of Italian culture. “We tried to capture that quintessential Italian juxtaposition by running the theme of humble vs. pretty throughout the design,” Stanghetta adds.

As for Savio Volpe himself? He’s a “wise fox” and the osteria’s mascot — a patriarch of the venture in the form of an old Damerino that takes care of his family, friends and strangers alike at his local tavern.