Approachable Hospitality – Figlia by Ewert Leaf

On a corner site in Brunswick East, Figlia by Ewert Leaf breathes new life into the old charm of iconic Lygon Street. The pizzeria is the third offering run by Andreas Papadakis and Luke Skidmore (of renowned Melbourne pasta bar Tipo 00 fame) and strives for approachable hospitality – a genuine and relaxed dining experience.

Ewert Leaf was briefed to celebrate the Greek and Italian heritage that established the area. This sense of history extended to an awareness of the present, with the intention for Figlia to become a timeless local mainstay, all about comfort food and familiar faces in an equally comforting venue.

On a corner site in Brunswick East, Figlia by Ewert Leaf breathes new life into the old charm of iconic Lygon Street.

The space is realised with robust materials and simple finishes. Welds are exposed in the blackened steel-framed windows and textured plaster walls encase the space. The palette is dark, earthy and rich. Integrated shelving houses a local wine selection behind textured glass, and below this runs an elegant but no-fuss timber and leather banquette seat. Lighting has been cleverly used to soften the heaviness of the steel and solidity of the plaster. Track lighting runs discreetly above the seated dining areas, and old-school pendants hang above the central bar.

This feature, along with the open kitchen design, were consciously chosen for their comfortable atmosphere and capacity to connect diners, chefs and waitstaff alike. Bentwood seating completes the scene, an essential component in the Greek/Italian/ Melbournian hospitality vernacular.

The space is realised with robust materials and simple finishes.

While erring on the side of minimal, the fitout of Figlia is less slick than it is simple. And yet, despite this simplicity, its sure sense of identity is not to be underestimated. The space is a considered foundation, leaving room for the people and the food of Figlia to determine its character; firewood sits stacked and ready for the pizza oven; tins of tomatoes and boxes of wine are all out in the open. Most importantly, locals and visitors alike come together, chatting happily about their day, the weather, whatever, over a meal.