Totti’s Lorne
Oceanfront juggernaut keeps on pumping.
Totti’s Lorne
Italian$$
Disclaimer
In October 2024, The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and Good Food detailed allegations of sexual harassment, exploitation of female staff and drug use at Merivale venues. Merivale, the owner of this restaurant, began an internal investigation into the claims and said it is committed to “an inclusive, diverse and respectful workplace environment for our staff, as well as for our customers”. SafeWork NSW also began investigating the company. In June 2025 and July 2025, further allegations of exploitation and underpayment of Merivale workers were made, and Fair Work confirmed it was investigating the company. Merivale has denied all allegations against it. As a result of the investigation, this venue excludes itself from being eligible to be scored in the Good Food Guide.
Stroll around Lorne and you might pass people posing the question: “Totti’s again tonight?” And there they are, filling the bay-facing windows and sinking into booths among tiles, terrazzo, urns and lamps (so many lamps).
Friday’s order might have been a blood orange and rhubarb spritz, wood-fired bread and the “big four” of burrata, prosciutto, anchovies and excellent house-made ’nduja. Tonight it might be a chinotto negroni and that famed bread again, paired with marjoram-flecked tomatoes or cucumbers on whipped curd.
Formulaic? Sure. But never stale. Specials of bouncy calamari fritti or snapper from the wood oven keep things fresh, as does the pasta, even if milk-braised pork campanelle is non negotiable. Then you spy the day’s tarts lining the counter. Totti’s again tonight?
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