Sagra

Awesome antipasti and pasta (especially the pappardelle), love the cozy feeling of the restaurant and the casual nature of all the team here. This is a place that I happily come back to time and time again — each time leaving very satisfied! Have yet to try a regional dinner, but looking forward to that in the future.

Cosy Italian living-​room style restaurant with tasty, simple food. I’ve been here 5 times and always enjoy it. Great pastas, especially the ragu. Good spot for a group of 4 or so to share dishes, as the serving sizes are a little on the small side. The wine list is seriously overpriced for its average quality, but I will be back regardless.

We came here as part of our new Supper Club initiative, an attempt to get us out of our usual favourite joints and eating at «higher tier» restaurants.
It’s a lovely converted house. Quite beautiful and simple on the corner of the block.
We started a bottle of the Sangiovese (at $ 52 it was the cheapest red) and it was nice. Not amazing, and not what I really wanted my dollars to go towards but HOLY CRAP THOSE ZUCCHINI FLOWERS ARE AMAZING! Such a delicious entrée. Mozzarella stuffed zucchini flowers. They were divine. If only they came as a main.
The mains were small. Which is not a huge problem if it’s flavours that transcend your usual home-​cooked meal. And unfortunately it didn’t. They were nice meals. But I don’t pay these prices for nice.
Simple Italian is one of my favourite cuisines. For all of its simplicity the perfect balance of flavours and fresh ingredients shine through to become a dish truly memorable. Sagra didn’t achieve this. Small and nice but not amazing.
We left hungry.
Needless to say this was not the brightest beginning to our new Supper Club.

It was «ok»
The restaurant itself has a great vibe. Friendly waiters and complimentary bread and olives were very welcomed.
The menu choices though limited promised great things.
But you know what? It was just ok.
The highlight was the Veal Ragu pasta. Cooked perfectly and was really delicious — however the portion size was TINY.
We thought we had over ordered but certainly did not leave feeling full.
It was an enjoyable enough meal but would I return? Probably not.

Authentic Italian in a cozy spot on Stanley Street– expect a charming Italian waiter to take your order and rustic and comforting food for your dining experience here.
The menu changes frequently and is fairly small– only two main options with a few antipasti and prime options. When a restaurant has a menu that limited it usually means that everything is made with a ton of love and attention, and that’s exactly what Sagra delivers–
My friend and I started with their veal crudo — although not presented too elegantly (it kind of looked like a lump of dog food) it was delicious, paired with lightly grilled and oiled bread pieces.
I chose an oxtail ragu gnocchi as my main course. Be warned that if you’re starving you probably shouldn’t count on a primi to fill you up, but if you want to indulge a bit in a pasta dish and not feel too guilty about it you’ll be just fine (aka there were about 12 gnocchi in my dish, had I not had the veal I would have been starving).
Reasonably priced as well– mains run around the $ 30 mark and the primis under $ 20– would be a great date spot!

While walking around my hotel looking for a nice place to eat, my attention was captured by this tiny but picturesque joint, not too far from Williams Street, Woolloomooloo. I enter and the atmosphere was friendly and welcoming. The waiter brought some sparkling Italian water and some home made bread with beautiful virgin olive oil as appetizer. I didn’t want to eat too much so my choice was for zuppa di pesce alla livornese. The soup was delicious but there were no many stuff in the plate (a chunk of leatherjacket, 5 mussels, a couple of half prawns. Online bottom, under a delicious fish stock, a slice of toasted home made bread with some garlic on it). What was missing in the soup was some more variety of fish or seafood and some other garlic bruschetta on the side to enjoy the broth. I asked for some other bread slides because I was still hungry. Definitely I would repeat the experience, maybe trying some more dishes and a dessert.

We came here expecting greatness and left feeling very underwhelmed.
On the surface Sagra has everything a lovely dinner spot should have in Darlinghurst. Situated in an area not known for culinary greatness. The décor and ambiance created in this renovated space is awesome. The short wine list is exceptional with amazing Italian wines together with a «specials» list of wines too which were very tasty indeed.
If you read through my other reviews the high points of any of my favourite restaurants is the service closely followed by the food ;). Sagra needs to work on its service. It is erratic and at often times familiarity becomes rudeness. A number of times the manager on the floor came across as gruff and not interested in providing the fun, warm and engaging customer service I have come to expect.
The food was OK no where near the quality of similar Italian restaurants in the local area e. g Baccomatto Osteria. The pasta was a little stodgy and the sauces lacked. The squid was a little rubbery and cut into mega pieces that were hard to handle.
Look overall for this area its a good restaurant but it does not compare to some of this restaurants peers of a similar vintage.

A hopeful trend is coming to Darlinghurst. One with class, skill and sensations.
On each visit to this lovely hidden suburb, I am surprised. A new small bar here, a small eatery there. Darlinghurst is the suburb becoming. Sagra is a sure standout restaurant on a busy corner of main happening strip. Don’t be fooled that this little italian on the corner but once your eyes are set upon, you are stunned and surprised in a good way that it has been pulled off.
A small 10+ table restaurant that has embraced a grey wood feel with the warm glow of wall hanging lights, a delightful contrast to the eyes. Certainly an inviting place to dine at. A good pick. But we wanted to sit outside along an edged table that is the barrier to the business.
Straight away seated (reclaimed booking) and a small dish of olives, bread and oil is of course a typical mediterranean start to any meal. I am delighted because this small dish had heart. A torn up menu for its base to soak up any drips of oils or saliva with each peck. But a meal ain’t started without a bottle of Chianti. Of course the restaurant had italian wines and they all were. I tried to find something australian but no luck. I knew this place meant business offering you a forced traditional experience. But it was in no way pompous as cute staff members are happy to explain and translate each stages and dishes.
A primi start of tagliatelle with marjoram, lemon & pecorino was a powerful hit of flavours that I would not soon forget. Every single bite was the exact equal of flavours that held onto the last bit of pasta. The sauce just held onto dear life to it. My lips were buzzing with the flavour sensations. More Chianti, more smiles. Started to notice people walking by in front of us looking onto our table and into your dishes with hungry eyes. This was entertainment for us. More so people walking past and stopping to admire this little italian. A quarter ventured in. This way, the place filled up quickly.
A secondi was simple choices. Fish or lamb? White or red? We obviously had picked Lamb with verdure miste to go hand with our favourite bottle of the evening. The portion was think… and soft. Win! Cooked through and through, I’d expect this delicate meat from a rare cooked meat but obviously I was under the assumption they are average quality meat. Bah! I know nothing. Amateur I am. It was delicious was all I could say. The lamb being so so tender I enjoyed it all. It wasn’t the first thing I finished with the sides going first. I’m not a fan of eggplant and now I am. Marinated to absolute bliss along with tomatoes mixed in, any longer on the stove would have turned into a sauce. Melts in the mouth. The meat I used to soak up the rest of the plate so I didn’t have the crass to lick up the plate.
Upon finishing the bottle with 2 plates cleaned out, I was convinced with ease and a smile to try dessert. I’m expecting decadence. A smashed meringue, peaches & mascarpone is brought out and thats when I dropped my spoon and covered my mouth. «oh my god!» It simply collapsed, melted and fizzed in my mouth with a simple tongue press instead of any chew. A pallet cleans and replaced subtleness of sweet three simple ingredients.
I didn’t want to leave and it was already 2 hours. We asked for another bottle but of certain flavours which were instantly understood and brought out. Of course it was poured and tasted to see what it is we wanted but without a doubt it was United Nations standard of translation need for a finishing dining experience. With a three cheese plate, it was all a yes, Yes, YES… and a grappa salute.
Entering at opening time and leaving closing time, a cozy walk away from this little italian restaurant called Sagra thinking and savouring the experience will have me running back. Actually, I ran back because I forgot my jacket thinking about this.
Darlinghurst didn’t disappoint yet again and Sagra staff should be congratulated. A everyday changing menu would sure welcome you back and try a whole new again experience. Well done. YUM!
Mark My Words