Guy Grossi to sell Melbourne venues including Grossi Florentino
Celebrated chef Guy Grossi is selling flagship restaurant Grossi Florentino alongside Grossi Grill, Cellar Bar, Ombra and Arlechin, with the family signalling a custodianship handover before year-end.
“Our family took custodianship of Florentino in 1999 — 26 years ago,” Grossi said on Tuesday. “That is a significant period in any person’s life. Our purpose has always been to bring people together and make them feel good with every interaction. We feel privileged to have served in these extraordinary venues for so long and to share our family history with so many.”
Positioning the move as a transition rather than an exit, Grossi added: “As our family looks to the future, this is not about stepping away but embracing a new chapter. We will continue to dedicate ourselves to the hospitality industry, Melbourne, the craft of cooking, and the traditions that have shaped us. For me, that means continuing to preserve and share the cultural heritage of Italian dining, while also ensuring the knowledge, values and passion we’ve built are passed on to the next generation.”
Founded in 1928 as Cafe Florentino, the Bourke Street institution has marked milestones under the Grossi family’s custodianship, including its ninety-fifth anniversary, hosted the Melbourne Cup Tour for twenty-one consecutive years, and welcomed cultural and political figures.
Grossi’s honours include recognition by the President of Italy in 1997 and the Melbourne Award in 2011.
Jonathan Jackson, 8th October 2025
