Iconic Kensington restaurant Grotta Capri faces demolition for new housing

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A once-iconic Sydney restaurant, co-owned in its later years by a Greek Australian family, is set to disappear as the former Grotta Capri site in Kensington is approved for redevelopment into high-rise apartments.

Opened in 1955 by Rosa and Giovanni Battista and inspired by Italy’s Grotta Azzurra, Grotta Capri was known for its cave-like interior, seafood platters, and role as a community hub for celebrations and milestones.

In the late 1990s, the restaurant was taken over by Greek-born Foti Fotaras and his son George, who remember its romantic atmosphere and Mediterranean charm.

Belly Rumbles.
Inside the Grotta Capri. Photo: Belly Rumbles.

“It was just an amazing place… something we’ll never forget,” George Fotaras told ABC News.

The venue featured hand-crafted cement stalactites, water features running beneath the floor, and a 6,000-litre tank, creating a unique dining experience that became a set for films like Muriel’s Wedding and Underbelly.

Although closed since 2010, the restaurant’s shell-covered façade stood as a nostalgic landmark—until now. Randwick City Council has approved plans for four apartment towers, marking the end of a beloved piece of Sydney’s post-war hospitality history.

Source: ABC News

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