“Eccoci,” meaning here we are in Italian, is the name Roberto Cardone has chosen for his newest hospitality project at Burnside Village.
Walk into any café in Italy looking for your friends and you’ll be greeted with cries of “eccoci, eccoci!” It is a word that brings people together, both old and new friends. At Eccoci, it is Cardone’s way of paying tribute to the many people and places who have shaped his story, allowing him to create a restaurant that captures the essence of contemporary Italy.
Opening as part of Burnside Village’s landmark $350 million Stage 6 redevelopment, Eccoci is positioned to be much more than a café or restaurant. Designed to anchor the centre’s new lifestyle precinct, the venue will offer an experience that shifts with its guests throughout the day.
“Eccoci is about being present, about creating a place where people gather and feel like they belong. Here we are, and here is something new. The name really says it all.
“What we’re creating is a place that moves with you. You can come in for your morning coffee ritual, stay for a long lunch, or return in the evening for something more elevated. It’s about flexibility, but also about warmth it should feel just as welcoming at 8am as it does at 8pm” Cardone says.
The story behind Eccoci stretches back decades. Cardone’s hospitality journey began at the age of four, working in his parents’ delicatessen, Cardone’s Continental in Magill. It was there that Cardone’s love of hospitality began, surrounded by names like Aldo Crotti of San Remo, Fulvio Pagani of Rio Coffee, and winemaker Steve Maglieri. From washing glasses at Rigoni’s Bistro to creating Adelaide icons like Scoozi and Cibo Espresso, Cardone’s path has been one of passion, people, and perseverance.
Eccoci now brings that journey full circle.
“We’re here, Eccoci, because of them.
“This restaurant is a tribute to everyone who helped shape our story, from my family to the pioneers who made Italian food what it is in South Australia today,” Cardone reflects
The venue itself blends contemporary elegance with Cardone’s signature Italian warmth. Furnished with dark timber, marble, and artful finishes, it will host more than 100 guests across intimate booths, outdoor seating, and a striking horseshoe-shaped bar, designed once again by longtime collaborator Mandy Keillor.
Guests can expect a menu that carries Cardone’s Italian heritage while embracing a modern sensibility including morning pastries and espresso prepared with precision, fresh pasta by his dear friend and Cibo co-founder Salvatore Pepe, and authentic Italian sweets sourced with care.
Eccoci’s symbol, the artichoke, reflects the Cardone name, cardoon, a wild thistle beloved by his family in Campagna and a nod to the flower, not the prickles.
For Burnside Village, the arrival of Eccoci signals a new chapter, one that’s elegant, soulful, and unmistakably Italian.
Welcome to Eccoci.
Follow @eccoci.adl for more details.
