Meet Roche Estate’s new Mediterranean-inspired restaurant

The Hunter Valley isn’t short on dining options, but there’s a new arrival in the heart of Pokolbin that might not be on your radar just yet – meet Lucia. 

Built from the ground up by the experienced team behind Roche Estate, Lucia brings together stone-fired cooking, Italian-inspired share plates, Hunter Valley wines, and handcrafted cocktails within a glamorous new dining space.

Lucia opened the doors on 17 September and has been created with all kinds of Hunter Valley visitors in mind – from estate guests and locals stopping by for an after-work drink to those celebrating a milestone.  

“We want people to feel like they can come here for a drink, come for lunch, stay for dinner, or just sit out on the terrace with a glass of wine,” Marketing Manager Julie Pettit said.

There’s a touch of Sydney sophistication to the interiors, but Lucia remains firmly connected to its Hunter Valley setting, with vineyard views, local wines, and a relaxed approach that feels right at home in Pokolbin.

“It’s about creating somewhere that feels relaxed and comfortable, but still has that sense of quality. You can come in after work, make an occasion of it, or you can simply drop in and enjoy the space.”

A new chapter for Roche Estate 

Lucia began with an unexpected opportunity.

When an existing tenant moved on, the team behind Roche Estate saw an opportunity to bring something new to the estate’s dining offering. 

Rather than simply fill the vacancy, they considered what would complement the existing Japanese and Thai dining options at Roche Estate’s Oishii, eventually landing on a Mediterranean-inspired concept with strong Italian influences.

With Head Chef Jack Zideluns drawing on his Italian background and the Hunter Valley’s food and wine culture providing plenty of inspiration, the idea took shape.

The restaurant name? That came from Operations Manager Sam Harman. Derived from the Latin lux, meaning light or brightness, Lucia is a concept carried throughout the venue while also signalling a new culinary direction for Roche Estate. 

Bringing that identity to life drew on the expertise of three members of the Roche Estate team: Venue Manager and Licensee John Samway, Operations Manager Sam Harman, and Head Chef Jack Zideluns.  

Over a 12-month period, the team worked across the menu, interiors, service and overall guest experience, with one priority remaining constant: all the elements should work together.

“We didn’t want the food to feel disjointed from the space, or the experience to feel separate from what was happening in the kitchen.”

The result is a restaurant where the location, food, drinks, interiors and service feel cohesive, making Lucia less of a standalone addition and more of a natural extension of the wider Roche Estate experience.

Inside Lucia’s glamorous new space 

From terrace seating overlooking the vineyards to plush, old-Hollywood-inspired interiors and intimate event spaces, Lucia has been created to suit all kinds of occasions.

Brought to life by Roche Estate interior designer Emily Sandford, the restaurant can seat up to 150 guests, with spaces that lend themselves to everything from ala carte dining, to cocktails and share plates, or simply a glass of wine without committing to the full dining experience.

“With Lucia, we wanted the space to feel warm, timeless and full of personality – polished, but not overly formal,” says Emily.

“There’s a subtle old-world influence throughout the interiors, from the burgundy tones and curved banquettes to the vintage-inspired seating, artwork and detailing.”

While the atmosphere may be easy-going, there’s nothing understated about the interiors.

At the centre of the restaurant, the open kitchen keeps the action on show, with the stone-fired oven providing a focal point and a little theatre as dishes make their way into the dining room.

By day, natural light and views across the surrounding vineyards keep the space connected to its Hunter Valley setting. Come evening, the mood shifts as oversized round bulbs cast a warm glow across the bar, catching mirrored accents throughout the room.  

“More than anything, we wanted Lucia to feel established, like it already had a history – the kind of place with character, warmth and familiarity that keeps people coming back,” says Emily.

Gold velvet curtains cascade from the ceiling into plush wraparound booths, bringing a touch of old-Hollywood glamour, while ruffled curtains soften the space, gold table lamps add warmth and velvet chairs line the bar.  

Elsewhere, rich red curtains bring another hit of colour to Lucia’s intimate event spaces, carrying that sense of drama throughout.

From Nonna’s table to the Hunter Valley 

At the heart of Lucia’s food offering is stone-fired cooking, with a menu that draws on Italian traditions while making the most of fresh produce from the Hunter and beyond.

For Head Chef Jack Zideluns, there’s a personal connection to that style of cooking, having grown up with Italian recipes and traditions passed down through his family and his Nonna.

His career has since taken him through Merivale, Society, Hamilton Island and the Boathouse Group, as well as London’s Savoy Grill by Gordon Ramsay, where he progressed to Junior Sous Chef.

At Lucia, those experiences come together in food intended to be shared rather than treated too seriously.

“Some of my best memories of food are sitting around a table with family, with plenty of dishes in the middle and everyone helping themselves,” Jack said.

“That’s a big part of what I want Lucia to feel like. The food is considered, but it isn’t precious.”

Start with freshly baked ‘pillow bread’ served with ricotta or pâté, burrata with romesco sauce, wild mushroom and parmesan arancini, or pork and fennel meatballs, before moving on to the selection of pasta.

Then there’s the pizza.

The Napoli-style offering moves from classics including Margherita and Capricciosa to combinations such as Prosciutto Rucola with fig and parmesan, Nduja with chilli and hot honey, and Truffle Bianco with roasted mushroom, truffle oil and ricotta.

For something a little different, the lunch menu also features panuozzi – Neapolitan sandwiches made using baked pizza dough and filled with options including porchetta, salumi and grilled chicken.

“We have access to great produce here in the Hunter, a stone-fired oven at the heart of the kitchen and some incredible wine on our doorstep, so there’s plenty to work with,” Jack said.

It’s the kind of menu that calls for ordering a few dishes for the table and seeing where the afternoon takes you.

What’s pouring at Lucia? 

The focus is firmly on Hunter Valley producers, with the drinks list built to complement the food and celebrate what’s being made on the restaurant’s doorstep. 

Expect local favourites across sparkling, Semillon, Chardonnay, Vermentino, Rosé and Shiraz, alongside a selection of Italian and international wines. 

The cocktail menu is set to be a highlight, with European-inspired drinks including the Italian Amalfi Sour with gin, limoncello and thyme; the Mediterranean Mule with vodka, limoncello and rosemary; and the Fiamma Spritz with blood orange, prosecco and chilli.

Prefer a beer? Lucia Roche Estate Lager is on tap for those wanting to keep things simple. 

Roche Estate’s newest offering brings something a little different to Pokolbin, drawing on generations of Italian cooking while making the most of the fresh produce and wine the Hunter Valley does best.

For Venue Manager John Samway, that sense of ease is exactly what the team hopes Lucia will become known for.

“The Hunter Valley already gives people plenty of reasons to spend time here, and we wanted to create another place people genuinely want to come back to.”

Photo credit: Lucia, Roche Estate