Braci Bar and Grill (pronounced BRUH-chee) is the brainchild of five business partners from Shepparton, Kyabram, Echuca and Melbourne.
“The business was mainly started for the simple reason that Shepparton needs a place like this,” restaurant manager Gino Cirillo said.
Mr Cirillo, who has a long history in the hospitality industry, starting at 15, brings a wealth of experience to his role at Braci.
Although only open for under a fortnight, Mr Cirillo said the positive feedback the restaurant had received so far has been “phenomenal”.
The restaurant offers an extensive Italian menu and a broad range beyond that or “from pasta to steaks”, Mr Cirillo said.
“We’ve got a wood-baked stone-based pizza oven, so the range is great,’’ he said.
“It’s different in many aspects.”
Mr Cirilo said the menu catered for the entire family, including options for the younger diners, such as “kids steak and chips, pasta, nuggets and chips”.
It also takes pride in its selection of Italian wines, available in a range of prices from $45 to $500.
The restaurant could seat about 180 people inside and outside, with parking available for patrons.
“It’s a beautiful, clean place. It’s well set out,” Mr Cirillo said.
Besides adding a new dining destination to Shepparton, Braci has also created many employment opportunities.
“The great thing about this place is we’ve probably got close to 40 people employed,” Mr Cirillo said.
With those employees in mind, he said the restaurant had a ‘’soft opening’’ instead of a grand opening to allow staff to learn in a pressure-free environment.
“We did that to get a lot of confidence in our workers so that we can teach them everything because there’s so much to learn, and we don’t want the kids to panic,” he said.
“We want to make it fun.”
Mr Cirillo also underlined his commitment to making the restaurant “a fun place to work,” with plans to have staff meals together during a one-hour pause in operations each day to foster a communal spirit.
The restaurant is open from 11am to 9pm, Sunday to Thursday, with closing time 10pm on Fridays and Saturdays.
While only offering dine-in and takeaway services, plans are afoot to use Uber Eats and Menulog for delivery in the future.
The restaurant is at 2/10 St George's Rd, Shepparton, the former site of The Groove Train.
Despite the predecessor’s closure, Mr Cirillo has a determined and optimistic vision for the new establishment.
“I’d never been to The Groove Train, to be honest with you (but) I'd heard a lot of good things about the place,” he said.
“I don’t know what happened in the end (and) it’s a shame it’s gone, but we’re gonna provide a bigger and better service.”
“(Braci is) new, it’s exciting, it’s something Greater Shepparton really needs."
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