Vittorio Bianchi and the Piccolo Bar are what you’d call “Kings Cross institutions”.

In the folklore of Kings Cross, Vittorio is as much of an icon as the Coke sign, the fountain, Porky’s or the Bourbon and Beefsteak.

In an area that has changed so much, Vittorio and the cafe he runs have remained constant for about 50 years.

I shot these quick snaps on an impromptu visit a few months ago.

He’s quite a character, feigning shyness one moment, being a prima donna the next. Obsessed with celebrities and his own notoriety. Wickedly funny and full of beans.

One of Sydney’s great characters.