The best Italian restaurants in Melbourne

Melbourne’s a town with no shortage of excellent pastas, but most of us can agree: when Tipo 00 hit the scene in 2014, Italian food lovers were astonished. This iconic laneway locale really is dishing up the crème de la crème of sauced-up carbs and we don't want it to ever stop. It's named after the finely ground flour used to make pasta and pizza, and in 2022 it was named one of the best Italian restaurants in the world. Gorge on stracciatella with fermented honey and grilled ox tongue for starters, squid ink pasta and the puttanesca market fish for mains, and then finish on a sweet note with the famous 'Tipomisù'. You'll thank us later.

Order this: Tagliolini al nero 

This Fitzroy newcomer’s specialty shines a spotlight on the northern Italian region of Piedmont, which is located at the foot of the Alps and home to some of the boot nation’s most prized culinary exports. The team behind Alta Trattoria includes Luke Drum (Carlton Wine Room), chef McKay Wilday (Victoria by Farmers Daughters), Carlo Grossi (Ombra, Grossi Florentino) and vino expert James Tait (King and Godfree), so you just know the food here's going to be ace. Though there's more than just pasta here, the classic trattoria-style dishes are a knock-out. Think wild rabbit ragu with tajarin, gnocchi with chestnuts and lemon, roast beef ravioli with mushrooms, and more. 

Order this: Flan di ricotta 

It’s been some years since gents were expected to keep their jackets on at all times, so it's a point of nostalgia that Grossi Florentino does not shun such formality. That's not to say there's a strict dress code here – the restaurant stopped that in the '90s – but make no mistake: this is a special place and you'll want to prepare for the occasion. The grand Mural Room is one of Melbourne’s last bastions of lavish European dining charm and every dish the waiters ferry out of the kitchen is a five-star knockout. A true legend in Melbourne's dining scene.

Order this: Six-course Gran Tour set menu 

At this refined Italian diner in Carlton, dishes change with the seasons to focus on local quality produce and regionally inspired Italian flavours. Twirl your fork around pappardelle with boar ragu, smoked daikon, candied walnuts and dark chocolate (yes, you read that right), and the crowd favourite since Al Dente’s inception – the tortellini cacio e pepe. The desserts are just as fantastical, with creations like lait e miel (milk and honey) and chocolate, hazelnut, coffee and truffle, playing unique riffs on authentic Italian flavours.

Order this: Panzerotti pomodoro 

Bar Olo is the snazzy new Carlton wine bar from the Scopri crew, playfully named after the Piedmont grape varietal. Both locals and curious passersby have been smitten from the moment its mysterious sheer white curtain was first swept back in April 2024. Whether it's for an excellent dinner or snacks and happy hour wines, this is the place to be. 

Order this: Agnolotti del plin 

Lagotto is delightfully handsome, designed by Flack Studios and boasting a rich burgundy terrazzo with marble inlays. Sunlight bounces off the restaurant’s timber and peachy pink walls, and the vintage Italian aesthetics evoke an old-timey cinematic glamour. There are countless restaurants in Melbourne where you can enjoy exceptional takes on classic Italian recipes, but where Lagotto stands out is in its playfulness. From pairing tuna with strawberries and kefir to pouring rare spirits from the motherland, the restaurant’s generosity and creativity are to be commended. 

Order this: Gnoccho fritto

This elegant wine bar and restaurant opened last year above Boccaccio Cellars, a 60-year-old bottle shop and Italian grocer run by the multigenerational D'Anna family. Ascending the stairs, constructed from pale pink marble that perhaps intentionally resembles mortadella, feels like you’re being let in on a secret – push open the door to reveal a sleek, buzzy venue you’d never know existed from ground level. Housemade pasta has transitioned from a novelty to an expectation in Melbourne’s dining circuit, but a well-done variety will always rise up and the ones at Enoteca are a stellar example. 

Order this: Rigatoni all'amatriciana

This beloved classic trattoria showcases the traditional cuisine of the Emilia-Romagna region in Italy. Fun fact: Ben Shewry from Attica recently noted it as one of his favourite places in Melbourne for pasta. Dive into the citrusy delights of Amalfi lemon spaghetti with spanner crab, mint, smoked chilli and a light bisque, or go for the heartier mortadella and prosciutto-filled tortelloni with parmesan sauce and aged balsamic vinegar from Modena. You can also now pop in for lunch, where the restaurant turns into Emilietta to sling traditional flatbread sandwiches. 

Order this: Tortelloni 

Il Bacaro serves up a modern twist on classic Venetian fare in its small, crowded restaurant. We're not talking foams or sands or molecular tech on the plate. The seared quail comes with caramelised figs and blue cheese ice cream, and the roasted duck breast and baked duck leg with blueberry and coco beans. Subtle creativity and high-end dining are the name of the game here. 

Order this: Moreton Bay bug spaghettini 

What we have here is not so humble as an osteria. Sure, it has an underlying rustic Italian brief, exemplified by the chargrilled whole octopus brutishly splayed over a sauce made of the fiery Calabrian spreadable salami, 'nduja. On the other end of the spectrum, lamb tartare arrives gussied up for the red carpet with a custardy froth of smoked eggplant, purple Congo potato crisps and winks of rosemary oil. 

Order this: Porcini mushroom croquette

This is an intimate, traditional ristorante where the inspiration for Sunday lunch comes directly from their grandmother's recipe books from the old country. Warm service, authentic flavours, great wine – this old-school spot ticks all the boxes. You'll feel as if you've just jetted off to some charming village in Italy.

Order this: Bruschetta of the day

The highly anticipated Amatrice Rooftop Restaurant is open atop Cremorne's tallest building, and it's a welcome venture from the Amatrice team, following the successful launch of their casual sister venue Caffé Amatrice. Leading the kitchen is head chef Vincenzo Di Giovanniello (Bar Carolina, Osteria Ilaria), who brings his expertise in pasta perfection and an exciting menu that draws inspo from a diversity of Italian regions and traditions. 

Order this: Sugo all'amatriciana

Located on sleepy High Street, just minutes from Armadale Station, is an endearing Italian joint that hasn’t sacrificed authenticity for southside palettes. The overall atmosphere is one of comforting nostalgia – complete with soft opera and candlelit tables. What runs the risk of contrivance instead feels like a heartfelt love letter to Southern Italy.  

Order this: Set menu

Nestled in Little Italy at the top of Bourke Street, Bottega is an incredibly romantic venue – must be the chocolate coloured carpet and the dim lights. We suggest you bring a hot date to match the hot decor. Genuinely Italian head chef Gabriele Olivieri's lunch menu runs 20 dishes long, but you'll have to pick from a smaller selection for a bargain – think seared tuna swimming in beans and black olives or a handmade strozzapreti (small pieces of pasta in an unusual twisted shape, its name meaning ‘choke the priest’ – or so we are told) bathing in a pork and beef ragu.

Order this: Ricotta gnocchi, wild boar ragù, mixed mushrooms and fonduta

Renowned for its handmade pasta amongst those in the know, Donnini's keeps it simple with an elegant fitout, sharp, knowledgable service and a crowdpleasing roll-call of Italian dishes. Sure, it's pricey – but you get what you pay for. It was all the way back in 1952 that this family started its multi-generational hospitality business, and the fact that it's stood the test of time is testament to their dedication to their customers. Around 70 years and four generations later, Donnini's is still one of the classiest traditional Italian restaurants in the area.

Order this: Carbonara

Di Stasio Città (literally, “city”) has yet to bed in its tales of ribald mischief. They will come. Città sees Ronnie Di Stasio – the city's one-man answer to the Medici family – return to the neighbourhood where he pioneered Rosati in the heady days shortly before the fringe benefits tax and the stock market crash cruelled the excesses of the 1980s. And the augurs are good. It’s a place of arrestingly clean-lined brutalism – concrete walls and pillars, a remarkable terrazzo floor, video installations by artists Reko Rennie and Shaun Gladwell playing on loop with the same mesmeric qualities as the TV in the corner of the RSL. White-jacketed bartenders shake things behind a slab of white marble. Red leather chairs make like a mid-century Thornbury espresso bar, a younger Di Stasio’s stomping ground.

Order this: Spaghetti al moro carbonara

Launched in 1995, Caterina’s Cucina e Bar is a Melbourne institution for traditional Italian lunches with a modern spin. Lunch can be a lengthy affair or simply done espresso-style, the latter being the case for many a passing city worker. Around 450 Australian, French and Italian wines make up the enticing vino list. At the helm in the kitchen is chef Marcello Mariani, a northerner from Veneto. Pasta classics such as pansoti and strozzapreti are reimagined, and regional dishes such as sopa coada and baccalà alla vicentina are a delicious reflection of the chefs’ classical training.

Order this: A jar of baccala mantecato – a Venetian specialty of dried salted cod paste whipped with extra virgin olive oil and garlic – to take home

Here they're doing the kind of devotedly rustic, no-frills Italian food that you can feel doing you good, body and soul. Let’s call it Italian penicillin. Its strength is its simplicity. The brutishly ugly, utterly delicious cauliflower fritters are a nod and a wink that this is Rosa as she is known and loved. Just as good under the list of antipasti are the grilled chicken livers, interleaved with fat cubes of fried bread.

Order this: Chicken al marsala with silverbeet

How does handmade agnolotti of roasted butternut, leek, truffles and parmiggiano reggiano with burnt butter and sage sound? Or whipped buffalo ricotta with spicy Calabrian n'duja, poached pair, olive oil and homemade piadina? Little Black Pig and Sons is churning out some outstanding Italian food right now, with a fortnightly-changing menu and consistently excellent service. 

Order this: Slow-cooked rolled pork belly

Walking down Hardware Lane means running the gauntlet of cheek-by-jowl waiters trying to entice potential diners into their venues with proffered 15-page illustrated menus. But not all venues rely on their front-of-house to charm the masses on the hoof, and restaurants like the Hardware Club prove this with one-page menus full of straight-up hits.

Order this: Tiramisu 

Lygon Street's newest traditional Italian restaurant is named Johnny, Vince and Sam’s, after the three iconic characters created by Australian-Italian comedy trio Sooshi Mango. Their bustling restaurant draws on the lovably daggy charm of traditional nonno and nonna-style deco (think floral carpets, crystal cabinets and art prints depicting Jesus and the Last Supper) and unpretentious old-school Italian recipes. The food? Definitely not as sophisticated as some of the other fare on this list, but just as heartwarming and authentic as a nonna's hug. 

Order this: Pasta with a'de meatballs 

This lively Sicilian joint, where the music pumps and the snacks come out thick and fast, has fast become a Lygon Street favourite. You’ll want to book nice and early – there’s not a day Bar Idda isn’t packed. For a crash course on Sicilian food, turn your menu over – Bar Idda, along with sketching out a map of the region, has provided an illustrated timeline. There are plenty of delicious meat and seafood-driven dishes to enjoy, but don't overlook the mulinciani – a sumptuous eggplant bake with passata, buffalo mozzarella, basil and pecorino. 

Order this: Mulinciani 

Rocco’s combines the warmth of an Italian mom-and-pop restaurant with a menu that is elevated comfort food – every dish is meticulously curated. Rocco’s crew billed them the ‘Italian Maccas’ and the best part about that is you’ll be too full and satisfied after to consider any fast-food chaser.

Order this: Rocco's original meatball sub

Gosh, the Italians do glamour well, and Bar Carolina, the newest addition to Joe Mammone’s boutique Italian stable exudes charm from its terrazzo foyer to its bar clad in charcoal steel. And we haven’t even mentioned the quorum of liltingly accented waiters who marshal the crowds one ‘ciao bella’ at a time.

Order this: 450-gram dry-aged striploin

Centonove features a menu of classic Italian meals with a modern flair, and an interior decor to match. The meals are as perfectly presented as the elegant room. Besides holding a spot in The Age Good Food Guide for years in a row, the wine cellar's been awarded the highest acknowledgement from Gourmet Traveller's Wine List of the Year since forever ago. It's arguably the best restaurant in Kew, and a definitive Melbourne classic. 

Order this: Three-course set menu 

Alt's menu is not your standard showcase of traditional Italian ingredients. Mossy green ribbons of pappardelle come topped with shavings of abalone, and you’ll spot diverse ingredients like kumquat, romesco, dashi jelly and edamame also making unexpected appearances in several dishes. There’s clearly a flirtation with Japan going on here. Perhaps most surprisingly, the Korean-born chef eschews added salt in his cooking, instead building his dishes from a savoury base of housemade chicken stock. This is modern Italian food, reinvented with a multicultural edge – and it works.

Order this: Taglierini with cuttlefish, sun-dried tomatoes and dashi

Nestled in Prahran, but crucially, on Malvern Road instead of bustling Chapel Street, Officina Gastronomica Italiana (or simply Officina) exudes rustic charm and humility and screams of 'local fave'. Owner Claudio Casoni previously operated espresso bar Officine Zero in the space, but after commandeering the store next door, he opened Officina. Not only has it doubled in size, but it has also doubled in offerings. Where Officine Zero was a daytime café haunt, Officina is a triple threat, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. Officina is where you go when you want to prioritise a happy stomach over flashy gimmicks because, at the end of the day, that's what it's all about. 

Order this: Vitello tonnato

Eggplant melanzane? Foil butter sachets? Unapologetically old school with mod-Melbourne lines, Lupino is hammering out pan-Italian classics like they’re going out of style. It’s all polished concrete, terracotta tiles and holy heck – is that macramé? Sure is, and whilst the echo factor and city location mean that by day it's all business, by night its a soft-lit haven for a casual rendezvous.

Order this: Veal and amaretto agnolotti 

Cicciolina is an indispensable bastion of southside dining: an ace of Acland Street. St Kilda has changed since Cicciolina opened in 1993. The section of Acland Street that Cicciolina sits on, a one-time boho hotspot, is now reduced to a cut-copy mall. Stars of the menu may sound uncomplicated and a little retro, but that's part of its assured charm. Cicciolina is an institution, not a revolution. 

Order this: Crab soufflé 

If you like your fresh tagliatelle with a side of sophisticated interior design and a romantic atmosphere, Tipico is well worth your attention. The Windsor chunk of High Street continues to become a hotspot for elevated-casual dining, without the hectic nightlife atmosphere of its Prahran and South Yarra neighbours. This modern-italian restaurant from the pasta-pizza geniuses behind DOC, Trattoria Emilia and Grossi Florentino embraces art and design in a relaxed environment – perfect for a drop-in aperitivo or a leisurely, long dining experience.

Order this: Capesante

It’s all in the sense of occasion. It’s the make or break factor of great dining, and it's something Ronnie Di Stasio’s mainstay Italian has been nailing for 26 years. This is a restaurant that’s well and truly earned its reputation as one of Melbourne’s greats. White-jacketed veteran waiters guide you through a list of daily specials where the finest seasonal produce is showcased in refined dishes. Think Italian truffles, lobster and twice-daily made fresh pasta. Pop a bottle of sparkling and settle in for a long lunch; in particular we recommend the handmade pasta with crab deluxe. 

Order this: Cappellini con granchio

Since opening at some point back in in 2011, Pinotta has calmly plied its trade as the platonic ideal of the neighbourhood haunt. The troika of good, unfussy Italian food; a punchy and intelligent wine list; and service sprinkled with X-factor fairy dust works a convincing game. 

Order this: Feed Me set menu