Opened and run by Italian restauranteurs Tommaso Bartoli, Lino Torre and Luca Balbo, Park Street Pasta & Wine is your typical friendly Italian diner — with pasta made in-house and a heavy focus on head chef Bartoli's Tuscan roots. The venue itself is elegant and understated, on a beautiful corner terrace on Park St, South Melbourne. With a minimalist approach and carefully curated artwork, the food is the star here and is presented with style.
The starters begin with standards such as olives and burrata while introducing dishes such as the polpette with mortadella and pork shoulder dressed with pesto and Parmigiano.
And while these small bites are great for an aperitivo gathering in summer, most people come here for some of the best pasta in Melbourne. The pasta menu changes every two to three months, but expect dishes like the slow-cooked veal ossobuco ragu with a rigatoni, pork shoulder and beef brisket bolognese served with pappardelle and mushroom ragu with tarragon and conchiglie (a shell-shaped pasta) for the vegetarians.
When looking for a wine to pair, sit back and trust the expert staff at Park Street Pasta & Wine who will guide you through the list. A highlight is the 2021 Majnoni Guicciardini Sangiovese chianti, which is available by the glass or bottle.
