The word ‘institution’ gets thrown around quite a bit, but Tipo 00 can rightfully claim the title. Named after the finely ground flour used to make pizza and pasta, Tipo’s popularity shows no sign of slowing down – just try getting a table at noon any day of the week. 

The close-knit tables are the first thing diners notice at Thirty Eight Chairs, one of Melbourne's best Italian restaurants. Reminiscent of a hole-in-the-wall in Italy, the lack of personal space increases the chance you’ll get to know your dinner neighbours.

,Although the Grossi family hasn’t always owned it, Florentino has stood at the 80 Bourke Street site since 1928. In that time, it’s changed ownership quite a bit, but the sentiment has remained the same: authentic Italian fine dining and great wine.

Melbourne is full of Italian restaurants, but few have as much character as Amiconi in West Melbourne. It’s been serving up plates of spag bol for over 60 years now, feeding all of those who are in the know. 

Just around the corner from Richmond station, Ms Frankie allows diners to get up close and personal with a glass-enclosed pasta-making room. Take a seat at one of the bar stools and watch them make your order from scratch.

Just a short stroll away from the hustle and bustle of Chapel Street, Eat’aliano is a little Italian gem that is blowing the minds of Melburnians. The Melbourne Italian restaurant’s homemade pappardelle with slow-cooked lamb ragu is a crowd favourite.

,While food is king here, it’s hard to talk about Di Stasio Citta without mentioning its modernist design. It feels more like a gallery than a restaurant, with high concrete walls, minimal furnishings, and white videos projected onto the walls. 

Loved by locals, Cafe Terroni is renowned in Melbourne’s west for its friendly service and warm atmosphere. Their pasta is freshly made every single day, like the pillowy ravioli filled with fresh crayfish.

,The Waiters Restaurant (formerly The Waiters Club) has been around since 1947 and still resembles an old Coles canteen from the 70s. But despite missing out on the neighbouring Meyers Place revolution, The Waiters Restaurant remains a city stalwart. 

The team behind Park Street Pasta & Wine has serious street cred regarding crowd-pleasing Italian food. And they expanded that fan base even further when they opened the doors to Osteria Renata in 2022, just a quick hop east in the heart of Prahran. 

What started as a lasagne hotline side hustle has finally upgraded to a moody bricks-and-mortar diner. The warm, Italian-style haunt is low on pretension and filled with charming carryovers from its past life as an old-school pizza joint. 

Hi Italy is a cosy hole-in-the-wall slinging out some of the best pizza Reservoir has ever seen. Head chef Lucio hails from the island of Sardinia and is passionate about all things Italian. 

Arguably one of the frontrunners of the artisan pizza revolution, D.O.C’s popularity stretches all the way from Mornington to New South Wales. Established in 1997, D.O.C. has won over the hearts of Melburnians with their perfectly balanced pizza.

,If you’ve made it to Cecconi’s, congratulations: you’re an adult now. Cecconi’s is the grandaddy of Italian restaurants in Melbourne, and it looms over the city like a well-dressed, well-made man of success. 

,Trattoria Emilia is all about that refined rustic Italian vibe, as if you’re putting your feet up at a waterfront cafe in Sorrento. Owners Francesco and Luca have created a restaurant with a special focus on the ambience.

It’s been around a while now, but unassuming Fitzroy North Good Times is still pulling queues. And it’s easy to see why. The laidback St George’s Road Italian restaurant is doing a bang-up job of living up to its name.