,One of our city’s great gifts, this Italian classic remains stubbornly untouched as the years pass. Steaming with soul food, raw character and some of the best coffee in Melbourne since 1954, Pellegrini’s really doesn’t have any reason to change.

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.

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.

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

,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.

Sporting a truly authentic cucina povera vibe — embroidered tablecloths, mismatched chairs and lacy curtains — Bar Idda is the real deal when it comes to Sicilian eats in Melbourne. 

If you live in Windsor, congratulations, you have some of Melbourne’s best pasta on your doorstep. If you live elsewhere, plan a trip ASAP. Run by a team who have done the hard yards at DOC, Tokyo Tina and Ti Amo, expect nothing less than the best.

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. 

While we are focusiing on the pasta here, it’s hard to talk about Di Stasio Citta without mentioning its grand modernist design. It feels more like a contemporary gallery than a restaurant, with high concrete-clad walls and minimal furnishings.

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

Trattoria Emilia is all about that refined rustic Italian vibe, as if you’re putting your feet up at a waterfront cafe in Sorrento. The owners have created a spot with a focus on ambience, allowing the diners’ imagination to take them to the shores of Italy. 

It’s been around a while now, but unassuming Fitzroy North Good Times is still pulling queues.  The laidback St George’s Road eatery is doing a bang-up job of living up to its name, with cheerful, honest dishes and a comfy, home-spun vibe.

The team behind South Melbourne’s 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.

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. 

Thirty Eight Chairs has something especially comforting to it. It may be the warm bread that lands on your table straight after ordering or the five types of pasta on the menu.

A fresh incarnation of the former Pontoon site and casual sibling to Stokehouse upstairs, this laidback, all-day spot is a go-to for Mediterranean eats and beachside sips.