Discover the essence of Italian cuisine through Pikmo’s curated selection of Melbourne’s finest Italian restaurants. Uncover the historical legacy of Italian influence and the contemporary allure of Italian flavours in Australia. For food enthusiasts eager to indulge in authentic Italian dining experiences, Pikmo presents a handpicked list of 10 remarkable restaurants in Melbourne’s city centre. For both seasoned connoisseurs of Italian cuisine and curious explorers alike, these culinary destinations ensure an unforgettable voyage through the diverse gastronomic landscape of Italy.

1.Tipo 00

Tipo 00, a homage to finely ground flour in pasta-making, epitomizes Italian cuisine’s passion for pasta and flavors. Helmed by Chef Andreas Papadakis, Alberto Fava, and Luke Skidmore, the restaurant offers a relaxed yet refined approach.

📷@https://www.tipo00.com.au/

Signature dishes like al dente asparagus and sage tortelloni, squid-ink tagliolini, and flawless gnocchi with porcini mushrooms and braised duck showcase culinary finesse. Complementing the menu are secondi, dolci, and delightful snacks like salumi and pan-fried calf liver. The expansive collection of Italian wines, featuring bottles from Piedmont and Tuscany, enriches the overall experience. The venue, skillfully designed by Collaborative Collectif and Aaron McKenzie, seamlessly merges sophisticated aesthetics with a laid-back ambiance within its 42-seat setting. This cohesive approach enhances the dining atmosphere and elevates the overall allure of the space.

🚩Address: 361 Little Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000

⏰Hours: Mon – Saturday:11.30am – 4pm, 5pm – 9.30pm, Closed Public Holidays

☎️ Phone: (03) 9942 3946

2.Scopri

Scopri, nestled on Nicholson Street in Carlton, embodies Anthony Scutella and Alison Foley’s Italian culinary love affair. Their voyage across Italy, especially Piemonte, inspired the creation of this sanctuary boasting profound Italian flavors, now meticulously crafted in Melbourne under the culinary mastery of chef Salvatore Caccioppoli. Slow-cooked pork belly with cannellini bean ragu, kid goat baked with pecorino, and house-made pasta epitomize the menu’s richness.

📷@ Scopri

The ambiance, contrary to chic interiors, exudes warmth—perfect for a date or celebration. Their extensive drink list flaunts Piemontese gems like Barbaresco, alongside Italian and local wines. Scopri, meaning ‘to discover’ in Italian, echoes the owners’ immersive journeys through Italy’s diverse regions, inspiring a seasonal menu celebrating artisanal local produce in traditional antipasto, pasta, mains, and desserts.

🚩Address: 191 Nicholson St, Carlton VIC 3053

⏰ Hours: Monday-Friday:12–3 pm, 5:30–10:30 pm, Saturday:5:30–10:30 pm, Sunday:Closed

☎️ Phone: (03) 9347 8252

3.Grossi Florentino

Florentino, an enduring Melbourne icon dating back to 1928, epitomizes classic elegance and an elevated dining experience. Renovated in 2013 by Mills Gorman, it exudes Renaissance grandeur with dark wood tables, leather chairs, and ornate murals.

📷@Courtesy of Florentino / Kate Shanasy

The menu showcases decadent classics like venison carpaccio, lardo ravioli, and hand-cut fettuccini with rock lobster, emphasizing top-quality ingredients. Service is discreet yet impeccable. The three-course tradition prevails here, yet the Gran Tour menu presents a lavish five-course extravaganza perfectly complemented by wines from around the world. While it’s a place for unhurried indulgence, the Veloce quick lunch option caters to those conscious of time. Florentino promises a timeless experience of top-tier dining and exemplary service.

🚩Address: 80 Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000

⏰ Hours: Monday-Saturday：9am-10pm, Sunday closed

☎️ Phone: (03) 9662 1811

📖 Menu: grossiflorentino.com

💁 Reservations: florentino.com.au

4.Al Dente Enoteca

Al Dente Enoteca, stemming from chef Andrea Vignali’s innovative response to Melbourne’s lockdown, delivers an exceptional pasta-focused dining experience.This sleek venue, co-founded with Davide Bonadiman, showcases a dynamic menu featuring weekly rotations and standout staples like spanner crab ravioli. Indulge in roast duck and artichoke-filled tortellini, served with a tableside-poured rich duck jus.

📷@https://aldenteenoteca.com/

Their culinary finesse extends to Wagyu flank, surf’n’turf scallops, and the renowned torta sabbiosa dessert. The bar boasts an Australian-heavy wine list and creative cocktails. Beyond dining in, their adjoining shop Sapori offers house-made pasta, sauces, and frozen delicacies for home enjoyment. Al Dente Enoteca champions exceptional pasta, highlighting local produce and Vignali’s Northern Italian roots.

🚩Address: 161 Nicholson St, Carlton VIC 3053

⏰ Hours:Monday:5–11 pm, Tuesday:9am-11pm, Wednesday-Friday:9 am–4 pm, 5:30–11pm, Saturday:12–11 pm, Sunday:closed

☎️ Phone: 0483 800 861

📖 Menu: cookaborough.com

💁 Reservations: nowbookit.com

5.Oster

📷@ERNEST TONG

Oster, helmed by co-owner and chef Nicola Romano, brings Lombardy’s lesser-known casoncelli pasta specialty to Melbourne. These silky twisted pillows of pasta, either filled with spinach and ricotta or pork, are served under a cloud of grana padano foam and burnt butter. The menu rotates weekly, featuring delights like red capsicum risotto, blue swimmer crab, and crispy pork belly. Indulge in a deconstructed lemon meringue tart for dessert, complemented by house-made raspberry sorbet. Lunch options offer pasta, local wine, and tiramisu for $27. Romano’s mother, an interior designer, contributed to the warmly lit, dimly glamorous space with exposed brick and polished floorboards, creating a cozy ambiance.

🚩Address: 76/78 Bridge Rd, Richmond VIC 3121

⏰ Hours: Tuesday-Thursday:5:30–11 pm, Friday:12–3 pm, 5:30–11 pm, Saturday: 5:30–11 pm, Sunday-Monday:closed

☎️ Phone: (03) 9428 0749

📖 Menu: ostereatery.com.au

💁 Reservations: opentable.com.au

6.Italian Artisans

Italian Artisans, spearheaded by Tony Nicolini, redefines pizza excellence in Albert Park. Nicolini’s pizza legacy includes DOC Group restaurants, now focusing on this pizzeria. It’s renowned for artisanal pizzas, salumi, and award-winning wines. Embracing “Presidio Slow Food” ingredients and ancient grain flour, their pizzas promise digestibility and nutrition. The menu features Margherita variations, a porcini mushroom delight, and inventive combinations like Culatello with smoked burrata.

📷@Jake Roden

The antipasto menu boasts aged prosciutto, unique flavor pairings, and delectable desserts like ricotta cannoli and Nutella calzone. Their extensive drinks list showcases minimal-intervention wines and Italian microbrews. With a similar aesthetic to DOC Albert Park, the restaurant celebrates craftsmanship and community, earning accolades from publications and design awards.

🚩Address: 135 Victoria Ave, Albert Park VIC 3206

⏰ Hours: Monday – Friday 7am – 3pm, Weekends 7.30am – 3pm

☎️ Phone: (03) 9690 7960

📖 Menu: italianartisans.com.au

💁 Reservations: italianartisans.com.au, quandoo.com.au

7.DOC

📷@DOC

When you step inside, expect a lively, bustling atmosphere – part of the restaurant’s charm. The owners, renowned for DOC Espresso, DOC Mornington, DOC Albert Park, and DOC Delicatessen, are the pioneers of artisanal pizza in Melbourne.

📷@DOC

Their focus on imported, top-tier ingredients shines through, crafting pizzas true to Italian roots – simple, yet brilliant in flavor without overwhelming the crust or your taste buds. Don’t miss the mozzarella bar,A tasting experience featuring three varieties, notably the smoked fior di latte, guarantees an unforgettable taste with its distinctive ashy notes. Amidst the cozy decor, the restaurant exudes an intimate atmosphere filled with lively energy from animated tables—a perfect ambiance for relishing exceptional pizza.

🚩Address: 6 Riverside Quay, Southbank VIC 3006

⏰ Hours: Mon-Thurs 5pm to late, Fri-Sun 12pm to late

📖 Menu: mryum.com

💁 Reservations: opentable.com.au

8.Centonove

Centonove, orchestrated by the husband-and-wife team Jesse and Kym Davidson, has been a bastion of refined Italian cuisine and exclusive wines for over two decades. With seating across two levels for 80 diners, the restaurant boasts a sophisticated menu inspired by Jesse and head chef Patrick Fletcher’s extensive travels throughout Italy.

Staying true to its Italian essence, nearly everything served is crafted in-house, from the antipasto to the sumptuous desserts. Highlight dishes include saffron-infused tagliolini with blue swimmer crab, capers, and chili; a comforting eggplant parmigiana; and a succulent 12-hour roasted lamb shoulder atop saffron orzo, sofrito, and goat’s curd. Inclusivity is key here, evident in their concise yet thoughtful vegan and kids’ menus that change daily.

📷@Amy Hemmings

Centonove’s dedication to wine is remarkable, boasting an award-winning list of over 500 primarily Italian labels. Sourcing directly from 15 small Italian producers, the restaurant offers exclusive wines found only here and at sister venue Bar Alba. They also feature Australian wines from esteemed vineyards like Wine By Farr, Main Ridge Estate, and Pimpernel Vineyards.

The space, housed in an art deco building and former bank, exudes elegance with its open dining room adorned with dark walls, captivating chandeliers, and a marble countertop. For a more intimate experience, guests can reserve the climate-controlled wine room upstairs, surrounded by a vast collection of wines, accommodating up to eight diners.

🚩Address: 109 Cotham Rd, Kew VIC 3101

⏰ Hours: WED – THUR 3PM – LATE, FRI – SAT 12PM – LATE, SUN 12PM – 11PM

☎️ Phone: (03) 9817 6468

9.Grazia

Grazia stands as a refined Italian eatery, boasting 100 seats and owned by locals Joe Di Cintio, Marco Zanone, and Anton Ursini, also the owner of Sette Bello. Situated in a heritage-listed block on Burke Road near Central Park, the restaurant features an expansive atrium ceiling that bathes the space in natural light, accentuating the Italian marble countertops and terrazzo floors. The imported Castelli oven crafts standout 72-hour-fermented pizzas, such as the Gamberoni Grazia, adorned with king prawns, rocket pesto, green olives, and Di Cintio’s signature chili crisp.

📷@Amy Hemmings

Specializing in Roman-style pizza, the menu extends to an assortment of starters and sharing plates, including zucchini flowers filled with a delectable four-cheese blend and chargrilled octopus with a ‘nduja dressing. Pasta dishes, such as wild-mushroom-filled tortelloni in black truffle sauce and potato gnocchi paired with eight-hour braised beef cheek, add further richness to the offerings.House-made pasta selections, such as wild-mushroom-filled tortelloni in black truffle sauce, and potato gnocchi paired with eight-hour braised beef cheek, grace the offerings. Larger plates like crumbed milk-fed veal and rolled pork belly present flavorful options. A must-try dessert is the house-churned dark chocolate and hazelnut gelato.

Ascend the steep staircase to discover a second-level dining area and bar. Here, signature cocktails like the spicy Margarita, featuring house-infused jalapeno tequila, await. The comprehensive wine list showcases Italian bottles alongside local Australian selections. Grazia embodies tradition and authenticity, presenting a masterclass in Italian cuisine. Their recipes, passed down through generations, are enhanced to suit modern tastes, featuring the freshest seasonal ingredients.

🚩Address: 159 Burke Rd, Glen Iris VIC 3146

⏰ Hours:Sunday-Wednesday,Noon to 3pm & 5pm to 11pm, Thursday-Saturday,Noon to 3pm & 5pm to midnight

☎️ Phone: (03) 9470 3540

📖 Menu: static1.squarespace.com

💁 Reservations: opentable.com.au

10.Pizza d’Asporto Yarraville

Pizza D’Asporto, a family-run pizzeria, originated as a takeaway spot by husband and wife Claude and Antoinette Acquaro in Williamstown. Their pizzas gained such local acclaim that they expanded to open restaurants in Williamstown, Yarraville, and Essendon, now managed by their sons Anthony and Lorenzo. While the menu has broadened to include dishes like casarecce with pork ragu and house-made arancini, pizza remains their focal point.

📷@Pizza D’Asporto

Claude’s lifelong dedication to perfecting pizza began at seven when he learned the craft from his uncle, now embodied in their pies. Using a unique blend of Italian flours and a 72-hour cold fermentation, their pizzas blend Neapolitan and Roman styles. From classics like Margherita to the popular Gamberetti, the menu offers diverse flavors. Complemented by Australian and Italian wines, cocktails, and beers, the Yarraville location, with 160 seats and outdoor spaces, provides a lively dining experience, especially in the warmer months.