After all these years, moody Tipo 00 still attracts queues of people hoping for a taste of its simple yet meticulously assembled pastas. A couple of secondi and dolci also grace the menu, alongside salumi best enjoyed at the marble bar, spritz in hand. Make sure you arrive early – very early – if you don’t have a booking.

Venetian elegance, New York energy and Melbourne nostalgia collide at restaurateur Chris Lucas’s lavish brasserie and grill. Settle into the grand dining room for charcoal-fired bistecca, show-stopping tiramisu, quintessentially Italian cocktails and lots of tableside theatrics.

Inspired by Italy’s Piedmont region, the Scopri team plates up house-made pastas and heavy-hitting secondi such as kid goat cooked on the bone. Don’t be fooled by the starchy white tablecloths – there’s nothing but a friendly, welcoming vibe at this Carlton classic.

Tipo 00’s younger sibling stretches beyond the pasta bar concept with meat and seafood dishes straight out of a modern Italian osteria. An enormous cellar below stocks Italian necessities like wine and house-cured charcuterie.

This family-run restaurant has been serving elevated Italian food to locals for decades. Go for saffron tagliolini with spanner crab, eggplant parmigiana or 12-hour roasted lamb shoulder. Plus, exclusive wines from small Italian producers that you’ll only find here.

A tribute to the owner’s Calabrian-born father, Umberto plates up cucina casalinga homestyle cooking and classic Italian aperitivi in a former shoe shop. It’s also home to Gigi, a rooftop bar where you can sip a Negroni with one-of-a-kind views.

Look for the lush olive-green facade on Prahan’s High Street to find this handsome restaurant and bar. Inside, a dedicated “pasta lab” produces all shapes and sizes, with a big emphasis on egg-based pastas specific to northern Italy. The wine list includes a handful of Italian varietals produced here in Victoria.

Sip Martinis while overlooking 360-degree views of Melbourne, indulge in classic pizzas and pillowy house-made gnocchi or descend into the neon-lit basement for a signature late-night cheeseburger.

The tables at Bottega spill out onto the footpath much like they would in Rome or Florence, luring in passers-by with an energetic atmosphere. Mains usually feature produce from owner Denis Lucey’s farm, while an expertly curated wine list offers around 150 bottles from both Australia and Italy.

At this CBD stalwart, you'll find old-school service, a lengthy wine list and plenty of classic Italian charm. Dishes here have a Venetian focus, and include a zucchini risotto plus a signature Moreton Bay bug spaghettini. For drinks, opt for a classic Bellini or a parmesan-infused Martini.

When veteran restaurateur Rinaldo Di Stasio started serving pizza for the first time, people duly took notice. Come for classic Margheritas and luxurious lobster pies in a colourful, artwork-filled space.

Left-of-centre pizzas are the draw at this big, industrial-chic room from the Tipo 00 and Osteria Ilaria crew. Post up at the central bar for snacks and natural wines, or share bistecca and nebbiolo at a bistro-style table.

The retro feel – complete with macramé and terracotta accents – is part of what makes this classic CBD bistro so great. But it’s the crowd-pleasing menu of pizza, pasta and secondi that keeps diners coming back for all manner of occasions.

Named for its dough’s 48-hour rise time (and officially recognised as one of Oceania’s best pizzerias), the menu here runs the gamut of classic and modern pies with notable vegan alternatives. The eponymous gnocchi is made small, “della nonna” style, and completely gluten-free.

Inside a former ice-cream store, this little slice of Venice is big on protein – woodfired in a Josper oven imported from Spain. But if you’re feeling pastas, varieties such as tagliolini and pappardelle are rolled in-house. It’s all served in a terrazzo-and-timber space that’s casual and contemporary at once.

A cosy, familial Italian restaurant where the menu changes every week. Enjoy oysters, hand-rolled pasta and creative seafood dishes alongside wines from Australia, Italy and Argentina.

If you’re after Italian with a fun, neighbourhood feel, head here. Restaurateur Chris Lucas’s buzzing southside spot turns out pizzas alongside salumi and traditional, crowd-pleasing pastas.

A swish Italian spot that reps lesser-known pastas such as paccheri and tortelli, and obscure wine varieties to drink with them. Also on the menu are house-made digestifs such as limoncello, Aperol Margaritas and an unmissable tiramisu.

Rosa Mitchell’s menu is a masterclass in simple and supremely effective Italian cooking. Forget luxe imported ingredients – her unpretentious eatery in the heart of the legal district is all about making local produce sing.

Pizza is king here, but the ex-DOC owner behind it also serves killer antipasto. Enjoy your pie with an extensive drinks list championing lo-fi wines from Italian regions like Puglia, Toscana and Piedmont, and small-batch Italian beers.

It’s a tiny spot, but the romantic, elbow-to-elbow ambience at Thirty Eight Chairs increases the chances of getting to know your neighbours – and maybe even sharing a bottle of wine with them. Pastas pay homage to all the family classics and are made from scratch.

With an impressive collection of art covering the walls, Cicciolina feels like a dinner party in an eccentric painter's home – and it’s almost always full. Diners young and old are drawn back for its simple Italian cuisine and lengthy wine list. Enjoy drops from Italy, France and beyond from the bar out the back while you wait for a table.

If you forget to book at this cosy neighbourhood restaurant, grab a seat at the bar, order a spritz and picture yourself in the streets of Palermo as you wait for a table. You’re in for home-style Sicilian fare, nostalgic Italian desserts and a welcoming vibe.

The permanent home of popular Italian sandwich pop-up, Rocco’s – with the addition of big bowls of pasta, house-made Italian liqueurs and a vibe reminiscent of an Italian nonna's house.

This family-run restaurant has served comforting Italian favourites since 1988. Settle into one of its 135 seats for family-recipe gnocchi, traditional desserts and a 100-strong list of local and international wines. Or take a bottle and one of its heat-and-eat meals to go.

Watch chefs prepare Italian dishes at this upstairs wine bar, from the team behind the longstanding family-run grocer downstairs. Select a drop from two cellars’ worth of imported Italian wine. And consult the official head of cheese on the extensive selection of formaggio.

This upscale pasta bar serves Italian classics – but not as you know them. Come for new takes on dishes like eggplant parmigiana, served here with cheese foam and basil powder. Plus, a sommelier with Michelin cred.