Park Street Pasta & Wine

Park Street Pasta & Wine is a neighbourhood restaurant serving some of the best pasta in Melbourne. It offers fresh extruded pasta – made by forcing dough through a cutting device known as a “die” to make shapes like rigatoni and casarecce. (Fresh extruded pasta is rare – even in high-end restaurants – given the high cost of the machines.)

The concise menu changes with the seasons. It’s featured snacky dishes such as house-made rosemary focaccia, kingfish sashimi with smoked-oyster mayonnaise, and mozzarella-stuffed carrozza (mini fried sandwiches) with a surprising kick from nduja pesto.

All the pasta is made in-house daily using Villa Verde Eggs and flour from Laucke Flour Mills in South Australia. Pasta dishes have included plump bucatini strands served slick in a saffron and lemon cream sauce with pancetta and chicory; and smoked-ricotta ravioli with a semi-dried roast tomato sauce that’s prepared over two days. There’s also a gluten-free pasta made by Melbourne’s Ardor Gluten Free.

The wine list is extensive, consisting mostly of organic and biodynamic wines from Italy, Australia and France. Alongside sangiovese from Tuscany and chardonnay from Burgundy, expect more obscure varietals such as soave and barbera. The restaurant is moody with no-fuss décor, banquette seating, art deco lighting and a fireplace in the front bar. The building dates to the 1880s. A wrought-iron arm extends from the frontage above the front door with three copper balls hanging from it – the European signpost for a pawnbroker. And when you dine outside you can opt for the charming parklet with umbrellas for shade and string lights when the sun sets.

The venue is owned by brothers Matteo (who leads the drinks menu) and Luca Balbo, as well as Lino Torre and head chef Tommaso Bartoli