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Melbourne is internationally renowned for its Italian heritage & cuisine, and might just be the best city in the world for Italian food, outside Italy. If you’re planning a trip to Melbourne, dining at one of the city’s best Italian restaurants is an essential Melbourne experience.

Whether you’re looking to splash out on a fancy meal at Grossi Florentino, scoring a hard-to-get reservation at trendy spots like Tipo 00 or soaking up the history at Pellegrinis or Caffe e Cucina, there is an Italian restaurant in Melbourne, with your name on it. From Emilia Romagna to Sicily to Sardinia, you’ll be hard pressed to name an Italian dish you can’t find amongst the menus of one of Melbourne’s best Italian restaurants. It’s no surprise that many of the best restaurants in Melbourne, are Italian!

I’ve lived in Melbourne for a decade, and have written this guide based on years of enjoying the best Italian that the city has to offer.

In this guide to the best Italian restaurants in Melbourne, I’ve divided the guide first by area of Melbourne (city, northside and southside) and then by style of restaurant.

Best of the Best Italian Restaurants in Melbourne

• Best Fine Dining: Grossi Florentino
• Hottest Reservation: Tipo 00  
• Most Historic: Pellegrini’s Espresso Bar
• Most Instagrammable: Tippy Tay
• Best Outdoor Dining: Cafe di Stasio Carlton
• Best Regional Cuisine: Trattoria Emilia (Emilia Romagna) 
• Best for Gluten Free Options: Cecconi’s (a Melbourne institution!)

The Best Italian Restaurants in Melbourne’s CBD

Fine Dining & Special Occasion Italian Restaurants

Grossi Florentino  – $$$$

Grossi Florentino is of Melbourne’s most iconic fine dining restaurants. Established in 1928, it remains the premier Italian restaurant in Melbourne. Expect white table cloths and a set menu in Florentino, the fine dining restaurant, with more casual dining in Grossi Grill. I dined at Florentino one year for an annual girls Christmas dinner, and it was one of our very best!

Address: 80 Bourke St, Melbourne

Cecconi’s  – $$$$

Cecconi’s is a Flinders Lane institution for more than 20 years. Tucked away just below street level, it flies under the tourist radar, and instead is perennially busy with Melburnians looking to impress on special occasions, whether for private celebrations, family dinners or business lunches. The pasta is obviously exceptional, and I am still thinking about the warm, soft-centered chocolate pudding, served with fior di latte gelato, weeks later!

We recently celebrated our anniversary at Cecconi’s, and it was everything I love about hospitality. Timeless interiors, beautiful food and warm, knowledgeable hospitality from a first-class team.

Address: 61 Flinders Ln, Melbourne

Grill Americano – $$$

Italy-meets-New York at Grill Americano, my favourite restaurant offering from the Lucas Group, which is behind some of Melbourne’s buzziest restaurants like Chin Chin, Yakimono and Society. I’ve dined at Grill Americano twice, once for an anniversary and more recently for an end-of-year dinner with a group of girlfriends. Both times, every detail was executed with excellence. I love the octopus carpaccio, and the show-stopping tiramisu!

Address: 112 Flinders Ln, Melbourne

Melbourne’s hottest Italian restaurants

Tippy Tay – $$

Tippy Tay is a hidden restaurant, inside the buzzing Garden State Hotel on Flinders Lane. It has the most Instagrammable interiors of any Italian restaurant in Melbourne, and a delicious Italian menu – combined, it takes me straight back to the Amalfi Coast! Tippy Tay is perfect for a fun, high vibes Italian dinner in Melbourne, that doesn’t compromise on flavour or style. Great for groups, but book your reservation ASAP as it books out, fast! I work for the group which operates Tippy Tay, but hand-on-my-heart it’s one of my faves.

Address: 101 Flinders Ln, Melbourne

Tipo 00 – $$$

Hats off to you if you can score a reservation at Tipo 00, one of Melbourne’s most sought-after Italian restaurant reservations. Tipo 00 is a cosy laneway pasta bar, that has been a firm Melbourne favourite for over a decade.

Address: 361 Little Bourke St, Melbourne

Trattoria Emilia – $$$

One of my most memorable Italian meals was at gorgeous Trattoria Emilia. Celebrating the regional cuisine of Emilia Romagna in Italy, Trattoria Emilia is a warm, cosy Italian dining room which feels like something you’d be stumble upon in the backstreets of Bologna. An excellent choice, and a little less obvious than some of the other classic spots on this list.

Address: 360 Little Collins St, Melbourne

Local Gems in Melbourne’s CBD

Osteria Ilaria – $$$

Can’t get a reservation at Tipo 00? Book its sister restaurant, Osteria Ilaria. I’ve dined here twice and have loved it every time. Modelled on a traditional Italian osteria, the menu’s roots are in Italian cuisine, but with some playful European twists. Type B travellers, you can always try your luck at the high tables at the front of the restaurant, which are a booking-free zone – perfect!

Address: 367 Little Bourke St, Melbourne

Pellegrinis – $

Pellegrini’s Espresso Bar is a Melbourne institution, standing proudly on Bourke Street since 1945. Melbourne’s Italian heritage is a cornerstone of the city’s culture, and Pellegrini’s has played a significant part, welcoming the first espresso machine in Melbourne – and therefore to thank for the city’s caffeine obsession. It feels like stepping into yesteryear, with red vinyl bar stools, chequered floors and simple, counter-style service. On our first visit, instead of a menu, we were prompted along by the late Sisto Malaspina, who suggested what we’d order and then called out the order to the kitchen, standing at the bar.

The late co-owner, Sisto Malaspina, immigrated to Melbourne in the 1960s and purchased Pellegrinis with his business partner, Nino Pangrazio. He was a beloved figure in Melbourne’s hospitality landscape, and tragically lost his life on Bourke Street during a shocking attack on Bourke Street in 2018. He received a State Funeral, and there is a beautiful plaque commemorating the man who loved Melbourne – and Melbourne loved back, outside Pellgrini’s.

Address: 66 Bourke St, Melbourne

Pepe’s Italian & Liquor – $$

Pepe’s Italian & Liquor is a very charming and vibey Italian restaurant on Exhibition Street, with some of the most charming interiors in town. This is a newer spot, with glam, Instagrammable interiors that make me feel a bit like I’m in New York City – in the best possible way. They’ve got a great wine list, lovely food and are particularly great for a group dinner.

Address: 275-285 Exhibition St, Melbourne

Best Italian Restaurants on Melbourne’s Northside

Melbourne’s Italian Institutions on the Northside

Di Stasio Carlton – $$$

Di Stasio is a Melbourne institution, with Italian restaurants in Carlton, the city and St Kilda. The Carlton outpost is hands down my favourite outdoor dining in Melbourne. On a sunny day, there is no better place to be than the pebbled courtyard, which takes me straight back to Tuscany.

Address: 224 Faraday St, Carlton

Matteo’s – $$$$

Matteo’s is a timeless Italian restaurant in Fitzroy North, that has been offering a five-star, white table cloth dining experience with a unique Melbourne flair, since the 1990s. 

Address: 533 Brunswick St, Fitzroy North

DOC Osteria – $$

DOC Osteria is the perfect Italian restaurant in Melbourne for a casual, yet authentic and high quality dining experience. DOC imports exclusive Italian ingredients, and has outposts in Carlton, St Kilda and on the Mornington Peninsula, but it’s Carlton location in the heart of Melbourne’s Italian precinct on Lygon St, is my favourite.

Address: 326-328 Lygon St, Carlton

Northside Neighbourhood Gems

Johnny Vince & Sams – $$

For your nonna’s Italian – and her interiors – head to Johnny, Vince & Sam’s on Lygon Street. This is one of the most vibey Italian restaurants in Melbourne, with retro granny chic interiors and generous serving sizes. The restaurant might be new, but it’s a (funky) old soul.

Address: 306-308 Lygon St, Carlton

Agostino – $$$

For new-school Italian, head to Agostino. This chic, understated Italian wine bar and restaurant is in the heart of Lygon Street, and offers a tightly curated menu of housemade pastas and salumi.

Address: 297 Lygon St, Carlton

Figlia – $$

Figlia is the third restaurant from the team behind Tipo 00 and Osteria Ilaria, and their first restaurant outside the CBD. The sourdough pizzas are the star of the show, ranging from expertly executed classics to playful, inventive styles, like duck sausage salsiccia. This is a great spot for groups – last time we dined here, we were a group of 8.

Address: 335 Lygon St, Brunswick East

Va Penne – $$

Va Penne is a buzzing Italian pasta bar in trendy Northcote, one of the northside’s best neighbourhoods for a night out. Slide into a booth and dig into seasonal pizza, pasta and antipasti, along with Italian-style wines, from Italy and closer to home.

Address: 493 High St, Northcote

Bar Idda  – $$

Bar Idda is a delightful Italian trattoria in Brunswick East, serving Sicilian cuisine. To dine at Bar Idda is to feel right at home – if home was Palermo or Taormina.

Address: 132 Lygon St, Brunswick East

Best Italian Restaurants on Melbourne’s Southside

Melbourne’s Italian Institutions on the Southside

Cicciolina – $$

A firm favourite on Acland Street since the 1990s, Cicciolina is the best Italian restaurant in St Kilda. Unlike many bars and restaurants these days in St Kilda, Cicciolina is not built for Instagram, and is a breath of fresh air with a timeless, understated ambience. Don’t miss the back bar, which is equally suited to waiting for a table with a cocktail, or as the main event.  The perfect pre-theatre spot, if you’re seeing a show at the Palais Theatre.

Address: 130 Acland St, St Kilda

Caffe e Cucina – $$$

Step off Chapel Street and straight into southern Europe at Caffe e Cucina, an old world Italian restaurant that has been serving timeless Italian style since the 1980s. We celebrated my husband’s birthday here one year, it was the perfect special occasion spot!

Address: 581 Chapel St, South Yarra

Italian Neighbourhood Gems on the Southside

Park St Pasta – $$

Park St Pasta is the perfect neighbourhood restaurant in South Melbourne, which is relatively new, but feels like its been part of the neighbourhood for decades. Consistently lovely food, wine & service.

Address: 268 Park St, South Melbourne

Louey’s Bar & Kitchen – $$

Tucked away inside the belly of the cavernous Hotel Esplanade, Louey’s Bar & Kitchen is a New York-inspired Italian restaurant that feels like a party, no matter the time of day. Super Instagrammable interiors, more-ish pizzas and pastas in generous serves, and a punchy wine list make it an excellent spot for a fun night out, especially with a group. Afterwards, head upstairs to The Ghost of Alfred Felton cocktail bar, at the top of The Espy, to end the night.

Address: 11 Hotel Esplanade, St Kilda

Da Noi – $$$

Da Noi is a cosy, fine dining Italian restaurant in South Yarra, celebrating the cuisine of owner Pietro Porcu’s native Sardinia – and the produce of his farm in Yarck, in regional Victoria. They take paddock-to-plate seriously, but without the pretension you’ll often find at trendier restaurants. There is no menu, instead you can ask about today’s Sardinian dishes, or let the chef run the show and an informal tasting menu. We chose the latter, when we visited and it was the most memorable meal I’ve had in South Yarra, where we used to live.

Address: 95 Toorak Rd, South Yarra

Osteria Renata – $$

Park Street Pasta’s newer, younger sibling in Prahran is a larger, sleeker and more polished space, but with the same high standards for Italian cuisine. Osteria Renata is one of the best bets in Prahran for a meal that delivers both style and substance.

Address: 436-438 High St, Prahran

Sorsi e Morsi – $$

Sorsi e Morsi is a charming, poky little Italian restaurant in St Kilda that has ambience in spades. Translating to “Sips & Bites”, Sorsi e Morsi has plenty of nooks and cosy corners for enjoying a coffee, breakfast or main meal, and feels like a world away from the backpacker playground around the corner on Acland Street. We visited for Valentine’s Day, and everything was divine.

Address: 31 Blessington St, St Kilda

Gluten Free Italian Restaurants in Melbourne

Gluten-free and coeliac friends, you have not been forgotten! Many Italian restaurants in Melbourne offer gluten free pasta as well as a range of dishes beyond pizza and pasta. Check the menu or call the restaurant before you book if you want to be sure you’ll have options. 

Personally, I recommend Cecconi’s for a fine dining Italian restaurant with gluten free options – my husband is gluten intoelrant, and we recently enjoyed our anniversary dinner there, complete with delicious GF pasta for him! The staff were very knowledgeable and accommodating.

Not everywhere offers gluten free alternatives, so if you have celiac I would recommend speaking to the restaurant first to gauge what they can guarantee.

Further Reading

Discover more of the best of Melbourne with these guides & articles:

• 15 of the Best Restaurants in Melbourne
• Melbourne Travel Guide
• Fitzroy Neighbourhood Guide
• Carlton Neighbourhood Guide

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