A largely pasta-free zone next door to wildly popular older sibling, Tipo 00.

Tipo 00 has an offering too good to refuse: carb-loaded, butter-drenched pasta.

Traditional Italian dishes and beers from across the globe make for an all-round tasty experience.

Fresh, handmade pasta rolled from the best possible ingredients is the draw at this intimate osteria.

Northern Italian fare in a dimly lit osteria.

At this CBD pasta bar, you'll find an extensive menu of hand-rolled pastas, bolstered by a fun line-up of wines and cocktails. It's all set within a sleek, modern space.

This cosy, cellar-like restaurant is an old favourite with a sophisticated wine list and classic Italian cuisine.

A North Italian-style trattoria that’s all about making you comfortable.

Modern-Italian served right beside the road, just like they do in Rome.

At this CBD stalwart, you'll find old-school service, a lengthy wine list and plenty of classic Italia 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.

What Marios lacks in authenticity it more than makes up for in comfort. The food here is simple, delicious and accessible. Does it really matter that the carbonara on the menu uses cream? It's delicious. And people certainly haven't been complaining. Marios has been open since 1984.

An Italian bistro on Little Collins Street with a retro vibe.

Sophisticated Italian from star chef Neil Perry.

Settle into this tiny trattoria for Japanese-influenced pasta and aperitivos.

This sister venue to the South Yarra original brings the same pizza and gnocchi – but there's an added delicatessen, here too.

From the restaurateur behind Sarti and Il Bacaro.

A long-running restaurant dedicated to classic Italian dining.

The sister restaurant to Chin Chin and Kong is all about pizza.

This swish, well-polished Italian diner reps lesser-known pastas such as paccheri and tortelli, and obscure wine varieties to drink with them. Plus there’s house-made limoncello, Aperol Margaritas and an unmissable tiramisu.

A recently expanded espresso bar serving hearty Italian fare with a warm, local feel.

At Rosa Mitchell’s latest venue the self-taught chef embraces broader Italian influences.

Pizza is king here, but the former DOC owner behind this Italian joint is also making “antipasto sexy again”. Enjoy it all with minimal-intervention wines from Italy.

Once the place waiters dined after they'd finished their shift, now a legendary institution.

A true feel of Italy at this bustling Italian bistro with a pizza focus.

An ever popular, family run Italian bistro that dates back to the 70s.

After years running lasagnes around town in a ’91 Holden Barina, Joey Kellock has moved into a former pizza shop. On the menu: lasagne, maybe a dirty Martini and little else.

An authentic Italian stalwart on Chapel Street.

A Melbourne institution with a diverse crowd of regulars.

A traditional pasta bar with proper elbow-to-elbow ambience.

Authentic, no-fuss Italian since 1993.

A cosy room serving home-style Sicilian food with generosity and heart.

This Italian diner is easily found via the flashing red neon hand in the window. Inside, you’ll find old-school breadbaskets (loaded with carbs to salsa-verde-doused burrata); garlicky spaghetti vongole swimming in oil; a cocktail list centred around vermouth; and more.

Traditional dining alive and well in the heart of Carlton.

For the first time, the prolific restaurateur behind Di Stasio Citta is serving pizza – from the classic margherita to a luxurious lobster option – as well as an exceptional fior di latte soft serve. The green-toned interior is studded with Reko Rennie and Shaun Gladwell works, but meander down a gravel path outside to find a 17th-century Italian stone fountain.

This Italian restaurant – in the former Village People Hawker Food Hall space – is the flagship of the Hotel Fitzroy. Come for classic pizzas, salumi, pastas, and a punchy cocktail list. Plus, there's private dining and a terrace balcony.

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

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.