Restaurants

30 Of The Best Italian Restaurants In Sydney Right Now

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Big bowls of pasta, flavourful seafood plates, hearty meat dishes, and tiramisu—Italian cuisine really has it all. If, like us, you love Italian food, you’ll know that Sydney/Eora has its fair share of restaurants and bars dishing up spectacular Italo fare.

You can tuck into a carb-fuelled feast with mates at a local trattoria, get cosy in a wine bar on date night, or celebrate a big win at work with a high-flying feed at a beachside fine diner. Whether you’re after vibey neighbourhood go-tos or want to settle in at Sydney’s oldest Italian restaurant, we’ve got you. 

These are the best Italian restaurants in Sydney right now.

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Most Iconic Sydney Italian Restaurants

Fratelli Paradiso

12–16 Challis Avenue, Potts Point

fratelli paradiso one of the best italian restaurants sydneyImage credit: Fratelli Paradiso | Instagram

If you want easygoing neighbourhood vibes paired with some of the finest pasta in the city, then make tracks to Fratelli Paradiso. The Challis Avenue venue has been around for more than 20 years, solidifying itself as one of Sydney’s most loved Italian restaurants. The food is exquisite and the service is passionately European, as you’d expect with two Italian brothers—Giovanni and Enrico Paradiso—behind it.

It’s always bustling with an interesting mix of patrons feasting, celebrating, and drinking, be it midweek or the weekend. There are chalkboards instead of menus, ample outdoor seating, and a wine list boasting many minimal intervention, skin contact, and organic vinos. Really, if you haven’t been here yet, can you even call yourself a pasta lover? Book online.

Beppi’s

21 Yurong Street, Darlinghurst

Image credit: Beppi’s | Facebook

If you’re looking for old-school Italian vibes, there’s only one place you should hit: Beppi’s. The Darlinghurst restaurant is the definition of a dining institution, having been around since June 1956. To give you context, back then Elvis was topping the charts, Menzies was PM, and TVs didn’t exist in Australia yet. Yep, a lot has changed—except for Beppi’s, which is still dishing up simple, beautiful Italian fare in Yurong Street. The eponymous restaurant, after the late Beppi Polese, can be thanked for Sydney’s now-thriving Italo dining scene, and it still is well regarded as one of the best.

Expect white tablecloths and timber chairs set among warm interiors of yellow-licked walls and plenty of art. There are also a few cellar rooms for more private dining, with shelves stacked full of vintage wine bottles. As for the food, it’s as authentic as it gets—think freshly caught seafood, homemade pasta, and hearty meat dishes. Book online.

Totti’s

Various Locations

totti's one of the best italian restaurants sydneyImage credit: Totti’s | Website

Famous for its puffed woodfire bread, antipasto plates, and glossy, sauce-laden pasta dishes—that no doubt pop up on your socials at least once a month—Totti’s has cemented itself as an absolute icon in Sydney’s Italian dining scene. 

The trendsetting Bondi location opened in 2018, bringing cactus-pinned walls, coastal-Mediterranean interiors, and a breezy terrace to The Royal Bondi pub. As weekend bookings quickly became near-impossible to snag, the Merivale crew decided to expand their empire, launching Bar Totti’s in the Sydney CBD in 2020, shortly followed by Totti’s Rozelle in 2021, before spreading its wings to VIC in 2023 with an outpost in Lorne

While you may argue that Totti’s is overrated, we can 100% confirm it is very much worth the hype, especially the signature pappardelle with lamb ragu. Hot tip: for special occasions, book the private dining room at Bondi—it feels like you’ve been whisked away to a Tuscan trattoria. Book online.

Pilu

Moore Road, Freshwater

pilu freshwater one of the best italian restaurants sydneyImage credit: Pilu | Facebook

Usually, when a restaurant sits right on the beach, you're mostly paying for the ocean view. But at Pilu,  it's the premium Italian ingredients and owner Giovanni’s creatively reimagined Sardinian cooking techniques that truly earn their keep. Plus, you can tell the Freshwater Italian restaurant is the real deal after being trusted with wedding toasts, anniversary milestones, and celebratory long lunches over the past 20 years. 

The menu shifts with the seasons, keeping things fresh whether you go à la carte or opt for a set menu. Expect pristine seafood, house-made pastas, standout meat dishes and desserts that don’t miss. As for wine? Pilu’s sommeliers mean business, matching each dish with something special from a list of over 200 bottles and 30 by the glass from across Italy and Australia. Book online.

Buon Ricordo

108 Boundary Street, Paddington

buon ricordo best italian restaurants sydneyImage credit: Buon Ricordo | Facebook

A couple of years back, this pink-exterior old-school Italian fine diner, located in the backstreets of Paddington, changed hands and head chefs after operating since 1987. Owner Armando Percuoco sold Buon Ricordo in 2018 to his protege, head chef David Wright and his wife Rosalba Bertocci, and, thankfully, it landed in four very capable hands. Two- and three-course set menus let you pick from the tasty lineup, with heaps of gluten-free options, too. From entrees of beef carpaccio and thinly sliced ocean trout to rich pastas like their signature fettuccine al tartufovo tossed at the table, and incredible mains, the fare here is second to none. Book online.

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Pellegrino 2000

80 Campbell Street, Surry Hills

pellegrino 2000 best italian restaurants sydneyImage credit: Pellegrino 2000 | Instagram

This Surry Hills venue from the all-star team behind former Bistrot 916— Dan Pepperell, Mikey Clift, and Andy Tyson—is one of Sydney’s most iconic Italian restaurants. The corner terrace is inspired by the trattorias of Rome and Florence, so expect neighbourhood vibes and charm aplenty. The ground floor hosts the main dining room with shelves stacked with anchovies and tomatoes, while the basement level oozes character with bottle-lined walls, white table cloths, and a candlelit thousand-bottle wine cellar. 

But, really, you’re here for the food. And, boy, does Pellegrino 2000 deliver with its menu of much-loved Italian staples, handmade tonnarelli, fritto misto, pappardelle al pomodoro, and steak tagliata. It’s got a banging wine list, too—think Italian classics like Barolo and Chianti, and a great selection of cocktails including a Negroni and Bellini. Book online. 

Best Sydney CBD Italian Restaurants

Ragazzi 

Shop 3/2–12 Angel Place, Sydney CBD

ragazzi best italian restaurants sydneyImage credit: Ragazzi | Instagram

Ragazzi proves Sydney simply can’t get enough of the European wine bar experience, but also that we’re keen to try something new in the genre, too. Featuring a lengthy 250-bottle list and a simple menu centred on quick bites and handmade pasta, it’s the perfect place for after-work relaxation—if you can get in. The 40-seater in Angel Place gets busy on a weekday and is a good spot for soaking up the vibrant energy of the CBD over a sharp bowl of pasta. Co-owners Matthew Swieboda​, Nathanial Hatwell, and Scott McComas-Williams have long perfected their skills in this genre at Love, Tilly Devine and Dear Sainte Éloise, but Ragazzi might be one of their greatest hits. Book online.

A’Mare 

Crown Sydney, Level 1/1 Barangaroo Avenue, Barangaroo

a'mare barangaroo best italian restaurants sydneyImage credit: a’Mare | Instagram

Led by pasta maestro Alessandro Pavoni, a'Mare is a refined ode to classic Italian cooking set in the Crown Sydney tower. With serious polish and impeccable service, the waterfront restaurant caters to the luxury sensibilities of the Crown’s intended high roller audience. As such, only the best of the best is plated up here. You can expect Blackmore wagyu beef MBS 9+ carpaccio, spaghetti tossed with NSW Eastern Rock lobster, bisque, basil, garlic and chilli, and whole fresh fish—feeding into the name a’Mare. If you’d rather leave your decision-making at the door, a’Mare offers set menus for $135 and $205 per person, as well as vegetarian and vegan banquets for $130 per person, plus optional wine pairings for an extra $95 or $185 each. Like we said—high roller. Book online.

Restaurant Leo 

1/2–12 Angel Place, Sydney CBD

restaurant leo italian restaurant sydneyImage credit: Restaurant Leo | Facebook

Tucked down an alleyway off Angel Place near Wynyard, Restaurant Leo is the creation of LuMi Dining and Oscillate Wildly chef-owners Federico Zanellato and Karl Firla. The multi-faceted dining concept is part Italian restaurant and espresso bar spin-off (Piccolo Leo), which has been serving work-goers and city slickers since 2020. The restaurant menu is crammed with goodies like beef tartare and Sydney rock oysters, plus chilli mud crab macaroni, strozzapetti pork pasta and Blackmore wagyu. Head there for a weekday lunch, post-work wine or Saturday dinner. Book online.

Best Inner West Italian Restaurants

Osteria Di Russo & Russo

158 Enmore Road, Enmore

osteria di russo & russo best italian restaurants sydneyImage credit: Osteria di Russo & Russo | Facebook

Whether you’re an Inner West local dropping in for a midweek bite or an out-of-towner looking for the perfect weekend dining experience, Enmore’s Osteria di Russo & Russo is your answer. The moody restaurant channels a vintage trattoria across two storeys, with dark timber, marble touches and walls layered in salon-arranged framed art. Owned by father-and-son duo Pino and Marc Russo, the menu pays homage to Australia’s Italian migrant history, dishing up traditional fare with a modern Aussie twist. Dishes are designed for sharing—sticking true to the Italian way—and the $79 Tutto Bene menu is a crowd-pleaser if you want to hand the reins to the kitchen. Book online.

Pino’s Vino E Cucina

199 Lawrence Street, Alexandria

pino's vino e cucina italian restaurants sydneyImage credit: Pino's Vino E Cucina | Instagram

Inspired by childhood dinners in Rome, chef-owner Matteo Margiotta opened Pino’s as a tribute to his father, complete with the copper pots that once hung in his family kitchen. Guests are made to feel like old friends with authentic, warm hospitality and a soul-warming menu that changes seasonally. Expect fresh antipasti, daily made pasta, homemade sauces, and the finest meats, including a one-kilo Riverina Fiorentina steak. 

Pino’s Vino e Cucina al Mare brings the same generous spirit to the sea in Cronulla, with leafier exteriors, Pugliese charm, and a more seafood-heavy menu. Must-trys include deep-fried cacio e pepe lasagna bites, grilled king prawns in a smoked garlic lime butter sauce and vodka-spiked spanner crab maccheroncini. The wine list is massive with over 1736 bottles from Italy, Australia and South Africa, or you can grab coastal cocktails, plus Roman and Aussie beers. Book online.

Osteria Mucca

212 Australia Street, Newtown

osteria mucca best italian restaurants sydneyImage credit: Osteria Mucca | Hugh O'Brien

Located in Paisano & Daughters’ Australia Street precinct (alongside Continental Deli, Mister Grotto and Flora from the same team), Osteria Mucca is an old-school Italian restaurant inside a former butcher shop. The 50-seat restaurant masters regional classics, family recipes, handmade pasta and in-house butchery across a menu led by Head Chef Janina Allende (previously at Alberto’s Lounge and Pellegrino 2000).

On the drinks front, Osteria Mucca spotlights wine from small, family-owned Italian vineyards, plus a slow-sipping aperitivo selection and traditional Italian cocktails. To top it off, award-winning pastry chef Lauren Eldridge handles the dessert menu. Book online.

Best Sydney Pizza Restaurants

Pocket Pizza 

46 Pittwater Road, Manly,  515 Pittwater Road, Brookvale and 1 Simmonds Lane, Avalon Beach

pocket pizza sydney italian restaurantsImage credit: Pocket Pizza | Instagram

Pocket Pizza isn’t your average slice slinger. These guys throw rulebooks out the window, serving up wood-fired pies with unusual topping combos that just work and genius names to match. The Brookvale venue’s signature ‘Parmaaaa! Just Killed a Man’ eggplant parmi pizza is probably the best-named pizza on the planet, alongside the ‘Netflix & Chilli’ with latherings of fior di latte, nduja, ricotta, salami, honey and chilli flakes.

There’s even gluten-free bases and vegan cheese available across the Manly, Brookvale and Avalon locations—and if you decide to eat in, you’re in for a whole lotta Little Italy nostalgia with checkered tables, retro booths, lace curtains, and walls splattered with cool vintage photos. Beyond pizza, there’s also spicy vodka pasta, dreamy tiramisu, and a happy hour that delivers $5 antipasto plates and $10 spritzes. Book online.

170 Grammi

428 Crown Street, Surry Hills

170 grammi sydney pizza restaurantsImage credit: 170 Grammi | Instagram

On the corner of Crown and Foveaux Streets, 170 Grammi is a Roman-style pizzeria from Luigi Esposito, the legend behind Via Napoli and Pizza Fritta 180. Inspired by his wife's Roman heritage, the Surry Hills spot swaps the chew of Naples-style dough for crisp, thin crusts. The signature porchetta di Ariccia is an ode to Luigi’s father-in-law’s porchetta recipe, with smoked scamorza, wood-fired potatoes and rosemary. And just for fun, Roman pasta classics like cacio e pepe and carbonara also land on pies. Order ‘em hot to take away or pull up a chair streetside, grab a spritz and stay a while. Book online.

Bella Brutta

135 King Street, Newtown

bella brutta sydney italian pizza restaurantsImage credit: Bella Brutta | Instagram

From the same crew running cult-favourite pizza joint Westwood, Bella Brutta is the OG Newtown gem in the family. The restaurant prides itself on simplicity and sustainably sourced Aussie ingredients, which shine through in BB’s less-is-more approach to toppings. Salty, leopard-crusted bases are joined by surf clams with fermented chilli, garlic, parsley and pecorino, and pepperoni dusted with parmesan and fennel seed on a bed of pomodoro sauce and fior di latte. 

While wine and spritzes usually steal the show at Italian joints (and don’t get us wrong, they are A+), the margaritas have our heart. The Bella marg blends limoncello, watermelon and wild strawberry flavours, while the Brutta is a concoction of blood orange and charred pineapple with a habanero kick. This spot is open for dinner every day and lunch on weekends. Book online.

MMC Slice Shoppe

65 Addison Road, Marrickville

mmc slice shoppe sydney best pizza italian restaurants Image credit: MMC Slice Shoppe | Instagram

Relative of Bexley North pizza parlour, My Mother’s Cousin, MMC Slice Shoppe is a NYC-inspired slice joint dishing up stone-baked pies whole or by the slice. After scoping out New York pizzerias on a delicious research trip, the crew brought their findings back to Marrickville, resulting in slice-lined cabinets, classic cheese-loaded pies and special flavours like the Grandma’s Square—a square-based sesame crust with mozzarella, provolone, fresh ricotta and basil, topped with their elusive ‘grandma sauce’.

The shop itself is super nostalgic, laid out as an old-school diner but with a little more Marrickville polish. It’s a walk-in only, booze-free setup, which is great for families and non-drinkers. Finesse a booth spot or grab a slice to go. Order online. 

Da Orazio

75–79 Hall Street, Bondi Beach

da orazio sydney best pizza italian restaurantsImage credit: Da Orazio | Instagram

Impressing locals and devoted fans with its made-on-site Neapolitan wood-fired pizza since 2014, Da Orazio is a laid-back, family-friendly pizza restaurant in Bondi owned and operated by chef Orazio D’Elia. There are all the toppings you'd expect from an authentic Italian pizza restaurant, like capricciosa and diavola, as well as the masaniello with grana padano fondue poured over at your table. Complete your order with antipasto plates, a few salads, and cheeses from the mozzarella bar, and you’re all set to take away or dine in. Book online.

See more of Sydney’s best pizza restaurants.

Best Sydney Pasta Restaurants

Pasta Emilia

259 Riley Street, Surry Hills

pasta emilia sydney italian restaurantsImage credit: Pasta Emilia | Instagram

Pasta Emilia is a warm and friendly osteria that looks like it was ripped straight from the streets of Italy and relocated right here in Surry Hills. We’re sure they offer other things on the menu, but let’s be real: if you come here, you must try the pasta. Beef ragu, squid ink spaghetti, duck and truffle tortelli—it doesn’t matter which you choose, they are all a gift from the flour gods. The guys also host cooking classes and offer items you can take home to cook up a storm. Book online.

Kindred

137 Cleveland Street, Darlington

kindred pasta sydney italian restaurantImage credit: Kindred | Instagram

Kindred is the type of Italian restaurant you’ll go past a hundred times along the artery of Cleveland Street and never know what wonders lie inside until someone tells you it’s a must-try. Well, we’re here to urge you to head on in. First up, it’s cosy AF. The 40-seater restaurant takes up two storeys of the Darlington terrace, with both levels giving off the sort of homey charm you’d expect at someone’s nonna’s. 

If you'd like to leave it up to the experts, the $75pp seven-dish tasting menu is great value. But really, you can’t go wrong with any of the home-style pasta dishes. Think enormous bowls of handmade bucatini topped with generous helpings of pork and rich tomato sauce, rigatoni bolognese, and cauliflower agnolotti with oyster mushrooms soaked in thyme butter. Kindred is Italian comfort food at its finest, in an unpretentious, warm setting—so punch another hole in those belts and dig in. Book online.

Fabbrica

Various Locations


Image credit: Fabbrica | Supplied

Fabbrica has carved out a firm spot in Sydney’s pasta scene since opening beneath King Street in 2020. But, that was always expected with the team behind Ragazzi, Dear Sainte Éloise, and Love, Tilly Devine running the show. The OG Sydney CBD spot is part deli, pasta shop and commercial kitchen, celebrating all things carb and craft. You’ll find fresh pasta and sauces to take home, alongside hard-to-find pantry staples that’ll upgrade your homemade dinner to restaurant status.

Since expanding to Darlinghurst, Newtown, and Chatswood—plus bread shops in Rozelle and Coogee—Fabbrica has been absolutely dominating, cranking out enough pasta to feed an army (or hungry diners) daily. The menu differs slightly between venues, but top picks include the spaghetti with creamy cacio e pepe sauce and trottole with rich beef cheek ragu and ricotta—both of which can be made gluten-free. Partner with a limoncello spritz or wine by the glass, and it's a done deal. Book online.

Busta 

10 Pittwater Road, Manly

busta manly best italian restaurants sydney pastaImage credit: Busta | Website

Snacky plates, handmade pasta and vino is the name of the game at Busta, a cool Italo eatery just two streets from Manly Beach. Red-wine coloured framed windows, terrazzo flooring, and a sit-up circular bar kit out the space, with light-washed timber chairs spilling out onto the footpath outside. While we can’t promise the menu will stay the same, we’re currently loving the tagliolini pasta with juicy prawns, tomato, bottarga and lemon—especially paired with a cheeky orange wine. 

Tuesdays and Wednesdays are BYO vino nights, so it's a good thing the boutique bottleshop Winona Wine is just next door. There’s also an aperitivo hour on Saturdays and Sundays 4pm–5pm, with $10 spritzes and $5 antipasti that’s worth booking early for. If there’s one piece of advice we can give, it’s to make sure you always end with a heaping of their classico ‘misu. Book online.

Cicerone Cucina Romana

417 Bourke Street, Surry Hills

cicerone cucina romana best_pasta_sydney_italian_restaurantImage credit: Cicerone Cucina Romana | Instagram

Cicerone brings a slice of Rome to Surry Hills, minus all the tourist trimmings of the Eternal City. Instead, co-owners Isabella Daniali and Roman-born chef Stefano De Caro have taken inspiration from underground culture and street art, with limited-edition artworks by contemporary Roman artists lining the walls. Antipasti is served on cool antique plates collected from vintage stores, including crispy fried calamari, Australian prawns and whitebait with black garlic mayo for dipping. 

The kitchen is constantly pumping out oval-shaped, semolina-based Roman pizzas, fresh pasta such as their loved rigatoni alla vodka, as well as seasonal specials, and the signature salted caramel tiramisu. The drinks list features mostly new-world Italian wines, with some drops supplied by Giorgio de Maria of nearby Paski Vineria Popolare, as well as fun signature cocktails like a rhubarb and fig negroni and a premium Amalfi gimlet. Book online.

See more of Sydney’s best pasta restaurants.

More Of The Best Sydney Italian Restaurants

Bar Vincent

174 Liverpool Street, Darlinghurst

bar vincent sydney italian restaurantsImage credit: Bar Vincent | Instagram

On a quiet Darlinghurst corner, Bar Vincent is a casual European bistro run by the Bar Copains team, that’s equal parts local hangout and culinary insider tip. Curved arches, textured tiles, and flickers of candlelight in scallop shells give the space a warmth that feels like your favourite dinner party in motion.

The hand-written menu is brief, always changing, and grounded in Italian tradition. House-made pastas anchor the offering in concert with pretty starters, pristine seafood, and perfectly charred steaks. There’s no fuss here, just beautifully handled produce inviting you to dish out or dive in. Behind the bar, classic cocktails mingle with an offbeat wine list spotlighting small, natural and low-intervention Italian producers. Book online.

I Maccheroni

3 Jersey Road, Woollahra

I Maccheroni best italian restaurants sydneyImage credit: I Maccheroni | Instagram

Once one of Woollahra’s best-kept secrets, now pretty much everyone and their mates have caught onto I Maccheroni’s magic. Sitting along Jersey Road, this busy neighbourhood gem is the creation of Marcello Farioli, a chef from Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region, a.k.a. the spiritual home of pasta. Farioli’s goal is simple: master dishes that excite the palate and keep you coming back—we reckon he’s nailed it. On the menu, you’ll find little parcels of fresh tortellini stuffed with spinach and parmesan, maccheroni with beef cheek ragu and a never-ending rotation of seasonal specials. If you want to learn the secrets behind the sauce, I Maccheroni offers masterclasses in pasta making too. Book online.

Cibaria

55 North Steyne, Manly

cibaria manly italian restaurants sydneyImage credit: Cibaria | Supplied

Alessandro and Anna Pavoni have a proven track record when it comes to standout Italian dining—just look to a’Mare at Crown Sydney and Ormeggio at The Spit for proof. Their signature touch has spread to the Northern Beaches with Cibaria, a multi-venue hub on the ground floor of the Manly Pacific Hotel. 

The modern trattoria serves up antipasti, handmade pasta, fried and wood-grilled dishes for lunch and dinner, plus a tableside gorgonzola service you have to try. Next door, the relaxed caffetteria and gelateria provide coffee, paninis, pizzettes and scoops perfect for devouring while watching surfers at Manly Beach. To top it all off, there’s an expansive upstairs terrazza for oceanfront events and a lively cocktail bar called 55 North with occasional DJ sets. Book online.

Marta Osteria

30 McLachlan Avenue, Rushcutters Bay

marta osteria italian restaurants sydneyImage credit: Marta Osteria | Facebook

Helmed by Flavio Carnevale (also of Martina in Rose Bay), Rushcutters Bay’s Marta is a refined Roman restaurant that sits in Popolo’s former premises. The space embodies the same energy and theatre of drinking holes in Rome, with a seamless indoor and outdoor flow, creating a communal dining area with intimate pockets dotted around.

Expect utter deliciousness coming from the open-style kitchen, with dishes such as supplì, a traditional Roman street food consisting of a golden deep-fried rice ball stuffed with tomato and mozzarella, and a cacio e pepe tonnarelli made with black pepper and pecorino—the only way it should be. You’ll also find a lineup of pizzas and hearty mains, all leading up to a sweet finale: the Martamisu and house-made Roman gelato.

As for drinks, there’s plenty of drops plucked from the Italian motherland, alongside spritzes and shake-ups of your usual Martini and Martoni (Negroni) selections. Book online.

OTTO Ristorante

Area 8, 6 Cowper Wharf Roadway, Woolloomooloo

otto ristorante sydney italian restaurantImage credit: OTTO Ristorante | Instagram

OTTO Ristorante occupies prime real estate on Woolloomooloo’s Cowper Wharf with dreamy views of Sydney’s harbour and sparkly skyline. The food is always generous and delicious, making it a front runner if you want to impress a date, the in-laws or friends. The menu changes seasonally, but our top pick at the moment is the saffron linguine made in-house daily, accompanied by juicy Moreton Bay bug, zucchini, anchovies and pine nuts. 

If we’re talking about the best bits, we have to give a shout-out to their sommeliers, who have curated a pro wine list filled with top-notch picks. OTTO offers great set menus for group dining, as well as a plant-based menu and gluten-free selects, plus a children's menu upon request, making it an ideal dining spot for all kinds of eaters. Book online.

Bastardo

50 Holt Street, Surry Hills

bastardo sydney italian restaurantsImage credit: Bastardo 

Bastardo has made quite an impact on the Sydney dining scene. It’s no wonder, as the deli-style Italian eatery is made up of a team of legends who brought you Porteño and Humble Cafe & Bakery. Drawing on their shared Argentinian and Sicilian heritage, they serve up an extensive list of fresh pasta made in the open-plan kitchen that spans the length of the restaurant. The pasta is stretchy, with a firm texture, while having that melt-in-your-mouth quality that exudes craftsmanship. The linguine dotted with king prawns and bursting pockets of cherry tomatoes, garlic, chilli and chives is a definite go-to. And the 150-strong wine list of Italian heavy bottles is the icing on the cake. Book online.

Paski Vineria Popolare

239 Oxford Street, Darlinghurst

Paski Vineria Popolare best italian restaurants sydneyImage credit: Paski Vineria Popolare | Instagram

Between some boarded-up shopfronts and convenience stores on Oxford Street, you’ll find Paski Vineria Popolare. Paski is the brainchild of former Italian go-to 121BC and co-founder of Rootstock, Giorgio De Maria, alongside Mattia Dicati (Vino Mito Wine Imports) and chef Enrico Tomelleri (Ragazzi, Alberto’s Lounge, 10 William Street), just casually. De Maria’s reputation as the godfather of natural wine rings true here—Paski is full of the stuff. 

The two-storey venue is part wine bar, restaurant, and bottleshop, offering a whole lot of artisanal, small-scale Italian wine. Downstairs, sip vino by the glass or pick a bottle off the shelf to drink for a small corkage fee and order dishes like cheese, charcuterie and pasta. Upstairs, Paski Sopra—or Paski 'above'—is a pint-sized restaurant where Tomelleri dishes up a regularly changing menu of handmade pasta and Mediterranean dishes. Basically, whatever the occasion, you can’t go wrong with Paski. Book online.

Bar Infinita

10 St Johns Avenue, Gordon

bar infinita gordon best italian restaurants sydneyImage credit: Bar Infinita | Chad Konik

At most places, a wood-fired oven means pizza, but not at Bar Infinita. The neighbourhood Italian joint puts it to work on impressive steak cuts like a CopperTree dry-aged bone-in sirloin and a full-blood wagyu rump MB9+, as well as king prawns and charred tuna sashimi.

It also churns out puffed housemade focaccia served with chilli oil and pecorino, which can be built into an antipasto situation with burrata and prosciutto-wrapped rockmelon. There’s also handmade pasta like squid ink taglioni with blue swimmer crab, but the crème de la crème is the pistachio tiramisu. Pick from Italian wines, digestives like housemade limoncello, and fun cocktails, including the famous tiramisu martini that’s just like Nonna’s dessert in a drink. Book online.

Still hungry? Check out 

Main image credit: Osteria Mucca | Hugh O'Brien  

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