Wood-fired dough, housemade pasta, long wine lists and the particular pleasure of a table set for sharing: Italian cooking has been part of Australian dining long enough that it needs no introduction. What keeps it interesting is the range – the southern Italian coastal kitchen sitting alongside the Milanese trattoria, the modern share-plate bar next to the family-run grill. The six restaurants below span Sydney, the Hunter, Orange, the Yarra Valley and Melbourne's south-east and each one brings a clear point of view to the table.
Divino Osteria – Elizabeth Bay, NSW
The building that once housed the Sebel Townhouse in Elizabeth Bay was transformed in 2024 into something altogether warmer: a dining room that holds the memory of the old in the bones of a confident new restaurant. Divino Osteria pitches itself somewhere between neighbourhood trattoria and special-occasion venue, with an interior that feels both settled and lively. The menu draws on southern Italian tradition and shapes it into something distinctly Sydney – bold flavours kept in check by precise presentation.
A wild salmon crudo arrives with blood orange, karkalla and a colatura dressing that deepens the seafood without overpowering it. The Gamberi pizza – confit garlic, feta, zucchini, prawns and tomatoes – earns its place as a shareable centrepiece. Divino Osteria is best known for its pan-fried smoked duck breast, plated with pear jus, charred leeks and beetroot purée: a dish that bridges southern Italian confidence with something more contemporary. Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free choices are available across the menu.
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Rowanos – Seville, Vic
Rowanos sits on the Warburton Highway in Seville, in Melbourne's leafy eastern reaches and is part of a three-site group with locations also in Chirnside Park and Croydon South. The experience of eating here has the feeling of a long Sunday at a friend's place – generous and genuinely comfortable. Opened in 2021, it draws a crowd that spans weeknight regulars and families making the drive for a proper occasion, all of them pulled in by cooking that earns that loyalty.
The kitchen produces housemade gnocchi alongside a full pasta list and the spaghetti marinara – prawns, scallops, mussels and calamari finished with garlic and white wine cream sauce – gives the seafood the room it needs. A gourmet Mediterranean lamb pizza with spinach, olives and tzatziki speaks to an Italian-inspired range that moves freely across the peninsula. The apple cider-braised pork belly, served with an apple and cinnamon jus, honey-glazed greens and chips, is what Rowanos is widely known for. BYO is welcome and on-site parking makes the journey easy.
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La Milano Italian – Orange, NSW
In Orange, a city that has built its dining reputation steadily over the past decade, La Milano Italian holds a confident position in the heart of town. The interior blends contemporary design with classic Italian details, creating a setting that works equally well for a relaxed midweek dinner or a celebration. Chef Ruban leads a team with a clear focus: handmade pasta, wood-fired flatbreads and seasonal produce handled without fuss.
The pumpkin and formaggio gnocchi is a dish that arrives tasting exactly as it should – earthy, yielding and rich without weight. The creamy chicken boscaiola draws on a classic combination and pulls it off. La Milano's signature is the Milano Special, which the team has built its local reputation around. Alfresco dining, private dining, halal and pet-friendly options round out a venue that is set up for a wide range of guests and occasions.
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Zoncello Yarra Valley – Healesville, Vic
Zoncello Yarra Valley sits on the Maroondah Highway in Healesville, surrounded by wine country and carrying the hospitality instincts of its parent, Zonzo Estate, into a more playful register. The venue is energetic and social: spritzes and cocktails move freely and the alfresco space pulls in the valley light on a good afternoon. It suits a group looking to settle in rather than move through.
The Italian Party sharing menu is what Zoncello does best – dishes sent to the centre of the table in rounds, designed to be passed around and talked over. It suits gatherings and celebrations, though it works just as well for four people who simply want to eat generously. A retail section stocked with Italian pantry goods and drinks adds another reason to linger. The wine list leans into the valley's strengths alongside Italian varietals. Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free choices are available.
Plan your visit and book at Zoncello Yarra Valley
MIINE – Newcastle, NSW
MIINE on Darby Street in Newcastle operates in its own register: part share-plate bar, part cocktail destination, with music setting the pace and the food keeping up easily. Chef David Griffin runs a menu that takes Italian building blocks and pushes them somewhere more contemporary, without losing sight of what makes the cooking satisfying. The atmosphere is charged without being loud for the sake of it.
Scallop crudo with yuzu kosho dressing, basil, buttermilk and dill oil is a good place to start – clean and precise, with enough acid to sharpen the appetite. Linguine with blue swimmer crab, chilli, bisque and cherry tomato shows what this team does when it has seafood to work with. The nduja flatbread with honey, caramelised onion and potato earns its place on a share-plate run. The 500 g BBQ Northern Rivers pork cutlet, glazed with pear and finished with parsnip purée and chicken jus, is the dish that holds the room together. Live music, a degustation option and romantic-dinner suitability make MIINE a venue that covers more ground than most.
Meat Flour Wine Berwick – Narre Warren, Vic
Meat Flour Wine Berwick is built around three things its name makes explicit: premium Australian beef, handmade pasta and a wine list that runs Italian varietals alongside local favourites. Chef Damien Burns leads a family-run kitchen in Narre Warren that is polished in its execution and relaxed in its welcome. The venue handles date nights, group dinners and long lunches with the same attention, without feeling like it's trying to be all things at once.
The grilled steaks arrive with the confidence of a kitchen that sources carefully and cooks without distraction. Fresh pasta is made in-house and the wood-fired pizzas carry the kind of char and structure that only comes from understanding the dough. The wine list is put together to pair rather than to impress, which is exactly the right instinct. Alfresco dining, private dining and on-site parking make the venue easy to plan around and the mix of gluten-free, dairy-free, halal and vegan options means most guests are covered.
Book your evening at Meat Flour Wine Berwick
Taken together, these six restaurants show how much Italian cooking in Australia has deepened over time – from the wood-fired tradition to the coastal crudo, the sharing table to the modern grill. Each has its own character and each gives you a clear reason to sit down.
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