Recently reborn under the stewardship of Michael Bascetta (of Bar Liberty, Falco Bakery and Capitano fame), Fitzroy North’s answer to New York City’s Flatiron Building has embraced the verities of pub life, including a $25 pot-and-parma night on Mondays, when there’s an eggplant parma for vego folk, too. But take note, parma fans: the rest of the week it’s all about the chicken schnitz. A mini revamp of the venue means you can now spill out into the courtyard with your dinner; whichever way you jump on the menu, chef Scott Eddington (ex-Arnold’s) knows his way around the tasty classics. 251 St Georges Rd, Fitzroy North; thepinnacle.melbourne

They call it parmageddon… and there’s a good chance this member of the crowd-approved Australian Venue Co. isn’t joking about their Thursday night deep-dive into their supersizing of the parma’s multi-layered mysteries. Decide for yourself if bigger is better with these 450-gram monsters topped with napoli, mozzarella and friends. Previous ‘mystery bet’ parmas have included `nduja-spiced napoli with corn and minted spiced yoghurt, and a Mediterranean version with feta, basil and capsicum aioli. At $28 with a beer or wine, they could spell your end… or be cash-savvy and share it with a bunch of mates. 155 High St, Kew; skinnydoghotel.com.au

A kid-sized parma is just one of the family-friendly calling cards at this corner joint that mixes the serious business of sports screens in the front bar with the pleasure of pub classics in the dining room. Get your adult-sized parma straight up with all its KPIs intact, or go the loaded option with options including the Melbourne (just add bacon and egg), the Austin (with bacon, onion, barbecue sauce and chipotle mayo), the Buffalo (hello, hot sauce and blue cheese cream) and the Honolulu (no explanation needed). Visit on Thursday nights, when you can get your parma fix for $20. 333 Barkly St, Footscray; ploughhotel.com.au

Kudos to this backstreet icon, where an Aussie-fied menu bent offers smoked kangaroo loin as an alternative to the trad smoked leg ham anointing its chicken parma (tasting notes: it’s a smoky, peppery and environmentally friendly alternative). Roo aside, you can expect all the base notes to be covered – we’re talking salty golden fries and a guilt-alleviating salad – while a cauliflower parma loaded up with a walnut and rocket pesto dials the flavour up to 11. If you’re really committed to eating Australia’s national emblem, you can double down with the pepper-crusted kangaroo fillet with bernaise, fries and salad. 210 Napier Street Fitzroy; thenapierhotel.com.au

Expand your parma universe with a visit to this old-timey Irish pub where poultry gets its dues but the cauliflower number flies the flag for the meaty-yet-vegetarian-friendly heft of brassicas. An eight-strong parma menu has something for everyone, including a very likely shot at upsetting the purists with a Tex-Mex mash-up called the Rodriguez, featuring jalapenos, guacamole and sour cream. Its goopy excess makes the fungi parma, with mushrooms and spinach, look positively restrained in comparison. Drop in on Wednesdays for a $25 deal. A solid range of craft beers is waiting in the wings to provide the perfect beverage match. 364 Clarendon St, South Melbourne; limerickarms.com.au

Lovers of the bigger parma will find plenty of reasons to celebrate at this perennial CBD favourite. A hefty example of the chicken species saddles up with the tried-and-true smoked shaved ham, a vibrant napoli and a heavy hand on the enveloping blanket of mozzarella cheese. A perky little side salad and generously seasoned steak-cut chips complete a solid parma experience. Vegos can also enlist an eggplant parma to the cause, while everyone is welcome to go wildly off-piste by throwing onion rings at the situation. Sync your visit with the sports calendar for maximum crowd energy. 2-8 Bourke St, Melbourne; bourkestreetimperial.com

Take your parma on an alfresco date at this former supermarket turned into a sprawling beer-loving behemoth close to the Moonee Ponds train station. Whether you pull up a pew in the beer garden or find your own nook inside, you’ll find plenty to love in a parma that’s a real fattie, coddled in crunchy crumbs, layered with plenty of smoky ham and a welcome bunch of well-seasoned chips on the side. And it’s only $20 on Wednesdays. There are pinball machines to make you linger longer – the flashing lights also happen to be a good cure for that post-parma food coma. 15 Holmes Rd, Moonee Ponds; holmeshall.com

It pulled its first beer in 1870 and was reborn last year after a multi-million-dollar makeover. Yet this three-levels-and-a-rooftop venue hasn’t forgotten its origins, with a menu that nods to sepia-toned times past. You could be firmly in the 1970s when staring down its nostalgic chicken parma; a bubbly golden vision of griddled cheese with a prime piece of chook lurking beneath, plus a serving of chips that’s not too big and not too small but just right. Just add some sport on the big screens and get ready to commune wholeheartedly with Aussie culture. 127 Russell St, Melbourne; hickenshotel.com.au

After ‘the Pav’ burst out of the blocks a few years ago for winning a best parma competition, aficionados have beelined 30 kilometres south-east of the city for the sprawling joint. The rewards are great, thanks to the free-range and organic chicken breast, crumbed in-house and ready to do the golden dance with some high heat and a sprinkle of quality salt. The chips are crunchy, the salad nutritionally sound and the drinks list is ready to join the fun with everything from Furphy Ale on tap to a bunch of snappy whites from across Australia and New Zealand. 55-61 Princes Hwy, Dandenong; dpav.com.au