The quiet over-achiever of Melbourne’s Italian restaurant scene, Scopri doesn’t have to shout to be heard. This stylish trattoria has its heart and soul in the Piedmont region, while its seasonal KPIs keep things closer to home at the owners’ Macedon Ranges biodynamic farm. Head to northern Italy on the wings of the agnolotti stuffed with a delicate farce of rabbit, veal and pork – a must-order whether it’s your first visit or 10th – and use the white wine-braised goat as the perfect excuse to order a bottle of barolo from the ballsy list. (Be warned: it will get you primed for a nightcap at Bar Olo, by the same team, a few doors down the road). 191 Nicholson St, Carlton; scopri.com.au

Part pasta bar, part wine bar, all fun, Tipo 00 is base camp for lovers of Italy’s favourite carb. The permanently over-subscribed spot on Little Bourke Street is harder to get into than the Vatican on a July afternoon, but persist and be rewarded with a tableau of tortelli stuffed with asparagus, goat’s cheese and garlic, squid ink tagliolini tangled around calamari and bottarga, and flags of mafaldine standing up to a luscious veal ragu. They’re always pouring plenty of interesting Italian wines by the glass, while the boozy Tipomisu remains a classic as eternal as Rome. 361 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne; tipo00.com.au

The Italophile in your life will swoon over this little sibling to longtime favourite Scopri. A few doors along from the mothership, Bar Olo (say it fast to get the joke) is a beautifully realised den of mid-century design, with the kind of thoughtful mood lighting that turns everyone into an indie movie star. It’s the perfect setting for canoodling over luscious Piedmontese wine, including that namesake Barolo, and making a night of it with share-happy dishes including chilli salted fritto misto and velvety vitello tonnato – but beware of bickering over the addictive rabbit, pork and veal-filled agnolotti. 165 Nicholson St, Carlton; barolocarlton.com.au

The angels sang when Balwyn’s 60-year love affair with Boccaccio Cellars spawned a wine bar and restaurant. The symbiosis between the brilliant Italian grocer and the upstairs hangout is evident in the cheese wheels and salumi pouting from behind the counter. Grab a quick plate of capacollo or duck prosciutto and a glass of something luscious from the excellent Aus and Italian list. Better still, stick around to try charred octopus with ajo blanco (almond sauce) and an oily lick of Espelette pepper or guanciale-studded rigatoni all’Amatriciana before wobbling off into the night. Level 1/1046 Burke Road, Balwyn; enoteca.boccaccio.com.au

A modern Italian renaissance can be found on Spring Street where Rinaldo Di Stasio’s city outpost combines avant-garde art installations with the time-honoured rituals of aperitivo hour. Grab a seat along the marble bar for a negroni and salty snacks, like the fried anchovies and sage leaves encased in a frill of batter, chicken liver crostini or the best-in-show arancini. The temptation to kick on into the bigger fare is extreme, thanks to the classically minded excellence of saffron-stained Milanese risotto, veal saltimbocca and hot zabaglione with marsala custard. 45 Spring Street, Melbourne CBD distasio.com.au/citta

The spaghetti with half a grilled rock lobster draped lasciviously over the top is emblematic of this chic spot in Prahran where everything (food, fit-out, customers) seems ridiculously attractive. Park yourself on an olive green leather bench seat and pretend you’re in Portofino with the help of bresaola, gnocco fritto with a cacio e pepe twist and pork cotoletta. Forgot to order your lobster spaghetti two days in advance? Consolation can be found in the sophisticated embrace of parmesan tortellini bathing in chicken jus with an intensifying slosh of balsamic, chased with a glass of Italian red. 436-438 High Street, Prahran; osteriarenata.com.au

Named in honour of OG party god Bacchus, Il Bacaro is a place to go exploring a world of Italian wine (hello, greco di Tufo, sagrantino and carricante) in the company of an expert sommelier-slash-travel guide. All clubbish timber and linen-clad tables, the refined 30-year-old bistro is equally the home of the power lunch and the romantic night-time rendezvous. Long-time chef David Dellai knows how to make top produce sing: look no further than the supple twirl of spaghettini with Moreton Bay bugs, burrata going satisfyingly vego with artichoke hearts and mint salsa verde and Melbourne’s best calamari fritti, which needs nothing more than rocket, balsamic and a squeeze of lemon. 168-170 Little Collins Street, Melbourne CBD; ilbacaro.com.au

Centonove has occupied its striking Art Deco corner of Kew for longer than most locals care to remember, but its 27 years have perfected the formula of a neighbourhood restaurant rocking a sense of occasion. Linen-clad tables and smooth waiters ballast an evergreen package of beef carpaccio in horseradish cream, scallops on the shell under a toasted blanket of parmesan and lemon crumbs. There are the occasional ingredient curveballs, such as a dashi butter that helps the barramundi with fried polenta keep up with the culinary Joneses. Want it more casual? Head across Cotham Road to little sibling Bar Alba, where another standout Italian and Italian-friendly wine list meets cracking snacks. 109 Cotham Road, Ke; centonove.com.au

Rosa Mitchell’s proud Sicilian heritage shines through in everything she touches, whether it’s a panzanella salad made with burstingly sweet tomatoes or the pared-back joy of cured sardines with red onion and oregano. Her Yandoit farm and Central Victorian friends lean into the project, with produce ballasting the rustic charms of dishes that swing with the seasons. Look out for macca (a Sicilian fava bean-based soup) to beat the depths of winter and welcome the sun with the light touch of fried zucchini flowers stuffed with whipped ricotta, chilli and mint. Whatever the time of year, you’re going to need the cannoli. Cnr Little Bourke and Thomson streets, Melbourne CBD; rosascanteen.com.au

Lunch is the word at Caterina Borsato’s atmospheric city basement restaurant, where antique mirrors, Venetian plaster masks and a spoken menu create northern Italian magic. Thirty years in the biz have perfected rusted-on dishes, such as the baccalà mantecato – salt cod whipped with extra virgin olive oil and garlic, served with pickles and toasted ciabatta. There’s a world of choice, from sweet-sour sardines to gnocchi lolling in pork neck ragu and the note-perfect simplicity of grilled swordfish. Our advice is to put yourself in the hands of Caterina and her cheery waiters and prepare to skip dinner. 221 Queen Street, Melbourne CBD; caterinas.com.au

The lords who brought you Tipo 00 and Osteria Illaria – Luke Skidmore, Alberto Fava and Andreas Papadakis – are spreading their carbohydrate-driven joy a little further afield, with Figlia in Brunswick East. Specialising in organic sourdough pizza, chargrilled snacks, and a wine list that errs to minimal intervention makers, it’s a well-rounded experience. The pizza selection is honed, at just eight options, ranging from the classic margherita to a spicy ‘nduja with bullhorn peppers. Our pick is the mortadella with taleggio and roasted pistachio nuts. 335 Lygon St, Brunswick East; figlia.com.au.

There’s plenty of Italo-American red-sauce flavour at this pizza bar in a classy, refurbished Carlton pub. The pizza is made in an electric oven using 48-hour fermented dough or choose deep-dish ‘Grandma pies’ with the simple sauces featuring tomatoes, garlic and marjoram. Among the smart cocktails is a clarified milk punch with ladyfingers, coffee and rum. Sound familiar? It’s the tiramisu you need when you’re too full for tiramisu. 421 Rathdowne Street, Carlton; capitano.com.au

Marameo, née Sarti, has flown an Italian flag at this CBD laneway location since the mid-noughties. A 2019 makeover combines the Chris Connell design swag of peachy banquettes and soft brutalist greys with the irreverence of a menu delivering wagyu tartare cannoli, ‘Italo disco’ lamb ribs with garlicky panko crumbs and a sweet and sour glaze and ever-changing lunchtime sangas. Start with a spritz on the terrace before getting stuck into spaghetti cacio e pepe funkified with black truffle, a 10-cheese lasagne or just a classic pork cotoletta doing its thing with slaw and chilli salsa verde. 6 Russell Place, Melbourne; marameo.com.au

Park St. Pasta & Wine is the friendly neighbourhood osteria everybody needs. Across two levels of a 130-year-old corner terrace, warmed by a crackling fireplace and art deco pendants, it sets the scene for a romantic spaghetti and vino affair. The house made pasta is a highlight. Try the plump ravioli with potato, raclette, mushroom, thyme butter and parsley or maybe a fettuccine with chicken ragu, olives and orange. If you have room, don’t forget dessert – the classic tiramisu is a perfect treat for two. 268 Park Street, South Melbourne; parkstreetpasta.com.au

Fire and food are the lifeblood of Grill Americano. The handsome space beams big New York energy, with dark features and lofty ceilings. Huddle into a clamshell banquette, or sip negronis at the white marble bar for a ringside view of the kitchen anchored by a custom-made wood-fire oven. Confetti-thin octopus carpaccio is tenderised, bunged in the oven for smoke appeal, then wrapped and steamed for a melt-in-your-mouth texture. Dressed in olive oil, chilli and parsley, it’s a marvel in flavour and technique. Black Angus beef eye fillet from the Josper grill is a flavoursome, well-treated cut. You’ll need sides, then just add a glass of something Italian from the cellar. 112 Flinders Lane, Melbourne; grillamericano.com