Waiters gesticulating and shouting to each other over tables piled with bowls of pasta, goblets of sangiovese and baskets of ciabatta encapsulate the Fratelli experience. This local trattoria has immense charm, energy and most importantly, Italian food that’s so good you could almost believe you were in a piazza in Italy.

The waitstaff, who know the menu as well as they know the locals, are a big part of the appealing character of the Potts Point favourite.

Enjoy aperitivo with starters like Calamari Sant’ Andrea, lightly fried tendrils of squid served with rocket leaves and real balsamic, or a seasonally changing crudo, a plate of thinly sliced raw kingfish scantily dressed with sweet grapefruit and chervil on our visit. Risotto is ultra creamy, oozing with leek and mascarpone, and flecked with chilli and chunks of king prawn.

Pastas are stand-out, with classics like orecchiette cime di rapa hitting the mark alongside a wildly popular scampi spaghetti.

Save room for dessert, the tiramisu is one of the best in Sydney.

 Must eat dish: Scampi spaghetti