The small batch pale ale is brewed just around the corner in nearby St Peters, says our waitress excitedly. “We like to keep things as local as possible.” Whether you’re from this neighbourhood or not, from the moment you arrive at Clove Lane, an unassuming corner eatery on Clovelly Road, you’re made to feel like a regular. The beers are poured promptly and a welcome snack of whipped goat’s cheese on a beetroot crisp is sent out from the open kitchen with a smile. There is candlelight and carafes of Chianti. With such a friendly welcome, it’s not hard to feel at home.

Swipe warm Iggy’s bread through fresh stracciatella with harissa oil, or load it up with rounds of shaved zucchini, bathing in its cream. Two chefs calmly drizzle Gippsland sirloin with tarragon jus, as a framed photograph of chef Paul Bocuse looks over their shoulders. You won’t find ego, bells or whistles here, but you will find seasonal produce, treated simply and with care. Take Jerusalem artichokes, for example: they arrive slow-roasted and skins on, darkly golden and earthy, and kissed by quince and shavings of chestnut. Or the Brussels sprouts, bolstered by the fattiness of suckling pig, yet piquant from a light chilli dressing. Barbecued spatchcock is deeply flavoured and giving, the skin crisp and glistening with a sweet honey glaze. Much like the food, the room itself is unfussy yet sophisticated, with exposed brick walls and copper pendant lights. It’s just the kind of neighbourhood eatery your own neighbourhood longs for. Better introduce yourself.