After 25 years in the business, this Eagle Street Pier fine diner knows the ropes. Loved by the local corporate credit card-carrying set for its confident, professional service and adored by regulars for its nostalgia value, it lets new trends float on by and focuses on its solid foundation of offering an exceptional dining experience.

The menu offers familiarity through the classics – think arancini, seafood risotto and scaloppine, plus the eternal favourite and signature dish, the Queensland-tastic sand crab lasagne. First made when the restaurant opened in 1992 by then chef Gillian Hirst, the seafood lasagne is still flying out the door thanks to layers of butter-soft pasta, sweet crustacean and a creamy bisque-like sauce conveying pure deliciousness and all the decadence of the era it was created in.

Blushing pieces of duck require a little dexterity to cut through, but the accompanying gnocchi, expertly crafted with that elusive quality that makes the pasta melt in your mouth, makes the effort worthwhile.

Desserts also walk the traditional route, with a line-up that includes panna cotta, souffle and the signature tiramisu, with layers of Marsala-spiked mascarpone and yielding sponge.

Cleverly matching the food is a cracking, Italian-heavy, tome-like wine list which spans the gamut of styles and price points.

As with some stalwarts on the menu, Il Centro’s interior harks back to the 90s and could certainly do with a freshen up to make more of the stunning river views beyond the terracotta tiles to get it through the next 25 years with the same success.

Must-eat dish: Sand crab lasagne