Twenty-five years young, Matteo’s remains a shining light in Melbourne’s restaurant firmament.

That’s because owner Matteo Pignatelli knows the true meaning of hospitality. If he’s not there to greet you at the door, his sterling staff are, eager to take your coat, mix a martini and guide you through a wondrous wine list. Plenty of top drops come by the glass.

Matteo’s offers multiple menus. Five courses for vegetarians, two courses for weekday workers, even children’s dishes. Go a la carte – preferably at night when this lovely dining room glows with buttery light – and it’s elegance all the way, often with a twist. Rannoch Farm quail is presented in the style of cotechino sausage; tortellini comes packed with braised wallaby tail; and sesame-glazed Balmain bug tail bunks down with veal sweetbreads and jellyfish. Then there’s a nimbly deconstructed ‘osso bucco’, best taken with a side of warm winter greens.

For a show-stopping finale, consider the ‘Limone’, a thrilling melange of passionfruit-lemon sorbet and coconut gelato with candied citrus peel and coconut milk mousse.

Must Eat Dish: ‘Limone’