Are you in Venice, Rome, New York, Melbourne or Sydney? Pendolino could be in any big city. One of the city’s worst-kept secrets, this second-floor Strand Arcade restaurant is an Australian interpretation of the very best of Italy. It’s all about style, serious service, wine and a side of olive oil education too.

The dark, dimly lit dining room with brown shutters over the windows, venetian wrought iron and double white table cloths reminds us that the true art of restaurateuring and service should never being considered a dying one. It’s a grade-A experience, though you do pay a high price for it ($90 for two courses).

Of course, as with any experience it’s all about value, and you’d be hard-pressed to get a better Italian feed in Australia thanks to the culinary nous of owner Nino Zoccali and head chef Dean Worthy.

Roasted beetroot, burrata and mint make a sweet start, then burnt butter and herbs coat cubes of seared sweetbreads and large housemade beef agnolotti. Tropea onion and cucumber add a refreshing element to salmon and scallop tartare, while walnut puree does wonders to thin beef Carpaccio. Then a sheet of pork crackling veils milk-braised belly and a sage and pistachio sausage on a bed of potato puree decorated with Roman and Controne beans. Meanwhile Kinkawooka mussels partner crisp-skinned Atlantic salmon, fennel and roasted kipflers. Just stunning.

With a private dining room showcasing over 20 Australian olive oils, pasta made daily in a purpose-built kitchen upstairs and a wine list that takes you to every point of the lady’s boot, Pendolino is a world-class restaurant, not just an Italian stallion.

Must-eat dish: Hand-made spinach ravioli, artisan cheese, burnt butter, sage
Instagram: @therestaurantpendolino