Located at the peak of the Hemmes CBD temple, The Ivy, alongside a rooftop pool and Aperol-coloured party scene, Uccello has always had an enviable perch. Several talented chefs have commanded the pans here since the opening in 2008, ensuring the Italian-themed offerings have been consistently as tempting as the Amalfi Coast setting.

Ben Sitton arrived last year with a pan-regional approach to the cuisine that works well for this bustling eatery. You could start with northern Italian-style veal tartare, say, or skillet-fried calamari from further down the boot. Proceed with Yamba prawns licked by the wood fire, or perhaps the globe artichoke served with soft polenta and peas.

Tagliolini with spanner crab may be one of the most popular pasta dishes, but buckwheat maltagliati with duck and red wine is the real scene-stealer. Meanwhile, crumbed veal cutlet, Jack’s Creek T-bone and Burrawong chicken all satisfy the corporate titans who flock here.

At lunchtimes, the city slickers seem to linger all afternoon. But who can blame them? Uccello is a sexy setting where rustic meets razzle-dazzle. The former is on display in touches such as chopped wood embedded in a wall, and the latter by the photogenic revellers who sit poolside under yellow striped awnings.

One quibble, if we may, is the dreary club music piped into the restaurant, barely discernible but present all the same. Mercifully, desserts such as blood orange sorbet with candied zest and a chocolate disc with salted caramel popcorn are sublime distractions. So too is the Italian wine list curated by sommelier Filippo L’Episcopo. It contains 450 Italian drops, from Barbera to vermentino.

Must eat dish: Buckwheat maltagliati with duck and veal cutlet
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