Melbourne has one of Australia’s strongest Italian dining scenes, from polished CBD institutions and basement trattorias to handmade pasta bars, long lunch favourites and historic restaurants that have helped shape the city’s food culture. Around Little Collins Street, Flinders Lane, Collins Street, Little Bourke Street and Bourke Street, Italian food in Melbourne can mean several different things: regional pasta, refined service, classic hospitality, wine-led dinners, business lunches and special-occasion dining rooms.
This guide focuses on five Italian restaurants in Melbourne worth knowing: Trattoria Emilia, Cecconi’s Flinders Lane, Il Solito Posto, Tipo 00 and Grossi Florentino. Each one suits a different kind of meal, from Emilia-Romagna cooking and elegant Flinders Lane dining to basement trattoria comfort, serious pasta and one of Melbourne’s most historic Italian restaurant experiences.
1. Trattoria Emilia
Trattoria Emilia is one of Melbourne CBD’s best restaurants for regional Italian cooking. Tucked away at the rear of 360 Little Collins Street, in Gills Alley, it has the feeling of a hidden trattoria rather than a large city dining room. That sense of discovery is part of the charm: you step away from the office towers and shopping streets into a warmer, more intimate Italian restaurant built around tradition, pasta and careful hospitality.
The food is inspired by Emilia-Romagna, one of Italy’s great food regions. That means handmade pasta, slow-cooked sauces, rich broths, tortellini, tagliatelle, parmesan, balsamic, cured meats and the kind of dishes that feel comforting without being heavy-handed. Trattoria Emilia is especially good for diners who want Italian food with a clear regional identity rather than a broad, generic menu.
This is a strong choice for business lunches, date nights, long dinners, intimate celebrations and anyone who wants Italian food that feels thoughtful but not overly formal. The room has enough polish for an occasion, but the cooking still has the warmth of a neighbourhood trattoria.
Trattoria Emilia is best for handmade pasta, regional Italian food, wine, business lunches, date nights and diners who want a quieter Melbourne CBD Italian restaurant with real character.
Address: Rear of 360 Little Collins Street, Melbourne
2. Cecconi’s Flinders Lane
Cecconi’s Flinders Lane is one of Melbourne’s most established Italian dining rooms. Located at 61 Flinders Lane, it brings a polished restaurant and cellar bar feel to the CBD, with the kind of service, wine list and atmosphere that make it suitable for both business dining and special occasions.
The appeal of Cecconi’s is classic Italian confidence. This is not a quick pasta stop or casual pizza bar. It is a restaurant for people who want a more complete dining experience: antipasti, pasta, seafood, meat dishes, wine, cocktails and desserts served in a room that feels elegant without being cold.
Cecconi’s works especially well for long lunches, client dinners, anniversaries, birthdays and pre-theatre meals. The Flinders Lane location makes it easy to use before or after events in the city, while the restaurant itself has enough polish to make the meal feel like the main plan.
For diners comparing Italian restaurants in Melbourne, Cecconi’s is the choice when you want refined service, classic flavours and a dependable CBD restaurant that has been part of the city’s Italian dining scene for years.
Address: 61 Flinders Lane, Melbourne
3. Il Solito Posto
Il Solito Posto is one of Melbourne’s classic Italian restaurant names. Set in a basement space at 113 Collins Street, with entry from George Parade, it has a slightly hidden, old-city feel that suits its name: “the usual place.” It is the kind of restaurant people return to because it offers comfort, familiarity and a sense of occasion without trying too hard.
The venue is split between a more casual caffetteria-style experience and a trattoria-style dining room, which makes it more flexible than many CBD Italian restaurants. You can use it for a quick meal, a proper lunch, a formal dinner, a business catch-up or a date night, depending on where and how you book.
The food direction is traditional Italian: pasta, risotto, seasonal produce, sauces, wine, desserts and dishes that feel familiar but carefully made. It is especially useful for diners who want an Italian restaurant that feels established and dependable rather than trend-driven.
Il Solito Posto is best for traditional Italian food, CBD lunches, business meals, date nights, pasta, wine and anyone looking for a Melbourne restaurant with a warm basement trattoria feel.
Address: Basement Level, 113 Collins Street, Melbourne, entry from George Parade
4. Tipo 00
Tipo 00 is one of Melbourne’s most famous pasta restaurants. Located on Little Bourke Street, it is small, focused and built around one clear idea: handmade pasta done with precision. The name refers to the finely milled Italian flour often used in pasta and pizza dough, which gives a clue to what the restaurant cares about most.
This is the place to choose when pasta is the main event. Tipo 00 is not a broad Italian restaurant trying to cover every possible dish. Its strength is focus: pasta, snacks, wine, desserts and a compact dining room that makes the meal feel intimate and energetic. It is one of those Melbourne restaurants where a simple-looking plate can carry a lot of technique.
The best way to approach Tipo 00 is to order across the menu. Start with a few smaller dishes, choose pasta as the centre of the meal, add wine and leave room for dessert. It suits diners who appreciate handmade technique, rich sauces, careful textures and a restaurant that knows exactly what it wants to be.
Tipo 00 is best for pasta lovers, date nights, small group dinners, serious Italian food, wine, city lunches and anyone who wants one of Melbourne’s most focused pasta-bar experiences.
Address: 361 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne
5. Grossi Florentino
Grossi Florentino, now also presented simply as Florentino, is one of Melbourne’s most historic Italian dining addresses. Located at 80 Bourke Street, it has long been associated with grand Italian dining, old-world service and a sense of ceremony that few restaurants in the city can match.
This is the restaurant to choose when the occasion matters. Florentino is not just about eating Italian food; it is about experiencing one of Melbourne’s landmark restaurant rooms. The venue has evolved over time, but the appeal remains tied to classic hospitality, wine, refined cooking and the feeling of dining somewhere with a genuine place in the city’s food history.
The food direction is elegant Italian, with the broader precinct historically known for fine dining, cellar-style eating, Tuscan grill influences, pasta, seafood, meat, wine and a more formal restaurant experience. It suits diners who want a special lunch or dinner rather than a casual plate of pasta.
Grossi Florentino is best for anniversaries, birthdays, business dining, long lunches, fine Italian food, wine and anyone who wants one of Melbourne’s most iconic Italian restaurant experiences.
Address: 80 Bourke Street, Melbourne
Final word
The best Italian restaurants in Melbourne cover more than one kind of dining experience. Trattoria Emilia is the hidden Little Collins Street trattoria for regional Emilia-Romagna cooking and handmade pasta. Cecconi’s Flinders Lane is the polished CBD restaurant for elegant Italian dining, wine and long lunches. Il Solito Posto is the Collins Street basement favourite for traditional Italian comfort and city hospitality. Tipo 00 is the Little Bourke Street pasta bar for handmade pasta, wine and focused Italian cooking. Grossi Florentino is the historic Bourke Street landmark for special occasions and refined Italian dining.
Together, they show why Melbourne’s Italian restaurant scene remains so strong: historic, regional, polished and varied enough to suit everything from a casual lunch to a serious celebration dinner.