Experience Italian Fine Dining at these 5 Restaurants

Food is deeply ingrained in Italy’s culture and has resulted in many different types of restaurants across the country from ristorantes to trattorias, pizzerias and osterias.

Perhaps the most well-recognised is the ristorante, a formal place to eat Italian cuisine where you sit down at a table, are presented with a menu and offered table service – this is the fine dining side of eating the Italian way!

As we celebrate all things Italiano this week, here are five restaurants where fine dining is on the plate and the menu:

Hidden away beneath Clarence Street down a set of flagstone steps, Machiavelli Restaurant has been serving West Sydney locals for more than 30 years. Cured meats hang from sturdy crossbeams supporting walls with framed pictures, showcasing the rich history behind a traditional Italian menu, which journeyed from Naples to Sydney with Giovanna Toppi and a suitcase of lessons from her mother.

 

Organic greens and regional ingredients come to the fore, with fresh fish delivered twice a day to match a cellar of Australian wine, sitting comfortably beside Italian drops. Begin with starters of zucchini flowers stuffed with ricotta, served with tomato concasse and balsamic glaze, before pasta plates of squid ink tagliatelle with vongole, or pappardelle with duck ragu, rich Madeira sauce, fresh thyme and cherry tomatoes.

New world Italian glamour has landed in Baulkham Hills at Sarino's on Brookhollow Avenue. Located on level one of Mullane's Hotel, this stylish restaurant, bar and cocktail lounge exudes an elegant vibe of leather booth seating and intimate tables for a romantic rendezvous with your special someone.

 

There are also private dining rooms for your next celebration or family occasion; settle in with a cocktail and peruse a menu of classic Italian dishes, like an entrée of dry-aged kingfish crudo, sea asparagus, puffed grains, mascarpone, chilli, finger lime and caviar. For the main, delve into pan-seared duck breast, braised red witlof, potato fondant and Grand Marnier jus.

Embark on a culinary adventure where each day and sometimes each table is different at eRemo Restaurant on Ekerts Road in Pokolbin. This modern and contemporary Italian eatery, the centrepiece of Spicers Hunter Valley Guesthouse, exudes an elegant and stylish vibe of blond wood, sand-coloured brick and softly glowing downlights, while on balmy days, the verandah beckons as a sunny spot to sample a drop of local wine.

 

From a menu boasting share-style dishes, start with charred octopus, Kalamata tapenade, confit potatoes and sea herbs, then salivate over pasta plates of Dutch cream potato gnocchi with duck rillettes, fig, vincotto and puffed buckwheat; perhaps lamb loin entices, served with squash, smoked eggplant, labneh and jus, best enjoyed with a glass of Hunter Valley Pinot Noir.

Experience local Tasmanian produce through an Italian lens at Stelo at Pierre’s on George Street in Launceston. Part of the city’s rich and diverse history, Stelo spreads across two grand dining rooms, a bar and a private dining space; appointed with locally crafted leather bench seats, Tasmanian Oak and leather chairs and crisp linen, the venue feels warm, luxe and intimate.

 

Dine on Wagyu beef, seafood from the rugged coastline and organically grown forgotten vegetables in an ever-evolving menu; think plates like barbequed calamari, shaved and pickled fennel, tentacles and chilli oil, followed by roasted, seasoned and rolled pork belly with celeriac purée, jus, celeriac, apple, nut and radicchio salad. For a divine dolci, indulge with baked rice pudding tart and apricot gelato.

If cravings lean towards the true flavours of Italian cuisine, stop by Entrata on Glenhaven Road. This Glenhaven restaurant is all rustic charm with exposed coloured brick walls, pale green velvet bench seats and dark wood furniture blending seamlessly with glowing pendent lights, to create a moody dining experience.

 

Plating up fare from the roots of old Italy with a modern twist, expect seasonal dishes such as char-grilled lobster with olive oil, oregano, chilli and garlic to start, moving on to mains of lamb cutlets with almond crust, fingerling potato, Dutch carrots, charred Roma tomato and liquified eggplant. Pasta lovers opt for maccheroni with veal shank and pancetta ragu, porcini and wild mushrooms, mascarpone and aged pecorino.