This Too Shall Pasta – 6 Venues for Pasta Perfection

Can you guess which are the three most popular pastas?

Penne, spaghetti and macaroni take the top spots out of more than 600 pasta shapes produced worldwide. What’s your favourite shape?

Everyone loves a bowl of comfort and pasta certainly fills the need…here are six of our favourite places to say grazie to a dish of your choice:

Real Italian food handmade with love is what is on the menu at Gemelli on Gold Coast Highway in Broadbeach. With a name translating to ‘twins’ in Italian, this dining destination encapsulates all the Gold Coast has to offer with spacious alfresco dining opening onto a park and the iconic golden sands of the beach just minutes away.

 

A rustic setting coupled with a vibrant atmosphere offers the unique experience of a modern Italian establishment; settle in with a glass of red and contemplate starters like wood-fired King prawns, parsley, capers, garlic and chilli, served with housemade bread, then twirl your fork around pasta plates like fettuccine with Italian tuna, olives, capers, cherry tomatoes, chilli and rocket.

Sofia’s Restaurant & Bar on Victoria Avenue brings a new level of sophistication and style to Broadbeach. Located on the ground floor of the Oasis Shopping Centre, dreamy tones and a stunning fit-out draw you in, with whitewashed walls, touches of wood and pops of colour from the bottles on the shelves, all transporting guests to long, serene Summers on the Italian Coast.

 

Sofia’s is known for all-day dining, an extensive wine list, signature wood-fired bread, appellation oysters shucked to order and the guests’ favourite - cacio e pepe - served at the table in a 40 kg aged Parmesan wheel. Executive Chef Dan Paulman delivers some of Sofia’s favourites alongside a selection of seasonal additions, such as linguine with prawns, fresh chilli and garlic.

Discover world-class fine dining in suburban Melbourne at Vivace Restaurant & Functions on Bay Street in Bayside. Since opening in 2004, Vivace has become synonymous with exceptional modern Italian food in the heart of the suburb’s entertainment precinct; expect a striking interior ambience of polished timber floors, crystal chandeliers and several fireplaces to welcome you into warm and inviting surroundings. 

 

Take a seat at the Jarrah bar and enjoy a cocktail and freshly shucked oysters, or linger over starters of yellowfin tuna crudo, asparagus, finger lime caviar and horseradish mayo with someone special. Pasta lovers opt for pappardelle with slow-cooked duck, shallots, baby gem squash and pecorino Romano, or linguine with mussels, King prawns, scallops, salmon and olives.

For those who find themselves in Melbourne, make for the east and head along Wellington Parade to find a true Italian institution at Geppetto Trattoria. This locally loved eatery has been owned by the same family since 1981, holding the sought-after central position of being perched in the heart of the action adjacent to the MCG, AAMI Park and Rod Laver Arena.

 

Using locally sourced ingredients, Nino and his son have created an authentic menu offering hard-to-find dishes with a focus on housemade pasta, seafood and slow cooking. Depending on the season, sample daily changing whole fish options, perhaps delve into spaghetti with prawns, calamari, mussels, fish, garlic, tomato and basil or paccheri with creamy gorgonzola sauce, walnuts and black pepper.

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 calamari fritti, tartar sauce and lemon, moving onto pasta choices sure to tempt such as tagliatelle Machiavelli with King prawns, mushrooms, chilli, basil and garlic in a light bisque sauce.

Italian cooking from generation to generation is what you’ll find on the plate at Svago Cucina on Unley Road in Parkside. Share your next special moment with family and friends, from an intimate gathering to a big bash, in stylish surrounds of trailing greenery, a warming fire for chilly months and blond wood table settings.

 

Expect handmade dishes using the freshest ingredients that Nonna would be proud to serve – start your culinary adventure with plates like mushroom and truffle arancini served with truffle aioli; then salivate over pasta options like spaghetti gamberi with prawns, chilli, garlic, zucchini, fresh stracciatella, lemon zest and parsley oil, or rigatoni with slow-cooked beef ragu and Napoletana sauce.