Buon Appetito! The Best Italian Restaurants in Sydney CBD

When the cravings for pasta, pizza, ragu or melt-in-your-mouth tiramisu hit, consider yourself lucky to live in Sydney. We’re not only spoiled with Italian restaurants, but the ones we have are truly top-notch or should we say, molto bene. There’s a spot to suit every mood; whether you want to eat by the water or underground, whether you’re after cheap and cheerful, vibes aplenty or an intimate romantic date night spot…

From old-school Italian to modern mash-ups, here’s where to go for the best Italian restaurants in Sydney.

The Best Italian Restaurants in Sydney: CBD

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Palazzo Salato 

From the good people who brought us Love Tilly Devine and Ragazzi, Palazzo Salato is one of our favourite haunts for Italian feasting. The 120-seat venue is brimming with kitchen space which means an even wider variety of unique hand-shaped pasta, grilled meats and more. Diners have the choice of the walk-in-only bar and the dining room, with interiors inspired by traditional Italian trattorias (that’s a relaxed Italian eatery to you and I). A 500-strong wine list rounds out the offering.

201/203 Clarence Street, Sydney  

Buon Ricordo

Buon Ricordo (Italian for good memory) offers next-level interiors, with art literally lining the walls from floor to ceiling as well as to-die-for dishes.

Everything on the menu is great but the must-try dish has to be the fettuccine al tartufovo. Fresh pasta served with cream, parmesan, topped with a truffle fried egg and tossed at the table, in the almost four decades that Buon Ricordo has been operating in Paddington no dish has been as loved as this (except maybe their veal braciolette which is a very close second). Safe to say we’re obsessed.

108 Boundary Street, Paddington

Zafferano Trattoria Mediterranea 

Having opened in 2021 as a café, Zafferano has officially relaunched as a trattoria serving a slice of Sicily to Sydneysiders. With Sicilian-born chef Simone Crivello at the helm, alongside his partner Isobel Galloway, the trattoria has brought the Mediterranean to the heart of Paddington. The menu is simple yet sophisticated with signature Sicilian classics including Sfincione – a fluffy pizza – and considered seafood dishes. The interior pays homage to Palermo with forest green walls and marble finishes and windows that frame some of the tree-lined terraced streets of Paddington. 

354 South Dowling Street, Paddington 

Lucio Pizzeria

A proud member of the AVPN, the highest pizza honour, Lucio’s Pizzeria is a firm favourite for pizza and pasta lovers alike. Lucio’s is helmed by only the most accomplished Pizzaioli, flipping fresh pizza from the woodfire oven and serving up rustic dishes like crab pasta, veal saltimbocca and polpette al sugo.

248 Palmer Street, Darlinghurst

Pasta Emilia

We’re obsessed with this Surry Hills Italian restaurant, with its rustic charm, enviable corner location and handmade pasta. The Pasta Emilia menu includes antipasti and mains of fresh seafood and meat but the true showstopper here is their pasta. 

Want to recreate the delicious Pasta Emilia experience at home? Pasta Emilia runs pasta-making classes at their cooking school. Each class ends with a glass of organic wine (yes, please!) and a full meal and a take-home pack of fresh pasta and sauce.

259 Riley Street, Surry Hills

a’Mare

a’Mare beckons with the charm of Italy at the picturesque Barangaroo waterfront. Acclaimed chef and restaurateur Alessandro Pavoni, in his quest to revive the lost art of gueridon or trolley service, has brought a touch of Venice and Milan to a’Mare. Dishes are thoughtfully finished tableside with utmost care and attention – a nod to the rich traditions of Italian dining.

From the mouthwatering Wagyu beef tartare to the tableside preparation of trofie al pesto, each dish is a story from the chef’s childhood in Northern Italy retold through flavours. A 15-page wine list complements the menu, featuring wines from Australia to Italy, premium spirits and cocktails.

Crown Sydney, Level 1/1 Barangaroo Avenue

Paski Vineria Popolare

Opening their doors in 2022, Paski is a collaboration between Sydney wine legend, Giorgio De Maria and chef Enrico Tomelleri (formerly of Ragazzi, Alberto’s Lounge &10 William Street). A bar and bottle shop make up the ground floor and serves some of the best bar snacks in Sydney with oysters, pancetta-wrapped muscles, meats and cheeses as well as inventive Italian wine and local wines.

Upstairs at Paski Sopra (literally Paski above), you can find a rich a la carte menu in the intimate brick-lined space which looks down over the hustle and bustle of Oxford Street. Expect inventive starters such as the incredibly moreish tapioca and asiago fritti drizzled in chestnut honey, lead into handmade pastas which are all beautifully paired with delicious drops from the infamous Paski wine cellar.

239 Oxford Street, Darlinghurst

Kindred

Kindred serves up wholesome Italian fare reminiscent of a bygone era – no fuss yet plated to perfection. Begin with warm sourdough and cultured butter, travel through entrees, mains and pasta and end with something sweet. The pasta is the real standout so if you’re a pasta fiend, you’ll be thrilled when you’re treated to lesser-known goodies like bucatini and cauliflower cappellacci. 

137 Cleveland Street, Darlington 

Club Fontana

Move over When Harry Met Sally there’s a romance on the block and it all happened when the team from Don (Peppino’s) met Ron (the former Ron’s Upstairs) space. The Result? Club Fontana. Hard to define, the menu is best classified as Italian meets Australiana, picture kangaroo tail stepping in for ox tail in dishes. The dining room is light-filled with a mural and a bar and gives off an effortlessly cool vibe that truly befits the suburb they call home. The menu is set to rotate regularly with dishes on deck for a good time not a long time. Think house-made ricotta, seafood carpaccio roo ragu paccheri, cotoletta milanese and a traditional dessert range with cannolo, gelato, biscotti and more.

133a Redfern Street, Redfern

Fabbrica 

Expect fresh, seasonal sauces produced from the best ingredients available at Fabbrica. Eachrestaurant also offer a fantastic wine list with a focus on Australian-made and Italian varietals. If you’re feeling hungry, the set menus offer incredible value. 

Want to take a little bit of Fabbrica home with you? Grab one of the pasta packs for a mid-week dins and you’ll be praising your foresight forevermore. 

Sydney CBD and Darlinghurst 

Pellegrino 2000 

This Surry Hills gem has been a favourite from the day it opened its doors. Serving classic Italian dishes with a modern flourish and plated to retro perfection, this spot is the place to be. Taylor Swift was even spotted dining in a cosy nook at Pellegrino 2000 when she visited Sydney on her Eras tour. Anything from the curated menu is a safe bet from the crumbed pork cutlet to the prawn gamberi. 

80 Campbell Street, Sydney 

Ragazzi Wine & Pasta

From the team behind two of our favourite wine bars, Ragazzi is the delectable pasta and wine bar of your carb-infused dreams. Chef Scott McComas-Williams crafts the menu daily with classic flavours and contemporary cooking at the heart of their culinary offering.

Shop 3, 2-12 Angel Place, Sydney

10 William St

Tucked away in a Paddington terrace, this chic wine bar-slash-restaurant is perfect for date nights and catch-ups with friends. Run by the Fratelli Paradiso brothers, 10 William St gives its chefs room to experiment. The result is an ever-evolving menu that’s Italian, with an Australian and/or Asian twist. Order the gnocchi and a glass of red – ask the staff to find your perfect pair – and finish with the fluffy tiramisu.

10 William Street, Paddington

Fratelli Paradiso

When a menu is written only in Italian, you know the restaurant means business. That’s the case at Fratelli Paradiso, a local institution that’s all about authentic food and imported wine to match. It’s open for breakfast, lunch and dinner (a rarity!), but we suggest making it your last stop of the day so you can feast on calamari, prawn risotto and ricotta nettle ravioli at your leisure.

12-16 Challis Avenue, Potts Point

Civico 47

Paddington mourned when Lucios’ shut their doors after four decades but, luckily for the locals, Civico 47 stepped in to take their place. Helmed by Chef Matteo Zamboni formerly of Ormeggio, Pilu at Freshwater and Jonah’s, Civico 47 is a light-filled dining space with a cosy bar and a Mediterranean feel. The menu is refined yet accessible which is perfect for its suburban location.

47 Windsor Street, Paddington

Totti’s

A Bondi mainstay that has now expanded and has even broken through the border to Lorne in Victoria, Merivale’s Totti’s needs no introduction. Their salt-crusted, wood-fired fluffy bread is enough to start a religion – or at the very least give you some great content for the ‘gram! We suggest ordering up some antipasti before sharing some plates of pasta. Think spinach pappardelle with kale and pistachio, cacio e pepe, campenelle with milk-braised pork and chilli and more.

Locations across Sydney

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