Città sees Ronnie Di Stasio return to the neighbourhood where he pioneered Rosati in the heady days shortly before the fringe benefits tax and the stock market crash cruelled the excesses of the 1980s. The linguini Capri (ebulliently listed with “pawns, parsley, lemon and sunshine”) is enjoying poll position on Instagram, but capellini – angel hair by another name – with loads of garlic and briny-sweet chunks of crab meat in its white wine-driven sauce, is nipping at its heels.

Ronnie di Stasio may well have invented the Instagram hashtag ‘Italianality’ along with embodying the concept at his St. Kilda institution, Cafe di Stasio. His Spring Street all day dining space gives it a city airing and then some. Forget the soulful Italian south – this place could out glam Milan.

The sequel to Ronnie Di Stasio's spaghetti-slinging, barolo-pouring St Kilda landmark has landed, and true to the nature of its art-loving provocateur owner, it's going to push buttons you didn't know you had. The raging red of its puffy chairs and rosary necklaces on smocked waitresses, plus the constant motion of video artworks heat the blood so you suddenly consider dropping crazy money on the biblical wine list. But then comes the soothe: the cool of the marble bar where Di Stasio's classic fluffy, buttery schnitzel sandwich in foil, twirls of lemony crab linguine, plush veal napped in silken tonnato sauce meet new essentials.

A modern Italian renaissance can be found on Spring Street where Rinaldo Di Stasio’s city outpost combines avant-garde art installations with the time-honoured rituals of aperitivo hour. Grab a seat along the marble bar for a negroni and salty snacks, like the fried anchovies and sage leaves encased in a frill of batter, chicken liver crostini or the best-in-show arancini. The temptation to kick on into the bigger fare is extreme, thanks to the classically minded excellence of saffron-stained Milanese risotto, veal saltimbocca and hot zabaglione with marsala custard.

Moving to Melbourne’s CBD with Di Stasio Citta was one of the best decisions restaurateur Rinaldo Di Stasio has made in recent years. His classic St Kilda café has been refined and refocused at this ferociously energetic Italian restaurant and bar, with a menu that runs through Di Stasio’s storied history and celebrates the timelessness of fresh regional Italian dishes. The exciting approach to classic Italian dishes should tell you all you need to know about how open the kitchen is the exploring regional Italian, mostly with a lean towards Milan and Lazio.

Some might balk at the idea of paying over $40 for a plate of pasta, but anyone who’s eaten at Di Stasio Citta knows that you’re not just paying for ordinary food, but an entire experience. Guests come for the slippery prawn linguine and pillowy semolina gnocchi, but stay for the big-hitting wine list, personality-driven service and high art meets brutalist decor. Located strategically on Spring Street, it’s become a fast favourite for long, boozy business lunches and after work mischief.45 Spring Street, Melbourne

If you are a fan of Cafe de Stasio at St Kilda's, then Di Stasio Citta, its more formal outpost at Spring Street will impress even more. The concept combines arthouse film perfection with video installations by Australian artists Reko Rennie and Shaun Gladwell and baby blue Murano chandeliers with a menu of classic Italian fare. White-jacketed waiters serve pasta cooked al chiodo (firmer than al dente) with guanciale, tomato and pecorino, and golden suckling pig paired with slow-roasted apple.

Located in Melbourne’s Little Italy, Di Stasio Pizzeria in Carlton is the latest addition to Rinaldo Di Stasio’s celebrated culinary empire. This stunning pizzeria exudes Italian charm and offers a sublime romantic setting, especially when seated in the outdoor piazza, surrounded by elegant urns, high brick walls, and a 17th-century Roman fountain. With over 30 years of restaurant experience, Di Stasio delivers an unforgettable Italian dining experience that blends sophistication and charm.

Tucked away behind the King and Godfrey complex in the heart of Carlton is an oasis away from the cacophony of Lygon Street – Di Stasio Pizzeria. They serve nine different Napoli-style pies with blousy crusts that have been properly scorched in a wood-fired gas rotary Marana Forni oven. The quality ingredients used – durum wheat flour specially milled in Tamworth, house-made jersey milk fior di latte – mean it’s definitely on the pricey side, but that lobster pizza alone is worth it.

Wander down a pebbled laneway lined with white pots planted up with greenery next to the newly opened Di Stasio Pizzeria and sit in the secret garden, a delightful outdoor dining space, a hidden courtyard in the midst of Carlton, one of Melbourne’s premier Italian dining precincts. The centrepiece of the garden is a fountain which has been imported from the Roman countryside. Rinaldo Di Stasio tasked his chefs with making the ‘perfect’ Margherita pizza and the results are splendid.

This Italian eatery is the ideal setting for your romantic pasta fantasies if your ideal date looks like something out of Lady and the Tramp. This St. Kilda eatery is the result of the passion of its owner, Di Stasio, for the hospitality industry in Melbourne, his appreciation for avant-garde art, and his Italian heritage. The Linguine Capri with lemons, parsley, prawns, and sunshine is a must-try if you want to fully immerse yourself in the film's concept.

Cittá is a sort of culmination, a vibrant dynamic next step along a continuum of a challenge and ideas Rinaldo has wrestled with his entire life. This is not just a commercial venture - though he has never shied away from that - but also a vehicle for expressing and bringing together all aspects of Italo-Australian history, culture, place, and heritage. Citta embodies a distinct sense of hospitality, food and beverage, architecture, and artistic movements.

Rinaldo Di Stasio’s arty city outpost roars with Italian brio but aperitivo hour is celebrated in the sophisticated Roman style. Take a seat at the marble bar for a Negroni and a plate of addictively salty anchovies and sage leaves in a lacy batter, or take advantage of the full menu running from late morning to late night and sink further into Città’s command of Italian fine dining. 45 Spring Street, Melbourne; (03) 9070 1177

When dining at Di Stasio Pizzeria in Carlton, you might very well feel like you’re doing so in Rome. This stunning Italian pizzeria restaurant with its lush courtyard and design-centric fitout, is the latest addition to Ronnie Di Stasio’s offerings, which pay homage to traditional, homemade Italian dishes that you might find at Nonna’s. Hot tip: the Carbonara might be the best in town!

Part art gallery, part Italian restaurant, this is the second outpost of St Kilda's Cafe Di Stasio. While we are focusiing on the pasta here, it’s hard to talk about Di Stasio Citta without mentioning its grand modernist design. It feels more like a contemporary gallery than a restaurant, with high concrete-clad walls, minimal furnishings, and white videos projected onto the walls.

Di Stasio have rendered themselves a Melbourne institute when it comes to Italian fine dining and so of course their contribution to the city’s gnocchi offerings doesn't fall short. Their gnocchi quatro fromaggi is, you guessed it, a classic four cheese gnocchi. While not for the dairy shy, this cheesy dish certainly deserves an honourable mention on the gnocchi shortlist.

Located at 45 Spring St, Melbourne VIC 3004, this upmarket restaurant is tucked away in a side street in the heart of Melbourne’s CBD. This place is a legend of Melbourne dining, and its celebrity chef, Rinaldo Di Stasio, is known for creating innovative and incredibly delicious dishes. After you’ve settled in and ordered, prepare to have your taste buds blown.

Few places manage to combine the warmth of Australian hospitality and the depth of Italian food quite like Di Stasio Citta. Take in the cosy atmosphere that says “sit and stay awhile.” Be sure to indulge in their brasato di manzo, a slow-cooked beef with polenta that is simply lifechanging. Of course, there’s always the classic pasta, too.

When Rinaldo di Stasio’s first restaurant Rosati opened in 1985, it took eating standards in the CBD to a new level. Arriving 34 years later, Di Stasio Citta marked a fittingly blockbuster return to the city centre. Beyond the colourful mural and sleek grey brutalist facade is a restaurant that bears all of the Di Stasio hallmarks.

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Di Stasio Citta is a Melbourne restaurant that highlights Italo-Australian culture in a modern space, blending old and new hospitality. Many view it as a culturally significant spot that values both tradition and fresh ideas. This approach creates a distinctive, comfortable dining experience without feeling stuffy.

Rinaldo Di Stasio returned to Melbourne’s CBD in 2019, after a 30 year absence from the heart of town. The menu at Di Stasio Citta features many favourites from Cafe Di Stasio and Bar Di Stasio (also both worth a visit for pasta fans) with the expected bold, vibrant Sicilian flavours.

Rinaldo (Ronnie) di Stasio is a vigneron and patron of architecture and the arts. He founded Di Stasio in 1988 and like the classic dining rooms of Europe, it’s a restaurateur’s restaurant. Thoroughly Italian, those in the know come for the seasonal set-lunch of two courses and wine.

Cocktail canapes, Rissotto milanese milano style saffron soused. The name above that door is not mine but my father’s. Italianality, filtering Venice through a unique Australian expression, has been my way of continuing along that proud personal path.

Location: 45 Spring St, Melbourne, VIC 3004 Ph: (03) 9070 1177. This is undoubtedly one of the finest Italian restaurants in the city. It is the sister restaurant of Café Di Stasio, which is a renowned and popular venue in its own right.

The classic fine Italian diner stands out for its sophisticated interior. (Image: Di Stasio St Kilda Photography). Take your pick – the original in St Kilda, the cool Carlton iteration or the modish Spring Street version.

Among the top Italian dining establishments in the region are Trulli Restaurant, Luciano's, Stellina, Traralgon Pizza & Pasta Restaurant, Café Evviva, Di Stasio Citta, Tiamo, and Zonzo Estate Yarra Valley.

Di Stasio Citta offers some of the modern Italian cuisine around with an exceptional wine selection and mood setting décor the dinner will just be the start of your romantic evening.

Oh, actually, how about Tipo 00, Rosa’s Canteen, Il Bácaro, Di Stasio Citta, Grossi Florentino, Pellegrini’s, The Hardware Club, Rosetta, or Marameo?