Pentolina restaurant - Melbourne, Australia

For generations now, Melbourne’s Italian community has been a rich trove of inspiration for Australia’s wildly inventive culinary scene. The arrival of Pentolina in the city’s buzzy Little Collins Street only adds to the lustre.

Local design studio Biasol’s design scheme is a slick mix of modernity and classicism – taking design cues from Roman aesthetics, it has layered a smooth patina finish over the hand-rendered concrete walls that were uncovered during the renovations of the century-old building.The bar, too, is topped with rose coloured marble to evoke the pink granite favoured by the ancient Romans, whilst terrazzo floors, Tasmanian oak and bronze accents add warmth.

A long counter lined with burgundy bar stools sets the stage for an open kitchen and fresh pasta station. Here, executive chef Matthew Picone channels his southern Italian heritage to deliver homey standards, such as a satisfyingly rich spaghetti Bolognese and a spaghetti vongole based on his father’s recipe.§