Mission Impastable – 7 Spots to Satisfy Pasta Cravings

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 seven of our favourite places to say grazie to a dish of your choice:

The brick-laden shopfront of Borchelli Ristorante on View Street effortlessly reflects the Victorian-era boomtown characteristic of Bendigo. Checked red and white tablecloths, friendly hospitality and polished cutlery create a refined setting infused with down-to-earth charm in this neighbourhood eatery.

Defined as a classical Italian menu, anticipate a Mediterranean twist in plates like pasta miso – any three pastas or risottos of your choice to share – or fettuccine Valentino with chicken, avocado, spring onion, cracked pepper, Napoli, garlic and a touch of cream.

Seasonality and simplicity are on the plate at Italian restaurant, bistro, wine bar and cellar, Sella Vinotecca on Barker Street in Randwick. With a name meaning ‘saddle’ in Italian, this Sydney dining destination is located in the Newmarket area where the old horse stables of the Inglis family were found for more than a century and exudes a rustic ambience of tiles, dark wood and softly glowing pendent lighting.

Expect to sample great seasonal produce alongside minimal intervention wines as seen in starters like scallop gratin, ginger, beurre noisette and chives; then salivate over pasta offerings such as mafalde with slow-cooked lamb shoulder ragu, tomato and pangrattato.

Bringing people together with the flavours of Italy, Luigi’s Restaurant in Narellan Town Centre is one of Southwest Sydney’s favourite dining destinations. For more than 15 years, this warm and welcoming venue has been delivering authentic Italian traditions with a modern twist in stylish surrounds of white-clothed tables, black leather settings and potted greenery.

 

Irresistible favourites such as linguine with housemade Italian meatballs and Napolitana sauce always hit the mark, or veal tortellini tossed through a Napolitana sauce with bacon, olives, chilli, garlic and shallots. Pizza lovers opt for pulled pork, smoky BBQ sauce, caramelised onion, rocket and garlic aioli.

A legend on Melbourne’s iconic Italian dining scene, Becco Restaurant on Crossley Street in the heart of the city delivers on all fronts. Offering outside seating down the New York-style laneway, inside also exudes a buzzy vibe with warm lighting for intimate occasions, modern Italian fare and an extensive wine list.

 

Take a seat at the bar for a cheeky cocktail, before heading to one of the white-clothed tables in the dining room, where an open kitchen offers glimpses of Chefs hard at work; think pasta plates like tortellini, or orecchiette with pork and fennel sausage and broccoli.

Renowned as a gastronomic capital of Italy, the essence of the bountiful gourmet region Emilia is recreated in Surry Hills at Italian restaurant Pasta Emilia on Riley Street. Explore a pantry-style shopfront for local and Italian imported items before taking a seat among shelves of boutique products, wine and fresh flowers while an accordion player readies for another cheery song.

 

Fine food and warm hospitality are combined in this quaint restaurant with a menu full of housemade organic pasta and fresh, full-bodied sauces in dishes like linguine with seasonal sustainable Australian seafood, or duck and truffle tortelli with herb butter and guanciale.

Discover the aromas, textures and flavours of Italy with a Mod Oz twist at Two Sugars on Pakington Street in Geelong West. Inside is stylish and rustic at the same time, with polished concrete floors, recycled timber and a circular pendent light installation; while on warm days the streetside alfresco area is the ideal spot for people watching over a vino.

 

Say ciao to starters of pan-fried prawns with garlic, chilli and white wine, served with pane di casa, then delve into gnocchi with wild boar sausage, mushrooms and peas in a light tomato and cream sauce. Nutella pizza makes for a divine dolci to finish your meal.

Find authentic Italian dining in Cairns at Ollie’s on Marlin Parade. This Tropical North Queensland restaurant delivers a taste of Rome to locals and visitors alike showcasing the best of local produce and seafood alongside water views and balmy breezes.

 

From delicious steak, dry-aged in-house and cooked on the josper grill to traditional handmade pasta and hand-stretched pizza, your food journey will be complete; perhaps devour spaghetti caciio e pepe with mussels, pecorino romano, tobiko, black pepper and lime.