Michelino's Trattoria

In the heart of Melbourne’s Little Italy, Michelino’s Trattoria is a restaurant that offers an authentic taste of the old country, with a wood-fired oven and a menu that takes in all the favourites of Italian cuisine. Based on Pelham Street – just off Lygon Street in Carlton – they are right at the centre of the Entertainment Quarter, making Michelino’s the ideal location for a meal to kick off a night out, for a romantic meal or for a special occasion.

There is a superb range of Italian restaurants in Melbourne – a legacy of the mass emigration from Italy – and most of the best of them are concentrated on the Little Italy area around Lygon Street in Carlton. Just off the main drag on Pelham Street by Argyle Square, one can find Michelino’s Trattoria, an Italian restaurant that is right up there with the best of them. Their wine list is an oenophilic tour of Italy, and their menu goes well beyond the expected pizza and pasta options, extending to a full overview of the food of their homeland.

That isn’t to say that the pizza at Melbourne’s Michelino’s Trattoria isn’t superb though: their wood-fired oven – in which they bake pizzas and focaccia bread – is just a small part of why they are among the most celebrated Italian joints in the Carlton area. Alongside the baked goods, their pasta is always cooked fresh, and their primi and secondi choices include steaks, lamb shanks, chicken parmigiana and pan-fried veal dishes. Their specials board is regularly updated as well, so make sure that you make repeat visits, so best to enjoy the diversity of the menu.