Melbourne has one of Australia's deepest Italian dining scenes, shaped by generations of migration and a new guard of chefs building on that history. Scopri Italian Food and Wine brings a slice of Piedmont to Carlton, while it's hard to go past the pasta at The Hardware Club. Then there's Florentino, the Bourke Street stalwart that has been part of Melbourne's Italian dining story for generations.

This list brings together the best Italian restaurants in Melbourne based on recommendations from chefs, sommeliers and tastemakers on Secondz, with rankings updated weekly. Expect handmade pasta, wood-fired pizza, regional cooking, neighbourhood institutions and contemporary dining rooms, proof that Melbourne's love affair with Italian food runs much deeper than another bowl of pasta. Although, there's plenty of excellent pasta here too.