Totti's, run by executive chef Mike Eggert and chef Khan Danis, is regarded as one of the greatest woodfire chefs in the country. This casual Italian restaurant, located inside The Royal Bondi, is the ideal place to go when you're hungry and craving some good old-fashioned classic Italian food.

Totti’s is all about enjoying simple, delicious food with your favorite people. Their menu features exquisite delicacies such as fish, chicken, and meat cooked to perfection in their Josper charcoal oven, roasted butternut and sunflower seed fregola, and wood-grilled butterflied spatchcock drizzled with chili sauce for just a little spice. If you're looking for something sweet, try their Neapolitan ice cream or blood orange sorbet sandwich. Totti's offers a fun, delicious, and relaxed atmosphere. Take a seat in the light-filled inside space or in the courtyard among the olive trees.

Website: https://merivale.com/venues/tottis/

Address: 283 Bondi Rd, Bondi NSW 2026

Matteo Downtown on Bond Street, headed by chefs Orazio and Nicola, specializes in providing simple and tasty Italian cuisine with the polish of fine dining. Stunning artworks by Sydney artist Daimon Downey are combined with beautiful light-colored timber dining tables and chairs to create a bright and vibrant atmosphere.

Their wide menu comprises classic and contemporary pasta dishes such as ziti pasta with slow-cooked Neapolitan lamb Genovese ragu and calamarata pasta with squid, chili, and cherry tomatoes, which are inspired by the renowned restaurants of Milan and Rome. Their classic woodfired pizzas, on the other hand, are a must-try since the dough is allowed to rest and rise twice before baking, resulting in a light and elastic pizza dough that does not include yeast. Their Bianca pizza, which is topped with taleggio, fior di latte, lightly smoked ham, and pumpkin, is a must-try!

Website: https://www.matteosydney.com/matteo-downtown/

Address: 20 Bond St, Sydney NSW 2000

OTTO Ristorante on Cowper Wharf Road specializes in bringing some of the greatest Italian fine cuisines to Sydney, with the tagline "la dolce vita" (the sweet life). Chef Richard Ptacnik's restaurant, which is surrounded by the beautiful Finger Wharf in the CBD, takes a modern approach to classic Italian cuisine with a focus on simple, delicious food.

The strozzapreti pasta with black olives, king prawns, tomato, and chili in a rich calamari sauce, saffron linguine with Moreton Bay bugs and pistachio pesto, and hand-rolled pici pasta with Manjimup black truffle and smoked ham hock are among the dishes on their pasta menu. OTTO Ristorante offers private dining areas as well as intimate seating along the wharf, with spectacular views of the surrounding water (for more iconic waterfront views, see where to discover the greatest Sydney waterfront restaurants). If you want to recreate the OTTO experience at home, make sure to pick up a bottle of their signature olive oil.

Website: https://ottoristorante.com.au/sydney/

Address: Area 8, 6 Cowper Wharf Rd, Woolloomooloo NSW 2000

Joe Pagliaro and Grace Watson have made Peppe's the first name on everyone's lips when it came to fresh, homemade Italian gnocchi since opening on Bondi Road in 2019. Peppe's Bondi is a plant-based restaurant in Bondi, Australia, that serves Italian cuisine and natural wines in a relaxed and fun dining atmosphere.

Gnocchi ai funghi with pangrattato and crispy sage, or gnocchi al Pomodoro with fresh basil and roasted capers, are delicious examples of Italian cuisine that don't require the use of meat or dairy. Peppe's lasagna, created with plant-based béchamel and pomodoro sauce with spinach, is a unique vegan take on a traditionally meat-based Italian dish. Antipasti includes arancini and a particularly excellent rendition of garlic bread, as well as salads, heirloom tomatoes and vegetables (such as squash, chili, and garlic). The drinks are also well-chosen. There are $15 spritz, Negroni, and Old Fashioned, as well as eight bottles of low-intervention wine.

Website: https://peppelovesgnocchi.com.au/

Address: 261 Bondi Rd, Bondi NSW 2026

Busta, a cozy Italian cafe in Manly that offers a friendly atmosphere and some of the greatest Italian food in Sydney, is located along Pittwater Road. Their contemporary design features beautiful terrazzo tile flooring and warm, cozy lighting, as well as a curved bar that allows you to see into their open kitchen and watch the chefs prepare your food.

Busta stands out for its fresh and authentic Italian cuisine, from the hand-rolled pasta each morning to the crisp and fluffy bread produced by PiOik Bakery. Classic Italian cuisine at its best is a serving of their classic pork and beef or mushroom ragu lasagna served with garlic, rosemary, and thyme ciabatta bread. Busta's crunchy cannolis are filled to the brim with their house-made lemon ricotta filling, topped with pistachios, and dusted with icing sugar for those who can't get enough of their Italian desserts. Their dessert menu would be complete without their traditional Italian tiramisu!

Website: https://www.busta.com.au/

Address: 10, Pittwater Rd NSW 1655

Bastardo proudly stands out as one of the greatest Italian restaurants in Surry Hills to come for an authentic Italian dining experience. Bastardo, tucked away among the rush and bustle of Holt Street, immediately draws your attention, as well as your appetite, from the moment you step in. Their vintage interior design has a fun color scheme of mint green walls and bright orange flooring, as well as colorful artwork.

On the menu at Bastardo, you'll find house specialties like eggplant parmigiana with Napoli sauce, fresh basil, and mozzarella, as well as Gigli pasta with crab, ripe Roma tomatoes, parsley, and chili oil. If you can't make it into the restaurant, Bastardo also has a takeaway menu where you can pick up some of Sydney's greatest pasta or have it delivered right to your door! Grilled hog belly, wagyu meatballs, slow-roasted sovereign lamb, and casarecce pasta with braised duck, porcini, and Swiss brown mushrooms are among the delicious dishes on their takeaway menu. If you want to prepare Italian food at home, their Humble General Store has a selection of wonderful pasta sauces and desserts from Bastardo, as well as goods from their other locations.

Website: https://www.bastardosydney.com/

Address: 50 Holt St, Surry Hills NSW 2010

Restaurant Leo was founded by Karl Firla, the former head chef and owner of Oscillate Wildly, and Federico Zanellato, the current head chef and owner of LuMi Bar & Dining. You can expect some of the greatest Italian cuisines from both chefs, who share a passion for using fresh, local Australian ingredients.

You may savor exquisite meals like veal saltimbocca wrapped in prosciutto and sage, beautiful King George whiting topped with fresh salsa verde, and cuttlefish and pea risotto cooked with koshihikari rice, which changes based on the season and what's available. Tartufo, torta caprese, and tiramisu are some of the classic Italian desserts also available. Restaurant Leo's 19-page wine menu, created by Fabio Sercecchi, a former sommelier at Balla at The Star, features wines from France, Italy, Germany, Austria, Spain, and Croatia, as well as some of Australia's top wines. Few restaurants in Sydney can compete with Restaurant Leo for the title of "best Italian restaurant."

Website: https://restaurantleo.com.au/

Address: 1/2-12 Angel Pl, Sydney NSW 2000

Matteo Margiotta, Pino’s Vino e Cucina's owner, takes a sophisticated approach to classic Italian food while maintaining a comfortable, informal atmosphere. You'll find a warm and rustic atmosphere with dark brick walls and wooden tables reflecting their soft, warm lighting as you walk in through their wide oak entrance on the corner of Lawrence Street.

You'll find a variety of amazing dishes on the menu, which changes every three months depending on the season, such as octopus and hispi cabbage with nduja dressing, pork ribs grilled over hot coals with sweet and sour radicchio, and seafood carbonara spaghetti (made fresh each day) with spanner crab and other seafood. There are over 150 wines to pick from on their wine menu, many of which are imported from Italy, but there are also French and Australian wines. The menu has been carefully designed to ensure that each dish is paired with a wine that complements the ingredients.

Website: https://www.pinosvinoecucina.com.au/

Address: 199 Lawrence St, Alexandria NSW 2015

Dropping at 10 William Street for a glass of orange wine always goes to snacks, dinner, dessert, and maybe a few more late-night bites. You could visit this hole-in-the-wall three times in a week and never get bored.

From Dan Pepperell through Mike Eggert, their current head chef, Trisha Greentree, the kitchen has been manned by some of the country's greatest chefs over the years. The menu is modest, but with dishes like whipped bottarga with pretzel, cacio e pepe chitarra, and burned vermouth caramel flan, making a decision is difficult. Salads, steaming, and crudités are all choices in the summer. During the winter months of the year, comfort foods such as gamey ragus, polenta, and risottos become available. The space is small and intimate, and the atmosphere is raucous, which makes for a great time.

Website: https://10williamst.com.au/

Address: 10 William St, Paddington NSW 2021

There's plenty of good pizza in Sydney, but Bella Brutta in Newtown is one of the best. Luke Powell and Tania Houghton, the team behind LP's Quality Meats, are behind the new pizza, which is backed by the Porteo powerhouse.

The pizza dough is lighter than a traditional Neapolitan pizza, and it's beautifully seasoned with just the best-in-class ingredients. It has a thin base and a puffy edge, but it's not as bready as a Neapolitan-style slice. Because of the long fermentation, it's flavorful, somewhat sour, and elastic, and it's created using a blend of Australian wholegrain and ultra-refined Italian flours. When it comes to toppings, it is a wide range of selections, tomato, pepperoni, and parmesan pizza, a pecorino, fior di latte, and mortadella pizza and a clam pizza with fermented chili, lemon juice, parsley, and a splash of toasted garlic oil. Take the pepperoni, which is topped with fennel seeds and large rounds of LP's pepperoni, and it's backed with a rich umami-laden tomato sauce.

Website: http://www.bellabrutta.com.au/

Address: 135 King St, Newtown NSW 2042