Marameo

With Marameo, the CBD's latest location for easy-breezy all-day Italian, the team behind the newly launched Bar Carolina has spent no time unveiling another hit. They've created a laneway patio for summertime arvo spritzes, while a vast marble bar beckons inside, refreshing the space that was once home to Sarti. A comprehensive salumi and cheese menu, as well as inventive antipasti such as carrot crisp topped with insect tail, corn, and salmon roe, underpin the menu, while an extensive wine list features both local and Italian wines.

It's also a fantastic vantage point from which to appreciate the owners' efforts to rebrand their business rather than opting for the more convenient pasta or pizza bar. The bigné – a light doughnut oozing fillings of salted caramel and white chocolate – may be the greatest $5 you've spent all year, while a garden party-worthy raspberry pie enlivened with lemon myrtle could be the best $12. Marameo proves that there’s life left in smart dining. You could do much worse for the same kind of money; as a matter of fact, the owners could have, too.

Location: 6 Russell Place, Melbourne Victoria 3000

Website: marameo.com.au