42 Bannerman Trattoria & Bar

Like the best regional Italian trattorie, this makes the most of its natural advantages - loads of fresh produce from the nearby Hawkesbury 'food bowl', leafy grounds and a sprawling dining area. Happy groups choose the 'Italian Table' set menu with generous share platters prepared with warmth by the Mammoliti family. A meal opens with the crunch of handmade sesame grissini and ends with luscious house-made gelato, perhaps white chocolate and sage. There's a generous choice of antipasti, including delicious mascarpone and mint arancini, as well as pillowy beetroot gnocchi topped with zucchini flowers, and stuffed goat with tomato chilli jam and white carrots. The food is obviously made with love and care, so it's easy to overlook minor glitches such as a too-salty gnocchi sauce. Free babysitting on Sundays and a regular farmers' market make it a true part of the community.