Cicciolina

Cicciolina is no longer the brazen ragazza she was 20 years ago but she has aged in classic St Kilda style. shabby without chic and just enough attitude to remind you she's still immensely popular. Melbourne's first no-bookings honeypot has morphed into a place that draws everyone from older couples who order without thinking (and no doubt remember the restaurant's feminist Italian porn-star namesake), to groups of friends doing the modern version of a dinner party (look, no hands), to young couples having a comfy dinner after work, silently punching phones between courses. They're eating sparky caprese salad with heirloom tomatoes or salty jamon with grilled peaches and burrata, then tucking into the daily fish special, excellent Cape Grim eye fillet, or linguine with salmon and spinach - a little artistry and a lot of tradition. Then maybe lush gingerbread pud or just a bracing, creamy affogato to say ciao bella to this lovably imperfect icon.