Mezzalira Ristorante

Don your best bling to honour the old bones of this grand dining room, first established as a bank in 1927. It's a fitting setting for Mezzalira's modern take on peasant-style Italian food, delivered by lilting-accented waiters and served amid a chattering rabble of loyal locals. What better place to tuck into home-style Italian a notch better than Nonna used to make? A good bet to start with is zucchini flowers stuffed with anchovies and buffalo mozzarella and encased in a thin tempura crust, served with a scattering of zucchini fried in garlic and white wine. Spaghetti with bugs and prawns is fresh and vibrant with a herbed pangrattato (crumb) topping. Slow-cooked rabbit has a beautiful amber skin and soft, fibrous flesh, balanced with a delicate agrodolce sauce, roasted carrots and sage. End with a fluffy, flourless chocolate torte, clouds of espresso mousse and scoops of salted caramel gelato stuck with crisp cocoa tuiles.