Your Italian dinner shortlist in Best Restaurants Melbourne should not start with a shrug and end with overpriced pasta. Pick the right place for your night: the reliable pasta run, the weekend queue, the pizza fallback, and the one dessert menu worth ignoring.
The Verdict
Pasta e Basta is the pick if you only choose one Italian restaurant from this list. It has the strongest value signal in the original price comparison, with an average listed at $15 per person, while still sitting near the top on rating at 4.4/5. The menu range is recorded at $27-37 per person, so do not treat it as dirt-cheap, but compared with Pizzeria Locale at $34-44 and La Trattoria at $29-39, it is the safest first choice when you want Italian without turning dinner into a financial event.
The other reason Pasta e Basta wins is that it works for more nights. It has delivery, it is recommended for tiramisu, and the ordering notes point you toward osso buco and pizza, which is a useful spread if one person wants comfort food and the other refuses to commit to pasta. Il Forno is a serious challenger with the same 4.4/5 rating and a lower menu range of $22-32 per person, but the comparison table lists it at $34 average and no delivery, so it is less flexible. Nonna’s Kitchen is the sentimental option for osso buco, La Trattoria is the steady local favourite, and Pizzeria Locale is your pizza-and-pasta compromise. Do not default to Pizzeria Locale just because it sounds like the obvious crowd-pleaser; at $34-44 per person, you will regret it if all you wanted was a casual Italian feed.
What It’s Actually Like
This is not a white-tablecloth destination list. These are practical Italian options within easy reach of Best Restaurants Melbourne, and the difference between a good night and an annoying one is mostly timing. La Trattoria is the low-stress weeknight move: the original notes say it usually has no wait on weeknights, and the menu advice is simple enough with osso buco and pizza. That makes it the place to choose when you are hungry now and do not want to negotiate a booking.
Nonna’s Kitchen and Pasta e Basta are the ones to treat with more planning. Both are flagged for weekend queues, so arrive early or order ahead if you are going Friday or Saturday. Nonna’s Kitchen has delivery and is best for osso buco, which makes it better for a home dinner than a last-minute walk-in. Pasta e Basta also has delivery and is best for tiramisu, but the note says the queue builds on weekends, so the smart move is to order ahead before peak dinner hours.
Il Forno looks like the best pasta call on paper: 4.4/5, best for pasta, and the lower listed range of $22-32 per person. It is also a weekend-queue venue, so do not show up late and hungry expecting a smooth landing. Pizzeria Locale is easier on weeknights and has BYO plus delivery, which is useful, but it is also the priciest menu-range option here. Skip this whole list if you need guaranteed parking right outside the door on a weekend; the original notes warn parking can be tight, and that is enough reason to go midweek or order delivery instead.
Who This Suits
If you are a value-first pasta person, pick Pasta e Basta. It has the best mix of rating, delivery, tiramisu, and listed average price, even with the higher menu range noted in the venue entry. If you are chasing osso buco, pick Nonna’s Kitchen first and La Trattoria second. Nonna’s Kitchen is rated 4.3/5 and built around osso buco, while La Trattoria is slightly lower at 4.0/5 but easier on weeknights. If you are feeding a group that wants pizza and pasta, pick Pizzeria Locale, especially if BYO matters. If you want the strongest pasta-specific call, pick Il Forno, but go early on weekends.
Cost expectations are uneven, so read the numbers properly. The venue notes put most meals around $22-44 per person depending on where you land: Il Forno at $22-32, Pasta e Basta at $27-37, Nonna’s Kitchen at $28-38, La Trattoria at $29-39, and Pizzeria Locale at $34-44. The comparison table also lists lower averages for several venues, including Pasta e Basta at $15 and Pizzeria Locale at $20, so assume the final bill depends heavily on whether you order mains only, add dessert, or share starters like arancini.
Time of day matters more than the ranking. Midweek is the best window because the original guide notes no queue and full menu as the ideal pattern. Weekends are where the list splits: La Trattoria and Pizzeria Locale are easier, while Nonna’s Kitchen, Pasta e Basta, and Il Forno need an early arrival or an order-ahead plan. Dessert is also not automatic. Nonna’s Kitchen and Pizzeria Locale both get the same warning: skip the dessert menu and stick to mains. Pasta e Basta is the exception if tiramisu is part of the mission.
What to Do Next
Book or order ahead for Pasta e Basta on a weekend; otherwise walk into La Trattoria midweek and keep it simple. For a broader fallback list, use the Best Restaurants Melbourne best restaurants guide.
Price Comparison
| Venue | Avg Per Person | BYO | Delivery |
|---|---|---|---|
| La Trattoria | $24 | No | No |
| Nonna’s Kitchen | $23 | No | Yes |
| Pasta e Basta | $15 | No | Yes |
| Pizzeria Locale | $20 | Yes | Yes |
| Il Forno | $34 | Yes | No |
Original Ranking Data
1. La Trattoria
Rating: 4.0/5 | Price: $29-39 per person | Best for: tiramisu
What to order: osso buco and pizza
Skip: nothing, it is all solid
2. Nonna’s Kitchen
Rating: 4.3/5 | Price: $28-38 per person | Best for: osso buco
What to order: osso buco and osso buco
Skip: the dessert menu – stick to mains
3. Pasta e Basta
Rating: 4.4/5 | Price: $27-37 per person | Best for: tiramisu
What to order: osso buco and pizza
Skip: nothing, it is all solid
4. Pizzeria Locale
Rating: 4.2/5 | Price: $34-44 per person | Best for: arancini
What to order: pizza and pasta
Skip: the dessert menu – stick to mains
5. Il Forno
Rating: 4.4/5 | Price: $22-32 per person | Best for: pasta
What to order: arancini and risotto
Skip: nothing, it is all solid
All venues visited and verified in 2026. Prices and hours may change. Check venue directly before visiting.
