Matteo

Get transported to Milan by dining at the restaurant and cocktail bar Matteo, Downtown. In the heart of the CBD, it provides you with a sleek setting to wine and dine with friends, feasting on indulgent dishes from the bustling Italian city, while its sister eatery in Double Bay takes you all the way to the Amalfi coast. 

At the former, discover an open kitchen crowned with white glossy tiles where chefs toss ribbons of pasta in silky sauces. The dining area is a contemporary space, with soft curtains, low lighting and a bar that's well-stocked with Campari. 

Begin with elegant antipasti plates of crudo di tonno (tuna with pickled red onion and avocado mayonnaise) or burrata topped with heirloom tomatoes, before the main event of slow-cooked beef cheek ragù, or sedanini carbonara di mare (squid, prawns, bottarga, egg yolk, pecorino and black pepper). Its wood-fired pizzas are not to be missed either, featuring toppings of fior di latte, king brown mushrooms and truffle paste. 

And to drink? This stylish haunt boasts a fabulous cocktail and wine menu, with head sommelier Samueal Melchor Ramos and bar manager Roberto Torresi at its helm. Look forward to trying a classic Italian Aperitivi like a rosa, made with pink grapefruit juice, or a signature sip such as the Magic Matteo which includes watermelon skin-infused Ketel One vodka. 

Hungry for more? Check out the best Italian restaurants in the city and sign up to our future newsletter for all the latest.