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An adjunct to the European, this intimate bar–restaurant–wine merchant does a brisk trade with cuisine connoisseurs in a hurry. Choose a wine from the astonishingly good list (or just select one from the wine wall, opposite the bar), order a plate of cheese and perch at the convivial bar, where you won’t have to try hard to imagine you’re in a trattoria in Florence.

Sometimes you’re in the mood for a menu that’s all experimental flourishes and artistic license; at other times you just want comfort food that never misses a beat. The latter occasions are when you head to the European, a cozy yet sophisticated restaurant on the posh end of the city that feels like the neighborhood bistro of your dreams. Not surprisingly, the food runs along classical European lines: steak tartare, osso buco, coq au vin and an array of rich, addictive pastas all make appearances. The wine list is exemplary and the service always warm and efficient. Take a group of friends and settle in for the night.

A popular venue for the love-struck men of Melbourne to propose to their paramours, this Italian fine-dining establishment oozes romance and old-world charm. The dining room is grand (perfect for pronouncements of any kind), with chandeliers, wood paneling and murals supplying the requisite Italianate sense of drama. The food is similarly impressive, and on any given day you can see the who’s who of Melbourne making deals over pot-roasted pigeon and delicate rock lobster.