Scalini

You'll find this Botanic Avenue stalwart tucked between the student pubs and coffee shops, where it's been serving up proper Italian fare since the late 80s. The dining room feels warmly old-school – think red banquettes, dim lighting, and walls lined with photos of Italian countryside that somehow never feel naff. The menu reads like a love letter to traditional Italian cooking, with hefty portions of pasta that'll sort you right out after a day wandering the Botanic Gardens. Their pizza bases are properly thin and the toppings don't mess about – this is the kind of place where they've been doing carbonara the same way for thirty years and see no reason to change. The service strikes that perfect balance between attentive and letting you get on with your meal.