Melbourne Institutions Series: Part Three - Donnini’s ❤️‍🔥 Donnini’s is an Italian restaurant located on Lygon Street, Carlton. Their story began in 1952 when Fernando and Elena Donnini opened University Cafe on Lygon Street, which became a gathering place for Melbourne’s growing Italian community. 🇮🇹 Over the decades the family expanded into restaurants, opened some of Melbourne’s first fresh pasta outlets and in 1985 launched Donnini’s Pasta Bar on Spring Street in the CBD. In the late 1970s, Tiberio Donnini opened a 48-seat restaurant on Drummond Street which received the Ciao Italia Award for Best Italian Restaurant in Australasia, presented by the President of Italy in 1982. 🏆  In 2002, the next generation, brothers Marco and Riccardo Donnini opened the current Donnini’s alongside Chef Vito De Nino, directly across from where the family story began! Today the focus is handmade pasta, made fresh daily in house. Their signature is the Handmade Tris di Pasta Donnini, available as a single serve or share for two with gnocchi (San Marzano tomato, basil), tortelli (spinach, ricotta, mascarpone cream) and tagliatelle (veal & pork ragu). ✔️ Piadina, roast veal, tuna mayo, rocket - delicious! ⭐️ Covaccino, baked Tuscan flatbread, prosciutto - simple but great. Light and crispy, almost like a giant gnocco fritto ✔️ Spaghetti carbonara - their house cured black pig guanciale gives it so much flavour ✔️ Tagliatelle, local mushroom medley, salted ricotta ⭐️ Tortelli, spinach, ricotta - soft as anything ⭐️ Gnocchi, san marzano tomato, basil - large and pillowy but still with bite ⭐️ Tortelli, artichoke & parmigiano ravioli, butter, sage - the best!! ➖ Tagliatelle, veal & pork ragu - beans were an interesting addition ✔️ Tiramisu - fluffy, creamy, not too much biscuit ➖ Pannacotta - thicker and more set than typical The pasta was definitely the standout, it’s easy to see why it remains such a big part of Donnini’s. The crowd was of all ages and they seemed to know almost everyone who walked through the door! 🥹 Next year marks their 75 years in hospitality with some exciting, big changes on the horizon, so watch this space. 👀 Invite - @girlaboutmelb