Pepe's Italian

1/7/25, 2:00 am

We didn’t make it to Pepe’s new martini bar Pepe's Parlour (booked out for a private event), but the restaurant more than held its own. Tucked in the CBD, Pepe's Italian delivers that brand of big-hearted Italian cooking that doesn’t mess around, and pairs beautifully with a stiff gin martini.

We started with a round of Dirty Martinis which were well-balanced, just the right amount of brine, and properly cold. They set the tone for what turned out to be a knockout meal.

• The Spicy Vodka Rigatoni hits the sweet spot between comfort and kick.
• The Spaghetti Gamberi e Pomodorini brought the brightness of tomatoes and the sweetness of prawn in all the right ways.
• The House-Baked Focaccia with Garlic Butter should come with a warning: dangerously good.
• And don’t skip dessert. The Tiramisu was textbook perfect, and the Sticky Toffee Pudding? Rich, warm, and unreasonably satisfying.

Service was attentive, the pacing of dishes on point, and while we’ll definitely be back to try the bar, dinner alone scored an 8/10.

📍275-285 Exhibition St, Melbourne VIC 3000