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Il Mercato Centrale

An Italian food hub where 23 artisans sell their wares across three floors.

Dani Valent

Il Mercato Centrale in Melbourne’s CBD.
1 / 9Il Mercato Centrale in Melbourne’s CBD.Supplied
Gnocchi in a pizza bowl.
2 / 9Gnocchi in a pizza bowl.Joe Armao
Annapaola D’Alessio hand-makes pasta at La Pasta Fatta in Casa.
3 / 9Annapaola D’Alessio hand-makes pasta at La Pasta Fatta in Casa.Joe Armao
Have your steak to take home or grilled on the spot.
4 / 9Have your steak to take home or grilled on the spot.Joe Armao
Lobster rolls at Il Mercato Centrale’s fishmonger, Il Pesce.
5 / 9Lobster rolls at Il Mercato Centrale’s fishmonger, Il Pesce.Joe Armao
Sfogliatella with a ricotta and citrus rind filling.
6 / 9Sfogliatella with a ricotta and citrus rind filling.Joe Armao
For all your butcher needs.
7 / 9For all your butcher needs. Joe Armao
Assorted pastries.
8 / 9Assorted pastries. Joe Armao
Grab fresh fruit and veg, too.
9 / 9Grab fresh fruit and veg, too.Joe Armao

Il Mercato Centrale

Italian$

At this ambitious Italian food hub on the western end of Collins Street, 23 artisans sell their wares across three floors of the McPherson’s Building – an art deco edifice that was once Melbourne’s fanciest place to buy hardware. The rivets, nuts and bolts are long gone; now it’s ravioli, Napolitana and bonbons.

The upmarket food hall is the fifth Il Mercato hub and the first one outside Italy. Find hand-made pasta at La Pasta Fatta in Casa, or pop next door for stretchy pizza dough and even ‘gnocchi in a pizza bowl’ – warm, comforting, clever and just a bit messy.

There’s also fresh and cured meats at La Carne E I Salumi; fresh cheese and porchetta paninis at La Mozzarella; baked goods from La Pasticceria; seafood, oysters and cooked dishes to order at Il Pesce; plus more.

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Dani ValentDani Valent is a food writer and restaurant reviewer.

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