Pan Divino City

Tucked inside David Jones on Elizabeth Street, Pan Divino City offers a refined Italian escape from the rhythm of the CBD. It is elegant yet warmly inviting, the sort of dining room where the clink of glassware and the glow of a wood fire set an easy, urbane mood. Here, classic Italian cookery meets a modern sensibility, all centred on high-quality, seasonal ingredients.

The menu favours simplicity done superbly. Begin with something from the antipasti or crudo, perhaps cured Ora King salmon or yellowfin tuna brightened with salsa rossa. House-made pastas take a star turn, from pappardelle cacio e pepe to saffron risotto crowned with rock lobster, while the grill sends out confident plates like Brooklyn Valley striploin with romesco and wood-fired duck breast with smoked beetroot. There are pizzas for traditionalists, and indulgences for icon-lovers too, including a veal cutlet parmigiana and those dangerously moreish lobster rolls.

For a lingering lunch, a swift bite between meetings, or a special occasion, the room hums with genuine hospitality. Close with amaro tiramisu or a pistachio affogato and watch the city soften at the edges. Slip into a seat, savour the moment, and let Pan Divino City make the everyday feel a little more dolce.