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Italian Wine and Food Festival returns to Carlton Gardens

Melbourne’s leading chefs and restaurants and more than 200 Italian wines are in store.

Italian Wine and Food Festival

Steven Lee

Lara Caraturo’s Italian Wine and Food Festival returns to Melbourne on June 25, bringing with it a touch of Italian warmth to beat your winter blues.

The one-day festival, which brings together the best of Melbourne’s Italian gourmet community, runs from morning until night, and includes wine tastings by region, a bustling marketplace, and a slew of Melbourne’s top Italian chefs and restaurants.

Take a masterclass on the mighty artichoke from Rosa Mitchell of Rosa’s Canteen, learn the secrets to perfect pasta from Andreas Papadakis and Alberto Fava (Tipo 00, Osteria Ilaria) or catch international pizza rockstar Johnny Di Francesco of 400 Gradi and his head pizzaiolo Mariano De Giacomi in action.

If you’re more interested in eating than cooking, sit down for mortadella and walnut tortelloni at Emilia or pick up some snacks – mozzarella in carrozza, potato croquettes – from Small Axe Kitchen before tasting your way through arancini, truffles and prosciutto in the marketplace.

And if you tire of the many masterclasses and pop-up restaurants, you can retreat to the bar for a Venetian Spritz or a Negroni.

Salute!

Melbourne Italian Wine and Food Festival, Sunday June 25, 11am – 9pm, Royal Exhibition Building, Carlton Gardens, 9 Nicholson St, Carlton, Vic. For tickets and information, visit italianwinefoodfestival.com.au

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