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Eat like an
Subiaco has a culinary beating heart which is Italian so Di Bortoletto ate her way around some of the suburb’s best-loved venues, discovering new favourites along the way.
T
he beauty of Italian food is that it’s as varied as it is tasty, with all bases covered [pun intended] from fast food to fine dining, to carb-loading and clean eating, vegetarian, vegan, sweet treats and everything in between. In fact, in 1851, Subiaco was named after an Italian town, and true to its roots, it’s home to some great Italian eateries. 18
SUBIACO: EAT DRINK SHOP
Dilly Dally
87 Rokeby Road At Dilly Dally, there’s no rush to be on your way, they want you to feel like you can linger for longer. Named to invoke a sense of fun, the cheeky title is a far cry from its serious hospitality offering. From the outside, the place is super-welcoming with its bright terracotta facade. Inside the new fitout showcases the large space retaining some of the building’s heritage set with space between the tables, exposed brick in some areas, graffiti wall art in others, and different nooks and rooms that make this big restaurant still feel intimate. The experienced owners not only love Italian food and wine, but they love how much Italians enjoy their food and wine, both in its preparation
and eating. Head chef Peter Hajdu has put together an Italian-inspired menu focusing on share plates both large and small and pizzas. Dilly Dally is the sort of place that’s equally comfortable for a coffee, a drink or two with a few bites, a long grazing lunch as well as a mega feast with the whole family, or dinner for two with your special someone. Greeted warmly by the general manager Patrick Ryan when we walked in one Saturday for lunch, our negronis were wonderfully balanced, the perfect apertivo ahead of a lunch that both surprised and delighted. As a first-time visitor and fuss pot when it comes to Italian food (check out my surname), I didn’t know what to expect at Dilly Dally. I walked in a sceptic and walked out a raving fan. Perhaps it was the inviting and
