Wining and Dining > Restaurants, Cafes and Bars

Established in 1996, Italy 1 has maintained a firm focus on serving high quality Italian food that takes advantage of the freshest and seasonal produce available.

Darren Venn completed his chef apprenticeship at Italy 1 in the late 1990s, then in 2006, he took on the role of Executive Chef at the Camberwell venue.

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The Italy 1 menu is produce driven and Darren’s passion for Italian cuisine is one that has endured. “I fell in love with Italian food when I began cooking at Italy 1 all those years ago.” We are big believers in using local produce and high quality Italian ingredients. Inspiration comes from what is seasonally available – that is quintessentially what Italian food is all about. I regularly visit the markets and that’s how I create the menu,” says Darren, who remains very much hands on, continuing to man the stoves in the kitchen as Executive Chef.

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Menu changes occur seasonally, but several staple dishes always remain, like the very popular linguine marinara. Italy 1 also has an extensive Italian wine list which showcases some of the best Italian varieties.

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Italy 1 is open all day from 12pm through to 10pm Monday to Sunday for any style of dining whether it be a long and lazy lunch, early dinner with the family or a more intimate dinner in the evening for that special occasion.