Delmonte

The restaurant and wine room on the ground floor of the King & Godfree building is one of Lygon Street’s main attractions. The name Delmonte honours owner Jamie Valmorbida’s grandfather Carlo Valmorbida, who was born in north-eastern Italy in the mountain village of Valli del Pasubio – del monte means “from the mountain” in Italian. Carlo took over the heritage-listed King & Godfree building in 1955, establishing it as one of the city’s iconic food institutions.

Delmonte opened in the space in 2026, following a long renovation. Now, it serves a Karen Martini-curated menu spanning northern Italy, with dishes that nod to Carlo’s home town in the mountainous Veneto region near Venice. Salumi is taken seriously, with house-made condiments to match. There are familiar pasta staples including tagliatelle bolognaise and earthy portobello; porcini ragu with gnocchi; and a simple pomodoro spaghetti that blends roasted Roma tomatoes with fresh San Marzano tomatoes, topped with basil and stracciatella.

The drinks menu features 11 cocktails and a 300-bottle Piedmont-focused wine list, including a very special house wine: a remake of a shiraz Carlo once imported from the Dolomites under his now-discontinued label, also called Delmonte. A family heirloom of sorts, it’s now produced by the Valmorbida family-owned Tar & Roses.

Meats are sourced from Donati’s Fine Meats, which Jamie owns. Dessert scoops are from Pidapipo – co-owned by Jamie with his sister Lisa Valmorbida. Delmonte celebrates what the family has achieved in Australian hospitality and showcases their Italian roots.