Kindred

A meal at Kindred feels like you could be eating in a rural Italian family’s living room, which is not too far from the truth. The dining room is chef-owner Matt Pollock’s former living room, and as far as neighbourhood restaurants go, his food is right up there with the best.

The main reason is Pollock’s dedication to producing as much of the menu as possible in-house. The list is long, but not limited to ricotta, butter, yoghurt, gelato, sausages, puff pastry, mustard and vinegars. Last but not least, the incredible pastas are rolled fresh each day. (You should order at least two of them.)

Beyond pasta, most of the dishes are Italian in approach, but not entirely traditional. The menu changes a lot, but during the winter it’s likely you’ll find a slippery, rich tagliatelle with a ragu of Angus beef and cimi di rapa; lamb rump with pine nut puree, blue lentils, dutch carrots and mint salsa; and a salad of roasted pumpkin with ricotta, fermented chilli, hazelnuts and honey dressing.

Of course, it’s gelato for dessert. Past highlights include a banana gelato served with a dreamy mess of meringue, caramel cream and praline. Drinks change regularly, too. Wines are mostly new-wave/biodynamic, and there’s a rotating selection of craft beer on tap and a decent selection of spirits.