La Madonna Nera 2021 Winner
Perhaps the biggest compliment we can pay La Madonna Nera is that the dining experience is so stirring, that it could comfortably sit within our restaurant category and no one would blink. But this Mount Hawthorn bolthole remains very much a neighbourhood wine bar in spirit, where a local tone and an Italian sensibility inform not only an exceptional wine list, but dishes that stir the soul. Whether it’s a silver-plate tray with potato millefoglie topped with gribiche, a sophisticated scallop crudo, or one of many outstanding pasta dishes, Christopher Caravella’s cooking has nuance and consideration aplenty. A bright spark in the suburbs that’s not to be missed.
