Brunetti began as a Faraday Street pasticceria in 1974 and has grown into one of the most recognisable Italian institutions in the city. The Carlton flagship occupies the corner block at Faraday and Lygon and runs as a combined pastry counter, gelateria, coffee bar and trattoria, all open from breakfast through to late evening. The sfogliatella and the pistachio cannoli are the safe orders at the pastry counter; the coffee is reliable rather than astonishing but holds its own with any of the strip's competitors.
For sit-down meals, Brunetti is solid Italian-Australian fare — pasta, wood-fired pizza, slow-cooked dishes — at moderate prices. Bigger crowds at weekends; weekday lunchtimes are far easier to walk in.