Pellegrini's has been on Bourke Street since 1954 and has changed almost nothing in the intervening decades. The long counter, the red stools, the Gaggia machine, the hand-written menu on the blackboard, and the brusque but efficient service are all intact. This is Melbourne's original espresso bar and one of the oldest Italian cafes in Australia. The pasta is straightforward and satisfying — spaghetti bolognese, fettuccine — and the gelato is made in-house.
Do not come expecting a quiet, leisurely lunch. Pellegrini's is loud, crowded, and efficient. You sit where there is space, you order from the blackboard, and you pay a reasonable amount. The experience is as authentic as it gets, and the coffee is excellent. There is often a short queue at lunch, but it moves fast.