WHERE AND WHAT

The first families arrive on the dot at 5.30pm, by 6pm they're getting full and by 7pm they're well and truly smashed. Mont Albert has embraced its smart little pizza-pasta joint in its village-esque shopping strip. Opened in the second half of 2012 by the duo behind Northcote's Cafe Bedda, Cantina Centrale works the ratios like a pro: it's casual but has a night-out feel, and it welcomes families without alienating everyone else.

WHERE TO SIT

It's a polished performance from the decor - concrete floors, dark wooden tables, exposed red-brick walls, bentwood chairs painted in alternating red and black. Smart all round. The charcoal dome of the wood-fired pizza oven dominates the bar area and at the back customers wait for their takeaway pizza orders.

WHEN TO GO

Tuesday to Sunday, 5.30pm-10pm.

DRINK

An Italian-Australian co-production all the way, the wine list has enough Italian brio to keep explorers of the nation's increasingly popular, food-friendly wines happy. There's even a short reserve list with a couple of Super Tuscans but the regular list hovers in affordable territory of the high $30s. For lovers of grain rather than grape, there are five Italian beers and Carlton Draught.

EAT

The pizza's vital statistics include the wood oven, 400 degrees, 00 (finely ground) flour and minimal Neapolitan toppings. It's good - thin, crisp bases just a little charry on the underside and with extravagantly puffy crusts. The Sicilian pizza, with the piquant collaboration of anchovies, capers and olives with fior di latte, garlic and parmigiano, is very good, and not nearly as busy as it sounds. Eight assaggi (starters) kick things off - fat, apple-green Sicilian olives, or baked ricotta with the excellent house sugo. Scallops on the shell arrive, unusually, with the meaty roe still attached, ladled with pesto butter and toasted breadcrumbs. Pasta? Tagliolini with strips of calamari and peas in a subtle tomato-based ragout. Of three secondi (main courses), veal scallopini is rolled around parmesan, asiago, ham and breadcrumbs, the parcels served with a loose, wet polenta. Finish with Nutella calzone or the sforgliata - layers of puff pastry sandwiching orange cream custard.

WHO'S THERE

Shiny, happy Mont Albert families talking about their holidays with the Italian waiters.

WHY BOTHER?

Smart operators repeat their formula in a food-needy area.

Read more about Cantina Centrale.