Kyneton has always punched above its weight in the dining stakes. Craft beers flow freely at the Royal George. Dhaba at the Mill slings some of the most interesting Indian in the state. There's a new cocktail and wine bar, Midnight Starling, and as of last month, freshly minted bakery Grist doing tarts and ciabatta for the residents of Instagram. 

Plenty of rural outposts have better options than a chicken schnitty burger from the local shop-slash-post-office, but Kyneton is basically Smith Street, with wider hips and nicer antiques. 

Today we're here for La Bonta, the six-month-young Italian on the old Flouch's site, opened late last year by Royal George alumni Tim Austin and his wife, Janet Lowndes.

The couple used their time at the pub wisely. La Bonta feels custom-built for Kyneton. There's a flush of linen, but an easy vibe, with Tony Bennett mooching out of the speakers, disarming service from Adam Parsons (last seen pulling pints at Fitzroy's North Star), and inherently approachable food.

The menu is tight, gardeny and aggressively fresh, starting with the likes of caprese salad in bite-sized form (paper-thin Sardinian crisp bread stacked with tomato, basil, soft rags of mozzarella and a white anchovy for salt) leading to starches and meatier mains that still sit on the lighter side of the Italian food Venn diagram. 

Austin has a featherlight touch, bringing brightness to food that might otherwise have the effect of a tranquilliser gun. He might take wild rabbit, bake it in a polenta jacket and serve it on a hot day, and you'd eat it with zero regrets. The gamey meat is acid-bright from a tomato braise, the shell light and crisp, amped by a citrussy green olive dressing.

Austin is quick to out himself as a non-Italian. He cites his heritage as garden-variety Anglo-Australian with potentially some Chinese miner thrown in. He's just a fan, putting his own spin on traditional dishes, and relying on skills honed by two decades bashing pans around Melbourne and Victoria.

White's saffron and shellfish risotto might therefore be a little looser and leaner than you expect, made on carnaroli rice, Moreton Bay bug stock, lemon and a little creme fraiche. He prefers to cast his carbs as back-up dancers. In this case they're doing jazz hands for a whole, buttery bug tail, a firm poached pear and an Americano bisque – shellfish sauce deglazed with Campari and vermouth.

Same goes for spongey little ricotta gnocchi, which act as the calm, creamy voices of reason in a screaming brawl of fresh, roasted, and sauced-down tomatoes – they're the last fruits of the season, and they're going down swinging.

Service is a big draw, an excellent blend of relaxed and astute. You know you're in good hands when you rock up late for lunch and they press settle-in-for-the-long-haul gin and tonics on you anyway – replete with straws for the lipsticked. Parsons is all over the neat Australian-Italian wine list too. You might go from a Sicilian Castelmonte zibibbo that smells like peach lollies but drinks dry, to a light Hofer Kolben red from the border of Austria to go with a grilled poussin. Get a half glass if you're driving. It's allowed. 

That little bird is a juicy good time – all sticky skin and well-seasoned meat that speaks of brining, finished with real-deal aged balsamic vinegar. It could live without the zucchini faro salad and corn puree that comes with it. They're OK, but not as appealing as, say, a side of broccoli with white anchovies. 

After six months, they've finally redecorated, giving the stark room a plum-and-black paint job and adding wall lights to give some shape. It's still a little old worldy – the suite of maroon leather lounges remains, as does the structural lean of the toilets. Consider it a bonus adventure. You'll want to book on a Saturday night (though you might still get the whole dining room on a market day when farmers steal the show).

So is it worth a trip? A textbook-perfect honey semifreddo with rhubarb mousse and jelly makes a good case. You'd still probably call La Bonta a great local rather than a food destination on its own. Still, what a town to be a local in. Come for the antique doilies and to swing beers around on the porch of the pub, stay for dinner in the king of tasty towns.

THE LOWDOWN
Pro tip  You get the run of the place on market days, plus jam
Status Get in, go nuts
Go-to dish Honey semifreddo with rhubarb fool, $17

How we score
Of 20 points, 10 are awarded for food, five for service, three for ambience, two for wow factor. 
12 Reasonable 13 Solid and satisfactory 14 Good 15 Very good 16 Seriously good 17 Great 18 Excellent 19 Outstanding 20 The best of the best