Next best thing to a European summer on the Costa Smeralda? A Sydney summer lunch at Giovanni Pilu’s gastronomic homage to his island birthplace of Sardinia, overlooking Freshy. And 10 years old in 2014. Moor your Perini sloop a few hundred metres offshore or park your Corolla out front and step up to this handsome beach house. Be unfailingly enthralled with the suckling pig and fresh pasta dishes, with a special shout-out for an eggy tagliolini with vongole, bottarga and parsley. A new dessert – corbezzolo honey mousse with Ichnusa beer sorbetto, spiced bread and macadamias – has already hit our greatest hits list. It’s not unheard-of for folks to take a dip at cosy, covey Freshwater beach after lunch. Just don’t bowl up to the restaurant in your swimmers, please. There’s a Pilu kiosk open seven days for that sort of action.

And … The 12-hour car parking spaces outside do become available.

THE LOW-DOWN
Vibe Family-friendly; relaxed yet sophisticated provincial dining.
Best bit A surf after lunch.
Worst bit Forgetting your cossie.