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Dream no longer – overseas dining is back on the cards. Here are the spots chefs and restaurateurs are yearning to revisit, from Italian seaside trattorias to road-side snacks in Vietnam.

- GEORGIE MEREDITH

Dream no longer – overseas dining is back on the cards. Here are the spots chefs and restaurateurs are yearning to revisit, from Italian seaside trattorias to road-side snacks in Vietnam.

GUY GROSSI, Grossi Florentino, Vic

For me, there are two standouts that I just can’t wait to visit. The first is Dario Cecchini – the butcher of Panzano in Chianti, Tuscany. His food doesn’t just speak of heritage, region and tradition, it shouts it from the rooftops. Dario has a number of spots that show off the amazing bounty from the local Chianina cattle; one is his family’s macelleria, where you can enjoy meatballs made from lean meat, served rare and skewered with local rosemary. The other is the restaurant Officina, where you can have a quintessential bistecca alla Fiorentina experience, which involves a perfectly grilled T-bone weighing more than a kilo. The second destination has to be Uliassi, Mauro Uliassi’s amazing beachside dining room in Senigallia. It is a true temple of gastronomy that flexes the bounty of the sea, teamed with a contemporary take on local Italian. Dishes like his pasta with octopus, lard and rosemary always stand out, as do of course the new creations. The whole experience puts you at ease, whether you’re eating on the patio where you can literally touch the sand and smell the ocean, or inside the elegant dining room. This is an experience you won’t forget.

JORDAN TOFT, Mimi’s, NSW