Sardella

Just like the person you’ve been seeing who told you, “we’re not dating, but we’re not not dating,” Sardella is hard to define, but keeps you coming back. It works equally well for a casual lunch or a celebratory dinner; the food is Italian, but includes dishes with green curry and soy caramel; and the airy, brightly-tiled space feels like it should be overlooking the Mediterranean instead of a street in Clayton. Head here with a group and order a bunch of their small plates, like the burrata and octopus, along with a few of their pastas (they come in full and half sizes). And while you wait for dessert, you can try to convince the rest of your party that you’re just not that into labels.