How a hotel bar, restaurant, and cafe gave Canberra its very own 'little Italy'

Every time I move into a new home (and as a renter, this happens more than I'd like to admit), I immediately go hunting for my next favourite neighbourhood bar.When I moved to Kingston, a chic enclave of south Canberra, I was spoiled for choice.Eventually I landed on a wonderful little place known simply as Joe's bar.READ MORE: Surprising 'best part' of new flight to island paradiseAnd once I opened this delightful Pandora's box, I was introduced to some of the best food and drink fare in the nation's capital.Joe's bar is attached to the endlessly hip (and in demand) East Hotel, one of the premier stays in our fair territory.READ MORE: The best places in New Zealand to be a digital nomadI've enjoyed a staycation at East Hotel twice now and I can't think of a better place to spend the night that isn't my own couch and bed.The facilities at this hotel are impeccable – including bikes, a gym, conference rooms and the best views of Manuka Oval.Inside the rooms, there's enough space it feels like a mini-apartment.The staff are so friendly and happy to accommodate any request. For whatever reason you find yourself in Australia's capital, they'll make it feel like home.Plus, East Hotel, which opened its doors in 2012, is also a one-stop shop for your complete gastronomic experience of Canberra.You can enjoy an aperitif at Joe's where the friendly bartenders whip up a bespoke cocktail or sip on the finest wine this side of Australia. Joe's also has a pizza oven and a delightful menu of appetisers you can nibble on before dinner.Dinner, though, is best spent at the most welcoming Italian restaurant I've ever stepped foot in: Agostinis.Agostinis' menu is a foodie's dreamCan't afford to go to Europe this year? Doesn't matter, this restaurant has you covered.Agostinis has everything from mouth-watering focaccia, smoked burrata and salty sardines to the restaurant's famous "frico" for entrees.If you haven't already gorged on too much from this side of the menu, there's a stunning selection of pastas that will tempt you into booking a one-way ticket to Italy.We sampled the strozzapreti al granchio, a delectable crab pasta with a hint of chili, and a creamy pork and fennel sausage pasta known as mezze maniche. Paired with a glass of pecorino wine, this incredible feast was one for my personal history books.It's not an Italian meal without indulging in dessert, either.I recommend either the gelato or affogato for a sweet and tasty finale to your Agostinis experience.It's also fun to book-end your evening at East Hotel with a digestif at Joe's – they're open late and happily welcome stragglers from the restaurant for a tipple.More of Canberra's 'little Italy'If that's not enough Italian fare for your weekend in Canberra, the team behind Joe's and Agostinis have one more trick up their sleeve.They recently opened Case Sosta, a casual Italian cafe serving breakfast and lunch by the water on the Black Mountain Peninsula. It's just a 12-minute drive from East Hotel and you can soak up the lovely views around the peninsula while sipping Italian coffee and chowing down on breakfast frico on the deck.If they were trying to transform Canberra into little Italy, I'd say they've succeeded.The writer stayed as a guest of East Hotel in Kingston, Canberra.