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I'd say that cheap Italian and expensive Italian food are completely different cuisines in Australia.

Cheap places are "Australian Italian", usually with incredibly generic menus and large servings of bland food. That's your Lygon Street Italian, if you're familiar with Melbourne.

Expensive places usually serve "Italian Italian".

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Even so, those "Australian Italian" dishes still cost $20-$25 for a basic pasta dish which I can't justify.

What are some typical "Australian Italian" dishes?

Lasagna, Carbonara (often with cream), and Bolognese. Chicken Parmigiana or schnitzel. Probably some very average pizzas.

For contrast, here's Universal's menu, which is a "Lygon Street" Italian restaurant: https://www.universalrestaurant.com.au/menu

Compared to nearby Tipo 00, what I would probably consider to be more authentic Italian (although still not 'expensive'): https://www.tipo00.com.au/food/

There are also significantly better inauthentic-Italian experiences around, like Capitano which takes its cues from Italian-American food culture.

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