Fresh User Reviews for Italian in Melbourne

6.3 Average

Food  5      Ambience  6      Service  8      Value  6     

I was slightly disappointed with this restaurant and was expecting something a little more for a restaurant situated on Lygon Street. The menu itself seemed a little 'borish' and gave off vibes of a general lacking of true 'Italian' food. The food was 'ok' at best, I thought the gnocchi could have done better with more sauce and salt. In saying all this, the portions of each dish were quite generous (especially the pastas).

May 28, 2012

9.5 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  9      Service  10      Value  9     

Dined recently with friends from the Gold Coast. Outstanding food with an entree of scallops on a leek puree and steak to follow. Service was right on the mark and the selection of food and wine was terrific. I would have no hesitation in recommending this place. Our friends were equally impressed with the quality of the food and the service. Mind you coming from the Gold Coast they are probably easily pleased! Overall a great night out made even better by the great food and ambience.

May 28, 2012

9 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  9      Service  9      Value  9     

Went in for the first time and loved it. I thought the service was great with the friendliest staff. The food was amazing especially the calamari. I will be going there again.

May 28, 2012

2 Not Recommended

Food  2      Ambience  2      Service  1      Value  3     

Breakfast disaster! Waited over an hour for our meals and the place was near empty! My partners brekkie was average at best and missing bacon, my Spanish eggs consisted of 2 badly cooked eggs and 5 tiny pieces of sausage (which was the hold up for our food apparently) they didn't charge us for our drinks to make up for the lack of service and the wait, we were then offered a paltry excuse claiming it was the chefs first day and other kitchen staff were away etc.....

Oh please, we sat and watched several others enter, order eat and leave in the time we were sat waiting! All I can say is never again and I would definitely steer clear of this place.

May 27, 2012

9.5 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  9      Service  10      Value  9     

Good service and delicious food. The gnocchi al pesto are fantastic and the complimentary serving of bruschetta adds to the dining experience! Also, one of the few places that actually know how to make a decent latte!

May 27, 2012

5.4 Average

Food  7      Drinks  4      Ambience  7      Service  5      Value  4     

Provincial is always a good consistent choice for European pub fare. Dishes always have an interesting twist, but doesn't veer too far from the original.
Bouillabaisse was lovely, rich, generous flavours. The boys had the fish selections both were cooked to description.

May 25, 2012

6 Average

Food  8      Ambience  5      Service  7      Value  4     

Dined at Sapore twice, both times had lovely experiences. Waiting staff attentive, but, perhaps, could have been a little less suffocating.

Meals were impeccably presented and flavours of each dish worked brilliantly together. Recommend the Duck and Barramundi. The chocolate desserts are slightly sparse but to die for, bring back the marquise!

May 25, 2012

9.5 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  10      Service  9      Value  10     

Would go there with friends and family to relax, eat, drink and feels like home because of the great staff that care about you not just as a number.

May 25, 2012

7.5 Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  7      Service  7      Value  7     

It's really interesting to see mixed reviews on this place. It is in my opinion one of the top 5 pizzerias in Melbourne. They stick to traditional Italian pizza with a thin base and minimal but fresh ingredients. If you're looking for huge toppings and thick bases piled with cheese, give the place a miss. If you're after a gourmet pizza D.O.C's the place for you! Prosciutto pizza with chilli oil, wow!

May 24, 2012

2.8 Not Recommended

Food  5      Ambience  4      Service  1      Value  1     

The food is Ok (you expect a lot better), the surrounds can be dreadful especially in the summer with lots of dangerous looking transients going by and the service is terrible. The wait staff couldn't check us out without getting the senior staff who remained in her upstairs office on the telephone at 10 pm despite our numerous requests to pay and leave.

When she finally did honour us with her presence, it was with an air of "I can do without your business" and so I will never set foot in the place again and will encourage others not to go there either. There are too many good restaurants to put up with a stuff, overpriced, arrogant restaurant.

May 23, 2012

2.8 Not Recommended

Food  1      Ambience  3      Service  3      Value  4     

Terrible has completely gone downhill. Then we found out there were new owners. The man at the front was rude and obnoxious. Further the specials board has pretty much gone with none of the old favourites. There are a few of the old staff which is very nice to see familiar faces. However, the food is definitely seeing a very very very fast decline.

May 22, 2012

8.3 Highly Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  9      Service  8      Value  8     

I was lucky enough to stumble into this place during a lunch. A very different set up for a restaurant but very cozy once you are seated and having a great time. Enjoyed some pizza's, calabrese and a seafood one which I can't remember the name of, between the two of us. Both absolutely delicious! Very good service, ambience and a really nice setting right in the heart of Melbourne's amazing CBD. If you're ever around Bourke St, you need to dine here at least once!

May 22, 2012

9.2 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Drinks  10      Ambience  10      Service  10      Value  7     

My fiancé requested Italian for his birthday dinner and I choose il bacaro based on the raving reviews. We weren't disappointed. I liked the place from the moment we walked in. Tables aren't cramped together like at some other restaurants, and it had a romantic feel.

Food is amazing, highlights being the prawn filled zucchini flowers, the special pasta of mud crab tortellini, and the cheesecake dessert. The servings are a touch on the small side, but they usually are at restaurants of this caliber. It's not cheap, but it's definitely worth the money and we will be coming here again.

May 20, 2012

1.5 Not Recommended

Food  1      Ambience  3      Service  1      Value  1     

Unfortunately, seems to have changed hands, bruschetta base charcoal and inedible, we were placed next to busy toilet/kitchen door exit, asked to be moved in 1/2 empty restaurant and told not possible being fully booked, it remained 1/2 empty whilst we were there.?

Requested risotto from menu, told not possible on a Saturday night to prepare. Poor service, only a hint if lamb ragu sauce in pappardelle and inadequate serving size. Don't waste your time or money.

May 19, 2012

3.5 Below Average

Food  3      Ambience  6      Service  4      Value  1     

Bought an "Our Deal" voucher to use at Piccolo Mondo, what a disappointment! The choice was from a "select" menu and really not much to choose from, well not for $49 we paid, I think even that was too much!

Service was terribly inconsistent, I noticed a table nearby that also had a voucher and had there three course meal within 1/2 an hour while we waited and waited and waited!

I had tasteless pasta as a main and my partner had calamari with just rocket and that was it!

Our dessert was supposed to be pannacotta, they gave us "chocolate mousse" and would you believe they didn't know the difference, goodness me, we had to point out to the waitress it was chocolate mousse and not pannacotta!

Another fault of Piccolo Mondo, on ordering a glass of the "house red" at $9.00 for 1/2 a glass, the glass was taken away and filled at the bar, for all we know it could have been cask wine, it certainly didn't taste flash and most definitely not worth the $9.00!

Would I go back, never, would I recommend it, not on your life!

There are many more fabulous restaurants doing much better food and excellent service e.g The Italian Corner in Fitzroy and The Boulevarde in Kew, their meals are much cheaper, Excellent service and absolutely delightful and attentive staff.

Piccolo Mondo, gosh lift your game, Lygon St, what a dreadful place compared to what it used to be!

May 19, 2012

9.5 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  9      Service  10      Value  10     

My husband and I loved Stuzzichino. We started with some amazing "Spuntini" (tapas) we had prawn cutlets on house rosti drizzled with house aioli and salmon crochets and some Sicilian olives. Amazing.

For mains my husband tried the Venison ragu, which still till today he raves on about, he said it as the most flavoursome ragu he had ever tasted. I on the other hand had the Rustici pasta sauce. I loved it. The service was friendly and polite. The ambience was lovely the coffee was fantastic.

May 17, 2012

10 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  10      Service  10      Value  10     

The second time we have eaten there and it just never disappoints! We purchased a "voucher" (always a little sceptical!) but the food, service, ambience on yet another occasion was just 100%, it's such a rarity to combine all of the above but the Boulevard certainly ticks all the boxes!

Well done and we shall certainly be repeat customers with recommendations all around! Cheers and thanks once again for a super evening!

May 17, 2012

6.8 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  6      Service  7      Value  6     

Rossini is a well-established Malvern institution, and can be busy even when other restaurants nearby are quite quiet. It's status as such is definitely reflected in the prices! The front room, although quite congested, has a good atmosphere, but the back room is very ordinary. Nevertheless, this doesn't seem to deter the Malvern-ites.

The food is reliable with a good choice of pastas and pizzas plus the usual Italian mains. On one visit, we had the salmon with pesto and roasted vegetables and the gnocchi with four cheeses sauce (very rich!). On another occasion, we had a vegetarian pizza and the vegetarian lasagna. All these offerings were good, and the serves were generous, too.

The service is pretty slick. The wine list is adequate, but as with the food menu, it's on the pricey side for what you get, so take advantage of the ability to BYO.

May 16, 2012

7.7 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  8      Service  7     

I enjoyed dinner at Mama Baba. Staff was very busy but still smiling and friendly, trying to make us feel welcome. Sat at the open kitchen bar area. It was awesome to see the chefs working away up close. One of the chefs gave us a 'leftover' salad. The food was rich and tasty. Definitely need to hit the gym now but well worth it.

May 16, 2012

4.4 Below Average

Food  4      Drinks  5      Ambience  5      Service  3      Value  5     

Very disappointed in the long wait in line to order, by the time you get to the front you have lost your appetite with frustration. Food was pretty ordinary, I agree with other review that Tavern has gone down hill since the extension, will probably not go back again which is a shame as we have frequented this pub often over the years.

May 16, 2012