The World Loves Melbourne Blog

Sarti Restaurant in the Melbourne CBD is an inspiring hatted Italian restaurant offering a world of cool and sophisticated cuisine. Sarti brings together a compelling fusion of traditional and contemporary. The World Loves Melbourne attended the unveiling of the Sarti winter menu and Sarti.it and we left on a Sarti Italian high. Sarti has been a Melbourne favourite and an Italian restaurant that rises above the pack. Each dish from Head Chef Paulo was presented with imagination, flair and technique in spades.

Sarti offers a sophisticated ambience with modern artistic pieces such as the one above, with great use of timber, artwork on walls, classic dim lighting, sweeping bar with attractive tiles and funky music. The theme of red that underscores the logo is reflected in the restaurant fit out. Service is professional and engaging but not overpowering.

Baby Pizza is a chic pizza joint in Church St Richmond that excites with its quality cuisine and Italian influences. If you like your pizza and want a decent vibe, then Baby Pizza delivers. But if you also love an Italian cafe then these guys are also a superb cafe. Open from 7am is a serious commitment. And a La Marzocco to boot.

Chris Lucas and the team behind highly successful Chin Chin are in action, and these guys know what they're doing. I arrived here spontaneously after driving past and deciding to duck in. I was warmly greeted at the door and made to feel welcome - then offered a stool at the bar. My first impression was Baby Pizza is chic but also homely. Racy and rustic. Across the bar I could see the chefs in action. Culinary theatre. The restaurant was packed and the noise levels rising with lively conversation.

Baby Pizza has a simple menu with an effort to create an authentic Italian experience. An impressive Melbourne trend is to attract chefs and staff from Italy. Baby Pizza has brought in fine Italian chefs to add to the authenticity.

Pinocchio's Pizza Restaurant is a fabulous Italian restaurant in trendy South Yarra that has recently undergone a transformation of note. After 40 years of successful trading the restaurant has lost its 70s mission brown and straw roofing for a modern fit out with stunning Pinocchio themed art work on the walls, modern lighting and panelling, and one of the coolest vibes in the precinct.

The illustrations of Pinocchio from the 1883 classic tale are compelling - and tell a story of one of the owners, John Gdanski, who treasured a vintage copy of the book as a boy. It's the charming vintage illustrations that are reproduced on the walls - rather than the Disney looking Pinocchio some of us are familiar with.

The menu at Pinocchio's has also been revamped. New chefs and an imaginative menu have made Pinocchio's more than pasta and pizza. In saying this, both the pasta and pizza are great. Pinocchio's provides an authentic Italian dining experience including ingredients sourced from Italy.

Pop Restaurant in Hardware Lane has undergone a rennaisance with addition of Executive Head Chef Manuel Villegas, a new team and an impressive new menu featuring Spanish and Italian cuisine.

With years of history including an art gallery, Pop Restaurant offers a stunning ambience in Hardware Lane. Come here for breakfast, lunch or dinner and Pop Restaurant (and Hardware Lane) pulsates with atmosphere. Musicians performing at night add to the ambience in the Lane.

Manager Greg Mahoney has been a restaurateur for many years and is passionate about providing a great experience for diners. With the advent of Manuel Villegas, one of Australia's best chefs, and a menu which highlights Mediterranean cusine rather than just Italian, we were keen to sample and experience the changes at Pop Restaurant.

We arrived on day one of the new Pop menu. Normally we allow restaurants to settle in where there's major changes, but the team at Pop were at the top of their game.

Etto is a highly impressive Italian street food restaurant in South Melbourne. This is about the simplicity of Italian street food at reasonable prices (only around $10-13). The food is healthy with no deep frying or use of oils. The pasta is fresh and home made, using imported Italian equipment. The fit out is modern oozing with Italian style. You can mix and match pasta dishes with a selection of fabulous sauces. Customisation is a strength of Etto and you get the feeling this place is all about satisfying the customer. The menu brims with favourites of Spaghetti, Tagliatelle, Pappardelle, Rigatoni, Gnocchi, Fusilli and Ravioli. 

We sampled many of the dishes of Etto (as their guest) sitting outside on a warm Melbourne day, and were impressed with the quality of the home made pasta and the wonderful balance of the sauces. The pasta is fresh and pleasing and the sauces are light and don't overpower. This is great Italian street food. The Spicy Italian Sausage (above) features free range pork sausage and basil pesto. There was a delightful kick in the sausage and the sauce was superb. One of my favourite dishes.

Non Solo Pasta is a popular chic Italian cafe and restaurant in Docklands and has won the Age Good Food Under $30 award for best pizza. Traditional Italian style pizza. Non Solo Pasta has one of the best vibes in Docklands and is a great place to dine and meet up with people. It has that Italian air about it and the fit out is modern and spacious. The sunlight streams through the large windows and you can sit back and enjoy a wide ranging menu to suit all tastes. 

The hero here is the pizza, with Italian styles such as Gamberi, Rustica, Carbonara and of course Margherita. It's no surprise the pizza is great here given their other pizzeria +39 in Little Bourke St - a favourite of mine. Pizzas made in the Italian tradition with excellent slightly chewy dough, quality ingredients and sauce, but not overcrowded with too much ingredients. It is the Bunga Bunga pizza that caught the eye of The Age Good Food Under $30 with its thin base and winning toppings of berkshire pork sausage, fior de latte, porcini mushrooms, parmesan and parsley.

Or check out the Pasta dishes and exotic salads. Desserts are allluring including the Sweet Nutella Pizza.

La Svolta Pizzeria e Trattoria is a standout Italian restaurant in Prahran (as well as one in Hampton). I dined here with my mate Mark who is of Italian heritage and knows his Italian cuisine. We both remarked that the food here is top notch and were glad it's not just celebrating award winning Naples style pizza but also the rest of the menu is first class. My friend said to me we may as well be dining in Rome. It has that Italian feel with modern fit out, personable Italian staff and menus on large black boards written in Italian. The food is traditional Italian but also with a modern twist. (We were guests of La Svolta).

La Svolta has a cool if not chic ambience with exposed brick wall, artwork, timber tables, concrete floor, large windows at the front, sleek bar, open kitchen and mood lighting...

Church Street Enoteca continues to impress with its creative modern twist on Italian cuisine. It exudes charm and finery and has been a consistently acclaimed dining experience in Melbourne for many years. This is not a stodgy Italian pasta and pizza experience but the menu brims with flavour, freshness and imagination.

Church Street Richmond has a growing culinary scene but the icon is still Church Street Enoteca in its historical and elegant building (ex Steelworks and luxury cars). Come here for a great lunch or dinner but also this place also lends itself to the "special occasion". In fact while we were there the couple at the next table got engaged... (If you ever read this, all the best!)

Chef Sebastian is a passionate chef who chases the seasons using quality fresh ingredients, makes everything from scratch, keeps a simplicity, shows loads of technique, focusses on regions and is not afraid to make changes to the menu. He has built up relationships with quality suppliers - even the fish comes with a docket of when and where the fish was caught, and the name of the fisherman...

We started our dining experience (as guests at Church Street Enoteca) with some appealing entrees such as the Vitello Tonnato - Veal girello poached in vino bianco, lemon and garlic with seared Albacore tuna and smoked garlic aoli.  The combination of veal and tuna was compelling. Not to mention the Tasmanian sashimi grade tuna was pretty fine. Great textures, flavours and presentation.

Maccaroni Trattoria Italiana is a legendary Italian restaurant in the Melbourne CBD that continues to satisfy and delight. These guys take comfort food to another level. Classic Italian dishes cooked to perfection and a convivial ambience in this smallish restaurant. My boss told me to take a long walk this day and to enjoy some sunshine and food. So I headed for Maccaroni in a laneway off Collins St to imbibe in some pasta and Italian ambience.

Maccaroni offers the Italian classics such as Lasagne, Gnocchi, Canneloni, Ravioli and of course Baked Maccaroni.... I chose the classic home made Tagliatelle with bolognese sauce and parmigiano cheese. What a delight. You could tell this was fresh authentic pasta and the bolognese sauce was quality all the way. The measure of a meal is often how you feel afterwards. This meal set me on a crescendo high for the entire afternoon. I kept thinking, "that was so so good" as I went about my duties in the office. For $13.50 it was a value meal.

De Bortoli Winery and Restaurant is one of my favourite wineries to visit in the Yarra Valley. Here is a great restaurant, great cheese room and excellent picnic facilities.

De Bortoli has an impressive fine dining restaurant serving great dishes in the Italian tradition. The restaurant overlooks sweeping views of the vineyards.

Pellegrini’s, a Melbourne icon, and original Melbourne coffee destination, puts a big smile on my face. It's easy to fall in love with Pellegrini's as it exudes so much charm and nostalgia. Classico! Often misunderstood in a sea of nouveau cafes and restaurants, Pellegrini’s is unique.

It feels like ‘real’ Melbourne with its history and standing. I’ve been there a few times and love it. Where else can you go for such quality banter, home cooking and strong coffee?

I tried entering Pellegrini’s very early one morning and couldn’t get in the door. That’s right! The owner (I think it was), came and unlocked the door and showed me in! That was cool.

Cafe Andiamo is a great little cafe in iconic Degraves Street with fast and friendly service and not without excellent ambience. Come inside this cafe and relax at one of several tables and watch the eclectic atmosphere of Degraves Street roll by. Or sit out at a table outdoors in Degraves and get amongst the action. Tables here can be a bit closer together but it's a great spot to dine.

Cafe Andiamo serves up excellent coffee. The picture here doesn't quite do it justice as the white froth belies the strong Italian style coffee underneath. and I love a strong Italian style coffee or two.

Brunch with the Brown Brothers (and media types) at Tocadero for a wine masterclass for the new sensational Prosecco. I'm there! To experience both Trocadero and an iconic wine family's new wine offerings, was bliss.

The ambience at Trocadero is sublime, with views out to some of Melbourne's most attractive features including Flinders Street Station and St Pauls, let alone Southbank and the Yarra. Enhanced all the more being a sunny day. The fit out at Trocadero in Hamer Hall is modern with chic bar area and a long elegant space, as well as an edgy mural by a Japanese graffiti artist. Trocadero is accessible and sophisticated.

Bella Vedere is an iconic restaurant in the heart of the Yarra valley that is well worth the trip for city dwellers. The property oozes rustic charm and you'd think you've just landed in Tuscany.

Bella Vedere prides itself on bringing the kind of food and service you might find at the best dinner party. The menu is ever changing and the freshest ingredients are sourced. Seasonal and regional and full of flair.

This is a foodie haven. Bella Vedere brims with exciting ventures from the restaurant to the bakery, to cooking classes. 

Lupino means 'little wolf' in Italian and this little wolf howls with Italian class and style. You can't miss the quirky red neon wolf sign on the outside of the building. Lupino is about simple things done well... They do an excellent job with classic Italian dishes with creativity and finesse! Lupino is able to bring in that rustic and "homely" feel we look for in Italian dining.



Lupino is also a modern take on Italian cafe - something you might find in Rome. White rendered walls, brick with lime green cushion panels... Stools at marble top bar, quality furniture and a polished concrete floor give a chic ambience...



This blog has been delayed after my visit a few months ago. I geared up my USA great friend and his family having recommended Lupino a few weeks ago but the restaurant was closed for rennovations.

Lupino is somewhere you'd be happy to bring someone for your first date. It has the air of a sense of occasion. It is however curious to see stools in front of the open kitchen rather than in front of the bar. Stools are down the short side of the bar along the window...

Staff dressed in white are friendly and service good but not outstanding (at least not on the night we were there). A warm greeting was given on arrival is a positive. We had three different waiters during the night...



When asked about signature dishes there was a hesitation... Followed by 'we have a couple of good pastas'... Could that could be the problem - a lack of clearly defined signature dishes?

Funky lighting and tasteful spotlights create excellent mood. Tasteful tables although surprised by how small they were! We had to place our wines glasses on an unstable window ledge to make room for our dishes. Certainly no room for personal effects.

A huge jar of Nutella on the kitchen was a source of amusement - until I saw it was imported Italian Nutella that formed part of a dessert...

The open kitchen is great enhancing the homely feel.



The food is impressive. The Gnocci Gorgonzola was a hit. However four cheeses gnocchi declared by one waiter turned out to be 2 cheeses gnocci declared by another waiter - it was delicious without being spectacular. In fact it was one cheese Gnocci with Parmesan sprinkled on top!

The light gnocchi well cooked with a rich but not overpowering cheese sauce - with a great punch of Gorgonzola veined Italian blue cheese.



The Baked Polpetti in Sugo was great. Sauce excellent... Golf ball
Meatballs! Probably my favourite on the nite! Delightful pork and veal creation with the sweet sugo! A value starter that was homey...

Curiously we were handed 'tasting plates' that were the size of tiny bread plates. I thought these plates were just too small.



The Taglierini with Prawns and Mussels and Fresh Tomato sauce was well done with al dente pasta, large fresh prawns and tasty mussels. But there wasn't enough sauce to my liking. The idea was to scoop from the bowl of chopped chilli and oil and drizzle over the pasta. Once again good but not the high notes.





The Tagliata Porterhouse steak Medium Rare was served on the rare side and was tasty. The side of spinach and the side of fries were excellent complements. Simple things done well...




As for dessert - the Paper wrap cassata was nondescript and didn't hit the high notes. The Tiramisu was good but lacked some of the crunch I'm used to and enjoy. The layers of sponge fingers were extremely thin.

Lupino does well with its selection of wines and we enjoyed some interesting Australian and Italian wines.

Lupino is an outstanding Italian restaurant that brings a modern take on classic dishes. 

Spiga Bar is a great find in a Melbourne Central laneway. This place is often packed with city workers and the shopping crowd.

Spiga is a modern cafe with uber cool lighting, cool chocolate brown walls, funky cushions and flower arrangements.

Terra Rossa has an impacting stylish European ambience and is a great restaurant bar to visit on Flinders Lane. Housed in the Swiss House building it keeps its rustic exterior while has a superbly renovated interior.

The place is full of character and dare I say, very Melbourne. With several chandeliers, a warm inviting fireplace with wood stacked high, Chesterfield couches, classy timber tables and chairs, a long bar with timber and marble top, and exposed brick, Terra Rossa is a superb venue.

Bottega, the legendary Italian restaurant on Bourke is presenting an exciting dining experience in August which involves a pasta making class with chef Gabriele. A few of us were fortunate to experience something of a premiere one evening.

The Bottega pasta making class will be held on Saturday 4th August and Saturday 11th August from 11am to 1pm.

The class will be followed by a two course lunch selection from Gabriele's winter menu with matching wine. The cost per ticket is $70.

La Spaghettata has been bringing the A game to Italian cuisine on Lygon Street for 30 years. One needs to respect the longetivity of quality and the fact this restaurant attracts regulars who come for 10,15 and even 25 years. People often ask me where it's good to eat on Lygon Street. La Spaghettata is surely one of the best.

This is not just another Italian restaurant but an authentic Italian experience as reflected in the traditional ingredients and the recipes that go back generations. I ordered the Amatriciana and found out it was a recipe that has been part of the Cattafi family for years. It was a delightful cacophony of flavours featuring smoky bacon and an incredible tomato sauce with onion. The portion was large but it was quality all the way.

The pasta at La Spaghettata is of great reputation. A highlight is the shared Pasta Platter for two. Or go with the Veal or Chicken or Quail. Or the Steak. Another highlight is the Spaghetti Marinara and La Sphaghettata have an impressive reputation for seafood. There's an extensive menu with consistent quality across all offerings.