Italian cuisine is more than pizza and spaghetti. There is a wide range of ingredients, flavors, and dishes. Italian food is bold and satisfying. But not heavy. It is rich and has a lot of texture. It uses a whole palette of flavors. Enjoying Italian cuisine is more experiential than intellectual. It feels more emotional because it comes from a very evocative place. We cannot help ourselves but crave it. Let this list help you if you are looking for a restaurant and bar in Melbourne that offers Italian cuisine.
Café Di Stasio
Rinaldo “Ronnie” Di Stasio offers great dining for the past 26 years. A three-course lunch can take four hours. The waiters are efficient and there is never any lag. This restaurant earned its reputation as one of Melbourne’s greats. Great service is what Di Stasio boasts of. Especially that comes with fresh, refined Italian and potential knee-ups after 11 pm. These are the only reliable feature of St. Kilda for over two decades. The vibe is very calm. You can only get that kind of feeling in a restaurant with nothing left to prove. Although they serve dinner, their lunch is what you should be after. It is the little things that elevate your experience to serious eats status. The restaurant caters to an older main crowd. But this is open for anyone who likes to eat. You can contact Di Stasio at 03-9525-3999. The restaurant is open daily from noon to three in the afternoon and from six to eleven in the evening.
Grossi Florentino
Florentino continues to shine even after 18 years. Thanks to the caring management of the Grossi family. The grand Mural Room is one of Melbourne’s last bulwarks of luxurious European dining charm. The dim lighting sets the mood. This is not luxe for less. Suave Italian-speaking waiters serve the first-class dishes of the Grossis. The family scion, Carlo Grossi, leads the well-mannered staff. They are kind enough not to laugh at mispronunciations of the Italian menu. What elevates the Florentino kitchen is the level of care. They even mill their own corn. Their menu is classic-modern which represents the Grossi clan. Three generations of hard graft and fine cooking secured them in the city’s dining history. Grossi Florentino is open Mondays to Fridays from noon to three in the afternoon. On Mondays to Saturdays, it is open from six in the evening onwards. You can contact them at 03-9662-1811.
Santoni Pizzeria
Santoni fuses the best seasonal and local ingredients. With inspiration from a rich heritage and a dash of love. This creates dishes that everyone is envious of. Founded in 2007, Santoni came of age in 2014. They said that the Patron Saint of pizza visited the founders of Santoni in a dream. They claim that he encouraged them to place their faith in pizza and create a restaurant. One that celebrates the art and joy of Italian cuisine. No matter the time of day or night, everyone is always welcome at Santoni. If you are looking for somewhere to host an event, Santoni holds lunch and dinner parties. As well as private parties that the function rooms and rooftop can accommodate. You can reach them at 03-9819-3000.
Remember that good Italian food starts with quality ingredients. Try them one by one before you decide which one is your favorite. That will be a very tough decision.