Stepping inside Ciao Cielo, you are awed with the great decor. It's gorgeous inside and was…read morepossibly an old small church or something. It's quaint and pretty and not too loud, which always is a big help when making conversation. I did find the menu a little limiting. There's not a super wide variety of items, but we made our minds up and dug in. Some of the entrees were really big, and some tiny and pricing doesn't always reflect that when ordering. The mains began to take forever to come out, and tables that ordered after us got theirs first, and eventually when anyone cared to offer an explanation, there were two different answers (which always makes me think they forgot a table). In spite of that, the food was good all around. I had the smoked barramundi croquettes, the margherita pizza and the most delicious brownie with an orange mascarpone. It was SO good. I'd come back again for that alone. Overall ... parking was good, staff were friendly, service slow and spotty, very small pours of wine, staff wearing masks under chin (either wear one or don't), clearing plates away while some are still eating, but the food - which is what you come here for - is really good. I wish there were a few more pastas to choose from, but whatever you order, you know it's going to be delicious. I'd definitely come back again.

A classic Italian restaurant in Port Melbourne! Their decor is absolutely beautiful with high…read moreceilings, and on top of that, the service provided is always above and beyond. We come here quite often to take clients out for lunch. The latest dish we had from here was the grilled fish fillet and it was, as usual, delightful to savour. Their house made pasta and wood fired pizza are also of high quality and delicious. We highly recommend for people to visit Ciao Cielo to catch up with important people as the food and ambience is perfect!

We picked this restaurant because it was close to our hotel so when it turned out to be truly…read moreSPECTACULAR we were stunned. Even though Melbourne is filled with great restaurants this one was worth coming back twice in the week that we were here. It shone in every dimension. Memorable food ( absolutely excellent and innovative combinations but not crazy) lovely service, helpful and aware, and a cozy space. Excellent wine list and a delightful ambience. We recommend this most highly!!!

A wonderful restaurant in the heart of the city. The chefs choice meal was perfectly out together!…read moreThe service was perfect and the food delectable.

I seriously love this place. You can't beat freshly made…read morepasta with hearty and well flavoured sauces. Plus they are generous servings and less than 15 dollars a bowl. The best sauce is the smoked salmon, capers, lemon infused olive oil and dash of cream. So so so good. Light but still full of flavour! The black truffle and salami is also yummy. Their garlic bread is also fantastic. It is $7 for a ciabatta filled with homemade garlic butter. It is crunchy on the outside and melty on the inside. Possibly my fave garlic bread ever. I'm looking forward to visiting again and again!

Full marks. Just what we were looking for!! A hole in the wall, authentic Italian eatery!! The…read moreowner (I think he's the owner) cooks and serves and charmingly speaks broken English. Serving a small selection of wine and beer (perfect!), hand crafted homemade pasta daily and preparing DELICIOUS sauces with a perfectly designed system to make-to-order per customer taste. We will make this a regular fortnightly Sunday hand out. Loving it!!

We had a Birthday lunch here a few weeks ago and the atmosphere, service and extensive menu and…read moregenerous servings were OUTSTANDING. Thanks Monzarella - we'll be back !!

I'm only dropping one star because the couple of times I had ordered a pizza from here, it was hit…read moreand miss, it seemed that pizza on a Saturday night was always safe, like the food pizza chef was in, but any other night it could be great , but it might not be. BUT it's about the pasta at Monzarella. Specifically the ragu, which is so good. Everything else I've ordered has been great but I usually order that so that's really the thing I can speak to the most.

Oh DOC you never disappoint. Had to try out the newish one at Albert park which is close to home…read more Started off with a salumi board which came with a beautifully smoked mozzarella that was delectable. The cured meats selection, San Daniele prosciutto, mortadella, bresaola and pancetta were all fresh and delicious paired with some rustic Italian bread drizzled in olive oil. We then proceeded to share a pizza, the daily special which combined prosciutto, fig and Gorgonzola. It was cooked to perfection and the pastry so delicious I didn't want to miss a mouthful. The rocket, parmesan and pear salad . Although just a side was amazing with a special honey dressing. Have to say can not wait to go back. Even though it was hot the courtyard was well shaded and pleasant. The salumi board is definitely a good option for the summer weather.

Their pizza tastes just like it does in the Michelin pizzerias in Naples except the buffalo…read moremozzarella on top is cold? Can't imagine why you wouldn't bake that too. It's half the size and twice the price of other great pizzas in Melbourne. If you're in the top income tax bracket, Go here. You might need more than 1 pizza, though. Also, these types of pizzas need to be eaten immediately, so forget takeaway.

I have attended this venue twice and really enjoy those experiences were great once for breakfast…read moreand the express lunch was amazing. However this last trip was so disappointing. After being told by the waiter that things had now slowed down, it took over 45 minutes for our breakfast to arrive. When breakfast arrived my soft fried eggs were hard and my bacon burnt to a crisp. When I then spoke with waiter, he seemed somewhat indifferent to my issues. Feeling very let down right now.

Had a yummy Prosciutto Piadina for lunch - lots of delicious food choices here…read more Serve a great coffee in authentic Italian surrounds. Free WiFi a bonus. Affordable summer cocktails look good for another visit.

Just had an amazing meal! The staff made you feel like family. Lovely spit and you can tell there…read moreare many regulars. Was recommended by our good friend Manny and he was spot on. We had the house risotto that was divine a the salads were perfect. Would go back next time in Melbourne!

This place is without a doubt, my favourite restaurant in all of Melbourne. It is so unbelievably…read moregreat in every conceivable way. Firstly, stepping into the restaurant, the staff are warm, attentive and treat you like friends/family. Even on my first visit here, they were hospitable and friendly. They've got terrific memories, and know you by the time you make your second visit (and believe me, you will). They really take the time to go over the specials, and answer any questions you have regarding the menu. Secondly, the decor. Yes, it's a small restaurant, but it gives it a homely feel and it's cozy on wintery nights, and open on summer nights with the big sliding French doors. It can get noisy, but not overwhelmingly so. Parking is easy; there's usually a space right outside. But I'd never come here without making a reservation first, or you could be disappointed. Thirdly, the food. It is DELICIOUS. I've never, ever had a problem with the food. It comes as you order it (i.e.. if you make any amendments, they honour it and are very obliging. Everything comes as you'd imagine; hot and as if it were homemade. It's fresh and unique. The special board is always changing and there's plenty of variety. It may be a teeny bit pricey for some, but to me, it's worth every penny. I could go on and on about how much I love it here, but I think what you should do is try it for yourself and I'm sure you'll agree with me. It's simply outstanding!!!

So far I have only had coffee here. But the service is great. Friendly staff. Very good coffee. And…read morefresh pasta is a very welcome addition to docklands. I hope they extend their opening hours to include dinner very soon.

We had a lovely dinner at this cozy white tablecloth Italian restaurant on a busy Friday. Our…read morereservation (absolutely a must) was for 5:30 when they opened and we were dining with some local Ozzie friends. The menu features traditional Italian dishes with interesting local twists. My wife and I enjoyed the caprese salad with luscious tomatoes and fresh burratta and even though we split it-the portions were still huge. Our friends enjoyed the sesame encrusted tuna tartare. We all got pastas as our mains-me the lobster/angel hair, my wife the ravioli and another guest the risotto feature. Delicious sourdough bread with olive oil was also a part of the meal. The extensive wine list has hundreds of selections including a wide range of Italian and Australian wines. Service is fast and efficient but don't plan to linger too long as this small restaurant is in high demand and they will likely be needing your table after 90 min. Recommended.

This is one of my fav places, the ambience is perfect for date nights…read more I especially loved the spaghetti vongole. Giorgio was so kind and helped settle us in. I highly recommend if you love italian!

Laurent is really going for a ritzy French patisserie kind of vibe. Hence it really draws in a…read moreritzy type of crowd. In tune with this, it is extortionately expensive. Because, I asume, the clever people at Laurent have realised that they can get away with inflated prices if all of their products have suitably French names. And honestly, both the food and service could be a whole lot better. If you're looking for an authentic French dining experience, head to Chez Dre in South Melbourne instead.

Laurent in the heart of Albert Park is a very pleasant place to enjoy a coffee and their pastries…read moreare superb. It fits in very nicely with Albert Park's latte set. It's a little pricey but considering the quality it's worth the extra. The staff are very friendly and efficient. I'm a regular and there have been times when my coffee is at my table before I've had a chance to order it.