I used to be a regular here, stopping in for coffees, take away fruit toast on the way to work, bigger breakfasts or a killer sandwich after a boozy night out. On those seedy mornings I'd find a spot inside, bury my head in a newspaper, sunglasses firmly planted on my face, and just give the staff that knowing look of "either kill me, or bring me coffee". Then, I moved and became less of a regular. I forgot how much I loved the friendly staff, the relaxed vibe and the extensive menu with plenty of options for those needing a healthy, filling and/or greasy brunch. They really cover all the bases here and now, guess what!? (You'll never guess) They're opening for dinners, offering a wide variety of pizzas and their own homemade cheeses! I have to admire them for going to the effort of bringing in their own cheesemakers and offering something a little different, though I think the menu could be a little shorter so that they could focus on nailing a smaller selection. My tip? Stick to the fresh cheeses - ricotta, scormoza and mozzerella. Oh, and don't you dare not have an Aperol Spritz. read more

Il Fornaio - Spinach, ricotta, avo and oyster mushroom on multigrain. With a poached egg! - Cafes Near Me - St Kilda, VIC

The olive bread at Il Fornaio is known as being one of the best in town, therefore I had to try it. I don't like olives. Whenever I say that to myself it makes me really upset because I know that I am missing out on something that so many people around the world love. I really want to know what I am missing out on! This is why if something has olives in it and I'm told that "you have to try it", I'll try it. I still don't like olives. Nice try Il Fornaio, nice try. The over powering flavour of olives still runs strong. I had an irresistible Affogato to wash away the flavour. That was great on a beautiful spring day near the beach. read more

Il Fornaio - Cafes Near Me - St Kilda, VIC

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Excellent menu with a huge selection of brunch and lunch items. Cheeky names and unique selections. Amazing coffee and you can choose from full cream, rice, soy, almond or chocolate almond milks. Today I had the Mila Kunis breakfast and it was outstanding. Eat here ! read more

Il Fornaio - "Mila Kunis" Brekky lamb shoulder with poached eggs roasted vine tomatoes and herb cream. Beautiful! - Cafes Near Me - St Kilda, VIC

Il Fornaio is beyond a bakery. Quietly propped up on the hill at the beginning of Acland Street, it has a calm beauty to it. It is a popular destination for breakfast in St Kilda and the outdoor seating fills up pretty quickly on the weekend. Best to go early. Their bread is usually made onsite but as they do renovations, it is supplied by Noisette and absolutely gorgeous, still. The divinely elegant pastries and petite fours are a luxury hard to ignore. Their coffee is just gorgeous as it has to be in this Melbourne location. It is an ultra modern bakery with a European twist and still manages to be relaxed. A summer day can be the loveliest to sit there with a coffee, a wine, a cake or a pasta. read more

Il Fornaio - Cafes Near Me - St Kilda, VIC

If I were the richest woman in the world and I could pay the staff of one breakfast cafe to live and work out of my home (mansion, for the sake of the fantasy), I would choose il Fornaio. Filled with innovation and whimsy, this little St Kilda cafe is definitely doing something right. It's pretty obvious on a weekend mid-morning, when the brunching hopefuls stake out some sidewalk and wait for a table. I was lucky enough to waltz straight in and get a table upon my first visit, and I've been a die hard fan ever since. Now, I realize that breakfast isn't the end-all-be-all meal for everyone, but I highly suggest that you order some morning fare when at il Fornaio. I say that blindly, however, because I've never actually tried the lunch menu. I imagine it's impeccable. On my first visit (and subsequently, my second, as well), I ordered the heirloom tomatoes, avocado, ricotta, basil & olive toast. I also added a poached egg ($16). The dish is simple, I will give it that, but all ingredients used are fresh and flavourful. The egg was perfectly poached (which I have a newfound appreciation for after trying to do it myself), and the bread was soft and delicious. All things considered, il Fornaio hit it out of the park. The quality of their food mixed with the relaxed cafe vibe and the uber friendly staff make this a definite must-go-back spot. read more

4.5 star review. Fabulous! What a great find in Yelp. Hard to find great pancakes but this was a wonderful experience. Nice outside seating. Very welcoming and attentive staff. Hot chocolate: it was good, not great. Also the cup it came in was small and that was a turn off. Pancakes: loved the jam on the pancakes, they are definitely fluffy, but from an American perspective not very filling. Would've been great to have 3 instead of 2. If you're ordering the pancakes make sure to order a side. Always interesting when they give you ice cream with it. Honestly, skip the ice cream and add eggs for the price of what you're paying for. 2 eggs and toast: you definitely need to add 2 sides to this. Partner had the hash browns which were AWESOME! The eggs were great, the bread didn't come buttered(?) but overall very very filling meal. The coolest part is we met the owner Lucca. He had a great personality, very friendly and took the time to chat with us while we were paying. They take credit card. read more

I have been coming here for 17 years and I have to say it's as good today as it was in its hey day. Great breakfast, good service. Some feedback might be to switch on the air conditioning because it's almost unbearably hot to eat and drink coffee when it's super hot outside and the wifi is not good at all and needs to be sorted but I'm not taking a star off for that. The place is great. Always reminds me that I'm home in Melbourne. It's an institution. I love it. You will too read more

Il Fornaio - Cafes Near Me - St Kilda, VIC

It's as if they tossed the whole pig in a blender. Avoid the bacon and the ham!Bottom line; if your local, stop in for the great homemade bread and friendly service. Don't go out of your way for their average coffee. read more

Il Fornaio - View from the corner booth - Cafes Near Me - St Kilda, VIC

I can't believe that I had such an incredibly fulfilling, delicious, and flavorful breakfast... and that it was VEGAN! And gluten free! I had the Mexi-California Health Bowl, which was filled with all sorts of healthy goodies, including perfectly season pulled jackfruit (which tasted better than pulled pork). I'm not a vegan nor a vegetarian, and I eat gluten all the time. This is a great restaurant if you're vegan or have celiac disease and cannot eat gluten. But most importantly, this is an amazing restaurant for anyone. They truly care about where their food comes from and it tastes DELICIOUS! I wish I lived in Melbourne; I'd come here all the time. On another note: great coffee, great vibe. Seriously, thank you! read more

I may have just been unlucky, but got really ordinary service here. Food was okay, but nothing to write home about.

nothing can compete with the quality and vibes of this st. Kilda place. it's addictive, especially if you are a local. manager and staff are like a family , they always find the time to have a few words with you and give you the best service. check it out !! read more

This was always a favorite place of mine when I lived in the area four years ago. The quality of the pastries and the coffee was exceptional and the happy vibe of the staff was intoxicating. Il Fornaio has gone through a revamp recently and the brains behind it, Sean Andersen for example, has raised the bar even higher to offer 'nourishment' not just a meal. The passion behind perfecting the ultimate croissant using no dairy is admirable. The service is still outstanding and unpretentious. You can tell that they are doing it all for love of food and people, not for the buck. Brilliant..! read more

During our Melbourne trip, we asked our tour guide for a place in St. Kilda that he would recommend as a local.. we wanted something good and not touristy. Although he couldn't remember the name of this place, he described us the location and said they had great baked goods and coffee. So after wandering around, we were able to find Il-Fornaio. It was quite busy but we managed to find seating. The place had a hip vibe and we saw some people just having coffee while others eating amazing looking burgers. We had no idea that they served more than just coffee and we really weren't hungry enough for lunch, at that point. We ended up getting coffee and something sweet to eat. The baked goods were delicious and coffee was pretty good too. I noticed lots of people coming here to get freshly baked bread. Though our experience was rather short, this place definitely made a good first impression. I wish I could go back to sample more of their menu! read more

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The best cafe in St Kilda! My favourite place to eat, chat and have a laugh. When the sun's out, it'll be hard to grab a table outside, however inside is just as good. Everything on the menu is great including the mouth watering cakes...actually, not the chocolate brownie (cause I want them all to myself)! What makes this place, are the truly awesome people who work there. Always on the ball, with a smile, and will make you feel at home. I'm grateful I just live on Acland and it's a short walk down the road. I'd like to think it's just an extension of my own dining room, without having to lift a finger myself! read more

If you come here.. you must try their little cream donuts (that's all I had along with a coffee as I was recommended by a friend). They are like no other... It's almost like it's a caramel / dulche de leche type filling that tastes like heaven on earth! read more

Il Fornaio was my second home during the 7 years I lived on Acland St. Great location, amazing coffee, friendly staff, relaxed atmosphere and a menu that is never stale. I miss this place! read more