I have to admit that it is a shame that I don't live down in this part of Melbourne anymore because…read moreI would have made the trek all the way to this place to have a pizza. However, since I had already eaten when I was walking past all I ended up doing was popping in for a coffee, which I have to admit wasn't all that bad. They also offer other treats, such as gelatti (and have a pretty decent selection at that). Being just across the road from the park makes the place really convenient, and it is a much better place to grab a bite to eat than the pub just down the road. It's quite a nice place, though these days a little too far out of my way to actually try more of what it offers.

Lots of lovely pizza and Italian dishes. Inventive and interesting menu. Good prices too.read more

Great food. Great service. Great value for money! My father…read moreis difficult to please when it comes to restaurants. He is very particular. He complains about the value for money, the quality of food, the prices of the wines (being in the liquor industry it's difficult for him to buy wine at a restaurant when he knows the markup!) painful is the nicest way to describe him. So when I was asked by mum to book a restaurant for her birthday where she could have a nice night out without hearing complaints from dad I was under pressure! Baldovino is BYO so that ticked the first box! The menu is extensive and serves traditional, tasty Italian food! Being Italian that ticked box number two. The specials sounded delicious and we had trouble deciding on what to order. Eventually we devided on the special gnocchi grilled with a creamy cheese sauce, calamari and meatballs all to share for entree. All dishes were delicious - the gnocchi were the standout. Then came main - between us we ordered the Baldovino pollo (chicken dish) with a creamy mustard sauce, grilled calamari and prawns with vegetables, Baldovino tortellini, the risotto with scallops and the fusspot ordered spaghetti marinara! Well of course dad found something to complain about....too much seafood in his marinara!! I'm convinced he was looking for something to pick on!! Who complains there is too much seafood??? We laughed at him for his ridiculous comments!! The meals were generous portions so we were extremely full but of course had to squeeze in dessert - as usual our eyes were bigger than our stomach. All desserts are homemade and very appetizing. The verdict - dad is happy to go back and mum had a complaint free dinner - now that's saying something!!

Friendly service with authentic Italian staff! Great Food…read moreand Good Coffee! The owners of Sapori d'Abruzzo 861 have taken over the old Il Portobello restaurant site in Essendon. They have fully renovated the restaurant to make it more open & spacious. This does cause a bit of noise when there are a lot of patrons, but the friendly service & great food definitely make up for it! The menu has traditional Abruzzo meals to enjoy and a good wine selection for accompaniment. All in all it is definitely worth a try with a friend, partner or large group of friends. There is also a large function space upstairs to enjoy!

Even though I'll pretty much eat anything, I am quite picky when it comes to rating food…read more From the outside, the restaurant looks great being housed in a former fire station. The inside is simple yet classy for a group dinner or even a date. Nothing over the top but that's ok and that's how it should be: cozy and relaxing. Service is great and fantastic as in a true typical Italian restaurant. The staff is always helpful in terms of wine or food choice. The food is very good. We had eggplant and parmesan for as a starter an it was just right. Not too much cheese but tasty and cooked just right. I think had seafood pasta amd again jt was just right. Right size portions, great taste. I would go there again for sure! A must try!

Two words.... sooooo good!…read more Ordered the specials - char grilled eye fillet and seasonal greens in chili and garlic oil. Everything was full of flavour. Steak was tender and the pepper berries just completed each bite. The interior feels cozy and warm, a good getaway from the outside cold Melbourne weather.

Bomba is wonderful. The food is delectible and exquisite. Clearly lovingly prepared and just so…read moretasty and beautifully presented. Service is friendly and brisk. Our party of four has been here twice now. Our friends are Italian and are critical when places don't measure up. No such issues here. We've loved it both times. In our view Bomba offers a serious dining experience at a reasonable price. We can't wait to return.

Amazing little restaurant and bar, great food and drinks!!! Extremely enjoyable night out..... if…read morearound the area do yourself a favour and pop im for a drink and a bite to eat, you WILL NOT be disappointed!

Years after visiting this restaurant I have ventured back last night! I had fond memories of yummy…read morepasta before the days of gluten free diet, but they have plenty of non-offical GF foods on the menu too. I ordered the seafood risotto (with a hint of chilli please) and hubby ordered the variation of surf n turf that way on the menu (Steak with prawns in a creamy sauce, served on lovely veggies). He had a beer and sadly, I didn't have a chinotto, because they didn't have any in stock, oh well! Tables are covered in white paper, space is quiet small but works well with mirrors on the walls. Noise wasn't too loud, which is great. It was fairly busy for a Monday night. So, the servings - MASSIVE! I ordered the main sized meal, not the entree sized and I literally laughed (with joy) when I saw it. The volume of fresh seafood in my risotto was excellent, scallops, big prawns, calamari and other delights were plentiful. And yes, the added chilli flakes were perfect. I ate about half and then requested a container to take the rest with me. Is this okay to do? I do it anyway, I love leftovers so much. The service was quick, but our waitress wasn't overly friendly and tended to lethargically plonk things down heavily, including our meals. I love super friendly service, so this was a bit of a minus. My partner noticed it too and mentioned it to me, and it did change the experience a little for us. She could have just been having a bad day, and that happens! Halfway through my meal, a caterpillar made a break out of my salady-decoration part on the side. Luckily I hate lettuce so I didn't eat him accidentally. I showed the waitress who was horrified, so I put the caterpillar in the garden outside and we paid the bill. We laughed a fair bit afterwards too - although I was surprised that the chef wasn't told about the incident, or if she was, that we weren't offered an apology/discount. Not that I needed/wanted either, but as I spent a couple of year waitressing my way through uni, I know how that situation is usually treated. Overall: The food was excellent value and so delicious! I might return for the occasional meal or takeaway risotto, but I think I won't be a loyal customer, because the service wasn't overly great. Three stars because value and quality of the meals was really good.

Bottom line up front: A really nice meal but a little over priced…read more The Bruschetta for entree was great. Same old topping but this time on a pizza base. Yummy. The calamari was simple and perfectly done. The service was ok. If only waiters in Italian restaurants would pronounce Bruschetta properly...right? I had a medium pizza which was terrific and the veal scallopini was good too. The paper table cloth is literally just butchers paper and detracted significantly. The wines were good, though and, unlike the meals, were very reasonably priced. Despite the expense, I would still come back for another meal. I made a point of thanking the staff in the pizza kitchen on the way out and they were appreciative. In this area, it is the only real Italian option around and I certainly left satisfied.

A trip over the other side of town for pizza and I am blown away by this tiny place. As we walk in…read morewe are greeted by the friendliest waitress on earth who asks us about our day and immediately made us feel like we had been going to this Italian restaurant for decades. All of the pasta, pizza and gelato is made fresh on premises. Tonight we had the antipasto platter, a tropicano and a pescatore pizza and a spaghetti bolognaise. All of the food was delicious and nice and fast. Pizzas were crispy and with real slices of ham not the packet pizza stuff and the spag Bol was delish. To finish off we had to have some of the homemade gelato and my goodness I would cross town for it! Three courses with a drink each under $30 a head. I look forward to going back here for the food but mostly for the family feel the staff had. I love feeling like a local on a first visit. Congrats pronto for food with heart! Oh also they have a frozen pasta section and I have taken home lasanga for during the week which I will review in the future here :)

Ah pronto! Excellent pizza for a very reasonable prince- 12 bucks a pie! Can't go wrong here- very…read moretasty Neapolitan style pizza. We also had chips with herbs and feta and were not disappointed. Pronto also sells take home pasta, soups, and lasagna. Lots of vegetarian options. High five pronto!

Having a pretty decent pizza shop around the corner from your house is always a good thing, and…read morethis would be the place I would go if I was really wanting a pizza. Okay, Reservoir does have a few pizza places around, but this place isn't just close, but the owners also take real pride in their work. The pizzas are cheap and pretty good, and they also offer a decent sized small pizza if you don't have the appetite to eat a standard sized one. Like most places they are not strict with their toppings either, so if you don't like anchovies on your pizza then they won't be putting any anchovies on your pizza. Okay, it may not be one of those places to go out of your way to visit, but it is definitely worth a visit if you are in the area.