had been to the one in Sydney previously and thought the food was mediocre and didn't understand all the hype until I went to the one in Melbourne. Same concept. Each person gets a card and orders their meal. You get a buzzer or you wait and watch them make your meal. Don't lose your card because it comes at a cost. We got the truffle oil pizza which was sensational. Scant toppings of ham and some rocket but the underlying truffle infused cheese and bitey taste of added parmesan with warm fluffy dough was sensational. The pesto gnocchi is even more desirable with fresh pesto so fresh that it's butter but oh so good with textured gnocchi, crunchy Pinenuts and juicy cherry tomatoes. Felt so sated after I get the hype now. read more

We ate at the Bourke street mall restaurant Staff are very nice But service is terrible People nearly finished by the time last pasta arrived The Hawaiian with bbq sauce pizza was the worst we have had it was like eating table spoons of salt no cheese in sight base was sloppy read more

See all

I'm not really all that sure what to make of this place. At first, it was nice, and the way it was set up was different, but after a while, it is starting to feel a bit like a fast-food pasta restaurant. Basically, you are given a card, and your purchases are recorded on the card, and then you pay afterwards. The choices are rather standard, and the pasta is okay, but not really the best. read more

See all

This is the sixth time I've been to Vapiano. The first two times I would've given it 4 or 5 stars, however today, the one star only. Vapiano used to be amazing in its food quality and attentive service, however it seems to have had a change in management or something and the quality is no longer present. Food was claggy (pasta), and lukewarm, lasagne was burnt and more like a Mac & Cheese presentation. Unfortunately, this will be the last time I come as I would prefer to remember what Vapiano was rather than experience what it is today. read more

Before I visited a friend described this place as an upmarket Ikea concept, but with food. Huh!? I had no idea what that meant either until I visited for a pizza one night and got introduced to Vapiano's world of self-service. It's kind of nifty. Arrive and the host will give you a plastic card, which you then use at various stations around the restaurant to purchase drink, pizza, pasta, salads... swipe the card with each thing you order and then take a buzzer which you can place on your table until your item is ready. My companion and I were after two take away pizzas. "Ready in 10 minutes" we were told... which was just enough time to get a gin and tonic in to us (bit of a fail: they didn't have any Campari!). 10 minutes later our buzzer went off, we collected our pizzas and paid downstairs, scanning our plastic cards at the front desk and paying for everything in one go. The pizza was passable, but was it the best I've ever had? Not really. It seemed a little under seasoned and the base was a bit stodgy. We decided that coming here to dine in, with a group, was definitely the way to go. Everyone orders and "pays" with their plastic, checking out and paying their final amount on departure and avoiding any of those awkward moments when someone forgets to put enough money in to to cover their portion of the bill. Next time I'll try the pasta which was being made fresh in house. read more

While displaying greenery indoors is quite a popular look these days, Vapiano goes a step further with a tree taking up residence in the centre - in addition to the potted herbs/plants of course. Mood-wise, it seems to work as a corporate lunch spot, a cocktail bar, and everything in between (they have a kids menu), so I think it attracts a wide demographic. I've been a couple of times for lunch and once for drinks. Regarding the system of ordering your food by queuing in a designated section is kinda neat, but doesn't work for everyone. Watching the pasta being cooked in front of you can be fun, if you are not more than the 3rd person in line. Luckily for me, this was the case and I was on my merry way. Gotta admit, the penne was a little too firm for my liking, perhaps they took the 'al dente' style too far. The tomato based sauce was great though. Ordering pizza was less inconvenient. They gave me a buzzer so at least I was able to take a seat and chill/chat while waiting. The pizza I tried (barbeque pollo) was good overall. Nothing fancy, but worth recommending. read more

See all

The look of this place is amazing. It has a casual, relaxed feel and everything looks clean. The food is good quality and fresh, however I didn't think there was enough topping on the pizza. We even paid extra for mushroom and olives. The gluten free pasta was cooked beautifully. The meat and the sauce were very tasty. The only thing I don't like about this restaurant is that you have to go get your own pasta and wait in line as it cooks. Personally, I prefer to be served when I'm out. Also, if you wish to watch the chef cook, you need to stand in front of them, and that would be difficult if the restaurant was busy. You would also need to make sure someone doesn't take your table because they don't offer you a table number or a reserved sign. The pizza gets picked up by yourself on those vibrating beepers. All in all, worth trying out for yourself. read more

Vapiano - Italian Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

I like Vapiano. It's a crowd-pleaser. Ticks a lot of boxes for a lot of people. Reasonably priced Italian food, lots of variety (pizzas, pastas, salads, antipasti, desserts), decent beer and wine options, and a charming albeit somewhat corporate atmosphere. It's located in an office building (hence the corporate atmosphere), but the decor inside makes up for it (tall wooden tables and benches as well as comfy little corner seating areas, cute little herb plants everywhere, art on the walls, pleasant lighting, and a glassed-in area where you can watch the chefs at work). There are two balconies outside overlooking Flinders Lane with outdoor heating units for the colder months, so it's pleasant to sit outside and have a few post-work drinks (even if you're not eating). Inside, it can get a bit louder in the evenings (the space is somewhat echo-y). Lunchtime seems fine though. Food-wise, everything is good but not spectacular. They have clearly-marked vegan options on the menu (three different kinds of pastas -- I like the arrabbiata), as well as clearly-marked gluten free and vegetarian options. They also have a kids' menu. The set-up in terms of ordering and paying for your food is a little different. Basically, when you arrive at the restaurant, you get a little card with a chip in it, and you go to the different sections of the restaurant (the pizza section, the pasta section, the bar section, etc.) to order what you want, and your selections get loaded onto your card. Then at the end of your meal, you go to the cashier to pay and your selections are all there, totaled up for you. This might seem like a strange, complicated, or unnecessary system to some people, but I think it's excellent for big groups where you all want to pay separately with minimum hassle. Really great for large work lunches or other functions for this reason. Not the most amazing Italian food in town, but definitely a crowd-pleaser. I'd recommend it. read more

I like this place! Exactly the same feel, same look, same concept, same food than in the Vapianos around the world! It's a fun place, great for groups. I give it a 4 star because the food is good, and you know what you get in for! read more

Vapiano - Italian Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

See all

Vapiano is my top pick for eating out with a group in the Melbourne CBD. There's a few reasons I think it's great. Most importantly the food is really good. There's a great selection of pizza, pasta and salad options. The freshly made pasta is a particular highlight. The pizza is pretty good too. Since the food is made fresh in front of you, it's easy to get it made according to your preferences for levels of spice, cheese ect. There's also a pretty decent drink selection. It can get a touch crowded around the bar during happy hour, but once you've got your drink there's plenty of less noisy places to move. It's an especially great place for groups due to the clever ordering system that removes the headache of splitting bills. Everyone gets handed a card on the way in which they swipe as they order and then pay for all their purchases on the way out. So useful at gatherings when people have to come and go at different times. I'm also a fan of the customer service. I've been here a lot of times and without fail the staff have been polite and helpful. read more

Vapiano - Chicken pasta and bread - Italian Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

omg this is my first time in Melbourne this is the first restaurant I've been to and omg this is no doubt a 10/10 establishment our chef rheyn (maybe misspelt) made the most delicious pasta the garlic pizza was amazing and the deserts are to live for I had the white chocolate cheesecake and that was the best thing I've ever tasted. I would recommend that every should come here the staff and so amazingly friendly the atmosphere is beyond this world we will be back on Tues the 21/08/19 and I cannot wait thank you for a wonderful night read more

Vapiano - Main was Pollo E Spinaci with mushrooms and extra garlic and chilli - Italian Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

See all

What a great place! Freshly made gluten free pasta and pizza bases, lots of seating and very affordable. If you have a large group of friends it's so simple to split the bill as you each get a tap as you go card! Great place! read more

Vapiano - Happy Hour Cocktail of the week 4-6pm $7 - Italian Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

With 2 entrances and a bright red sign, Vapiano is somewhere most people have driven past however have not stopped off. From the alleyway entrance, you enter a small reception and walk up the stairs to the bar, tables and kitchen. From the Collins St entrance, you go through the food court and past the elevators to land directly by the upstairs cashier and pasta factory. The vibe at Vapiano is friendly and efficient, it is never too busy which is perfect if you go with a big group that needs a big space and wishes to pay separately (they give you individual swipe cards where you pay on your way out). The pasta is fresh and very filling but I find the servings are too big for myself and it works better if I share with friends. The pizza is freshly baked however the base is a little too flimsy and thin for my liking and topping lacks punch but you can always request fresh herbs and chilli if required. I'd go back again as I have an entertainment voucher to use up otherwise it is on the pricier side for a casual restaurant. read more

Vapiano - Bolognese witb tagliatelli - Italian Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

Tomato sauce with a really taste of tomato... That's good! Good music! Friendly and trendy long tables for groups. read more

Vapiano - Bruschetta pizza! - Italian Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

I haven't revisited Vapiano for a few years but it looks just how I remembered. Loved the lighting, seating arrangement and atmosphere. There's lots of green herb pots on the tables and the best part about my visit today was the friendly staff members. The blonde young man at the cashier today was very polite and super friendly. The lady taking orders during hectic lunch time hours was also friendly - mixed up my order but was quick to assist. Food - I ordered a salami pizza, it looked great and thin crusted. Simple but tasty. I ordered a pesto rossa pasta - the pasta was undercooked and it wasn't as tasty as I hoped even with shavings of cheese. The price is a little on the steep side. It's a nice place to visit after work with some colleagues for pizza and a drink. Oh and free gummi bears upon paying for your meal :) bonus! read more

See all

Vapiano is the go to place for my friends and I when we have our birthday dinners. Staff there are always so helpful. They recently changed up how you order and although I was completely confused they were very patient with me when I asked a ton of questions. On top of the lovely staff the food is always amazing I love watching them cook it and the desserts they have to buy art 10 out of 10. I can't wait until one of my friends has another birthday so we can go back here to celebrate! read more

Very disappointing indeed. Without Internet access (to check reviews) at that moment we decided to take a chance on this upmarket-looking Italian place in a little mall/office building. The atmosphere and setting were indeed great - cool, inviting. Other than that IMO the concept pretty much sucks. I can only imagine how awful it is when busy. We arrived at very late lunch (maybe 2pm) and there were 6 customers including we two looking for lunch. So first you have to get a "credit card" which you use to buy your choices. Then you wrestle with finding a menu to see what you want, then you have to figure out which station you need to order from - my wife wanted a pizza, I wanted pasta. My wife was lucky in that she was the only one who wanted to pizza and was able to order quickly (had she not done so I was pissed off that I would have simply walked out). I on the other hand had to (im)patiently wait to place my order for a simple spaghetti bolognese. Finally it is my turn to order and be served by a kind of 'barista' who heated the meat in a wok, while the pre packaged spaghetti in an automated pasta cooker. You would expect that with all this automation that the pasta would come out 'al dente' like clockwork. Well now - when I finally got to sit down to eat it was like rubber and the meat sauce tasteless. I walked back to pizza station at my wife's suggestion and sprinkled some red pepper on my plate to overcome the bland nothingness of my meal. Never again. Cool looking though. Note - they won't even give you the password for their Internet access. read more

An awesome find! Plenty of options for pasta. Got the pumpkin ravioli and was amazing! It was tough getting the attention of the workers - needed to be a little aggressive getting to the front of the line. But once my order was placed, I went over to the alcohol counter for a nice glass of wine (good options here, as well). It may seem like a cafeteria way of eating, but once you settle in with your tray of food - you won't be disappointed! read more

This is the type of place you take your parents or some of your overseas/country friends, read, gimmicky. You definitely wouldn't come here with the same friends you go to Tipo 00 or DOC with. I came here on a Saturday for a friend's birthday dinner, and we had a group booking and were looked after really well by the waitress. Drinks and atmosphere was great, very warm, bubbly, mellow music, not too loud - all wonderfully perfect for a group. Until you have to order food. I was in a bit of a rush, as I had double booked myself and had a gig to go to 1 hr after and I was keen on loading my body up with some carbs in the spirit of "i'll dance it off later' and decided on a simple salami, ricotta and arugula spelt pasta dish. So how this place works is, each diner gets a card, there is a variety of food and drink stations, 'pizza and lasagne', 'pasta', 'salad', 'drinks and dessert' and you take the card with you and each dish/drink gets put on the card as you order. This is cute, until you realise the line is 12 people deep and each person is waiting for their order to be cooked. AND YOU HAVE TO CARRY YOUR OWN FOOD BACK TO THE TABLE?! Sorry is this my local foodcourt where I order my personal 'guilty-secret-cheat-meal-so-embarrased-dont-look-at-me-while-i-eat-this' McNugget meal? Is this the canteen of some Silicon Valley tech company? I had to wait in line for 15 minutes then more time for my dish to be cooked in front of me. I was sweating with anxiety by now. I only had limited time and should have been chatting and socialising with my friends not, waiting in line for 20 minutes on the other side of the restaurant! I wish there was a virtual queue system, buzzer system (they have buzzers for pizza and lasagne) or ipad system like some sushi train restaurants so I can be good company and still get my food. That said, the chef who served me was delightful, and the food, when it finally was done, was absolutely delicious. The pasta was cooked perfectly, the sauce was just how I wanted it and my drinks were great too. I quite like that you very easily split the bill here. I just wish the system for pasta and risotto was a little more streamlined! I'm bringing my parents here next weekend though, they would L.O.V.E. it. read more

A wonderful Vapiano's experience. Friendly and polite service from the person greeting at the front door, the bar staff, and the pizza and pasta chefs. The food was all amazing. I had a chicken and spinach pasta dish with pappardelle pasta which was truly heavenly. My dining partner had a con carne pizza which was also very good. The unexpected surprise for me was the tiramisu dessert which was the best I've ever had. All the food including the pasta and the desserts is cooked fresh on the premises each day. read more

See all

Been to the Gold Coast restaurant, so when we passed early we got our table. Loved this pumpkin ravioli. read more

Vapiano - Italian Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

Food was fresh and tasty, however the whole ordering and payment process was a little confusing. What made it worse was we had to really drag it out of any staff as to actually how to order and pay for items. We did have to wait for about 45 minutes to get a table (6 of us 7.30 Saturday night) which i guess is normal now. The way the payment system is set up you get a card which has $75 of value on it. What is weird is that you can't spend over $75 (this may be to get you out the door quicker).This was not explained well. You then proceed to order what you want from the kitchen (no table service). The wait is not too long. This means that at our table we all ate at separate times which was not ideal. The gluten free and vegetarians were quite good and highlighted well in the menu. The recommended pasta for my dish (ratatouille) was penne but they had run out so i went for spirals, this might have been why my pasta was undercooked. Overall ok food and ambience, just the system could have been explained better for us newbies. Won't be heading back in a hurry. read more

The first time I tried vapianos was in Washington DC. The concept kind of blew my mind. Since then I've been in Mexico and now Melbourne. The food is always good, I love that you don't have the complication of splitting bills and you can kind of go to town with menu changes since it's made right there in front of you. My advice, always go the pasta. It's made fresh and it's never let me down. Their specials are also worth a look. The pizzas have a great base but I've found they lack a bit of flavour. The one area where Vapianos is let down in my opinion is the service. While I've never encountered a rude or unfriendly staff member, for the price you pay I feel the service could be elevated. Simply being seated by staff wouldn't go astray, save you time searching for a table or sitting in reserved areas that are unmarked which is especially a problem on busy nights. But regardless of that fact I'll be back for sure. I love watching my food being made and the atmosphere and decor is quite classy and nice for a night out but still has a casual feel. read more

The staff were great and the food was amazing, it is really quick as well. They were also very good at catering for my gluten free, dairy free and vegetarian diet :) they asked me if I was coeliac so they could avoid cross contamination so I was very happy and felt I could confidently eat here. read more

Ok so this visit to Vapiano was much better then previous visits perhaps this was because it was a public holiday and therefore fairly quiet at 6 pm. We grabbed a bruschetta and tropicale pizza. It was good without being great. I think this place could be fun for a small party where someone is putting on a tab. read more

Great venue, nice staff. The ordering system wasn't that complicated and the staff were very helpful in explaining. Would recommend this place for large groups. read more

Am I the only one who keeps thinking of this venue as "that piano place with the faux credit cards? Probably. Anyway Vapiano is really designed for big group luncheons, and strikes me sometimes as one of those private restaurants for a huge corporation, firm or consortium. It all seems very precise efficient and mathematically organised. The premise is simple but reminiscent of large venue lunch buffets, or that of an overnight ocean ship catering to designated deck area's with designated time slots. I digress, collect a card at the beginning and put all of your choices on to it; either food options from a production kitchen or drinks from a list, collect food, (no doubt pre-portioned) from a catering style kitchen, and then pay for what you ate and drank at the end. The upside of this is that is solves the dilemma and annoyance of everyone "paying separately" when there combinations of cash, credit cards, eftpos, and that one precious person who has the pay for everything on their card (usually a company card or expense account) to collect their precious points, meanwhile raking the table for everyone elses' cash, I.e triple dipping, then not leaving any tip. Definitely recommend for large groups. read more

I have now been to three of these places, Brisvegas, Melbourne and Sydney. Peas in a pod and hard to fault - does what it says on the box - pick your own fresh pasta and sauce and condiments, or salads or pizzas. The pizzas are A-OK, I had one with a meaty topping and added chilli - boy did it add chilli! Fantastico. Pasta ditto, fresh, well cooked, tasty sauces all things considered. Haven't had a salad but they look good. Ambience is ok, and fresh mini herbs on the table to pick and add (or at least I did!) is nice. All blonde wood, high stools, trendy signs. They give you a card when you walk in and all your orders are added to that, then you pay as you leave - quite handy, saves bill splitting madness, so ideal for a group. read more

Fantastic place to get a hot meal cooked just like home. Bring your mates order whatever they want and no fighting over bill splitting! read more

Vapiano - Tiramisu yummm! - Italian Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

Left stranded on Flinders Lane, the restaurant was closed despite receiving two confirmations. Would not recommend. Bad vibes.

Not really impressed. You each have to order separately at the counter and then wait at the counter for the meal to be cooked so it means you're each eating separately and standing around in line, and then at the counter waiting for the meal for ages. I think it's an over complicated system that just doesn't work. It took 3 gos for the chef to get my order right as he didn't listen to/hear me and obviously wasn't familiar with the menu. As the food is already half prepared and is cooked really quickly in front of you, the flavours aren't great. Won't go back. read more

First time visit was mid week not busy and nice service and tasty food...so decided to return early on busy Friday nite and service was very poor and we were asked to leave early scarfing down our food because we sat inside at only available seating marked reserve without a time frame/name marked on it and were told we would have to leave by 7PM. Rude hostess and buser. When asked as we left we told how offensive that is to paying guests and were told well thats just the way it is. Mind you no one was present asking for this table, nor were we advised this when we entered or was anyone attempting to help people find seating. You order and service yourself by hauling food on a tray which must save them some money but would definitely prefer to be in a place where food was brought to us. Nice concept...needs polishing....food is pretty good at a fair price. read more

I use to work in the building Vapiano's in, and this was my co-worker's go-to place after work. Fun atmosphere with a cool 'you get a card and pay at the end' atmosphere, this is a super friendly place to be in. may regret writing this, but I am hopelessly in love with their pizza base. Apart from the general pizzas, pastas and salads on the menu, as well as their cocktails of the week, they have seasonal pizzas. Do yourself a favour and next summer, try the fig, mozzarella and prosciutto pizza, it's absolutely delightful on the taste buds. There's a great balcony to sit outside in the summer, and the tables are lined with fresh herbs in pots you can pick away at during your meal for an easy refreshment. read more

Good pasta, various choices for each item, nice and spacious place.. And friendly & fast service.

You can read how it works on other reviews. We were from the US, and my kids wanted Italian food. I didn't want to spend an arm and a leg for it. We found this on yelp. The kids were happy. I was happy with my pasta order. I had to queue up a bit for it, but the wait was not all that bad and likely faster than table service. Ordered drinks at a bar (not the friendliest bartender, but at least efficient). My wallet could have been a little happier, but the bank did not get broken and the place basically worked out for our family. read more

One of my favourite places to go when I'm craving Italian. They make your pasta and pizza within minutes & it tastes incredible. It has a very unique seating arrangement and the vibes and atmosphere is great. Definitely recommend for any birthdays/celebrations. read more

Very nice casual spot, with different options and stations. Pizza, pasta, salads, bar.. you buy a card and order at each station then pay at the end at a register. Very good and very reasonable option in Melbourne. read more

The food is definitely better than your average cafeteria, but not by much. I remember thinking I could probably make a better pasta. The organization is a mess as well, we had to wait 30 minutes to be allowed upstairs and from there another 15 minutes in line to actually get a pasta. The layout is really like a cafeteria inside. Payment is also a hassle, you have to join the same line as incoming customers looking to get on the wait-list. I didn't finish my food and wasn't inclined to box it and take it home. read more

Vapiano is not your typical restaurant. You pick up a menu and smartcard when you walk in, pick your table you want to sit at, figure out what to order, then go to the open kitchen bar and order your pizza and beverage, and pick up your paging buzzer and go back to your table and wait for the buzzer to go off. Or if you order pasta or salad, you just wait for it to be prepared right in front of you. I didn't really notice or mind that I basically waited on myself, great concept for the restaurant, no so much if you want to be waited on. The most important part of the experience? The food. The pizzas are flavorful and cooked perfect. The crust bubbles in the oven and turns caramel brown, the toppings are the perfect portion size. Nothing overpowers the other ingredients. The pasta is cooked perfect and have great sauces to accompany it. Don't misplace your smartcard, it will cost you a whopping $75 dollars to leave the restaurant. Don't get me wrong, I still like Vapiano, I've been twice and will go again. read more

Love the concept! It reliably delivers good pasta and pizza in a very quick turnaround and with some fun. I often return.