Review Pure Italian Restaurant - Balwyn

Excellent service from a super friendly waitress. High quality food featuring super fresh seafood. Nice decor too, and our 1 year old was very well looked after. His food came really quickly and he loved his arancini balls. Very satisfied all round. We'll be back.

Once upon a time this restaurant was wonderful. Sadly, our recent meal there was a total disappointment. The service was very slow and the food was not fresh. The gnocchi and pasta were clearly store bought. We didn’t feel our dishes matched the flavours described on the menu. Classic desserts, like pannecotta and tiramisu, were poorly made. Additionally, when my friend went to the toilets, they were too dirty to use. This is an establishment which is clearly struggling and I hope they can find a way to restore the warmth, charm, and quality of the food that used to make this a favourite place for a night out.

fantastic. I know it's an Italian restaurant but it's the kind thing you would find in Paris. They have a 3 course meal deal with coffee for $45. I left so full because the food is divine. BYO wine. Lovely service and a really relaxed low key atmosphere. I'm not a person who writes many reviews but I just had a great meal. It's a real gem.

Authentic, beautiful italian. Great atmosphere and wonderful food.

Fantastic, a discovery I want to keep to myself but I will share to ensure Pure Italian stays for the long-term (selfish me!). Great tasting, fresh, authentic Italian food. Truly friendly and helpful service. Warm ambiance and comfortable. Interesting decor. Very reasonable prices. Ticks ALL the boxes except one....why isn't it open for dinner? Sorry, can't say any more, rushing off for lunch at my favorite lunch spot, PURE ITALIAN!!!!

Terrible. We were the only table in the cafe on a Sunday morning. Our coffees took 30 minutes. The babycinos ordered for our 2 year olds were piping hot and when we mentioned to the staff that one of them burnt their mouth they didn't care. They charged us $18 for one piece of toast and quarter of a bruised avocado. When I questioned the cost as it wasn't on their menu I was told the boss made up the price on the spot. We won't be going back.

I rarely write reviews on the internet but I believe this restaurant deserves an excellent reputation. Every time I went there, the food was absolutely AMAZING. I don't understand how people can complain about it.. maybe jealousy hahah. Waitresses are super nice and you can only enjoy and your time there with some Dean Martin playing in the background. I recommend this place to every italian food lover. Trust me you won't be disappointed

Lovely restaurant with cosy traditional feel. Service could be better, but prices are not high. $21 for my lasagna $29 for the swordfish. Food is OK. Coffee was excellent.

Not only was the food shockingly bad, we waited nearly two hours from the time we arrived to get the main meals served to our table of 6.When I enquired after approximately an hour and a half, I was told by the owner Rita that they were very busy ( I would hardly call 24 covers REALLY busy for a professionally run restaurant). At the end of a very poor meal I checking discretely with the waitress if staff actually received the tips left for them by the customers ( the answer was negative - the "restaurant" gets them), the owner came up and 3 times demanded to know what conversation I had with the staff member.I did not want to get the staff member into any trouble so 3 times refused to tell Rita, whose response was then to say that the restaurant was closed and we were to leave.                                                                           In summary appalling food ( don't be conned by reviews on other sites - most are written in the time of the former owners), not to mention that Rita is not capable of dealing with the public in a professional let alone polite manner, showing what little intergrity she has by NOT even giving the staff their tips.<br/>By the way, the reason I enquired about the tips was I have had many years experience in the Hospitality trade and can pretty well judge when supposed "restauranters" are not completely legit - shame on you Rita.

It was awful here, chefs used to be Italian - not anymore, food used to be good, not anymore. Do yourself a favour make pasta at home you'll do it better!

I was looking for Italian food other than pizza and found this cute little place. My husband and I absolutely loved it! There's such a large choices of pasta and other authentic Italian food. All the dishes with had were worth a 5 star restaurant to us. Plus , their 3 courses deal is THE deal. Highly recommend Pure Italian if you are looking for real Italian food.

Our entree (beef liver) and main dish (seafood linguine) was a disaster, my partner and I took one bite each and skipped to dessert (tiramisu). The beef liver tasted so foul we cringed (sour and very bitter), whilst the linguine was way too bland with poor quality seafood, we wanted to show the owner that this food is NOT OK, thus leaving both dishes nearly untouched; note that we were prepared to pay fully, therefore this is not a case of eat and run. We really wanted to make a point that the food is NOT acceptable, we enjoyed the environment and decor, it is a pity. <br/><br/>Although the lady serving is nice, she indirectly denied the possibility that there may be something wrong with the dishes, she told us this place is usually fully booked (empty tonight at 7-8pm Thurs) and that we are the first customers who didn't enjoy the seafood linguine, ppl apparently love it, and that it is always the same chef. Why would we order expensive food to take one bite though? Is she suggesting its our problem? Dear owners, have you seen the majority of the 2017 reviews? Deal with it, don't deny it, we are just trying to help, please listen.

Went on a cold Tuesday night & the restaurant was half full. The food was excellent, along with exceptional service. Will definetly go again.

Pure Italian is my absolute favourite.The first time I went there I fell in love with the atmosphere of the restaurant, it felt like stepping back in time. <br/><br/>Rita and her staff are so lovely and warm, making the experience even more of a pleasure.<br/>As for the food, it is on another level! The best pasta I have ever had and it is always consistent every time. <br/>Pure Italian is a hidden gem and I thoroughly recommend.<br/>

Menu choice is not as good as it used to be. Not a great deal of fresh crisp meals to choose from, it's a great pity as it used to be awesome.

The old saying that "the customer is always right" holds an equal weight that the food at "Pure Italian" is in fact pure Italian. <br/>Upon arrival one may assume that clean plates and offerings of water are pretty standard, one would be wrong. Regardless I was focused on the 'Pure Italian' food that awaited me and my friends, at this highly regarded neighborhood eatery. <br/><br/>After waiting so long that half of our party had to leave for prior engagements, the food arrived in all it's disappointing splendor. <br/>From the top, the seafood linguine was like the packet pasta had escaped there dirty kitchen and had rough night the night before, and flopped it's sad self on my plate with garlic breath from the kebab it ate with its friends after clubbing all night the night before. <br/><br/>Second, the penne pasta tasted like it had enjoyed swimming a few laps in morning fresh dish washing detergent before jumping on my plate along side some overcooked chicken. <br/><br/>And finally the runt of the litter, the frozen packet "calamari" that was overcooked and chewy, yet it's 'Pure Italian' interpretation of batter was pale and powdery. <br/>After refusing to pay for two of the three inedible dishes offered, I was aggressively told by the owner to never return. <br/>All in all I don't know who was more petrified me when I saw the bill or the flavor that had gone missing into witness protection from every dish I tasted. <br/><br/>

I been there last night with my friends, i had linguine and my friends had lasagne and pork which was absolutely beautiful, service was really good as well. So i recon that's the best place in north Balwyn to go for dinner. Thanx guys for beautiful night. I will come again. Cheers

Cute little place on the main road.. Small amount of seating in the front, it felt like we were sitting with the table next to us.. Other than the close seating, everything else was perfect.. the food was delicious.. We had the antipasto platter which was tasty! Can also recommend the gnocchi with lamb ragu and the seafood linguine. The panacotta was to die for and the tiramisu was the best that i have ever had. Worth a visit for some delicious food :) I would definitely make a booking to ensure a table!

First time but not last .i went with my wife and the place is divine and so beautiful I felt home food is great specially the lamb shanks it's melt in the mouth oh how great experience absolutely I'll be back thanks guys ;)

As bad a meal as I've had in years feel ripped off and left fuming! We started at 615pm and by 7 we had paid and left it was that bad. Started badly we ordered only to be told two minutes later that the beef was taken off the menu now, no apologies or anything from the waiter guy just you need to order something else, that wasn't even that bad. The food, came quickly probably because there was No love or care taken in the food or service. The mains came out looking like $27 microwave meals. To start the $22 calamari was good and as you'd expect but the rest you'd be well advised to avoid. lamb shank which had no lamb, the guy offered us another one to be fair but we declined because it tasted terrible. The tomato sauce was half a tin of cheap chopped tomato probably cooked in a microwave for a minute and thrown on top of the lamb. The tiny morsel of lamb when you found it mountain of chopped tomato was tender. Then there was the terrible goat I was looking forward to<br/>The goat done well it's amazing gradi at ringwood or the Italian at mont Albert are far better choices if you want goat, this one was grey soup with no seasoning with pieces of what were tender pieces of goat, two bits of asparagus and 2 carrots for the spring vegetable side, i was hungry and it tasted so bad. None of the food seemed fresh except for maybe the calamari. We left and came home to a toasted cheese sandwich. We did notice an earlier diner and left the microwaved tomato and mash slop from their lamb we wondered if they were just a small eater. We complained about the meals even suggested that it was understandable if there was minimal meat on the shank if it had been French trimmed, he said it wasn't trimmed at all and went to tell the chef he Soon came back and offered to do another lamb as I said we refused it, when I said the calamari was good he told<br/>Me of course the calamari was good its easy, then he proceeded to say it was the first complaint they've had this year and then he asked me for my card to pay, We paid the full amount without further question or comment and left. The First complaint this year comment is interesting, I wonder if thats because people leave and don't bother with reviews. I did hear another diner say they've had the duck twice before and the other review suggest it's not the worst place to go? I wonder if it's just the daytime cafe fare that is ok I can't speak for that but what we had for dinner was diabolical, save your cash, save your time there are plenty of better places in the area who care about the food they serve up even the below average stuff Sofias serves up is far better than this. These people are stealing money if they serve this stuff up as the norm, maybe they don't but I won't be back to see. I wish I could rate this zero, I feel robbed :-(

For a long time I have wanted to dine at this restaurant & I am glad I finally did. I loved the options on the menu especially all the pasta dishes! I had a pasta dish with gorgonzola, walnuts, pancetta & pear which was very tasty and melted in my mouth. My friend had braises beef checks which was super tender and accompained with roast vegetables. <br/>I would love to come back with my family.

Definitely recommend this cafe! Food was delicious and service was great! Perfect little cafe in the suburbs and a great place to go with family and friends.

A mate introduced me to Pure Italian when I was working in the area... We shared the Gnocchi Ragu and the Sea-food Soup.<br/><br/>Coffe was spot on also.  The owner, staff & guys in the kitchen were really friendly & inviting giving the place a nice family feel, actually took me back to eating at nonnas.<br/><br/>Will definitely be back - can't recommend highly enough.

This looks promising .....<br/><br/>The frontage of this small trattoria is very attractive, "village" provincial in the middle of North Balwyn. <br/><br/>So I can only stop by and pay a visit, coffee time.<br/><br/>Orange La Marzocco and their own blend of coffee beans, $4.30 Soy latte was well made, lots of characters and enjoyable. <br/><br/>Will re-visit for dinner soon. 11/10/2016.

Went to this restaurant last night. We were a party of four. All four meals were amazing. The staff were lovely and service great. Highly recommended.

This restaurant is very cosy and you can BYO wine. The food is a good spread of Italian - North to South. Prices are reasonable and everything is made 'in house'!! ( How refreshing - if only more restaurants adhered to this!!).<br/>Antipasto platter was tasty, but needs to be served on a larger platter.<br/>Mains were well executed ( spaghetti with meatballs was a bit 'basic').<br/>Desserts were excellent, along with the coffees.<br/>Service though, needs to directed and supervised more carefully!<br/>Having booked a table, we were surprised to have a couple at our table, when we arrived, finishing coffee and cake!<br/>Also, wait staff were taking orders from a table that arrived 15 mins after we were seated.<br/>Had to call wait staff, so we could place an order. <br/>Service chaotic and inconsistent. Pity, because their food 'deserves better'!<br/>I will look forward to returning, and I hope that their menu will keep on evolving!

Its good place to having meal with my family friendly staff .food is delicious i got choclate cake not very nice but its ok .i ll coming back for sure

I've eaten here for lunch. Lovely Italian copy, but was underwelmed, didn't really bother to rate or review it... Until this morning I dropped in for a double espresso... $4.30!!!!!!! <br/><br/>Stop charging Perth rates, particularly if you're an average restaurant cafe.

Food is delicious and awesome service. I really enjoy the food it was lovely. I want to go again and again there. Also i want they open every night

I'm sadly disappointed about the management of this restaurant and the way is going.<br/>I was (because I'll not be anymore) a regular costumers since Sciarpa Family ownership.<br/><br/>The change of the owner was a shock but surprisingly the food was good, sometimes also better than before with classic rustic taste that just italian chefs know how to do.<br/><br/>Been back today and I realised an increase of prices and a drastic decrease of quality.<br/>While I was going to the bathroom, I passed thru the kitchen and I realised that everyone have been changed...now it looks like a "Pure Indian"<br/><br/>Nothing bad about the background of the chefs despite the fact that the taste is completely different. <br/>Sadly, another classic italian restaurant that which the change of ownership became a fake. Absolutely not recommended.<br/><br/>

I had a great time at Pure Italian for brunch. I received very friendly and attentive service from two different staff members. One of them came by and asked us a couple times how we were finding the meal etc. I ordered the 'Piselli' dish with smashed peas on toast with crispy pancetta, torn Buffalo Bossoncini and changed the poached eggs into scrambled ones for a reasonable price of $15.50. I was so full afterwards and of all brunch places I've been to I can finally say the price was worth it. I'm keen to come back and try their dinner menu. Besides being full the food itself was very tasty! I was pleasantly surprised by the smashed peas, however it was quite fattening as there was so much pancetta mixed in so definitely not a healthy dish. The combination of everything was yummy and I'd recommend asking for their scrambled eggs instead of the poached. My friend ordered the 'Frittelle'.

Went here for lunch and could not fault it! The food was absolutely delicious. Beautiful rustic Italian dishes, simple and full of flavour. We splurged on desserts and WOW, the tiramisu is a must. Be warned, very generous serving size! Thank you to the staff, who were lovely and very attentive, we had a wonderful EOFY lunch here.

This is a wonderful place to eat really Italian food!  Everyone that works here is professional with fantastic manners. And the excellence is the food. Awesome, delicious, gorgeous. They were really nice and kind. Eating here is a magnificent experience of food

I have been to Pure Italian a few times over the past couple of months and just LOVE it!!<br/>Best coffee in town! <br/>Atmosphere is warm and the staff are very friendly - They remember me every time.. which is quite lovely.

Came there once. I like the service, food and especially coffee in there. Unfortunately, they just have dinner on Friday and Saturday. Hopefully, they can have more :)

Unfortunately the new owners have not been able to maintain Pure Italians previous charm and quality.<br/><br/>Pure Italian was a weekend staple for me and the family but unfortunately it will no longer be visited.<br/><br/>A completely different feel from the moment you step in. We walked in at 2pm on a Saturday and the hustle bustle was gone but we wanted to give it a try. Ordered 2 pastas and the signature fried calamari. Calamari was soggy. Pasta was your average La Porchetta pasta, gone are the days of great quality pasta combinations and rustic flavours. <br/><br/>Staff also need a big wake up call. Keep treating your customers like you don't need them and you will drive business away.<br/><br/>Improve the service, improve the food and we might one day be back.

Was not happy with breakfast very average service by staff slow and dopey food was not the same as previous owners and no atmosphere won't be back again and will not recommend what a shame it use to be so good other reviews most surprised sounds like there from friends of the new owners ?<br/><br/>

Not very spacious. It is a struggle to enjoy your meal in here. I came here once about 2 years ago and after waiting 10 minutes for a menu, we left and never came back. We heard that there were new owners so we thought we'd try again a couple of Sundays ago. We had the exact same experience, and we ended up going to Pizza Hut next door. It is a shame since the food looks good.

I had the Sicilian scrambled eggs and was expecting something completely different! This dish was delicious, the eggs were cooked well - not sloppy! We went for brunch and the cafe was very very quiet, but the waitress was lovely and the food came out quickly. Would definitely visit again for a quick meal!

After recently selling our own Italian restaurant, we finally got the chance to try this much talked about venue. We'd heard the place had changed hands but were delighted to discover that the Head Chef was from the same region as us in Italy. So rather than order from the menu, we asked him to bring out his recommendations.<br/><br/>Everything was beautifully presented, really fresh and so tasty.<br/><br/>They're open for dinner too on Fridays and Saturdays so we'll give that a go next.<br/><br/>Thank you to all the staff and management for looking after us so well. Ci vediamo a presto. Grazie!

Pure italian Home Made Food . changing menu every week different specials and big varaity wich make you existing for every week menu, Great Coffe ,Breakfast and luch, seafood it was Amazing , friendly and happy staff . they are open only 2 days for Dinner Friday and Saturday night. <br/> it's café but you will feel like it's small piece of italy. They are really touch of italy from A to z.

Had the joy of visiting Pure Italian this weekend and loved every minute. The service was relaxed, warming and very friendly. Coffee was fantastic and the food was to die for. We had antipasto to start which was fresh, looked great and was very tasty. We then chose seafood linguine and orange glazed duck for our mains. The dishes were well presented and beautifully cooked. The braised pear on the duck was lovely and complemented the dish very well. There was a lovely choice of items on the menu to choose from..We will be back soon to try some more delicious food! Thank you for a lovely evening!

Pure Italian has sadly changed hands! It used to be amazing. The new owners have kept the old breakfast menu, but it's very average quality. The lunch menu is minimal, doesn't look as interesting. Cold atmosphere. Definitely not like walking into an italian family house for a meal anymore! Average service. Nothing pure italian about it anymore.

Dinner is only available on Friday and Saturday. Happy to be able to book reservations on a long weekend, the mushroom risotto is a delight and the other dishes is only average.

Don't say I have been to Italian restaurant before you try their home made food!!! You can watch the kitchen and crazy Italian chefs while they are preparing your food :) <br/>I was really enjoyed and I will go there again asap!

Went to pure Italian with my girlfriend, really liked the atmosphere of the restaurant and how it made you feel like being at an Italian home nice and cosy.<br/>We ordered mostly seafood and the plates that came out were like Wow so nice tender fresh, we really enjoyed all the items on the plate. Reasonable prices for what we ordered and staff were so friendly and comforting, I would definitely come back bring more of my friends.

Authentic Italian food, nice atmosphere, jovial staff, modern music... Everything was perfect. I enjoyed a lot :) Especially the fried soft shell crab was amazingly soft and yummy :D

No more comments !!! Just go , smell different coffee , taste delicious food , Hear music , enjoy the best pure italian atmosphere .. #pureitaliancafe

If you are big fan of coffe and italian food. Then you must go pureitalian . Food always fresh and delicious . Fantastic italian rustic decoration with lovely music . Great place like you visit italy

LOVE IT !!! Piece of italy , Italian rustic cafe , tasty breakfast , lunch and antipasto . Absolutely amazing . I ill never stop to go . #pureitaliancafe

The worst thing about pure Italian is it being hard to get a table due to it being so popular! Have been dining here for a number of years and have never had a bad meal or coffee. Menu is constantly changing which is fantastic. Love everything about this place. A must if you're in the area!

The best italian cafe in melbourn .I LOVE to eat breakfast there minumum 3 times a week love this place .and love to have coffe there I'm lucky to been close from this cafe

Sad to report that Pure Italian has changed hands and the lovely Sciarpa family is no longer running it. They have reopened in Richmond with Roam cafe (same menu!). <br/><br/>The quality of the food at Pure Italian is still quite good but it is the service that is a major problem. Previously, it felt like the staff really cared about the food and customers. Now the service is terrible with no personality.<br/><br/>First of all, the menu contains some of the same dishes as before but they are not of the same quality. The pastas were quite bland and required some more seasoning. Meatballs were quite dry and also plain. Broccoli fritter batter was too thick and therefore soggy and the broccoli was undercooked (larger pieces than before). Polenta was swimming in oil so did not taste great.<br/><br/>Coffee was okay but Chai latte was watery. Originally we were given it in a cup and questioned if it was made from the Prana Chai on the counter or powder. Waitress told us she knew it normally came in a pot and cup with strainer so redid it for us. It came back in a pot but was still watery. We could tell that the problem was not enough Prana was put in the pot (about a third of the leaf amount we got previously). She apologized and took it off the bill, said she would talk to the barista about it.<br/><br/>Service was terrible - three staff seemed very disorganised. The waitress was okay and tried hard as she was understanding about the chai latte but the two waiters weren't helpful. One waiter reached over everyone to place cutlery, plates etc. We asked for a spoon for pasta and were given a very large soup spoon. He seemed very annoyed when we asked for a tablespoon. He asked us if we were ready to order (yes we were) but walked off while we were ordering (to get a notepad). He asked us how our meal was when we had finished, but started talking to someone else mid sentence and did not clear plates until we asked multiple times. Water was not refilled until we asked multiple times.

Awesome as always....tried 4 of the breakfast items and each one has been fantastic especially the mixed mushrooms with maple pumpkin. <br/><br/>Will be back again.... hopefully to try their dinner menu!

Have bee here a few times and always find the coffee great. Service is excellent the staff are always happy and chatty and breakfast is always full of flavour

Have been there a few times for takeaway coffees. Coffee is pretty good, but have had a few disappointing experiences. Waiting to order whilst the staff are busy having a conversation & coffees filled 4/5th of the way on two or three separate occasions was disappointing.

Pure Italian in Balwyn North is a busy and gorgeous little Italian cafe tucked into a shopping strip east of Burke Road. The locals love this place but it would be remiss to think Pure Italian is not worth a visit from across town. Simple but perfect, in the traditionally heartfelt Italian way, Pure Italian has a great menu and a generously hospitable vibe.

Absolutley sensational every time! The breakfast is always bursting with flavour and the combination of flavours is spot on! The coffee is always smooth and the staff are friendly, attentive and always wear a smile! <br/><br/>i love breaky here, cant wait until they start dinner!!! <br/>Always amazing food & service!

I went to Pure Italian for lunch to try out.Looking at the reviews I had high expectations for this restaurant only to find myself not only disappointed in the food but felt ripped off in a way. I had the calamari which was way too salty. I love my salty foods but trying the calamari here I nearly choked  from the saltiness!!I I barely touched the food after that.I hate wasting food but was left with no choice but to leave it .It was inedible!!!i asked a waitress who was very rude why the calamari was too salty.She replied with saying that's what Italian calamari taste like!!! Feeling ripped off  having to pay for 4 small pieces of calamari drowned in olive oil and salt at a pricey $23!!!! I know Balwyn is a rich area but not all rich people are that stupid to waste money on a restaurant like this!!Will not return!!

If you can't do good coffee then are you really that 'pure Italian'? I went here with a colleague who is all about Italian food so thought she might enjoy it. She did not. She found a hair in her gnocchi and when she told the staff member about it was given a very rude response. Poor service, poor coffee, poor hygiene

Been coming here for a few years. Great cafe that has only improved over time, take care of their customers well with excellent service. I hear that they are expanding into the back part of the building soon which is great!

Attended this place today with friends. I had talked it up as I really enjoyed my first visit. Service was a bit slow but Sunday is a busy day. I didn't enjoy my meal but I didn't pick well my friends lived there's. Parking great on a Sunday. Love the Italian feel of this place

used to go there weekly as I live nearby.Staff are moody, food is good - no doubt about that. service is very hit and miss. they have their favourite customers who get served ahead, who get their take-away coffees quicker.being asked by 3 staff in the space of 2 minutes if Im ready to order other times you can wait 30 minutes to order whilst the more popular customers get served ahead was the final straw.

it was a very nice experience eating in such a fancy little cafe. The food is a little overpriced to my liking but for a once off, it really is worth the experience, a little bit of Italy in Balwyn.

Visited with my family...sunday afternoon..welcoming staff, all of them. Food is home made and tasty. Thank you guys..see you soon. Gnocchi and maltagliati dishes were amazing. Try the deserts .

This used to be our regular place when Carmen runs. After she sold it we still come several times but today would have to be the worst experience and we are very sad indeed that it has gone this way. Despite the price are still as expensive as before, the food and service did not deliver the same quality and standard. The seafood are overly cooked and the pasta and risotto are lacking flavours or out of balance. When feedback was politely given, it was not being received well. It is a sad ending to our much loved Pure Italian. <br/><br/>2015-06-03<br/>This is one of our regular breakfast place, partially due to the close proximity to home, and partially the food here is flavorsome, authentic and the menu changes all the time.  So, we never get bored visiting Pure Italian.  The coffee might not be the best but it has certainly improved over the years.  The only drawback is it is not very spacious and the price tag is a little $$.

Beautiful. Usaully very fussy with food, this Cafe hit the spot. Amazing filled mushrooms with salad followed by good coffee! :)

Love it! Love it! Love it! .... Love it! Love it! Love it!<br/>I have been here many times, with friends, colleagues, clients and family. Have never had a bad meal here. I am Italian from Rome, we are the fussiest diners in Italy. Everyone I've been here with loves the authentic Italian food. The calamari are a must, the best I've had, even better than mamma used to make. Love you guys!!

Good atmosphere and pretty friendly staffs. I like the calamari but it will be better if it comes with more rocket salad. The spaghetti is too thick so a bit hard to eat. The food is really get you the feel of homemade. I guess I should try more.

Do Not Speak To the Barista!. For a year I came here weekly. Back then my partner and I joked about the domestics that we witnessed going on behind the counter but the food and atmosphere are so good we didn't let it bother us. A few weeks ago I got out of my car at 11:04, I crossed the road and ordered a take away coffee. I sat and watched the cafe antics for about 20 minutes before asking a lovely waitress what was going on and if I had been forgotten. <br/>She hesitantly asked the barista if he had an order for my soy latte when Mumma Italia yelled "Do Not Speak To The Barista!" <br/>I have a background in hospitality and have worked in family businesses for years, to see this happen I was disgusted.<br/>I hope that waitress has left for somewhere better and more rewarding because she was the only pleasant person working there and doing the job of at least three people.<br/>Anyway .... At 11:36 I was handed my coffee.<br/>Thank you Pure Italian for your many amazing meals over the years, for your cooking classes and delicious coffee but I am done. There are a few new brilliant cafes in Balwyn and if your service and attitude don't improve you won't be able to compete. :)

That's the way I like it. God! Everybody's canning this place for the service? Just eat!! If driving in traffic's going to upset you, don't expect the staff to calm you down. If one glance in their deli fridge doesn't get you excited, nothing will. Let the food do the talking.<br/>If your'e not going to eat here, you could drive up the hwy in search of a bakery. I am sure you'll grab a great pie as an alternative.<br/>On the other hand, bring an open mind and a hungry belly to Pure Italian and you wont be disappointed.<br/>Let's put all the other bad reviews down to culture clash. <br/>The sound of knives and forks hitting the table, loud conversation and big personalities sound pure Italian to me.<br/>Sweep under my chair, move me from the top floor to the basement for all I care; the food's great!<br/>Pure Italian is a family business and your'e at their place. The food is cooked with love. It's quality home-style cooking that you would be grateful to find in Rome. If I lived in the area, I'd be proud to have such a fantastic place to eat. The staff at Pure Italian are giving and warm. It's the place to eat quality flavours that you just don't see every day. Pure Italian; that's the way I like it.

The restaurant had a warm and friendly vibe and was a busy place to be for Sunday lunch; it was still almost full when we left at around 3pm. Thankfully it has a deceptively small shopfront; Pure Italian also has a downstairs area next to the kitchen. It doubles as a small store, offering a selection of cakes, small goods, antipasto and other various Italian food products for sale. Menus are written up on the board and today it included a selection of two entrees, about 10 mains (mostly around $18-19 each), a few sides, filled rolls and of course, dessert. So many of the options sounded tempting

Great breakfast, shame about the coffee.<br/><br/>I love coming to this neighbourhood favourite. It's small and cramped, but that adds to the charm. Food is generally very good - nice portions of fresh food served up in the frying pan.<br/><br/>I've read some comments here about the service but I've found it to be friendly, even warm. I'm not sure if that comes as a frequent guest, but I don't think so.<br/><br/>The big drawback - and ironically the thing that drew me to Pure Italian in the first place - is the coffee. They've recently made a switch, from Romeos beans to Small Batch. The result is a warm milk and bean soup, which I'm informed is better for me and a much higher quality than the old stuff. It tastes...not great...and trying it with less milk just gives you more bean soup flavour. Well, I guess I'm a pleb, I don't drink coffee because it's good for me, and I like that roasted bean flavour. I don't like my meat steamed, either.<br/><br/>For now I'm having a coffee before or after I head there for breakfast, until I find another local joint with a decent brew.

Terrible service. One of the waitresses has been so rude so many times I will not return.

Nice food - Snooty Waitress!!. Had a booking for a Sunday for 5 people. Upon arriving, noticed that we were to be seated on the upstairs level which was quite busy being around Christmas..asked if we could be seated downstairs, waitress then replied that our table was upstairs, I then asked again, if we could sit downstairs as there would be more room. You would think by her look that I had asked for something out of the ordinary. I table had to be reset, once downstairs, and didn't she let us know that this was certainly an inconvenience for her. Glasses, cutlery were banged down on the table anbd she then disappeared upstairs.<br/>Very very poor service...have been there a number of times before and was quite amazed with her lack of service....Will definitely watch out for her next time we frequent Pure Italian...I won't be so nice next time!! Did she get a tip? NO WAY!!

A local gem!. Have been frequenting Pure Italian for some time now. It is almost home away from home when it comes to dining and coffee. It has a tremendous ambiance, you literally feel like you are in a Roman cafe.<br/><br/>Hosts Carmel and Carlo and their staff are always friendly and welcoming. Some of my favourite dishes are the fried pizza, calamari and risotto. Breakfast or lunch you will not be disappointed with their fresh and wholesome ingredients and meals. Not to mention the amazing coffee.<br/><br/>We have also done their Italian Cooking classes where with Carlo's guidance we learnt how to make exceptional Italian Tapas. My favourites are the Diavolleti (fried smoke mozzarella served on radicchio and drizzled with vino cotto) and the fired ricotta drizzled with raw honey.

Very bad attitude!. We were at Pure Italian for a catch up coffee with a couple of girlfriends last week ..... I know their closing time is 4pm but one of the staff was sweeping floors under our feet and banging chairs at 3.15!! Very unpleasant trying to chat and a total lack of consideration....and the attitude of one of the young girls was appalling when we went to settle the bill- I questioned $7.80 for a pot of black tea and the look was unbelievable!! I think she had got confused with the others who had ordered a sweet with their coffee. We just could not believe how rude she was!! We all commented on walking out of there that we would never return and would not recommend to anyone, despite whether or not they had good food or good coffee! It is a shame that staff with poor attitudes can spoil a business- we were regulars for Sunday breakfast but never again!!

Great food, perfect coffee and welcoming staff. I've been to Pure Italian a number of times and always found the staff to be very friendly and always efficient. To those who say the staff have poor attitudes I say have a good hard look at yourselves. For all the places to eat in Melbourne, it's rare to find a cafe with excellent food, perfect coffee and a warm and welcoming environment. Pure Italian has it all and as I'll be back regularly, I hope I don't find myself sitting next to you reviewers who knock the hard working staff. Chances are you wouldn't know a good cafe or good staff from bad. Perhaps Muffin Break's your go.

OMG what attitude. Disappointing breakfast experience would not go there again. When I questioned why coffees hadnt arrived after a 30 min wait, I was lectured by the very overpowering, loud owners wife. If she'd taken the time to check prior to the lecture she would have found that our order had not been received. Apology and free coffee was not enough to negate the bad attitude winessed by all.

Spectacular scrambled eggs with tomato sugo and mozzarella. I don't get the bad reviews recently, the place sometimes gets a bit noisy for me, but that's a sign of how popular it is with the locals. The food is some of the best I've eaten anywhere, reasonably priced and satisfyingly filling, and the staff have always been friendly and helpful. One of the very few places around where I've left without saying "It was nice, but..." It's always good and there's nothing I would change.

I can say the meals were nice despite them taking nearly 45min to arrive....not good for a lunch hour! <br/>I've been to this cafe a number of times but will never return again with my work colleagues after the barrista threatened to punch me and fight out the front for wanting to pay on card and split the bill!!!! What a disgraceful attitude this staff member had......never again!

Love this place!!! The food is amazing, Carlo is an amazing chef. The coffee is so so, the cafe has a really warm feel to it and you always feel welcomed.

The best. You won't get any more authentic than this. <br/>I ordered the spaghetti marinara and honestly it reminded me of Italy. <br/>This place is a gem in the culture starving Balwyn. The pasta is always cooked al dente ( not overcooked) , good honest, friendly wait-staff and the coffee is strong and smooth. Why would I bother going to the tourist trap of lygon st (a street I live on) when I can go here.

Terrible. Been here 3 times, always on weekends. Never again. I thought I would give this place 3 chances but they've disappointed me every time.<br/><br/>PROS:<br/>- Presentation of food is great.<br/>- Food tastes good, most times. <br/><br/>CONS:<br/>- Very small & loud place and hard to feel comfortable.<br/>- The service is disgusting: Not one smile.<br/>- Food takes ages to come out.<br/>- Ridiculously expensive. ($70+ for 2 people - Food & Coffee).<br/><br/>OTHER:<br/>- Coffee is a hit & miss with this place. Sometimes it's good, sometimes terrible. I order long macs.<br/><br/>OVERALL: 2.5/10. If they were friendlier and cheaper, I would give them a passing grade.

Good food - shame about the waitress. Had lunch there mid week, did not make a reservation. Was greeted at the door by a waitress and asked for a table- were given a table by the front door. My son asked if there were other tables out the back, perhaps that was our mistake. Her demeanour changed and she appeared annoyed that we asked for other seating. We settled on her first suggestion, the table by the door. If looks could kill we wouldn't be alive! The waitress then asked us for any drinks, we ordered tap water and a soft drink. She brought the water bottle and glasses to the table and slammed the water bottle on the table, oh dear!!! I think our mistake was we asked for a better table and she didn't like it. Some hospitality workers need to learn a lesson in manners and common sense. It is a great pity because it ruined our little luncheon. If I was there by myself, I would have walked out but I was there with my husband and son and it is one of my son's favourite local restaurants. On a more positive note the food was enjoyable Italian fare.

We arrived and stood in the door way expecting to be greeted or at least acknowledged. We stood for ages waiting while trying to attract the attention of staff who tried to to ignore us and pretend we were not there. We thought that maybe it was a seat yourself place so we made our way to an empty table when a snappy young waitress wearing too much self tanned told to to go down stairs and sit at a pokey little corner table for two under the staircase. She said that was all she had although there were two other tables free in the opposite corner.<br/>We then sat and waited, waited and waited some more while staff walked by and ignored us as thoroughly as possible after 10 minutes a guy said I will be right with you bought over some water and promptly disappeared to take orders from two tables that arrived well after us. After waiting patiently and still trying to attract someone's attention we decided to leave. We are heading back to Kew and Centonove for a proper Italian dinning experience... <br/>Pure Italian is a joke. Incompetent staff, with a bad attitude. All they need was an Italian Basil Fawlty, they already had a number of staff who were more than suitable the role of Manuel.

Good coffee, nice food but expensive, counter area was never designed to have a few people standing around waiting for take away coffee, I guess its a good thing if they are busy, also the docket system is disorganized and messy and delays paying tour bill on the way out.

Fresh, authentic food and excellent coffee. Been here many times now - quality of the food has stood the test of time.<br/><br/>Pasta's always cooked perfectly, decent sized serving and always has a fresh, wholesome flavour. I need to save some space for dessert at some point...<br/>Coffee every time has been spot on too.<br/><br/>Service is a bit up and down - some of the servers are a bit moody and surly but there are enough smiles to not be put off by this.

My favourite restaurant in Melbourne. I love the pastas, particularly the baked seafood pastas. I have tried almost everything on the every changing menu. We normally get the calamari, a pasta to share and a main. Everything is always done to perfection. We are regulars and the service for us has been great. One particular girl always recommends something spectacular for me. I recommend this place for lunch but not breakfast, the breakfast menu used to have some more interesting options but the lunch menu is the standout.

What a marvellous restaurant!. This restaurant has shot up as one of my all time favourites in Melbourne.<br/>This place is superb.<br/>We popped in at 1pm on Tuesday (with no reservation) and we were so lucky to get a seat- in the courtyard. The place was absolutely packed.<br/><br/>The aromas being expelled from the kitchen were mouth watering and it made it very difficult to concentrate on ordering just one main course.<br/><br/>I would have loved to have tried the Christmas special dessert- scooped out Italian bread refilled with vanilla icecream, Belgium chocolate and lemon cello.<br/><br/>The staff were just gorgeous. So super friendly and accommodating.<br/><br/>I am chaffing at the bit to return. <br/><br/>What a magnificent find- and there is very good reason why The Age food guide awarded it 3 stars. I wish they were open in the evenings!!!!!

Pure Italian Balwyn. Five friends visited this restaurant for lunch on Dec 6th.The seating was very cramped,tables are too close together.Our waiter was officious,arrogant and rude.<br/>Upon deciding to order a large anti pasto platter and calamari to share,he informed us we needed to order more food and what mains would we like.We said we would start with this then see how we felt.He then said "Well you booked for six and only five came!We've turned sixty people away today!"Never has this happened to any of us before .We were all a bit stunned so made a decision to leave which we did.We returned later and spoke with the Manager and she did make an offer of complimentary dessert,which we declined,damage had been done

This place is a must , hidden gem? Beat breakfast in Melbourne , been here a few times , the old Nona makes the best coffee and the wait staff are lovely and friendly with fantastic customer service , something you find hard to come by in Melbourne but they go above as beyond great work , food is amazing , not allot of space like your main stream coffees but honestly it's so much better , cozy and a great place to eat or just have coffee and read the paper on a lazy Sunday Arvo great work guys !!'

Overpriced! Went for a girlie lunch with friend, I had a porchini risotto served on a bread plate (no porchini visible) very stingy servings, my friend had spag marinara which was in a cereal bowl and a drink and coffee we shared a salad and dessert bill came to over $70. Not that great , would never go back. Looks like they are charging us rome prices in the suburbs.

Food quite food but the service was disappointing. Recently had breakfast here on a Sunday. We were asked to move to a different - and smaller - table shortly after arrival which was not, as it turned out, large enough to accommodate the four meals, plus coffees and water. As for the food itself, after a lengthy wait, it arrived, but one of the dishes was incorrect. When it was pointed out to the waitress, she started arguing, insisting it was what had been asked for - and persisted with her argument! We could even hear her protesting to the kitchen staff that we had changed our minds without telling her. What nonsense! It was corrected and with the owner's subsequent very embarrassed apology, but it shouldn't come to that. The food itself was quite nice but for the price I would have hoped for better. Some of the flavour combinations although interesting on paper, were not quite successful, for my taste. And be warned, they don't do poached eggs! The coffee, however, was excellent.

Breakfast food is underwhelming. Haven't tried lunch menu so not sure about that. Docket system is ridiculous, seriously need to update that. I get they're all about the 'old' and 'authentic' or whatever but the customers suffer with the mess of it all. Owner and staff leave a lot to be desired. So much attitude.

A bit overpriced. I had a prawn risotto which seemed undercooked (but was supposedly meant to be served al dente, according to the waitress). For $22, only 4 prawns didn't seem like particularly good value. My husband's spaghetti seemed a bit small (stingy serving sizes), the food took forever to arrive and so did the same bill (we asked 2 different waiters before giving up). In a nutshell... Not good value and poor service. I've had better.

ITS OK. Been dying to go to this place and finally did... its ok but nothing to rave about. Think they needed more staff to pay attention to the customers... took us ages to order a coffee and then even more time to order food so left us feeling a little frustrated

Warning don't eat here!. We had a concern about our meal and discretely brought this to the attention of the older woman at the front of house/owner. Unfortunately, she was not interested in listening and over reacted to our concerns. She verbally abused us, got emotional and dragged the 2 chefs out to make a scene in the restaurant. She accused us of trying to not pay for the meal. We know the risotto we ordered tasted like it was made from rotting ingredients. It tasted off, and the restaurant's arrogance was uncalled for. Woman apologised as we were leaving, but by that stage our meal was already ruined.

Italian delight. Great place - v. busy on the weekends but great homey ambiance, delicious authentic food and friendly staff. Coffee service can be a bit slow and it's not really kid friendly (no room for pram and no high chairs) but overall delicious food that's thankfully a bit different from the usual café fare, not overly large serves but never leave feeling hungry. Love the noisette bread and croissants - but not the markup on them!

Really cute local place. The food was delicious. The place had a homely feel and the staff were very helpful. The owner was friendly and interacted with everyone. The imported products, the decor, the accents and the Italian spoken throughout this place added to the whole vibe and really did take you to Italy. Definitely a winner!

Okay food,good coffee,the barista is friendly and makes a great coffee but for a busy place they have a very very old school docket system from the 80's,when its busy there are tickets averywhere and seems stressful,sometimes just watching makes me want to ask for a xanax with my coffee.

Every meal is a delight!. We go to pure Italian nearly once every 2-3 weeks and every time is absolutely delicious and unforgettable, the menu is always different and every meal I've had has been amazing! The service is great! Lovely owners, lovely coffee. Pure Italian is the most traditional Italian in Melbourne!

Would not recommend. Food was ok, on the expensive side..but the olderish Italian lady who was there (possibly the owner) is very rude. I don't know why these people are in the industry as they do not know what customer service is. There is a lot of competition out there lady and customers would like to be treated better.

The food was nice but our experience was not. We were over charged for the food we received and we had been mislead by the wait staff who were incredibly rude.

Old favourite always prompt, delicious and reasonably priced food

Beautiful family run buisiness. Staff go out of their way to help. Kitchen was flexible to a special vegetarian request. Food was amazing!! Best Italian i've had in Melb :)