Review Vivace - Brighton

I had 2 very nice evenings at Vivace Brighton. It was my 50 birthday I held 2 dinners here Friday and Saturday both evenings were amazing,2 different people looking after us both were great. Great food and very nice wine. Thank you to the team for 2 enjoyable evenings. 😃😃😘😘😃😃

Thanks to Chris and the team, and especially Alex, for providing us with yet another fabulous and memorable occasion at Vivace. Despite having been regulars there for the last 10+ years, Vivace just keeps getting better. This time it was a birthday dinner for 30, and it couldn't have been better! Our guests were raving about the wonderful food and the, even better, service. Alex was so attentive and engaging, with nothing being too much trouble. Keep up the amazing work, which I know you all will!

Chris and the team at Vivace add sparkling service to great food all inside a fabulous venue. The menu is just one page and normally accompanied by a couple specials. In addition the wine menu has depth and breadth to suit most budgets, and even the most discerning. This is a place where you have time and space to kick back and saviour the experience, and there is no doubt that some will mention the accompanying pricing reflects the experience. In summary, highly recommended!

A beautiful meal and date-night venue for my husband and I. We both had the eye fillet and it was cooked to perfection! The croquettes were delicious and the fondant was fought over 😂 I am dreaming of my meal and can’t wait to be back. Thank you 😊

We had an absolutely fantastic evening with all the delicious dishes and great wine. The service was great having Roberto as our waiter,who was very attentive and highly professional and added aditional italian flavour to the already fantastic authentic italian experience. We started with a mixed plateau of antipasti complimented well with chilled Prosecco.The arrancini followed and they were absolutely delicious. I chose porcini&king brown mashroom risoto with goat cheese and truffle mousse and crispy leak. it was just perfect complimented with Shiraz. The salmon fillet with quinoa and pearly cous-cous,fennel and chargrilled zucchini was simply fantastic. The deserts did not disappoint either.The dark Belgian chocolate marquise with honey wipped ricotta and citrus segments and candid walnuts was the desired great finish of the dinner. We would love to come back again and would recommend it as a "must go" culinary destination in Brighton.

My partner & I have dinned at Vivace's a number of times and we've always appreciated and enjoyed the experience, the menus and the staff. It has now become traditional for us to enjoy her birthday here and undoubtedly we shall continue to do so :-)

Terrific restaurant that is one of our absolute favourites. The service is always absolutely spot on. Food and wine list is also “A” grade. Very well managed restaurant with lovely staff and a great overall ambience.

Dining at Vivace was absolutely lovely. Service was attentive and charming, food was faultless and the wine was great! I’m a craft beer lover and highly recommend the Viola Birra Rossa imported from Italy. Will definitely be back.

We tried the 18 hours slow cooked lamb from their menu, trust me, we were transported to heaven and back. It was extremely delicious, fantastically cooked with so much love and care, as right from the very first bite, we fell in love with this dish. Highly recommended, I bet this one is the best dish from their menu. And do try this for an out of the world gastronomic experience. The taste still lingers in my mouth. Worth a visit.

Celebrated our anniversary with dinner here and it was delicious. Good wine selection, tasty food, and really friendly servers. Great spot for a special dinner.

The scallop is delicious. I forgot the name of the dessert it is amazing!!!!!!<br/>A very nice restaurant for a romantic dinner. Highly recommended

Really nice food and wines. Pretty pricey but the flavour and quality of food matches. I would recommend it for more formal or intimate occassions as it has that kind of atmosphere and isn't as casual as most restaurants in the area.

Nice interior setting and atmosphere. All waiters/waitresses are professional and friendly. Food is amazing. I ordered signature linguini, salmon was so tender, plus fresh prawns and mussels and the taste, cooked to perfection. Oysters are also great, wish I could have more. Will definitely come back.

Vivace has a modern Italian bistro vibe. The restaurant is lively (as the name suggests) but even though there’s barely any free tables there’s a great staff ratio so you’re well looked after. There’s a large wine list to accompany the modest menu of contemporary Italian classics. We got the steak and fish for our mains: the steak was so tender that it was cut with a butter knife, the barramundi was well seasoned and the sauces on the plates worked really together.<br/>Dessert - they were delicious - as in so good you’re not going to share. Make sure you leave room! The chocolate fondant was cooked to gooey perfection and the banana ice cream and salted caramel sauce make it even better. The white chocolate pancotta with rhubarb was incredible. You won’t leave any traces of dessert on your plate. <br/>Price wise it’s a bit expensive (mains around $38 on average), but you pay for what you get- and you get quality food and service with a smile.<br/>Overall it’s a great restaurant and I can’t wait to go back.

Went here for a birthday dinner. Food is okay but I’m more Impressed with the service tho quick, attentive and really friendly. <br/>The steak was perfectly cooked, generous amount of side fries. Just quite disappointed with my conchinglie pasta. I ordered it thru the specials. presentation and portion is okay but the taste needs improvement. <br/>So 5 stars for the very nice service<br/>3.5 stars for the food

Very nice service and delightful environment. The entries are delicious so does the signature pasta, the fish on the special menu can have some improvement.

Superb service and brilliant food. Despite being a very busy night, we felt like we were the only diners there because of the level of attentiveness of the wait staff. Food was also very good.

Had a pleasant dinner here after strolling around Brighton beach. The restaurant is just few steps away from the North Brighton station. <br/><br/>Ordered qld king prawns for appetizer, slow-cooked pork belly for mains annd coconut panna cotta for dessert (me and my friend decided to share all the foods), with rose wine as the drink companion. The foods tasted reallyyyy good! It's all worth the money and the staffs were attentive👌👌 they gave out some recommendations as well

A great Brighton restaurant - now an institution of Bay Street given how long it has served the local community.  The staff are great, very professional, attentive but won't get in the way, ensuring you have a great evening.  Food is always high quality and the restaurant is a great casual dining experience any night of the week. Highly recommend.

Excellent salmon, well prepared and presentation was outstanding! Fabulous lunch and the best iced coffee ever:) Will be coming back! The service was magnificent very elegant and the restaurant was immaculate. Beautiful atmosphere therefore I enjoyed having lunch with friends at a classy place.

Three for an early dinner- quick service, great wine list and lost of delicious entrees and mains.<br/>We enjoyed our food and good service.<br/>The risotto was the standout- gorgeous looking with a taste to match.

We always enjoyed Vivace, the menu is varied. Vivace caters for those with food intolerances with a minimum of fuss. The service is attentive warm and helpful. We love Vivace as it exudesvery warm ambiance.

Best Itarian restaurant in the area. Very friendly service and food was tasty as I expected, but not so outstanding. I doubt it worth to visit with long drive, but if you live around the area, it's good restaurant for going out.

Brighton is very lucky to have Vivace in its midst and the fact it has been around for 14 years is a testament to its popularity. It is a smart looking restaurant with a relaxed atmosphere and the food really good and flavoursome. Not sure why I have left it so long between visits.

Been here a few times and loved it. The vibe inside is calm, but positively energetic. Always noticed lots of people enjoying company with each other without feeling the need to reach out for their phones. Friendly, attentive and knowledgable staff. The home made gnocchi is my favourite... Soft pillows of heaven really, submerged in a lush home made tomato sauce 😍 Bit pricey... But a great place for an Italian treat!

Great ambiance. Good service and excellent food. Definitely recommended for a night out with family or friends. Parking on Bay st can be an issue so arrive a little early

Best Italian restaurant in the area. Its a little pricey but well worth it. Quality food and great service. Their signature seafood pasta is devine. Definitely give this place a visit, well worth a try.

Very friendly service, exceptional interaction with wait staff, food was amazing seafood linguine so good and chocolate fondant amazing. Requested a table by window on Zomato and got it so I was really impressed as was my partner.

Vivace Restorante is set in the heart of Bay Street in Brighton, just a stones throw from the North Brighton Station. We arrived tonight as a larger group for a hens night and such, opted for the private function room. <br/><br/>The staff were very friendly and the atmosphere was great, having the entire upper area to ourselves. The servings were quite small for the cost per person, and the antipasto/starters were brought out unevenly. Some guests missed out on sampling a couple of the starters. <br/><br/>Check out the review of Vivace in the blog post below.

Service and wine was excellent but the food was just okay and certainly not worth the price tag. <br/>Pretty sure the scallops were actually stingray and they were over-salted so much they burnt the skin in my mouth. The tomato's used in the Caprese salad weren't even ripe. The dessert was the sort you'd get at a normal cafe.<br/><br/>My recommendation for Italian is La Svolta in Hampton. A little less pricey and phenomenal food and wine. They won't put your napkin on your lap for you but it's a worthy sacrifice for good food.

Horrid. The pork belly was as dry as cardboard. I won't be back. Not worth the price tag. Atmosphere very bland and the staff couldn't be any less enthusiastic if they tried.

Amazing food and service! Lychee martini to die for, catering for my food intolerances was not an issue. Truly can't fault it, will be back for sure!

Went here because of all its good reviews on this very website/app... and was disappointed.While there is a lovely selection of wines, and a nice antipasto platter, its mains selection leaves much to be desired. While the lamb was very most and cooked just right, it was surprisingly bland, and they were quite stingy with it! For the price, surely you could give someone more than 3 small ribs of lamb.<br/>Equally unimpressed with the service. The head waiter was friendly and all, but it really felt like he was carrying the show. The other waiters were just unresponsive and disinterested. The clincher was when I asked for the bill though. The server walked up, dropped the bill on the table, mumbled something while walking off. I had my card out in hand I was asking for the machine and looked up to realize I was talking to the air. Forgivable if the restaurant had been busy, but it was 1/2 empty.<br/>I don't expect people to fawn over me, but this is supposed to be a classy restaurant, not the local pub. A little customer service would be nice.<br/><br/>Short version: Decent wine list, nice antipasto platter, very patchy mains and service. Not terrible, but not worth the price tag.

Joined local friends for dinner on the Thursday evening after Christmas.   They highly recommended Vivace.   Our experience lived up to its reputation.   The staff were friendly and helpful.   The interior of the restaurant is intriguing.   We were quickly provided menus and cold water.   The waiting staff were helpful with advice when questioned re the menu items.   We decided to share the antipasto platter which was designed for 2 but was sufficient for the 4 of us.   Two of us chose the "signature" seafood linguini main and were not disappointed.   We also enjoyed the fish of the day and the  pasta special - both of which I forgot to note the details!   But all the mains were excellent.    There is an excellent wine list and we enjoyed the wine we chose.   None of us wanted our own dessert, but the staff put together a tasting platter for 4.   A delightful evening.

wife and i had steak and pork belly. yummy but alas...my pork serving was tiny. felt like only 1/4 the size of the steak.  atmosphere was good.

Firstly, any restaurant that serves QUALITY bread on arrival gets a giant tick of approval from me. My partner and I came here for our anniversary dinner. The food was divine. Service was impeccable. Great ambience. We ordered the arancini balls to start with. (WOW).  My partner had the pork belly and I had the marinaded chicken breast with pumpkin and wild rice. The chicken was cooked to perfection and I loved the flavours and texture of the pumpkin, wild rice and salsa verde. The pork belly was good, but didn't have the same wow factor as the chicken.

Great warm greetings by staff when you enter. Staff were very attentive and friendly - they were very welcoming as well. It was a very cosy ambience and atmosphere. Nice chandeliers. <br/><br/>We had ordered the signature pasta dish - very fresh seafood and generous but some parts of the salmon were a bit dry and some mussels were tough to crack open. Good flavours though. Also had the risotto that was cooked really well and all flavours worked well together. Wines were good. Had the panna cotta which was pretty on a plate and on par with other panna cottas that we've had. Had the crumble but probably too much large portions / chunky slices of quince which got a bit sour to eat and ruined a bit of the taste. <br/><br/>Overall good food with flavours that did work although the ratio of some of the food elements was either too much or too little of to complete the perfect dish. The food unfortunately didn't really wow us and we didn't feel as though we wanted to dive in for more with each course for the price we've paid which was a pity.

Dined here for the first time today & absolutely loved it. The food was fresh, delicious & well presented. The service was prompt & friendly. The ambience is also warm & cosy. Who knew Fine Dining existed in the suburbs. Definitely will return. Bay St has some of the best restaurants in Melbourne & Vivace is definitely one of them.

Reviewing this place from earlier in the year. Vivace is an excellent spot for a romantic catch-up and The Dear Luncher is a bit of a romantic. The Dear Luncher's wife always orders a seafood pasta. Always. Even when there isn't one on the menu. Which can be embarrassing at times, but on this occasion there actually was one on the menu. It had all sorts of shells and invertebrates on it. Your Dear Luncher does not care much for seafood pasta. A steak was ordered and as you can see by the picture uploaded it was most excellent.

Disappointing meal last night for such an established restaurant. Had 12 hour slow cooked pork belly - meat was dry, a lot of fat on the meat & the crackling was tough rather than crunchy. Relish was ok. Side dish of beetroot, leaves, feta & broad beans was woeful - tinned beetroot (unforgivable), lots of leaves & precious little feta & beans. Side of roasted potatoes very average. Partner had scotch fillet which he said was just ok. Bread ok but, really, do you have to serve it from an old fashioned basket with a handle!! On the positive side, panacotta was lovely, service was good, ambience pleasant & wine list comprehensive. Lift your game in the mains department Vivace.

The third venue from owner Chris Favaloro and co-host Andrew Zoli, surburban Italian favourite Vivace earned itself two hats in the Gault & Millau 2015 guide. Executive Chef, Davide Ferraro, hails from Turin in Northern Italy, bringing his experience in authentic Italian cuisine to the kitchen. San Daniele Prosciutto DOP Natural South Australian Oysters with shallot, citrus and prosecco vinegar ($4 ea)

Amazing, authentic Italian food!! Had the signature seafood linguine for lunch and it's one of the best Italian dishes I've ever enjoyed! Five stars!

This is a very well run fine dining restaurant where staff and management have not list the common touch.<br/><br/>Food quality high and portion sizes generous. <br/><br/>Service cannot be faulted and staff are warm and very helpful.<br/><br/>The wine list has plenty to choose from and wine by the glass is good as the wines available are decent quality .<br/>Well worth another visit .

Walking into Vivace Ristorante was like getting a really big hug from someone’s nonna.  No, it's not nonna in the kitchen, but the FOOD they're serving up would make her pinch the Chef's cheeks and adorn him with kisses! We'll let you in on a Brighton-local secret: Vivace is one of those *mainstays*, dishing up traditional Italian fare with a twist! Click the ↓↓ link below ↓↓ to read about our dining experience there!

Vivace restaurant has a warm inviting charm about it. Located on Bay street in Brighton, they serve tasty Italian food from the heart. We had a large group of people so we sat in a function room in the back of the restaurant. Considering it was a cold winter night, all of that was forgotten. There was a long table in the center of the room covered in a white tablecloth, with a wooden board across the middle for appetisers. There were wine glasses big and small, tea light candles scattered across the table and in the back corner of the room a fireplace was burning. It created a lovely ambience.

Went for breakfast this week.  Food was high quality and very tasty.  Service was fast and efficient.  The only downside of this restaurant is that while the main dining area is lovely, the area before you go up the stairs to the restrooms (and the private dining areas) and the upstairs hallway needs to be painted and cleaned up.

We finished our amazing Italian dinner with dessert. I was tempted by the ‘Panna cotta, white chocolate & vanilla, fresh strawberries, balsamic, pistachio praline’...<br/><br/>Whilst my dining companion chose the ‘Dark Belgian chocolate fondant, fig, mascarpone & honey gelato, citrus’...

Last week we were invited by Zomato and Vivace Restaurant for an exclusive Zomato foodie meet up and Winter warming Italian Feast! It was an intimate four course dinner by Head Chef Davide Ferraro and was set up in a lovely private dining room near the back of the restaurant. In addition, there were matching wines from Hancock & Hancock, Barone Ricasoli, Italy’s oldest winery, to compliment each dish. We were fortunate to have the Head Chef talk us through each dish, and a representative to also talk us through each wine. We were super excited about trying out the food and wine but more importantly, to meet other food bloggers!<br/><br/>Upon arrival, we were greeted with a glass of Prosecco, Italian sparkling wine which was very nice and crisp. We introduced each other to the other foodies and then of course like the others started snapping some photos. The beauty of this night was that there was no shame in taking as many photos as we wanted because everyone including the Zomato staff were snapping away with their cameras! It was the best!<br/><br/>After all the introductions and photos we sat down and was served with an Antiplasti platter which included natural oysters, prosciutto and arancini. I love oysters and these were super fresh so I gobbled a couple of them up fairly quickly! The prosciutto was lovely, soft and wasn’t too salty and the arancini balls were full of flavour.<br/><br/>With the entree, main and dessert we were given a few options to pick from so Davin and I made sure we ordered different dishes so we could try more. For entree I ordered the pumpkin, goat’s cheese and potato croquettes with crushed amaretti, beetroot, capers and raisin. The sweetness of the fresh beetroot and raisin balanced out the croquettes beautifully. Davin ordered the caramelised scallops with cauliflower, chorizo, shallots, fennel and coriander. The scallops were cooked to perfection! The matching wine with the entrees was a 2016 Hancock & Hancock Fiano McLaren Vale, SA.<br/><br/>We all got a pasta dish as part of the set menu which were pasta parcels filled with potato and leek, truffle and blue cheese sauce – all the things I love! Unlucky for those that may not like blue cheese but it was heaven for me. The portion was also very generous. The matching wine with this was the 2016 Hancock & Hancock Grenache Rose McLaren, SA. By the way, the staff were incredible and they were SO generous with the wine. They just kept pouring and pouring. I had to ask them to ease up at this point as I knew there were still a couple of more wines to try!<br/><br/>For mains I got the Murray Valley 12 hour slow cooked, crisp pork belly. This was accompanied with rhubarb, apple, onion and ginger relish, thyme roasted squash and white balsamic sauce. The pork had the nice crispy skin that you would look out for and the sweetness of the rhubarb and onion and ginger relish balanced it out really well. I also liked the touch of the roasted squash. My matching wine was the 2014 Hancock & Hancock Shiraz Grenache McLaren Vale, SA.<br/><br/>Davin ordered the roast lamb loin with pistachio brioche crust, smoked eggplant, asparagus and sweet bread. He also really enjoyed his dish and his matching wine was the 2014 Hancock & Hancock Cabernet Touriga McLaren Vale, SA. Both of the red wines were nice but I have to say the Shiraz was the winner out of the two.<br/><br/>I have to say that by the time mains reached us I was already kind of full because of the generous portions (and pouring!) so I was definitely over capacity when it reached dessert, but who can say no to dessert?<br/><br/>I ordered the dark Belgian chocolate fondant with fig, mascapone and honey gelato. The chocolate fondant was sooo good and oozed with warm, sticky chocolate lava when you broke into it with your spoon. Combined with the honey gelato it was delicious! Davin got the Panna cotta which came with white chocolate and vanilla, fresh strawberries, balsamic and pistachio praline. I could only manage a spoonful to try this but it was also yummy and the panna cotta had a nice wobble to it. The matching wine that came with our dessert was the 2009 Craigmore Botrytis Mudgee, NSW. Because I was so full and sweetened out I could only manage a sip!<br/><br/>Overall the food and wine was great, the service was outstanding and staff were so accommodating and friendly! We also loved being able to chat and socialise with other food bloggers and foodies and just openly take photos and talk about what we love – FOOD! So thank you Zomato and Vivace for having us, it was a great experience and we loved it. Until next time!<br/> <br/><br/>- H

Last week I was invited to try the new menu at Vivace in Brighton. It was a five course extravaganza with matched wines! A great night with great Italian food and service in a stylish setting. Perfect for a romantic dinner or family event. Don't miss the chocolate fondant or the arancini balls!

Located in the heart of Bay Street’s entertainment precinct, Vivace Restaurant proudly serves authentic Italian dishes. The décor is warm and welcoming with polished timber floors, crystal chandeliers and several fireplaces to keep you warm especially during winter.  . At the helm, owner Chris Favaloro and co-host Andrew Zoli ensure the restaurant runs like a well oiled machine while Executive Chef, Davide Ferraro leads the kitchen with an offering of delicious Italian cuisine which centres on the preparations of authentic Italian dishes paired with fresh ingredients.

Lovely restaurant good quality food and friendly service! Rustic menu and a good selection! Slight delays when it's busy but hey that's understandable!

Amazing!! No other work to describe this gem! The oysters here are absolutely phenomenal, pasta dishes are so beautiful and their wine list is curated perfectly. Service is exceptional and the staff are friendly and extremely knowledgeable when it comes to their menu. Would recommend this restaurant to anyone who is after good quality Italian food.

My wife took me to Vivace for my birthday lunch last Friday. The service was exceptional as was the food. Our friendly waitress, Rochelle, was very attentive. The chef was happy to alter menu dishes to suit my wife's gluten free dietary requirements.<br/><br/>We both thoroughly enjoyed our meals and the ambience of this restaurant and will definitely be returning soon.

Had mothers day lunch with my family and it was a great experience. I highly reccomend this place, food, service & ambience lived up to the expectation. We will defiantly be back

The food was tasty enough - just not fabulous and scrumptious enough to warrant the price point . I can get fresher tastier gourmet food in Berwick and other outer suburbs at a far more realistic price

Back there again after 6 years, Home made gnocchi is very very very delicious, will come back for that, the rest is alright. Service is good. Nice atmosphere.

Vivace has to be our favorite Bayside restaurant. We can't keep away having enjoyed everything from romantic dinners for 2 to large birthday dinners for 40 to dessert and coffee after a movie. Chris and his fabulous staff led by the engaging Andrew are so welcoming and friendly yet extremely professional and knowledgeable. The delightful food at Vivace matches the ambience. Regular favorites remain on the menu although with frequent variations. Try the Bombe Alaska! From entrees through to mains and delicious desserts, the fare at Vivace is delightful. No wonder we keep going back!

Vivace from the outside on a cold wet Melbourne night is light, warm and very inviting. This feeling is maintained once inside.<br/><br/> The service is lovely with humour and warmth.<br/><br/>The menu has got plenty of choices and everyone in our party enjoyed their choices which included gnocchi with oxtail argue, leek and goats cheese croquettes, zuppa, wet roasted lamb shoulder and the superb Cacciucco (seafood stew/soup).<br/><br/>The quince crumble and affogato were both very good. As was the coffee.<br/><br/>A bottle of Ciena Valpolicella Ripasso (or 2) was an excellent match.<br/><br/>Prices were on the high side but only marginally so. For instance, the gnocchi at $32 was a touch on the dear side.

There is no doubt that Vivace is an amazing restaurant. Incredible attention to detail is paid in every respect: both service and food, simply impeccable! From the delightful creamy texture of the Arancini to the house made fig jam, poached pear and some of the most well prepared Oysters Kilpatrick in Melbourne, appetisers were all more than noteworthy. Mains were also deserving of their places on Vivace's menu. The Rib Eye was cooked to perfection and the Duck Ravioli was melt-in-your-mouth good. The addition of asparagus, drunken raisins and almond flakes helped to cut the richness of the sage butter sauce and perfectly round out the dish. Matched wines were above par and the service was something to write home about. Excellent! Worth every cent, will definitely return soon!

Celebrated our 6 year wedding anniversary here for Dinner. We were seated for our reservation towards the back of the dining space near the cosy fire place. We felt the restsurant had a nice ambience. Service was exceptional throughout the night, in fact it was what really made the night-the male waiter we had with the mustache was attentive without being bothersome, always appeared just at the right moment ie. just as you were thinking of what wine to order with your next course etc. He also offered friendly advice, gave me a taste of a wine before deciding, had a sense of humour-was just spot on! We thoroughly enjoyed everything we ordered from entrees to desert and felt the food was full of flavour & delicious! Also beautifully presented, portion sizes were ample and all things considered represented value for money-in this setting. Our experience at Vivace made for a memorable night that we won't forget in a hurry! Will definitely be back and would highly recommend Vivace to anyone.

Fantastic in a word. <br/>Had the lamb shoulder as a main and it was unbelievable. Good selection of Italian wines also. <br/>Great staff. Very friendly. <br/>High recommend.

Great ambiance, friendly staff and lovely food. Try their signature dish - the seafood linguine. Highly recommended. We come here regularly as a result.

Nice, overpriced. Lovely starters but our steaks were very tasteless. At 40 dollars and no sides, I expect better. I am happy to pay the money but the steaks did not meet the mark. Service was good.

Great local restaurant. We've been dining at Vivace for years and on Good Friday we took our friends for the Good Friday 3 course dinner. The food and service were fabulous. Thanks Chris and team. Cheers Delene and George

We had an amazing experience at vivace last night !!!! Was a fun, friendly and homely experience !! Food was spot on , quality , taste and prices !!! We will be going back !! Keep up the great

Very friendly. Friendly service; tasty sandwich

Great food. Really nice atmosphere. Good food. Interesting menu options. Service was OK

learnt the meaning of vivace when I played the piano at a very young age. It’s an Italian term which meant that the movement (usually the first or third movement) of the music score was supposed to be played “lively and fast” as I recall my favourite Sister of Saint Joseph harping on about. She would clap her hands quickly and almost jump up and down from her seat with excitement when I played the piece to her liking…<br/><br/>Well anyway.. with my childhood memories in tact, it seemed an extremely bizarre name for a modern Italian restaurant. But I was glad when we arrived there that the decor wasn’t manic and the service wasn’t rushed. There were two waiters and they handled with perfect decorum what turned out to be an extremely full restaurant – on a Monday night of all nights!

5 stars all around. We celebrated my boyfriend's mum's birthday here today for lunch. We all chose the $40.00 3 course menu special, with having a choice of three dishes per course.<br/>From the moment we walked in, service was very attentive. Seating for 7 adults was comfortable & spacious.<br/>The three courses were amazing! Zucchini flowers were devine, salmon for the main was beautifully cooked with a lovely crispy skin & the dark belgian chocolate marquise with salted caramel ice cream was to die for!<br/><br/>Special mention to the waitress who served us. She was really friendly & helpful with my nut allergy & was a real credit to the restaurant. <br/>Even though we live in niddrie, we will definitely be back for me!

Won't be going back.. What a shame.. been looking forward to coming here for a while and now that we have finally come here we are very disappointed. .. very over priced for what you get. If the quality was there then I wouldn't complain.. but the portions were very small and not the best. Lamb was not seasoned and didnt taste fresh, had 5 little pieces of it with 2 components that did not go! $39 ?? kidding me! My friend had more mayonnaise on her plate then fish. 4 main meals 3 drinks came to $183 .. not worth it. . Very disappointed and will not be returning.

Best Italian in the south. I would say this has got to be the best Italian in the area. The pasta and risottos are superb. And the desserts are just as amazing. Lucky to have such a gem in the area.

Taste of eating in Italy. Read the menu online and we were hooked.<br/>Had terrible trouble making decisions with so many tempting choices. Excellent service and advice from an engaging and quietly attentive waiter. <br/>Each course prepared with a light touch and a focus on the produce being the hero but still displaying technique eg silky smooth carrot puree with the chicken, and sublime beetroots prepared with an eye for beauty as well as flavour.<br/>Loved it and will be back. <br/>Parking was a bit hard so allow time to find a space.

I liked it. Dined there and was quite pleased with the meal. The only fault I have with this restaurant is after ordering a steak for $39.00, why oh why do we have to pay for any sides to go with the meal. The steak was very small, but beautifully cooked. It came with beetroot puree and kale and that was it. To order fries it was $9.00 and to order a salad it was $12.00. Very expensive to say the least. A lovely restaurant, but I have eaten a way better places for half the price.

Welcome Italian in Brighton. Brighton is not well served for Italian (or French) cuisine. Vivace is an exception - good service, good Italian food, good atmosphere, we have eaten there at least 10 or 15 times over last couple of years, consistently good.<br/>Its not cheap but still recommended.

Amazing Anniversary Lunch.. Went in for an anniversary lunch, had originally booked for 7pm but was no problem, staff were accommodating, very warm and friendly throughout. <br/><br/>Both ordered a steak as we'd seen the pictures and it looked fabulous. My partner had the 300g Bone In Rib Eye(Blue) and I had the 200g Eye Fillet(Medium-Rare). The waiter came back and advised my partner that the Rib Eye would not be the best choice to have blue and suggested either having it cooked further or switching to the Eye Fillet. These guys know their own food so she chose to have the Rib Eye rare instead.<br/><br/>The food ....was perfect. The Black Angus steaks are clearly a high end cut and they were both cooked to perfection. Compliments to the chef, he/she can cook a mean steak. The accompaniments were also very tasty, a beetroot and capsicum relish and sauteed Kale with pancetta. The general manager(?))we're conflicted over whether called George or Jordan sorry!) was very kind and complimented a portion of their fries, they were very much appreciated and the relish went great with them.<br/><br/> We actually thought the lunch price for the steak was the same as the dinner price going in, according to the menu's on their website there is maybe a $1 difference, however it was actually a little bit cheaper at $36 each which made it good value for the quality of food you're getting. We left extremely satisfied. Would highly recommend and we'll definitely be going back again to try a few of their other dishes. Thanks guys!

What NOT to eat - terrible specials<br/><br/>Risotto Special $30 (Saffron Risotto with Balmain Bug). Worst risotto, plate of bland tasting arborio rice with mere pieces of not so fresh balmain bug

Amazing amazing amazing. Me and my partner went in vivace for a dinner...I order seafood linguini and my partner orderd fish of the day.. I must say I never had such a beautiful linguini before...I wish I could the chef and he could make everyday this pasta for me

OH MY GOD! BEST ITALIAN RESTAURANT IN MELBOURNE. This restaurant was absolutely splendid. From the moment I walked in I was greeted by friendly staff and I knew this was going to be a great experience.<br/>The food was exceptional, no wonder this magnificent restaurant was voted as best Italian Restaurant in 2014.<br/>The food was to die for and from the first bite into my duck I was mesmerised by the amazing flavours.<br/>This duck dish was by far the best duck I had ever had in Melbourne. The scallop dish was equally as amazing. I was blown away by the colourful flavours of the scallops with the complementing avocado mouse.<br/>I couldn't resist the indulging desserts and had to have the famous pannacotta.<br/>This restaurant exceeded by expectations and I was left in a food coma. My mouth is watering just thinking about the dishes. I definitely recommend this restaurant to all Melbournians. It is the Mecca of Authentic Italian cuisine here in our beautiful city of Melbourne.<br/><br/>Outstanding customer service, mouthwatering cuisines and a fabulous atmosphere. <br/>Vivace left me saying "OH MY GOD"

Very expensive, bland, uninteresting.. We went to Vivace for a treat as it was our daughters 13th birthday, there were only three of us, myself, my wife, and our daughter. We made it clear it was her birthday. We had read all of the reviews, even spoken to local people who highly recommended it. I will go into further detail below, however what I would first like to say is, I have no understand of why Vivace gets all these good reviews if what we were presented was their best ? They have a badge as being voted as best Italian in 2014 ?<br/>The whole experience was very expensive, the food was completely dull, distasteful or tasteless. The portions were very sparse, and the food was poorly executed. My wife and myself have eaten in top restaurants all over the world and Australia and we are close residents. I have worked in restaurants and in the culinary area for years and we both have a strong understanding of food, cooking and are also foodies.We know good food, and we have eaten a lot of Italian.<br/><br/>The booking process was professional and prompt. When we arrived we were shown to the table which was at a good location. The service was polite and quick, but rather sterile. My wife had a glass of their house Pinot which I believe was $11.00, it came out in a large glass and was 1/5 full. I had a Corona Beer and our daughter a lemonade. We started with their bread which sounded fantastic on the menu and was advertised as: House made rosemary & sea salt Focaccia w Azienda Castello Extra Virgin Olive Oil Tuscany. <br/><br/>It arrived cold, in a small basket and contained 3 x slices of what can best be described as dry dull focaccia. The olive oil was the worst we have ever tasted. We have eaten much much better bread from the bakery section at the supermarket. Disappointment#1. As it was our daughter’s birthday, we opened a few small presents at the table now and again, and despite the staff seeing this ( as they were standing right there topping up the water ) no-one in the entire evening even made the effort to say happy birthday to her. A small thing, but something we have always experienced in other restaurants. They were well aware of the fact by phone, and in our booking email, and when they called me back to confirm the booking.<br/><br/>We then ordered off the specials menu, for 2 x Pan fried duck breast with the special salad, port and berry reduction etc....it sounded amazing. Our daughter ordered the Vivace ‘Signature’ Linguine Seafood Aglio olio, Tasmanian salmon, tiger prawns, <br/>fresh local mussels, scallops, fresh chili,garlic, olives, wild rocket.Our mains arrived on a very slim rectangular plate, with what can best be described as half-of a half duck breast, being sliced into 5 tiny pieces, with a tiny salad at the other end of the plate. The duck breast while not overcooked, was somehow tough, a bit bloody, the skin was rubbery ( not at all crispy ) there was so little of it, it was over in 2 minutes. <br/><br/>The salad was very bitter, bitter leaves, bitter ingredients, bitter orange wedges, the smear of watery sauce that was there, was so sparse that it may as well have been missing, and again bitter. There was nothing enjoyable about the meal, tasty, or even mildly appetising. For those we paid $72.00 ! <br/><br/>Our daughter’s seafood dish also disappointing, it was advertised as having garlic and chili of which were completely missing. The rocket was three tiny baby rocket shavings lost within a dull plump of bland pasta sitting amongst the seafood. The salmon was overcooked, the scallops were strong in flavour, there was no seasoning, no spark, it was dull and disappointing. At that stage, we had already paid over $100.00 for the meals without the cost of drinks, and were debating leaving and having dessert elsewhere, but gave it a last chance and ordered dessert. <br/><br/>My wife ordered the tiramisu from the menu, and my daughter and I ordered the berry panacotta with meringue, almond praline and sauces. My wife’s tiramisu was so strong and bitter, that it was inedible, it was overpowering as opposed to creamy with a back-flavour of the ingredients. Our desserts, the pannacotta was tiny, like a miniature, the meringues were tiny shirt sized button drops on the plate, the panacotta itself was firm, and not at all what a person expects from a Panacotta. At the end of the short evening, we were all disappointed, hungry, and I felt bad for our daughter who was promised this special experience. <br/><br/>The water supply was constantly being topped up, we have never drank so much water in our life. It was just as well, as the portions were so small. When leaving, standing at the counter, there was an overwhelming smell from the back of the restaurant of sewerage ? I don’t know if it was a pipe or the toilets, or what it was. <br/>We paid, no-one so much even asked us at that point if we enjoyed our meals, thanked us for attending, it was just take the money and 'Thanks'.<br/><br/>We actually apologised to our daughter outside as the food experience was so disappointing. We came home at 10.45pm and raided the fridge, and the evening cost us $148.00 with just one drink each. <br/><br/>In summary, what we would like to say is that whether this restaurant provides gluten free or not, and despite the fancy decor and its reputation, it needs to get the fundamentals of the food right. The price, despite the area is completely mismatched to the quality and execution of the food. I don't know if it relies on local clientele who don't understand food, however it would rank for us as one of the dullest and most expensive meals we have had for what we received. If anyone wishes to actually eat Italian, go to Simply Italian in Malvern, it may not be a lot cheaper, but is consistently 100 x the quality and experience of Vivace. I believe Vivace relies on the decor, the descriptions of the food, their own twist on some sparse version of Nouvelle cuisine, the photography on the website. It unfortunately lacks any substance. A real shame.

Enjoyed the whole experience. Had a brunch of 15 and everything was great. The table looked beautiful with vases of fresh red roses and white table cloths. The service was good and all of our meals were enjoyed with reasonable prices and adequate variety. It is difficult to get everything right for a large group and I am happy to say that they succeeded and we all left commenting on what a great experience we had there. Will definitely be back again.

Great venue, great food!. We held a 30th birthday lunch in Vivace's Gala room for 30 people and we couldn't have been more happier with how it turned out. The staff on the day were very friendly, attentive and professional. We also thought the set-up was perfect and everyone commented on how great the food was! Although we live across town, we will be back and we certainly recommend Vivace to others!

Great Bayside Venue. Held a dinner for 13 people - had a private dining room and service was fantastic. Provided options for coeliac guests. Will be going back soon

Update - 17-2-2018<br/>Hadn't eaten here for a while and after our recent visit I have to say the standards have slipped - it used to be faultless. Two of us ordered steak (fairly small eye fillet @$42 each), both were ordered medium rare. One was very unevenly cooked and the other was close to well done - not even medium, let alone medium rare. I can cook steak better myself at home. Also, two of the three items we wanted from the wine list were unavailable, and one of the deserts that were delivered to the table was incorrect (honest mistake). However, my wife's seafood pasta was superb, the entrees were acceptable and the deserts were good. The prices of both the food and wine have crept up to levels which demand high quality - but the steak didn't come close to that. I have eaten here many time over the years and used to sing it''s praises, but after tonight's experience I can't do that any more. Sorry guys, but at that price point there's just too much competition.

Enjoyed my Mother's Day dinner at this gem of a restaurant. Service from Andrew was impeccable and he was attentive and personable to all the diners. I loved my pan fried barramundi with a quinoa salad and our other dish of a lovely chicken breast was properly seared but remained tender and moist inside proved a good choice. Dessert which was a chocolate and salted caramel concoction was really good. No wonder the restaurant is well patronised. It's a real winner with its food and service. Others should take a leaf out of Vivace's book:) Thank you, Andrew for a good enough.

Had a Mother's Day breakfast @ Vivace amazing Vivace Benedict and chef signature awesome ! Place was full will be back great job !!!

A disappointing first visit to Vivace. Firstly, they don't provide complimentary bread - you have to buy it. That in itself goes against everything an Italian restaurant should represent. And it's just plain stingy. Secondly, the food although it sounded good on paper just wasn't executed well and was simply ordinary. The gnocchi was like lead and served with a glutinous and tasteless sauce. The '12 hour' slow cooked pork belly was tough. Our plans were to enjoy a lovely long dinner and we left straight after main course and went somewhere else for dessert rather than risk what they might serve up to us. I'm very surprised at the good reviews for this place - there's many other and much better Italian restaurants to enjoy.

Great prompt service, food was good and was a generous amount of seafood ! A tad expensive but surely worth it!

Fantastic evening!! I dined here last night with some girlfriends and we had so much fun. The food was delicious - great menu. The wine list had some great cheaper wines. The service was fantastic - the waiters had great personality which really added to the evening. We crossed town to get here and it was well worth it!!

We went to Vivace for dinner last night. First of all the restaurant is very classy, when you first walk in you feel like it's a special occasion. There was six of us, we got there a little early but this was not a problem for them they quickly set up our table with a smile. The wine list is impressive and reasonable. The food was delicious and presented beautifully, stand out dishes include prawn cocktail and oysters in mornay sauce. Our mains were just as impressive the chicken breast and fish of the day was beautifully presented and tasted amazing. For desert we shared the choclate fondant and tiramisu which were delectable. Overall we had a lovely night, we took advantage of urbanspoons special of the week and our food was 50 % off however the staff treated us like full paying guests thank you Vivace for a lovely dinner.

5star experience !!. Great coffee, great service, delicious authentic cuisine and an enchanting atmosphere . It's a must go!!

Lovely...... Attentive service and delicious food,very busy for a tuesday night; little loud maybe but enjoyable definally coming back to try some more.

Magnificent!. I've visited Vivace in the past and was impressed by their dinner menu. I was in the area this morning and decided to try the breakfast menu with a good friend of mine.<br/>Vivace managed to take Eggs Benedict to a new level for me. It was served with mushrooms on the side which really went well with the combination of poached eggs and hollandaise sauce. The coffee here is above and beyond Melbourne's already high standards.<br/><br/>I really appreciate the high level of customer service here, thanks guys.<br/>Looking forward to visiting again.

Delightful Breakfast. Walked past today and noticed Vivace are now open for breakfast. <br/>I treated myself to a beautiful eggs Benedict with mushrooms which was delightful and with the combination of a new coffee machine and talented barista, the coffee hit the nail on the head. All up it was a perfect meal to start my day. <br/><br/>Will be back again for sure.

Vivace is highly worthwhile.. Every now and again we visit Vivace. <br/><br/>Every time, the amazing waiter Andy serves us and makes sure we feel special. <br/><br/>As I mentioned on the night, Vivace are lucky to have front of house staff such as he. <br/><br/>Started off with oysters. Lovely and fresh. Vinaigrette added a lot. <br/><br/>2 of us had the lamb shoulder. Divine. Fresh ingredients. <br/><br/>I had the rib eye, which whilst it was very tasty and tender wasn't the 350gms advertised. <br/><br/>Last dish was the fish in pineapple sauce. Give it a miss. The fish was exceptional (perfectly cooked etc) but the flavour of the sauce wasn't to any of our tastes (we all tried it. Shame, because you could tell a lot of effort had been put it. The presentation was exceptional. <br/><br/>Cheese platter was to finish off. As good as any cheese platter could be although I'd like to see a little more variety of cheeses. Then again, I'm picky. <br/><br/>4/5 isn't bad guys and with the amazing service from Andy and his friends we will still be regulars :)

Disappoining. Having eaten in most of the Bay street restaurants, we decided to give Vivace a try and i'll admit we had some high expectations. Perhaps it was those high expectations but for me its wasnt great for the money - it was fairly average fair and the service wasnt much better (our mains arrived before we had finished Entree). There are better and less pricey italians near by

Consistently Great Food. Always great food at Vivace, together with friendly service it a regular destination for my family and I.

Thank you for a wonderful dinner. The hosts were very attentive and made us feel very welcome - including our 3 children. <br/>Food was fantastic as was the wine. <br/>Look forward to our next vist!

I had my 60th birthday at Vivace and it was a night to remember for all the right reasons. Wonderful food, great staff and beautiful function room upstairs. A fantastic venue for your special occasion. Thank you Vivace from Colin of Brighton East.

Disappointing. Very disappointed to receive cold food and no form of apology.<br/>This was only our 2nd visit to Vivace. <br/>On our 1st visit my daughter-in-law had to send her entree back.<br/>We won't be chancing a 3rd time.

Classy Italiano!!. Have been wanting to come here for a while and finally got a chance when they had a special dimmi deal. Well located in Bay St Brighton on the quieter end so it was very easy to locate and get a park. The service & the food are both of very good quality and professional. Started off with the antipasto which was delicious. For main had the linguine with seafood which was spectacular. Others in my party had the eyefillet and the lamb rump which was also exceptional. A nice classy italian restaurant in the suburbs, highly recommended!!

Oasis in a wasteland. We really enjoyed this restaurant. The Bayside area seriously lacks restaurants in the top echelon and this is one of the few that can stand with the best restaurants in Melbourne. I had been to Maze just 3 nights before here and I think the food here was every bit as good. <br/><br/>We had the soft shell crab and beef capaccio for entrees followed by the lamb 5 ways and rabbit. All the dishes were exceptional, the lamb was a standout, one of the best plates of food I have had this year. Unlike many places doing this quality food, the servings are quite large. <br/><br/>Service was efficient and friendly, wine list is very extensive with a good representation of European wines although to me the Australian wine selection was a bit unbalanced but you will have no trouble finding what you want. This place gets really busy at least on Saturday nights and tables are quite close so expect a bit of noise and hustle. <br/><br/>For me, probably the best restaurant at the moment in Bayside. Well worth trying.

Very Happy Customers!. We had a birthday celebration at Vivace over the weekend and couldn't be happier with our choice of venue. The upstairs dining room was perfect and intimate, the food spot on and service outstanding. Chris and his team run a very well organised establishment and we can't wait to get back there again.

Not worth the price!!. The place is nice and ambience lovely. Drinks are reasonable but the menu is overpriced to what they serve up. However the staff are lovely and service is spot on!!

Viviace Gluten free paradise. Lovely friendly restaurant. Host Chris and the staff make you welcome and at ease. Wide range Italian menu changed seasonally with excellent choices that can be made gluten free without affecting taste!!!!!! <br/>Good wine list which matches the menu.<br/>we return often

Overrated. Food was good, but overpriced. I was underwhelmed.

Great Food. I went to Vivace before a movie for a quick dinner. The staff were fantastic, they were attentive, mindful of our show time and could not have done anymore to please. I shared the main of Pork Belly with the person I was dining with as an entree, although it was very fatty (pork belly is a bit hit and miss) it was very nice. What was great with sharing the entree was that the waiter offered to plate it separately which is not vey common! I had a whole snapper for main, it was deboned, and it was very amazing, I absolutely loved it.. My partner had slow cooked shoulder of lamb which was also very nice but not as nice as the fish.. Desert was the sharing plate, this was also very good. Well worth a visit, the food and service was great - i'd go back for sure...

Went on a Saturday night. Atmosphere was festive, maybe a little loud. service was excellent, food was good, but not special.