Such a beautifully run restaurant, staff were polite and helpful, food was incredible .. I can’t believe how many times we walked past this treasure of Italian delicacies .. definitely will be going again, could not recommend this place more .. forget Carlton, this place is better.
I hadn't eaten in this place for a very long time but was not disappointed. The place has a modern vibe whilst maintaining the integrity of great food great service and value for money. Fantastic night
We had a very enjoyable lunch. The food was delicious and plenty of it. The staff were great and were able to cater for gluten free requirements. �
I had my birthday at Zia Teresa on Friday the 14th. Just wanna say a big thank you to everyone who took care of us!! The food was amazing and theres something for everyone with a different vegan/veg menu and gluten free pasta! Prices were reasonable and reflected the quality of food we received. Will definitely be returning for dinner some time soon!
Again thank you so much!!
Never disappoints. Always great food and excellent service at a great price. We had kids with us and the staff were always accommodating. Can not fault Zia Teresas and recommend to everyone - even if u regularly cook Italian at home.
I was recommended to try Zia Teresa , so I did can I say this was one of the best Italian restaurants I have eaten at. Great food and staff were excellent
The best Italian I have had in Melb to date. Great service, amazing food. Will definitely be back!!!!! Thank you.
Lorena Liliana Soler Casale
+5
Amazing service! Super friendly and knowledged staff. Lots of options at Menu, including Vegan and vegetarian. Great food!
The best Italian we have ever had!!
On holiday here from Perth and was recommend by a friend. They didn"t dissapoint.
Such great service and an amazing meal! Fantastic vibe
Absolutely beautiful pasta!
The service, the food and how cosy this restaurant is will make you feel like you are in italy. Pls order the seafood pasta (the one with the blue crabs) - it was honestly amazing! The staff were really friendly and helped to explain the specials menus and house red was fantastic! Would go again :)
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Welcome to Aunty Teresas. No not my actual Auntys house (not unless you want to be force fed till you burst).
But rather Zia Teresa.
Dimly lit and quaint, Zia Teresas is the perfect location for your next date night. Rustic italian meals that are all home made that would want to make you blow a kiss into the air as you pronounce "Balllisimo!" 😚
We highly recommend the Rabbit here (tip: say 'Coniglio' when ordering to impress your date). It's tender meat is slow cooked in balsamic viniger, rosemary, sage and sweet and sour wild onion sauce (licking your lips yet?). Couple it with a nice glass of pinot and your in a vinyard somewhere in Tuscany.
What about the service you say? Well the majority of the time you'll find the lovely waitress' who have been perfecting their art here for decades and will make you feel that you really are at your tzias.
Again I say MAJORITY of the time. If you are unlucky enough not to get the regular staff, you may have to settle on the waiter that we got on Friday night who looked more lost then an penguin in the dessert 🐧
We rate this Ristorante 4.5/5
Will we be back? Si
I don’t usually go out of my way to visit Italian restaurants but I came here for a family dinner and was very impressed. The trattoria-style restaurant is cute and quaint and offers a pretty large menu with vegetarian and even some vegan options. The price is moderate-high but you get what you pay for. For vegetarian dishes, the eggplant parm, cheesy gnocchi and rocket salad are all great.
It was an incredible experience eating here. The service was warm and friendly. That alone would make me want to return. Our table had the braised rabbit (their signature dish), lamb from their seasonal specials menu, vegan eggplant parmigiana, and vegan ragu.
Servings are generous so I recommend sharing the appetizers. We also had the grilled vegetables as a starter and words cannot describe how delicious the eggplant was, my partner who normally dislikes eggplants in any form, raved about it. We had to fight for the last piece.
100% would recommend and return again.
Super cute Italian restaurant, perfect for a date. The restaurant is large and provides perfect ambience for a warm night in (there’s even a fire lit in the tea room section of the restaurant).
Entrees here are amazing, I recommend the prawn and zucchini dish as well as the prosciutto platter.
The cocktails, espresso martini and hugo, were sweet and delicious.
Their pastas are super filling and would definitely recommend the shell pasta. Steak here is also done well (not on par with a steak house but still to good quality).
Desserts, tiramisu and lemon tart, were a great combo to finish off the night.
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A beautiful old gem in the heart of Brunswick. Zia Teresa has been open in Melbourne since 1985 and it’s still serving authentic, high quality Italian cuisine to this day!
The restaurant is cosy, dark and intimate. With lit candles and antique decorations, it has a very romantic vibe to it. Upon arrival we were greeted so warmly by the staff, who took care of us throughout the whole evening.
We started off with a Vodka Illy Espresso Martini and the “Today’s Special Cocktail” which was a Prosecco-style one. The Martini was very strong and sweet, while the Prosecco was light and refreshing. I preferred the latter although both were great!
Our first course consisted of small sharing dishes (Assaggi in Italian). We had the Buffalo Mozzarella and Prosciutto, and the Pan-fried Prawn Cutlets, as recommended by our lovely waiter. The Prosciutto was amazing and the buffalo mozzarella was so creamy. The prawn dish was our favourite! The sauce was sweet and pleasant, the grilled eggplant was amazing and the prawns themselves were so succulent.
Next was the pasta course. We had the Spaghetti Misto Mare (with fresh seafood) and the Conchiglioni Dello Scoglio (shell pasta with crab). The two dishes were very different and both had their own unique flavours. The spaghetti was stunningly presented, and topped with plenty of fresh mussels, prawns, fish, and calamari. A very simple and mild flavour of olive oil which lets the seafood shine! The shell pasta was amazing - 4 large thin pasta shells fully filled with diced crab, prawns and fish! The sauce was very light yet still flavourful and brought the dish together.
For the main dish, we had the Grilled Eye Fillet. It was cooked perfectly medium rare, and the meat was very tender - not at all tough! Absolutely loved the roasted vegetables too which added nice colourful element and freshness to the dish.
Of course, we couldn’t finish without dessert! We had the classic Tiramisu and their Lemon Tart. The tiramisu was gorgeous! The coffee was strong and it had a rich flavour yet still light and creamy. The lemon tart was delicious - the tartness of the lemon went well with the vanilla ice cream. The tart base was not soggy which was great!
Overall, we had a wonderful night at Zia Teresa! Everything was perfectly paced and we did not feel rushed at all. If you’re looking for traditional Italian food then this is definitely the place to go!
Thank you for having us!
This is such a lovely spot to go to in Brunswick to get your traditional Italian food fix! Every dish we ordered was good, that steak was cooked to perfection as well!
Staff were super friendly and attentive. They were really helpful in helping us pick what to order.
Will definitely have to be back soon to try their other dishes (I’ve got my eye on their home made gnocchi)!
Melbourne Lifestyle Blog
+5
The eggplant paccheri is the best past I have had in a long time. The pasta is fresh and al dente. The eggplant is so soft but flavoursome. The tomato sugo is intense, bringing a richness to the dish. It is served with buffalo mozzarella and basil. This dish can also be made vegan.
Stumbled on this place and loved it. Probably 4.5 stars for traditional bistro style Italian food, we loved the roast goat and lamb dishes that were authentic and beautifully prepared. Entree prawns also good but maybe with some more dressing. Don't mistake this place for trendy Italian - it isn't trying to be that - it's much better. Staff were superb. We landed late without a reservation and were made to feel like kings - the staff were professional, polite and on the mark, food arrived in perfect time and cost was where it should be.
As someone raised on Italian food, my standards for a bowl of spaghetti can be pretty high. Fortunately Zia Teresa surpasses all expectations, with unpretentious pasta dishes, excellent wine, and knowledgeable, attentive wait staff. Personal faves are the bufala e prosciutto crudo di parma, spaghetti misto mare and their divine lemon tart. Would avoid the tiramusu as it slightly overdoes it on the cream, unless that's your thing. What captures me most is the warmth of the dining experience. Zia Teresa has been the perfect setting for multiple of our date nights. We always walk away extremely full and extremely in love (with prosciutto).
Date night! Brilliant, genuinely authentic and very tasty. The Goat Roman Style was tender with incredible flavour and my wife enjoyed a perfectly cooked piece of salmon. Tiramisu and coffee the ideal finish. Pricey, but service was slick and personable. We will definitely be back for a second visit. Yum!
Enjoyed my dinner at Zia Teresa. Food was super yummy and service was good, although it could slightly improve. There is also variety on the drinks menu. Overall atmosphere of the restaurant is nice and intimate; felt authentically Italian. Will be back :) !
Well priced for a restaurant of this caliber. Great food, great service, great ambience. A very welcome surprise we stumbled across on the night. I will definitely be returning!
The ambience was great, the 4 cheese gnocchi was the best gnocchi I've had and the staff were very polite and attentive.
A bit on the pricey side but they do have weekday specials :)
Good home cooked style Italian food, not out of this world but very good. Service a little over the shop but still good. Lovely touch of bringing a birthday chocolate moose with candle. It's the little things. Apparently do uber eats! Would be great for pasta!
Really enjoyed our dinner here!
We shared the mixed bruschette for entree (the smoked eggplant bruschetta was amazing). Then we also shared a main of 3 pastas (the gnocchi 4 cheeses was a highlight).
Place has a nice atmosphere and the staff is friendly & authentically Italian.
We rolled out of there with full bellies!
Food 🥘 was cooked to perfection, delicious and very tasty. We were served our meals in a timely manner and staff were extremely friendly and happy. Even though it was almost closing time we were not rushed to leave, staff were happy for us to stay. Will definitely be back 😃
Lovely night for 5 adults and 1 baby for dinner. Warm welcome, friendly and attentive waitress, generous portion sizes for well cooked 'home style' Italian meals. Everyone was happy with their mains and plates were cleaned up - gnocchi quattro formaggi was light and cheese sauce well balanced, spaghetti misto mare well received as were the pork, lamb and rabbit mains. Best tiramisu I've had in a long time.
Lovely atmosphere - perfect for a romantic dinner out or intimate catch up with family/friends. Will definitely be back :)
I love this place so much. The gnocchi quattro formaggi must be one of the best things in this world.
And the tiramisú.. Seriously I dream about it
I love this place. We only live a few minutes from Zia Teresa and haven't been let down once. Lovely food, very good Italian wines and really helpful and friendly service. The seafood spaghetti is amazing but most things there a really good and provide great value for money.
Two friends and I had dinner here last night. Fabulous food and service. Special dietary requirements fully catered for. Very highly recommended.
We came on a Wednesday night and enjoyed the pasta and wine special for $20. Both pastas faultless, while the prawn cutlets were delicious and the service fantastic! Will be coming back!
Finally came here for the Wednesday night $20 pasta and wine special, and was so disappointed... That it had taken me so long to do so! The pasta was fantastic, so fresh and silky with a very generous serving. The staff are lovely and accommodating, and the restaurant is so warm and homely, a great way to relax midweek. $10 dessert on Wednesday is a bonus - try the lemon tart!
Last night went to ZIa Teresa had the rabbit, it was amazing it too me back home when mum used to make it when we were kids. Love everything about the restaurant food and service thank you
One of my favorite hangouts in Brunswick East.
Best customer service from Anna & Linda.
Food is tasty and fresh.
Best drink: amaretto sour
Best dish: seafood frittelle
Here with the family for my 60th. Food was excellent and service was so friendly. Zia Teresa was celebrating her birthday as well!
Great place for a good Italian feed!!
This restaurant is not only extremely pleasant, it's the best italian around. After moving to Lygon St Zia Teresa was a lucky find as the area is saturated with bad eateries. The menu hasn't changed in a long time, and it doesn't need to. We had the rabbit and a swordfish special. Definately going back for more. Top nosh, friendly and knowledgable service. Decent wine list.
Friendly staff, who knew the menu well, made us feel welcome. The ambience and styling were old school Italian provincial. And the food was fittingly tasty and satisfying. The specials board was a treasure trove of good things.
Delicious food (especially the pastas) and without doubt the most friendly and hospitable staff I have encountered in Melbourne. Family owned and you feel like you're dining in a family home. Very impressed and will definitely be back! Thank you!
Love Zia Teresa's. Been eating there since I was a kid. Best home made gnocchi ever!
Visited after a long break. The food and service were just as I remembered them since last time - great. The cannelloni in particular are not to be missed.
Wonderful service and superb food! Highly recommended. Ambiance great and setting outstanding
Owen Thomas Chatelier
+4.5
Recommend :). Food was delicious and the service was good. Atmosphere is peaceful so great for an intimate date or perhaps dinner with relatives that are hard of hearing.
Cozy restaurant with great atmosphere. Greatly enjoyed the ambiance of this place, and the dessert was AMAZING!
Fantastic. Seriously wonderful evening. The food was fantastic - well balanced, flavoursome dishes, great service, lovely atmosphere. We had the calamari starter, braised goat and lamb shank, flourless chocolate cake and coulis all were delicious! Very good value and a thoroughly enjoyable restaurant experience. Can't wait to go again.
Service and ambience great. Ordered pappardelle with duck ragu, little disappointed that there was not much duck however sauce and pasta delicious.
Went there 11 jan , beautiful !! The gnocchi were superb ! The best we have ever had , The kids loved it, our night was delightful, thanks Linda :)
Always good - the specials are really that. Oslo bucco is always sensational. Hand made gnocchi very very good. Passionate staff who know their stuff and are pprepared to make adhoc requests
Spaghetti marinara superb and my husband loved the 4 cheese gnocchi. Service pretty good but they could leave water on table and be a little more generous with the wine.
A very delicious Easter. We booked Zia Teresa's with no expectations - it was just close by and we thought we'd give it a go... what a surprise... delicious, authentic italian food, very modestly priced... generous portions, and last but not least fantastic service - attentive staff without being intrusive...
Teresa... we will be back... thank you for making our easter!!
Good overall. Walked past the restaurant randomly and ended up having dinner there with friends.
the 3-course dinner arrangement was good value. waiting staff was nice and helpful.
everyone was happy with the food. i was very happy with mine.
the a la carte menu is a bit on the pricey side though. not sure if i'd be equally happy if i had to pay full price for the 3 courses i had.
Fantastic aperativo night. Attended Zia Teresa's first aperativo night with my husband who is from Italy. The Aperol spritz made me think i was back in Treviso. The selection of finger foods from pork saussages, focaccini, to amaizing olives, mini lasagne bites, San Daniele prosciutto was all delicious. The atmosphere was casual and inviting. The crowd a mixture in age was fun... loved the music being played. Zia Teresa please please do it again.... Sei fantastico!!
My favourite Italian restaurant! Can't go past the four cheese gnocchi and when in a group we always request antipasto platters followed by pasta platters. Love sharing good food with good friends! Thanks Zia!
A great atmosphere now with a lounge/bar area which compliments the traditional Italian menu. My favourite is the three cheese gnocchi.
Best birthday and loved the new space. Just celebrated my birthday this weekend at Zia Teresa's and the new lounge/chill-out area could not have been more perfect. Of course, as usual, the food was amazingly delicious. From the assorted assaggi, to the grigliata di pesce and topped off by the "too good to be true" Chocolate & Grand Marnier panna cotta. But the new area meant that I could have dinner with my family in the restaurant and then drinks/cocktails with my friends at the bar later in the evening. Thanks to all the great staff for making this occasion so lovely and memorable!!
Great Food Great Service. Zia Teresa your food is always delicious love it. Came on Saturday night had the spaghetti marinara and the seafood grill. Love the atmosphere the service the waitresses are always friendly. Thanks for the Zia Teresa experience it's always a great night. Have been coming there for the last 20 years. Food and service always good. Even if at times they are so busy. The waitresses always have a smile on their face good see. Will be back.
Warm and cosy. I was recommended this restaurant from a friend in QLD many times. Finally my wife and I made it to Melbourne, and decided to give it a try. It was worth the wait! Thank you for the lovely experience, we felt like we had travelled to Italy, the food was absolutely delicious. WE WILL BE BACK.
ZT has been there for as long as I've been in Melbourne, yes it's a tad daggy and the service can vary depending on the demand of the evening, but it's always like coming home. Arguably the best farfalle del goloso in town. Recommended. :)
We really loved this restaurant. Every dish that came out from the calamari to the fettuccini duck ragu to the pork tenderloin and the creme brûlée was perfection. Great atmosphere (it was packed) and very friendly service. Not cheap but will certainly go back again.
They've had a really tough night. Computer stuffed up and no menu or til. Our food was excellent though very limited choice for vegetarians. They adapted a neck for me that was great. Service is delightful. Ambience is old style italian. No one came bear us for 10 minutes when we CDMA in but I think they were busy with their technical problems. I loved my farfalle with zucchini.
Good traditional family style Italian. First visit to Zia Teresa. Not too bad a all. We will be going back.
The service was very friendly although a wee bit hit and miss, but then, this restaurant is not in the top echelon of Italian restaurants, nor is its pricing.
But, if you are looking for cheap and cheerful pizza and pasta, best to look elsewhere.
Best service ever! And great food! The young woman who served us was amazing, very lovely and suggested some great items of the menu. She was incredibly informative and arrange for a pass testing plate for my family. The pasta was delicious and the pork even better. Very happy with he restaurant, vey relaxed atmosphere with no pretentiouness
My favourite Italian resaurant in Melbourne. Zia Teresa offers the experience of great Italian cuisine in a warm and comforting atmosphere. This is a family run restaurant. You can tell that love went into the making of this food. I had the veal shank and it was cooked to perfection (and so were my friends' meals). The portions are large and the staff are friendly and welcoming. I highly recommend Zia Teresa, without any hesitation.
Paccheri were outstanding and the three cheese gnocchi was fantastic as always! Service is friendly, attentive but not overbearing. Menu is accessible, varied and not overly complicated or snobbish. Dining rooms are intimate and comfortable.
I have been here many times and the food and service has always been fantastic!! One of my favorite restaurants!!!
One of the best. Zia Terasa is one of the best Italian restaurants I've been to in Melbourne. We were a table of 6 and everyone loved their meals. Presentation, flavour and portion size were all very good. Meals that are pretty ordinary in 95% of restaurants were made with care and inspiration. The waiters were quick and friendly. We will definitely be back and strongly recommend it. Prices were reasonable, especially considering how good the food and service was.
Best italian. Love, Love, Love - Has to be the best Italian restaurant!
Love going as from the moment you walk in the door, you are welcomed and the service is exceptional. Pasta and specialty dishes are always a treat and the deserts are worth the money. Enjoy the dining experience!
Grazie, grazie, grazie!!!!. Yes, I'm so thankful to know this little gem of a restaurant!
The staff......and I do mean ALL of them.....we've been there enough times to know.....are second to none!!! As with everything truly Italian, there is no need to do anything fancy, but you must do it right. That's where Zia Teresa has the upper hand, from the kitchen to the front door, they have got it spot on. We've had big family celebrations, intimate dinners, impromptu get togethers and we've never been let down......so THANK-YOU!
Food excellent. Service very friendly. However a long wait for the food to come out.
Loving Food. I love this food! This restaurant really deserves more credit than it probably gets. I know because I used to work there. And I would have to say I have never had a more hard working and dedicated boss than Teresa. There is no cutting quality ingredients here and I dare anyone to find a better gnocchi or veal scallopini!
Fab place for a more formal dinner. Nice for lovers, romance and special occasions. Quiet, attentive service, quality italian food. worth booking, seems to be quite busy on weekends.
Fantastic pasta. If you've got enough people, or a big enough appetite, ask them to do a pasta platter of three pastas for you. It used to be on the menu, but no longer. They'll still do it if you ask for it though.
Good for an evening's dinner out. Stumbled across this by accident one evening with a friend, and had an excellent meal. Knows it s market - traditional Italian, a place to go for a nice dinner out (rather than the rockbottom feed 'em and turn 'em over type) white tablecloths and wines available by bottle and glass. Pasta, yes, but various other Italian dishes too: good service and good food. I'd happily return.
Fantastic little place! Expertly prepared meals, lovely atmosphere, authentic Italian experience. We'll be coming back 100%
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TLDR: an Italian gem - must visit.
Service: Julian was great - Friendly, quick and helpful.
Entree: mozeralla - light, fresh and subtle flavours.
Pasta: pappardelle duck ragu - for once, I actually finished this dish. I order it almost everytime at an Italian restaurant, and it usually let's me down Usually the duck is too tough or hard, or the pasta is not aldente. But the duck here was consistently soft and tender, and the pasta was perfect.
Mains: baked rabbit - the meat was tender (fall off the bone soft), sauce was amazing (sweet, savoury and full of umami notes), crunchy greens and balanced vegies.
Sides: roasted potatoes - not as crunchy as I prefer, but flavours were punchy (full of butter and herbs).
Beverages: Amaretto sour and the Chianti (red wine: both delicious. The Chianti especially.
Value: To be honest, we've paid more and have received much less (in taste, satisfaction, service, serving size) at other places. By no means was it a cheap meal, but very satisfied and happy with the recommendation. A must visit for our next special occasion.
Has been to this place recently. A warm welcome by the staff really made a great first impression. We are 4 and started with 4 different entries. Mushroom arancini and Prosciutto wrapped artichokes and prawn cutlets are best. On the main course side, slow cooked baby goat is succulent and tasted great . After parmigiana, vven baked rabbit and duck tasted ok. Ended with Tiramisu which is yummy. Place is little cozy than how it looks in the pictures. However we really liked the ambience, atmosphere and food.
Six of us went there today for the first time. All the reviews are right. Even a slice of garlic bread is delightful as were complex and sophisticated dishes such as the eggplant palmigana.
We ended up ordering seconds for the two of the mains. A very delightful experience.
Some vegetarians with restrictions had a limited choice.
Even after lockdowns and staff shortages in Melbourne, Zia Teresa has maintained an uncompromised level of professionalism and quality of food. I have frequented this establishment for the past 7 years and its consistency of friendly staff and heartwarming food and drinks is amazing. Thank you for another great experience for me and the family.
Went with a group of 6 and all ordered different pastas. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed their meals, wines and the affogatos were amazing. Staff were attentive and pleasant. Reasonably priced delicious Italian food.
Stumbled across this little gem and am so glad we did! Food was incredible…simple Italian flavours executed perfectly and service was great too. We look forward to going back again!
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