Great decoration and well mannered staff. The macadamia puree with the octopus is just WOW. I didnt expect it to be this gooood. The pasta is ok nothing special to be honest. Ah the best thing that you cannot miss is tiramisu! It's so so so good. I will be back to Lupo just for this.
Beautiful decor. We had a date night there and we found a perfect place for a date night but also for drinks and dinner with friends.
They had Gin cocktail on special which was heavenly.
They sat us down quickly with no booking and the food came so quickly it was unbelievable.
We loved every single item in the menu so I don’t think I need to make specific recommendations as I’m sure it will all be good.
Italian with an Aussie twist. The bread, burrata and squid ink pasta are all amazing!
Food: Curiously Italian.
Ambience: Touch of class, yet not pretentious. Family friendly.
Service: Excellent well mannered staff on all levels.
Value: Fine food at a reasonable price.
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Intrigued to try Scott Pickett's recent foray into Italian dining, I stopped by Lupo for a beautiful, long lunch. Firstly, I was impressed by the beauty of this gorgeous space on busy Smith Street. A large, open venue with high ceilings, beautifully rustic walls and comfortable bistro style furniture. I loved the open kitchen as it makes you feel more at home.
We were welcomed warmly and picked some fabulous wines from a fairly extensive drinks menu. The staff were attentive and delightful, talking us through the menu and offering suggestions when we asked about house specialties.
We decided on one lighter dish, and a heavier option with the gnocchi and this proved to be a fantastic decision, as it allowed us room for an amazing dessert. Starting with the kingfish crudo, this elegantly plated dish was a perfect combination of fresh kingfish with a delicious whipped fish roe, thinly sliced green tomatoes, fennel and a beautifully refreshing dressing. The fish was so tender, and the combination of salty roe and sweet tomato really worked. This dish was an amazing start, and as delicious as it looked.
Onto the cacio e pepe gnocchi. Perfect pillows in a delicious peppery sauce. So much cheesy goodness in every bite, and surprisingly light gnocchi, with the most divine, creamy texture. I found the serving size to be quite generous for lunch, and both these dishes complemented each other quite well.
Despite being impressed by these dishes, we certainly saved the best for last. Our dessert was a tiramisu, but in no way was this the traditional version dished up by Nonna. Spectacular to look at, and absolutely delicious to eat, this dessert was heaven for a coffee lover like myself. Two beautifully thin meringue wafers sandwiched layers of mousse, mascarpone and caramel; all topped of with cooling icecream and a mountain of shaved chocolate. This is easily one of the best desserts I've had this year.
After visiting Lupo, I'm impressed with the modern twists on classic Italian fare; and combined with the serene and elegant ambience, this new establishment is sure to be a huge success.
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We came for a special function put on by one of the groups that organises group dinners. I have been looking forward to try this place for some time as I’ve been a fan of Scott Pickett’s and I was wondering how they could get some less than flattering write ups given his track record. We went to the upstairs private dining room which is up a flight of fairly steep stairs - so you've got to be a bit careful if you are planning on having a few.
The service was a bit slow with a few gaps between courses; which unfortunately I think is a part of these group functions which does give me some reservations about holding one there.
For antipasti was had anchovy & njuda on toast and gnocco fritto. I really loved both these dishes. The toast was beautifully balanced with the salt, acid and heat. The gnocco fritto was very cheesy and nice, and I would have been happy to have another one or two! This was a surprise as it wasn't included in the courses that we had expected.
This was followed by burrata which was lovely and the king fish which was truly sensational. The kingfish was served with whipped fish roe, green tomatoes and fennel and it was truly delightful.
The pasta that came was some sort of ravioli - unfortunately this was cold. No doubt the wait between courses contributed to this.
The steak was amazing, really tender and perfectly cooked.
One could of course not finish without dessert - the Tiramisu was beautifully constructed and delicious!
I think the reviews have got it wrong here and I suspect they'll do an even better job if not catering to a group. Most of the dishes were delightful and at around $100 per head it was good value and an excellent compilation of the chef's talents. I'd happily come back.
Great food and even better service - I had the spanner crab linguini and tiramisu and it was absolutely delicious! Another winner from Scott Picket!
Another amazing venture by Scott Pickett! Beautiful hand made pastas and a romantic environment. It’s a yes from me! Bravo!
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We were excited to come in and try out the menu of Lupo, Scott Pickett’s recent venture onto humble Smith Street in Collingwood. Having dined at Estelle of old we anticipated a feast of flavours and creativity and were not disappointed. The venue was very atmospheric and suited its locale with its relaxed Italian vibe, high ceilings and worn style.
With great tunes playing, we drank our champagne aperitif and perused the exciting a la carte menu. Trying not to be distracted by the masters at work in the open kitchen, we settled on dishes from most sections of the menu.
From the antipasti we ordered the Gnocco Fritto and the Anchovy & Ndjua on toast. The anchovy stack was a delicious snack was smack bang full of spicy tomato and capsicum flavours, with a nice level of heat, wonderful vinegary anchovy on a fresh focaccia base.
The gnocco fritto was a very clever little dumpling sized puff. We loved the hidden cheese sauce, what a delightful surprise and very clever execution.
For primo we ordered the Port Phillip Octopus. The wonderfully smokey charred tentacles where paired to perfection with crunchy garlic breadcrumbs and a wonderful light lemon and finger lime aioli.
We also ordered the King fish, this can only be described as OMG next level. Generous pieces of king fish were surrounded by mouthwatering whipped fish roe, sweet and salty flavours of green tomatoes and fennel. My taste buds have died and gone to heaven.
For mains we ordered the Squid Ink Mafaldine pasta, the Cheese & Pepper Gnocchi, and side of Broccolini. The fragrance from these dishes had me instantly salivating. Each dish was packed with well balanced, rich deep flavours with clever notes of citrus refreshing the palate and keeping you going back for more. The broccolini can only be described as flavour on steroids and the best I have ever had.
Despite being full, we decided to share a dessert and opted for the Italian meringue. This masterpiece of meringue, rhubarb, blood orange and Campari was the sublime combination of sweet yet tart, crunchy and soft, fresh yet creamy. My brain can’t figure out how this is achieved but my taste buds are on a rollercoaster and they love it.
To finish off the night you are presented with a piccolo dolce assortment of the sweet treats which included light crostini, spicy orangey biscotti (that reminded me of Christmas) and nutty nougat. What a delicious way to end a perfect evening.
Staff were attentive and knowledgeable as you would expect from a fine dining venue such as this.
We really appreciated the invitation.
Had a superb dinner here with a friend a few weeks ago. The wait staff were friendly & the food was amazing. We sat up at the chef's bar, shout out to the chefs who were super engaging whilst they cooked, they really made the night.
Scott Pickett has gotten this Italian venture perfectly right.
Great fit out, very friendly service and the food. The food.
Had the pleasure of going to the truffle dinner. The food was exceptional every dish was delicious, highlights were the orichiette & chicken. The pear dessert with whipped ricotta was exquisite. Wine matching was perfection,
Let’s hope he has something as good for the Yarra Bend precinct.
We found great hospitality from the first call to make the booking, through to the exit from the restaurant. Earlier in the day I had a friend send me a photo of their hotel room view over the Pantheon in Rome, and now I’m looking at photos of iconic places like Pisa. I feel like I’m in Italy and my wife is half Italian to seal the vibe. When we taste the amuse of gnocco fritto with garlic and grana Padano, we have had a great start. Just that little bit of inventiveness, but so delicious we couldn’t come here without getting them again. Garlic bread will never be the same.
The Laurent-Perrier Champagne, and Italian Soave, are sliding down beautifully, and our antipasti of sardines with lemon and fennel pollen is another dish to come back for over a drink. The sardines are delicate, but the accompanying slow cooked fennel meets the brief.
Absolutely ❤️it. The place is so cute and romantic. Very good services too. I have been craving a good escargot and now I know where to go. Everything that we’ve ordered absolutely delicious. My favourite are the escargot, chicken and the lamb. I was not to keen with the desserts, a bit too sour for me
Highly recommend this French bistro. The food is to die for and the ambience makes you feel like you are somewhere altogether away from Melbourne. The staff are amazing and know exactly how to guide you through their dining experience. The drinks recommendations were an added plus. Make a booking for your next occasion and know you will have a gastronomic experience that will tempt you to return again and again.
Food was excellent. We ordered the mussels and the lamb. The broth for the mussels was a more unique blend of lemon/seafood/butter that was to die for. The lamb was cooked perfectly (we were not asked how we wanted it done) and came with a traditional ratatouille. Wine selection was pretty standard. The reason I’m not giving 5 stars is because we had to wait 20 minutes for our table even though we made a booking.
After seeing some pictures of this beautiful place on its opening I had to go and experience it for myself. Plus I love French food. My partner and I absolutely loved our evening here. It’s an amazing experience of incredible food, service, decor and charm. Highly recommended 💝
Drop-dead gorgeous venue in the heart of Collingwood that really embodies the spirit of Paris. Have yet to try the full menu but based on the snacks and (very strong) drinks I’ve had, it’s bound to be great.
What a beautiful venue, service was friendly and timely, loved the quirky set up.of mismatched old china in our leather booth. Tristan on Bar was chatty and real and certainly inspired us for one of his creations! The food for us was tasty, well.priced, we had 2 serves of pepper steaks and 2 serves of john dory with crab and lobster sauce with one of each of the sides. Even the french pea dish was excellent, the pommes anna, buttery and delicious. And then came the Raspberry Souffle, wow, light and airy clouds of raspberry, luckily for us we live just 10 minutes away, this will be a regular!
Great service & delicious escargots & grilled flounder ! beautiful interior design classic as always from Scott Pickett group.
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