Review Riserva - Malvern

Food is always excellent, the decor has a unique feel, but it is the staff and their knowledge and selection of wine always leaves us completely blown away! Beautiful location across the road from Central Park, lucky to have this one so close!

I wish I could give this place more than 5 stars. The service was top notch, and exceeded expectations. Our waitress enhanced the dining experience with engaging conversation, and careful consideration of our dietary requirements. The food was a continuous flow of delicious, brilliant, and divine. Continually impressed dish after dish, with smooth wines to match. I would highly recommend anyone come here for a perfect date night

Seriously you can only rave about this restaurant. We enjoyed a feast of wine and food with friends. Times are tough with limited staff however Elvis literally run all night to keep everyone happy and to enjoy a real experience. These guys know how to make it work. Great wine, food and owners who love what they do. Bravo!!

Nice spot also open on Monday nights. Good variety and wine list. Cosy and covid aware with good spacing between tables.

Excellent restaurant Friends took us here and we had not heard of Riserva Clearly a local Malvern gem and better than many so called top dining places in Melbourne DON'T tell your friends about Riserva - they will become too busy, prices will go up..... Seriously the place is high end without the fuss Beautifully presented dishes, fresh food not overcooked, attentive service and a very good varied wine list Worth many more visits!

This place has always intrigued me. It's tucked away in a mini stretch of stores right near a corner of a tight intersection of two busy roads, but due to the end of the tram line, for some reason, you couldn't be blamed for missing it. Anyway, I've noticed it before, and have wanted to try it for a while. Many reviews say the service is very friendly and food is great, but a bit overpriced. I can now give my own opinion on this. Yes, the service is good. The food all came out within good time, and the wait staff were friendly (though I don't love staff touching my back when they fill up my water or something. It's my personal space, and I don't love it though it happened several times during the course of the meal). One thing they do which surprisingly a lot of places don't, is they wait for all at the table to be finished with their meal before clearing away the plates. I like that. It's good service and polite and diners don't feel rushed. The entree was heaven. I ordered the fried buffalo mozzarella sandwich. It was light and cheesy and beautifully presented. Everyone else ordered different items, but they all loved what they got, and were also presented well. They were out of a couple of items, which I don't think is good for a restaurant of this caliber, but I guess these things happen. For main, I got the spinach and ricotta gnocchi in a four cheese sauce and WOW. It was so good. Soooo good. I don't really think they needed to even wash my plate, as it was completely mopped up by the time they came for it. Dessert, though not needed, was the chocolate mousse tart, raspberry compote and a spiced mascarpone. As you can see, it was beautifully presented and plated and I didn't want to really start into it. For my liking, the compote was a bit too tangy, but everything else was lovely. So ... value. Yes, it is a little pricey. It definitely is. But this isn't the kind of place you come to often on a casual night. It's more like a bit of a treat. I mean, I ordered a coke, and it came in a can, but one of the mini cans, and it was $4. The mains were maybe a bit high, but then again the quality is great. Overall, I really would recommend trying it here. There's a great selection of beautiful wines, and a good choice of meals on the menu. Parking isn't too hard, and there's beautiful ambience and a lovely interior design. I will come back again for a birthday or something for sure.

One of my favourite restaurants in all melbourne. The atmosphere is amazing, it’s a cozy nice place with an European feeling. Location is really accesible and convenient. The service is always on top, friendly and professional, and not to talk about the food and the wine, with are just amazing. Enjoy every time I come and totally recommended to come for a nice time.

We had a wonderful night and some of the best meals we've ever had including great wine and service

This place has always intrigued me. It's tucked away in a mini stretch of stores right near a corner of a tight intersection of two busy roads, but due to the end of the tram line, for some reason, you couldn't be blamed for missing it. Anyway, I've noticed it before, and have wanted to try it for a while. Many reviews say the service is very friendly and food is great, but a bit overpriced. I can now give my own opinion on this.<br/><br/>Yes, the service is good. The food all came out within good time, and the wait staff were friendly (though I don't love staff touching my back when they fill up my water or something. It's my personal space, and I don't love it though it happened several times during the course of the meal). One thing they do which surprisingly a lot of places don't, is they wait for all at the table to be finished with their meal before clearing away the plates. I like that. It's good service and polite and diners don't feel rushed.<br/><br/>The entree was heaven. I ordered the fried buffalo mozzarella sandwich. It was light and cheesy and beautifully presented. Everyone else ordered different items, but they all loved what they got, and were also presented well. They were out of a couple of items, which I don't think is good for a restaurant of this caliber, but I guess these things happen. For main, I got the spinach and ricotta gnocchi in a four cheese sauce and WOW. It was so good. Soooo good. I don't really think they needed to even wash my plate, as it was completely mopped up by the time they came for it. Dessert, though not needed, was the chocolate mousse tart, raspberry compote and a spiced mascarpone. As you can see, it was beautifully presented and plated and I didn't want to really start into it. For my liking, the compote was a bit too tangy, but everything else was lovely.<br/><br/>So ... value. Yes, it is a little pricey. It definitely is. But this isn't the kind of place you come to often on a casual night. It's more like a bit of a treat. I mean, I ordered a coke, and it came in a can, but one of the mini cans, and it was $4. The mains were maybe a bit high, but then again the quality is great. Overall, I really would recommend trying it here. There's a great selection of beautiful wines, and a good choice of meals on the menu. Parking isn't too hard, and there's beautiful ambience and a lovely interior design. I will come back again for a birthday or something for sure.

Riserva is one of my favourite places for dinner. It has a fantastic ambiance, paired with beautiful food and wine. All of the staff are very accommodating with their gluten free options and are very friendly! It overlooks the lovely Central Park in Malvern and is such a great place for a Sunday night wine!

Waitress friendly and personal. Special attention. Great wine list. Rustic and wholesome Italian food.<br/>

My husband and I just left Riserva and whilst sitting in the car we couldn’t help but reflect on what a charming and welcoming place this is. Whether we’ve been here during the middle of a busy service or on a quiet Saturday afternoon, we get the same attentive and caring service that makes us feel like we have come to a fun family gathering. Effortlessly elegant, we can’t wait to come back to one of our favourites

Super cute local wine shop, bar and restaurant that's brimming with a European art deco casual bistro vibe. The wine list is in pretty much on display. I really liked the by the glass options which were predominantly from vineyards afar. The menu is short but full of quality options that makes decisions very difficult. I'll be back.

If you have an occasion that requires fine dining and quality service in Malvern, this is the place for you!<br/><br/>Their menu offers a wide range of dishes, all lovingly prepared and quickly devoured. The oysters were fresh, the steak was cooked perfectly and even the vegetables were done so expertly that it went straight to my stomach with no complaints! Dessert was probably the most underwhelming course but after such a lovely main meal, I almost didn't notice!

OK so I hadn't heard about this place but it's definitely one to write home about. The food was very good with my favourite by far being the beetroot goats cheese ravioli. I had to go back for a second serve - it was delicious! The first image there is what was left of the second plate when I realised I needed to take a photo so you could see what I was talking about. Whilst I'm not a wine connoisseur it's meant to have some of the best wine in Melbourne.

Wine 5/5<br/>Food 5/5<br/>Service 5/5<br/>Best place to catch with friend , one of the best wine bar in Malvern area . We enjoyed the food are well designed and the premium wine is the spot on.<br/>Overall highly recommend!!!

Wow! Wow! Wow!<br/>What an incredible way to celebrate Valentine’s Day at this incredible restaurant!<br/>Food was incredible; service was so attentive and the ambience and overall atmosphere was perfect for a date night.<br/>But I just cannot go past the quality of the food, the beetroot and goats cheese ravioli was just an amazing explosion of flavours in my mouth! The kingfish (not a fan of fish at all, let alone raw) was just perfectly prepared and the Vitello Tonnato was poached to perfection!<br/>That was just entree!!<br/>The mains were superb we got the duck and the beef Wellington; it was so tasty and the beef and duck were both cooked exactly how it needed to be.<br/>By dessert we were so full but couldn’t help smashing a berry brûlée and the panettone pudding! Neither was overly sweet or too rich... <br/>what a perfect night!<br/><br/>Food: 5<br/>Service: 5<br/>Ambience: 5

First time at this local wine bar and I will definitely be back! The tapas was delicious and perfectly portioned for two. Service was friendly and attentive and the place has a great atmosphere!

This is a charming little restaurant with an extensive wine list and my fave, a special lunch menu. Although, here, it’s a main and desert, not the usual choice of two dishes from three courses. Food is fresh and fabulous, and we all loved the sweet ricotta cannelloni desert albeit we don’t do desert. The included wine was great as is the service.

Had dinner here at this bar/restaurant close to our home that we had heard good things about. First we shared a couple of Gnudi dumplings with spinach and ricotta cheese with a tomato sauce which were most tasty. Then I had linguini with squid ink which was excellent and Bev had a duck confit risotto which was also most enjoyable. The ambience of the restaurant and service was excellent particularly from the very knowledgeable friendly waitress who recommend an excellent wine. A welcome addition to the restaurants near our home. Great food at a lovely restaurant close to home, so we look forward to returning soon.

Nice staff and polite and friendly. I enjoyed the meal and will visit again. It had a good vibe and really enjoyed myself. The menu should have another finish dish on it. The carrots were too hard and over cooked. Fish was cooked well and tuna tarta was delicious.

Oysters were so good we ordered an extra dozen. Veal and duck ragu pasta was delicious. The venue is gorgeous with a n impressive bar upon entrance. Service was on point. We booked 4 weeks in advance but when we arrived they didn’t have our booking. Staff were quick to find us a spot. Maybe call to confirm if you haven’t received a reminder

My husband and I have come for dinner a few times since Riserva opened - each time it has been a wonderful experience, beginning with the cheery welcome on entering the restaurant, moving on to the exciting selection of wines, and simple yet elegant and well-executed menu. Tonight we brought both sets of parents - what a feast we had! Fresh oysters from Coffin bay with a vinaigrette, Hervey Bay scallops, grilled calamari and our favourite entree, polenta chips with black garlic mayonnaise to start with. Mains were rib eye steaks with deliciously buttery roast potato, risotto with prawn and Morton bay bugs, pan fried King dory on a zucchini purée. Very happy and satisfied. The service here is outstanding - warm, fun and unpretentious. It is always a challenge to find that balance of elegance and excellence with a relaxed and warm ambience - Riserva succeeds in this. As such we will continue to be happy return customers 😊

This is a professional operation run by a well oiled and groomed team. The food is very hit and miss every time I order the oysters they are tired and not that fresh and I sent dishes back for not being fresh. The pasta is bland tired with no flavor. Stick to basics such as the pork chop and salumi. The bar is also a good spot for a drink. The tables at the front window overlooking Central Park is the place to sit. This restaurant is suitable for a romantic 1 on 1 or a fun lunch on the weekend with friends. The cocktails and spirits can be super expensive but are well mixed and made. They also door take away booze and have an excellent wine selection.

One of the very best restaurant experiences we have had in a long time!<br/><br/>It can be very refreshing to try something new, from time to time and our dinner at Riserva bore Testament to that thought. In a nutshell, it was quality through and through, from start to finish.<br/><br/>As a result, we have quickly moved Riserva to amongst our top five restaurants in Melbourne.<br/><br/>I took Carole as a Valentine’s Day surprise dinner and indeed it was a delightful surprise as we both enjoyed it so much.<br/><br/>The first course provided was a choice, any one of them would have suited me down to the ground, and of the options, Carole chose the Octopus terrine with a celeriac remoulade and chilli. Carole’s only comment was “delicious”. On the other hand, I enjoyed a Beetroot, goats cheese agnolotti, hazelnut, brown butter, sage. The idea of colouring the agnolotti with beetroot juice was smart. I felt it added to the mystery and intrigue of the dish none the least, the flavour.  Delightful, splendid entrée and so very tasty.  Would have liked a second, as it was that good.<br/><br/> I understand this is not a regular on their menu as an entrée. I  want to encourage Riserva Management to reconsider and put this on the regular menu - it’s well worth the effort, great to try and a great talking point.<br/><br/>There is a photo of agnolotti shown below.<br/><br/> And this was all washed down with delightful champagne, the name of which, stupid me, hs inconveniently forgotten.<br/><br/>The main courses served were equally as good, with Carole enjoying a meat duo of seared duck breast,  braised rabbit pie, beetroot purée and Dutch carrots. Such a delightful combination which Carole found very moreish and would happily go back for a repeat.  And, I chose the eye fillet, sweet onion purée and café du Paris butter.  The steak was perfectly tender done precisely to my specifications and delicious with its accompanying onion purée and butter - a delicious dish. I had asked for the salad to accompany the steak and was delighted with the heirloom tomato salad presented. Something very different and very refreshing, which made it all the better. I thoroughly enjoyed it.<br/><br/>So we had enjoyed two great courses to date thoroughly enjoyable and exciting. For dessert, we chose, in Carole’s case, the Berry tart while I enjoyed the Peach Melba. Both desserts were ideal, a very suitable if not quiet end to a delightful meal; they added the right amount of sweetness to finish off and was an absolute pleasure to enjoy.<br/><br/>It’s tough to sum up this restaurant; it was such a surprise to find it and, in its way it’s an excellent Bistro, serving great food and wine. <br/>It also doubles as a wine bar as well, and some patrons were stopping in on the way home from work to enjoy a quick meal and a glass of wine before completing their journey.<br/><br/>The interior decorations were tastefully done. The interior was a calming blue. After a busy day’s work, it was very relaxing, hospitable and calming.<br/><br/>There was ample choice on the menu to please the most discerning diner, and quite frankly, we will be returning in the future for more.<br/><br/>The staff are all very attentive very knowledgeable and accommodating with your choice of the menu. In our case, Sean, you were fantastic - thank you.  Hope we meet up again with you soon.<br/><br/>Price-wise - considering it was  Valentine’s Day and therefore a special day in the calendar, the quality of the food and the service, we thought the price very reasonable. You certainly got the quality,  got the service, and it was just brilliant.

Valentine's Day dinner with a set menu on offer. We have been there before for drinks and were keen to return to sample the food. The restaurant has a very elegant and inviting ambience, the service was formal yet you felt quite relaxed for a fine dining restaurant. Food was magnificent with the highlight being the snapper and creme brûlée dessert. The only small criticism is the main meal my husband ordered. The eye fillet came out with nothing else on the plate except some sweet onion purée. Would've been nice to see even just 1 stem of asparagus/broccolini. Maybe they should also consider some Italian bread to complement the fine dining pricing. Nice to see another formal restaurant in the suburbs.

I wanted to love it, just didn't happen.<br/><br/>SERVICE: 3/5<br/>The strange thing here was the service was good in terms of wait times, water top-ups and extra things we requested and this is the reason why I've given an above average rating. On the other hand, there was no heart in the service. It just felt like they did what they needed to do efficiently to get us out and ready for the next table. When I say "they", sadly it was one of the owners that served our table. It didn't make for a great experience especially seeing as we were there to have a Christmas get together. Who asks how the meal was to turn away and walk off before we even answer? <br/><br/>FOOD: 3/5<br/>Wasn't bad but definitely not memorable enough to warrant a return. The mushroom risotto was the most anticipated and quite underwhelming when it came out. Relatively small in size compared to other places. Texture/consistency was good but flavour was lacking depth. Their chilli oil was also strange, it reminded me of the ones you get with chinese dumplings...not quite a match for this kind of fare.<br/><br/>Other things we had: crumbed schnitzel, squid ink pasta, polenta chips, cucmber salad, honey roast pumpkin (probably favoured dish of the night which says something) and canoli.<br/><br/>I had higher expectations seeing as there are many positive reviews and I do love the food at Sette Bello which also has the same owner.<br/><br/>DECOR & AMBIENCE: 2.5/5<br/>So loud! Definitely more bar than restaurant. It almost didn't seem suitable to have sit down tables. Despite being squished so close together we still had to shout at each other. I did love the large window frontage and we were lucky enough to sit right infront of it. <br/><br/>KID FRIENDLY: No

This small cute Italian wine bar is a great local!<br/>We went on a weekend night to celebrate our annual girls Christmas.<br/>Ambience 3/5 was nice albeit very noisy when there was a lot of people. Was a bit hard to hear the person next to me.<br/>Service 4/5 no complaints, service was great. Just took a while for us to get served to begin with but other than that wait staff were attentive<br/>Food 4/5 I really enjoyed it. No frills delicious food. Good flavour, I didn't need to add salt. <br/>Menu 3/5 not a huge menu and only 2 pastas on offer <br/>Price $$$<br/>Would recommend ✔️

Booked in for dinner (a week ahead cos they book out so fast) and we absolutely loved it. It was a simple but beautiful dinner with flavor in every dish. Wine selection was extensive and great value. I recognize some wines from other restaurants and bars and Riserva don’t take advantage of margin at all.<br/>Can’t wait to come back

Set on picturesque Wattletree Road in East Malvern, Riserva Wine Bar is a restaurant, bar and bottle shop all rolled into one. This sort of triumvirate is hard to match for any discerning foodie or booze hound. Eat, drink, perch and chat, then take a bottle home. Magnifico!

Went to Riserva a few weeks ago, I enjoyed it immensely, the food, ambiance, service was all very much something I could not recall, so that means my focus was on my partner and hence I rate them so high. The cost was for two $130, including 4 alcoholic drinks.

We have dined here a couple of times found it to be very good and a good wine selection the veal rib eye was worth trying and the fish was also good many thing to try on Menu but not too big <br/>Service very good and value for money not to bad for this level of Restraunt

Brilliant little wine bar with friendly staff, exceptional menu and lovely atmosphere. Dined here last night for my dad's birthday and was really impressed. As starters we went for the ricotta and olive stuffed zucchini flowers and the scallops with pangrattato. For main I went for the steak which was tender and perfectly cooked. We also shared the broccoli as a side. My parents tried the vongole spaghettini and the mushroom and chestnut risotto. Both received high praise. Then for dessert I went for the lemon tart. The tart had a good balance of tartness and sweetness. The little meringues were probably a bit too chewy but that's a minor criticism.

Enjoyed a night here with friends. The entrees were nice, I love burrata cheese & it was yum, but the way it was served totally lost me... some celery sticks, radicchio & a sauce. My main was the veal, it was huge like rib eye size, it was rare, I couldn't eat it all, but it lacked flavour as there was so much meat it got a bit lost. Dessert was yum but very similar, lemon tart with a burnt sugar top, the creme Catalan was the same. It tasted good, but too much of the same. Everyone enjoyed the wines, friendly service. I'm sure I'll be back soon to order something different.

We decided on an impromptu visit to Riserva which is a slick, modern wine store, wine bar & dining in Malvern East. Initially, our intention was for coffee only, however, couldn’t resist a couple of snacks which were lovely. We have Riserva on our list to revisit and soon to have a meal and to try some of the wine in their vast collection.

Dined with friends who live nearby. Lovely atmosphere, simple and elegant decor with a gorgeous wine bar. Delicious menu with simple Italian fare done well. Very impressive, great staff and a wonderful night out dining.

Not sure what is going on here with the bad reviews but we had a nice time and enjoyed the wine, food and service. Excellent mushroom risotto, broccolini, cannoli and the best frites .... other dishes (zucchini flowers, spaghetti vongole) were good too but not exceptional. Not cheap.

Myself and my friends had a wonderful night at Riserva. Anthony, the manager was great and so was the staff. The food and wine were fabulous-a gem of a place in Malvern East, well worth visiting.

Went here for lunch with a friend, choosing the pasta and risotto with a bottle of Nero d'Avola. All excellent, with very good service and good portions. The cheese to follow was also fine, though portions small. It wasn't cheap, but we didn't feel cheated. Overall, would definitely recommend and will return. Just can't understand why it was rated so poorly! Whatever, it's got its act together now!

I loved it! We booked ahead (Friday night, saw people getting turned away constantly). We have nothing cool in the neighborhood, so this has been a long time coming. Staff were a little undercooked, few errors, but they did it with a smile so didn't detract. There were 6 of us, and we had a ball. Loved all the sharing plates (buratta was great). My risotto was too big, couldn't finish it, but it was delicious. We stayed til there was noone else left and rolled out of there while the staff were having their knock off drinks. Great, great fun place, buzzing. terrific place to have dinner with friends (or date night at the bar maybe next time).  Big step up from Chaucer which used to be the only option!

Finally a classy wine bar close to home. It's just what we have been waiting for. Love coming here after work for a bottle of wine with friends. Great food. The onion soup has become my favourite and the veal cottoletta is spot on. The service is amazing! Malvern has a lot of food and wine snobs, you just made this one very happy.

I saw this place with a line outside on a Friday night and knew I had to check it out. After dining there I understand the hype. It has a real classy feel inside with a large range of European wines. Normally I'm an Australian wine drinker, this experience has changed me. Thanks to the warm staff member who asked what I usually drink and recommended a European he thought I would probably enjoy. It was lip licking delicious. The oysters were super fresh and the mushroom risotto I ate was gorgeous! My new favourite little place, I'll be back for sure!

Not sure if it's a restaurant and a wine bar or a wine bar and a restaurant. I don't think you do either justice. <br/>The zucchini flowers were great. The polenta chips were great but the rest, <br/>Average.

We had the best experience here in a cold wet evening. Awesome sit up bar for pre dinner drinks where you can have small plates too if you want. We were a party of 4. Great value and the Syrah by the glass from the magnum special wine was spot on. Veal cutlet was huge and tender and the risotto with mushroom and chestnuts was so flavourful. Traditional canoli with custard filling was such flashback to homemade goodness. This place will go super well. The owner (Juan I think is his name) and his team are <br/>friendly and so clearly passionate about delivering for customers!! Do yourself a favour!!

Celebrations for our close friends who live in Balwyn, we live in Cheltenham so it was half way. Perfect! <br/>We had Aperol spritz and champagne and the charcuterie plate. Absolutely sensational <br/>We'd just got back from Italy so the Milanese veal and risotto was the favourite. I chose the Vongole Spagettini sounded perfect with an Italian Chardonnay <br/>It was all amazing. And we then shared dessert. Lemon tart and the Cannoli were superb In particular the lemon tart with almond hints in the thin pastry. <br/>Thanks for a wonderful meal in this wet Melbourne Anzac Day

In an area where most cafes serve breakfast and lunch, it's terrific to have a local to enjoy European food and wine post 4pm.<br/>We've had two nights at Riserva - highlights being oysters, French onion soup, marrow bone entree, beef bourguignon and an absolutely terrific mushroom risotto. There was a dish that was a miss - the duck, and my comments regarding the dryness of the dish were received in the spirit it was intended. The burgundy we ordered was unavailable but we were offered a similar more expensive bottle for the same price. This is a newly opened restaurant which has been inundated by locals, so teething issues are to be expected, but the staff are enthusiastic and welcoming and the kitchen are producing a tight menu of some delicious classics. Looking forward to enjoying more Friday nights at Riserva

I had a simply awful experience . Such a shame. This place looks great but it stops there. The French Onion soup was inedible, nothing but oil. There was no bread available and the salmon main was ordinary. What really annoyed was the wine by the glass listed on the menu had 'run out' but I managed to see them present a bottle to another table, so what they really meant was 'we can't be bothered to open another bottle so, choose something else'. Perhaps these are just opening issues, but I'm not sure I'll be back.