We had the pleasure of an Il Cantuccio experience with great friends this evening, and what an experience it was!
We had a table outside, and some exposure to a few revheads roaring past, but the true experience was the great service and sensational food!!!
My wife and I only travel to Melbourne couple of times a year, and we always have a couple of favorite restaurants to visit, and Il Cantuccio will definitely be on “the list” for our future visits!
Thank you so much Il Cantuccio!
Both spaghetti was so good and flavourful! The lamb cutlet was abit small but super delicious !
I've been going to this place for many years. The people that run it are always very friendly and warm. It is what I would call authentic Italian, with great pasta, veal, steaks, etc. Great entrees, garlic bread, etc. Terrific with the classic Italian desserts like tiramisu and panna cotta. Great for birthdays and other special occasions. The meatballs are a must - always a hit. You can have them with bread, or in a pasta dish. Their other pasta varies a little. Sometimes a little below the mark, sometimes sensational, usually darned good. Everything else is always great. I was most recently there June 2019 and it was great. I am giving 5 stars on account of the warm, friendly service, great food and good value for money.
A nice and cosy restaurant, perfect for a cold winters night. Service was friendly, welcoming and attentive. Food was flavoursome and generous for the price. One of the best Seafood Marinara pasta’s I’ve had...even better than the one I had in Rome. Looking forward to returning for dinner again soon, would definitely recommend!
This is one of my favourite place in Melbourne . I have been keep coming back for 6-7 years . My favourite dishes include seafood polenta , pumpkin ravioli , lot pastas , steak is good too . Very good value wine list . Cosy and relaxing . High recommended! Reserve a table ahead.
Salmon is recommended！One of the best i have tasted. （The best i have tried is a Japanese restaurant in Canberra）the veal is fresh and tender. And i haven't tried similar ones before so it is a fresh experience. Pasta is creamy with generous and handsome shrimps. Service is gentle and warm.
Pros:
- real italian style food. You can tell the food has not been rushed and is packed full of flavour.
- my partner had the pasta marinara which was super beautiful - packed with plenty of fresh seafood
- my lamb rack was cooked to perfection, the vegetables were perfect and were a refreshing take on “side potatoes and vegetables”. Tasted exactly like my Nonna’s roast vegetables!
- restaurant itself - super cosy and authentic set up
Cons:
- When approaching the restaurant and requesting a table, the waitress had her back to us the whole time and was quite abrupt. Service improved once we were inside
- portion size of the lamb rack... for $39, I definitely expected more (this was probably because I was enjoying it to much though!
A must for Italian food lovers! It became our favourite restaurant to dine out, a very friendly service and food that never disappoints. Thank you!
Laigon Street has many great restaurants but Il Cantuccio is an Italian restaurant with powerful flavours and very big portions with also very friendly hospitality, with a unique dish “squid ink spaghetti” with the name I was concerned at first but it completely proved me wrong so the only improvement I could state is maybe the space because it is located in a quite tight space but despite that I highly suggest this restaurant for people looking for unique flavours and big dishes.
Friendly attentive staff and delicious food to match. We ordered the Gorgonzola Gnocchi and the Spicy Meatballs and both tasted amazing! The atmosphere is warm and we will have no problems returning for another meal.
I have one word for this place. Perfect. The location was quaint, the food was otherworldly and the staff were the most friendliest yet.
I had the seafood marinara fettuccine and my wife had the squid ink seafood pasta. My wife is usually a Tabasco person and without fail, she'll grab a bottle. This is the first time she forgot about it. That was how damn tasty it was.
The pasta was fresh, the seafood was beautifully cooked and so crunchy. The sauce coated every bite of pasta perfectly. But the kicker for me was the chopped fresh parsley that brought an extra layer of freshness with each bite.
10/10 loved it.
P.s they give you complimentary bread with really good quality olive oil too! 👌👌
Absolutely delicious Italian food! The restaurant is rustic with a very homey feel to it. The staff were delightful! I loved the gorgonzola gnocchi! Squid ink spaghetti is incredible. Really fair prices. Plus they have you a massive bowl of parmesan for the table which for me is a huge plus. I want ALL the cheese. Thanks il cantuccio! Your restaurant is lovely.
This place had literally the BEST food I have ever tasted in my life. I had a chicken dish and oh my I have never tasted anything so great. The staff were amazing and accomodated my vegan friend aswell. Such a great atmosphere, it felt like we had left Australia and headed overseas! A must do!
Il Cantuccio seemed to be one of the crowd’s favourite Italian restaurant on Lygon St, and we got to see some of the reasons why.
They do their carbonara in authentic way, with eggs and no cream. The dish was still wonderfully creamy from egg yolk and also the flavour from bacon (pancetta?) was brought out well.
The serving size was quite large - you get a mountain of pasta on your dish - and it’s great.
Overall it resembled home cooking from Italian family that you have visited - hearty, simple, and unpretentious.
I have been here last summer with my partner and her parents. Lovely location , outdoor well covered , inside fancy and warm feeling with the fireplace. We got pasta , gnocchis are amazing specially with truffle. Fresh wine , nice customer service and average price. IThe picture down here show the seafood pasta , tasty and light that permit to you to do all the walking of the rest of your day :)
First time trying Italian but the person who served us was amazing and friendly, originally my sister and I wanted to get our Garlic Prawns take away but there was a delay in getting the box but we instead ate out in the food court. Garlic Prawns looked amazing as they tasted, if I ever came back to Melbourne would totally recommend this restaurant to a friend.
We were lucky we arrived when they just opened and able to get a table without booking. It would be best to call ahead, it's definitely worth it. The staff was so friendly, the food was top notch. Generous portions, fresh flavors, and great ambiance.
Without doubt, the best Italian restaurant across Mebourne and Sydney. The entree bruschetta is by far the best I've ever had. The meatballs were sensational. It was hard to pick a standout mean but the traditional Calabrian Involtini is the finest dish served on Laigon Street.
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