Review Il Cantuccio - Melbourne

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.

We had the pleasure of an Il Cantuccio experience with great friends this evening, and what an experience it was!<br/>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!!!<br/><br/>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!<br/><br/>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.

Unfortunately dined here last night after reading the positive reviews online.<br/>We ordered two pasta dishes which took well over an hour to arrive. To our disappoint, the creamy sauce tasted like water with no flavour or seasoning. The second pasta was not appetising either. <br/>Overall total waiting time was 2 hours between ordering to managing to pay, which I would not be unhappy about if we were actually able to eat our food.<br/>Only positives were decent entree and friendly service from our waiter.

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:<br/>- real italian style food. You can tell the food has not been rushed and is packed full of flavour.<br/>- my partner had the pasta marinara which was super beautiful - packed with plenty of fresh seafood <br/>- 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! <br/>- restaurant itself - super cosy and authentic set up <br/><br/>Cons:<br/>- 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 <br/>- portion size of the lamb rack... for $39, I definitely expected more (this was probably because I was enjoying it to much though! <br/><br/><br/>

not fantastic but worth another visit<br/><br/>We called in here on the off chance and managed to get a table. The place was bustling and most tables had been booked in advance.<br/><br/>The service was welcoming and friendly and we were served quickly but didn’t feel rushed.<br/><br/>We had bruschetta to start which was served on some lovely toasted bread. The topping was generous and coated with just enough olive oil but the garlic was completely over powering.<br/><br/>My partner and I both had pasta. He had the Napoli sauce and I had the chicken with avocado in a cream sauce. Both portions were generous and the pasta was well cooked. It is difficult to rate the dish for flavour because the taste buds had been completely stripped by the raw garlic in the bruschetta.<br/><br/>Food 2.5* well cooked pasta but the garlic on the bruschetta was overpowering.<br/>Service 3.5* welcoming and friendlyAmbience 3.5* cosy

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 been to Il Cantuccio twice already and I just love it! Its really a true Italian experience. I have been in Italy many times and I can say Il Cantuccio just brings up those memories. Pasta is just delicious and I have no words to describe the Tiramisu...just amazing. Service is quick and very friendly, always aware.<br/><br/>I definitely recommend Il Cantuccio if you are around Melbourne!

A group of four for dinner on a Thurs night. We have been researching on TripAdvisor and saw the recent reviews were all good. My husband was expecting to try the lamb shank. Unfortunately they had put the lamb shank off the menu. I had the ink squid black spaghetti and Tiramisu. Both were so-so. My husband had the saltimbocca and chaux pastry and he advised it was terrible. One of our guest had the pork belly and pannacotta. He hasn't finished them. Not sure if not good. Overall we were not very happy about the food. However service was good. We felt very welcomed there.

Perfect ambious, great food and good service. Interior of the restaurant gives you Italian village kind feeling and it is perfect for group dinner as well as romantic date. Im definitely coming back.

The interior is a step up from the other Lygon restaurants and is very cosy and rustic. The staff are all lovely and very accommodating. Garlic bread was great and I had the rigatoni al diavolo which was very good with the chilli packing a punch! Tried a bit of the gnocchi which melted in the mouth and was absolutely divine, although the squid ink pasta didn't quite have the wow factor I was expecting. Bistecca was soft and very nice. Tiramisu to finish off the dinner was excellent! A great place for Italian and definitely one of the better ones on Lygon.

What can I say? Very good flavoursome Italian food, and a very friendly boss who was gracious about my change in booking. I loved all the pastas we ordered especially the squid ink seafood pasta. I brought a friend over from Singapore and she was especially impressed with the veal - perfectly cooked, tender and juicy!

The best pasta on Lygon Street by a mile. Sensational noodles and the sauces are superb. Cozy little place with great value. Good choice for small groups.

Really loved this place. Authentic food and beautiful service. My new favorite Italian. Suggest the carbonara, meatballs and calamari! Bonus it is BYO too 🍷

I organised a group of 14 school friends for dinner on Saturday night and every one was impressed. The food was excellent, from the white bait entre to the fabulous pastas just like my mother would cook. The highlight was the Rigatoni Diabolo and the Marinara. The tiramisu was a hit with everyone. great job to Mario and his staff, we will be back, Bravo

One of the best Italian restaurants Melbourne has to offer. Food was exceptional (mussles, garlic break, veal gamberi, spaghetti marinara), service could not fault. The hostess was overly accommodating, always ensuring we were well looked after. Will definitely be returning again soon!

Great food, attentive service and very flexible with the menu! Highly recommended - one of the best on Lygon St. spaghetti and meatballs a highlight.

Lovely atmosphere both inside & outside and such friendly staff! Every time I've ate here after watching a movie from Cinema Nova with some friends, we've always left very happy and satisfied :) <br/><br/>One of the staff recommended the squid ink linguine to me, the first time I entered and it was fantastic! <br/><br/>I've recommended this place to my friends and they agreed that the food was delicious as well :) <br/><br/>Will definitely come back again soon!

Good quality authentic Italian cooking in a rustic and cosy setting. Great friendly service and very reasonable prices. There was a good variety of wines to choose from and some of the best bottle prices going around. We tried the pasta and we're pleased with the meals. With so many tasty dishes to try on the menu we will definitely be back for more. Bon appetite.

Great food, great servings :) this is our favourite place on Lygon!! This place doesn't have pizza on the menu, which means that they focus on serving you wonderful pastas and mains. Been there many times and wouldn't hesitate going again.

Very impressed , great family run Italian restaurant in the heart of Lygon Street. Good range of Chefs specials and favourites , and they will customise anything on the menu. Try the dessert menu to finish ...if you have any room left !! Worth a visit!!

What a little gem of a place! Tucked away behind beautiful bluestone walls, this restaurant is one of the very few authentic Italian restaurants left on Lygon street. Came here for a cosy date night with the man on a Thursday night (reservation recommended). Loved that it is a small place, makes for easy conversation and attentive service. We shared the calamari which was average. He then had the Salmon special and I got the pumpkin ravioli filled with ricotta. Was delicious, fresh and filling! With 2 alcoholic drinks, bill came to $84. Will definitely be back and definitely recommend to friends if they are after a good feed.

My family and I regularly visit il Cantuccio and it is the best Italian restaurant on lygon street. The staff are fantastic and the food is to die for. We are from the outer suburbs of Melbourne and will specially make the trip into the city to eat here. <br/><br/>To anyone consider to dining here, please do, you won't regret it.<br/><br/>My mouth is watering just thinking about the food.

We had minestrone soup served with slices of bread that sadly were stale - decided not to order a main course as the starter was very disappointing - opted to walk down to Brunetti s for dessert !

I have been eating here with my family for over 20 years and the food and service has always been consistently fantastic. The seafood is fresh, the pasta is cooked perfectly and the desserts never fail to disappoint. The staff are fantastic and exceptionally friendly and attentive. Highly recommended!

This is easily the best Italian restaraunt I've ever been too. Pasta is cooked perfectly, not too heavy, and I am happy every time I leave. The venue is tucked away, the food is amazing every time. Service is great too. Highly recommended if you're feeling like a big bowl of home cooked pasta! Chicken and avocado fettuccine is my favourite there.

Booked a dinner for 4 not knowing anything about this place and just going on the reviews here. When we first walked in we were hesitant but that soon changed! <br/><br/>The head waitress was the most welcoming waitress (sorry I didn't have a chance to catch your name) we've ever had and we all felt like we were being looked after by a caring Italian mother! <br/><br/>The pasta seafood was fresh and delicious and the baked chicken was cooked to perfection! We had an event to attend after and the staff were constantly checking the time and making sure nothing in the kitchen would delay us. Would definitely return, overall a fantastic experience :)

We had Meatballs Calabrese and Rigatoni El Diavolo. Both were well presented and delicious. Service was really good, couldn't fault it. The restaurant was full and busy but we we still felt as if we were in an intimate setting as we were in the very back. We had a booking but arrived late and the staff were very accommodating, no fuss. Highly recommended.

This place has been a favourite of my families for a few years. The service is always amazing and the food is always delicious. Such a cosy friendly environment.

A gem on Lygon Street. Great atmosphere, love the rustic decor. It was a busy Friday evening when we went for dinner but the service was very attentive. The food tasted amazing, from the garlic bread, the mussels and the tortellini carbonara. All those Italian flavours exploding in your mouth makes a fantastic dining experience.

Fantastic restaurant. Have been here a few times and the food has always been on a high quality, fresh, hot and reasonably priced.<br/>Why this restaurant is getting a 5 this particular time is the staff, they are absolutely fantastic!<br/> We were recently there for my brothers birthday and included in our party was my 1 year old nephew, firstly the lovely lady waiting on us asked if we'd like any special meal for him, she'd happily go tell the chef to make a small meal and have it brought out almost instantly (at no cost) for my nephew. <br/>When he was getting restless and my sister in law was considering taking him home and skipping her meal the fantastic staff asked if they could help keep him entertained while we dined and they carried him around the restaurant entertaining him while we were able to all enjoy our meals. Even when the wonderful lady (who's name I forget but I believe she is the owner) was called away another waiter eagerly took over babysitting, showing my nephew around.<br/><br/>We had such a fantastic night and will be back many times in the future!

Lovely little family restaurant - lovely attentive staff and flavorsome food.<br/>Definitely recommended if you're looking for somewhere to eat on Lygon.<br/>The also have a pretty sweet "free parking" deal :)

This is my go to place for the best Italian on Lygon. Popular with the locals. Fresh pasta and excellent gelato for dessert. Authentic Italian in a casual but very nice looking restaurant.

What a gem! I avoid Lygon like the plague as I have always had very basic, low grade food there, but this place is charming. The staff are incredibly lovely and the food is delicious and very reasonable.<br/>They also cater for coeliacs, and the crew know their menu well, so I was in safe hands.<br/>Was even given an extra fried polenta slice as I was avoiding the bread. So, so lovely - the peeps here.

Hotchillisauce has bounced back with a great pasta from this venue. Gnocchi was delicious, very flavoursome whilst the matriciana sauce blew my socks off. Great ambience and service was also excellent. Can't say a bad word about this place.

Love love love this place. This is a cute little family-owned Italian restaurant. The food has been great every time we've been here. Best cafe at Lygon Street.

This place is absolutely amazing. The food is delicious and most importantly, the two times I have been there all the staff have been super friendly and attentive. I don't often write reviews but I promised myself if the food and service was as good during my second visit I would, and so I have!

This is my partners all time favorite place to eat and she never gets anything other then the chefa lamb shanks special and it is absolutely to die for. Meat falls off the bone and the flavour is just magnificent.

A rare cosy and homely spot in the heart of lygon street. Can't go past the squid ink linguini, bistecca and tiramisu - Seriously delish! Staff are always friendly and welcoming

Love this little Italian restaurant. The owners (I think) treat you as their special guest. The food is so tasty and so much choice and better still no pizza! We had a lady at our table faint and their help and support was outstanding. Thank you

This place is lucky to get a rating of 1! There was a reason upon leaving the restaurant as to why there was not one outdoor seat occupied..and it was not due to the weather. All other restaurants were chockers, some with long lines waiting to get a seat! Go to those restaurants. To my horror, it turned out to be a wiry object in my meal. I wish I had taken a photo as evidence for the good folks of Zomato. If you can, avoid!!! You have been warned!

We had dinner there with some friends. We chose to sit outside as it was a nice night and there were plenty of heaters to keep us warm. The staff were friendly and the service was good. The food was amazing, I had the tortollini with bacon and mushrooms. My husband had the prawn fettuccine. He said that he had trouble finding the pasta because there were so many prawns. We would definately go back next time we are in Melbourne.

Fantastic food in a friendly atmosphere. I was introduced to this restaurant by a friend and will definately be returning. The food is delicious and the owners are extremely friendly.

Amaze. Food an staff were excellent

Nice home style restaurant. Had the fettuccine della casa, was nice but nothing to rave about. Desserts were good too. Service was a bit slow but friendly.

Best Italian restaurant in Melbourne. We went in a group of 7 for a special occasion, including me and another 3 serious foodies on a Tuesday night.<br/>The food was to die for. Period. Every meal was a work of art, including the meat balls, spaghetti marinara, squid ink fettuccine, tortellini alla boscaiola, and the panna cotta.<br/>As if that wasn't enough, the service was superb. All the staff were warm and attentive, and so friendly we felt like we were treated like family. We met head chef and owner Mario... Lovely friendly chap who enjoyed having a nice chat and gave us all complimentary port and shots of Sambuca.<br/>We had the best experience at Ill Cantuccio and will be back time and again!

Very old fashioned Italian, gloomy inside. Pretty poor Caesar salad with stale croutons. Pasta OK but all a bit bland. My mistake coming in with a tourist. If you love fresh tasty food you can do much better in Melbourne.

The servings at Il Cantuccio are generous. The staff are very friendly, and accommodating of special dietary requirements. Prices are reasonable. Meat and fish dishes are just under $30. Main size pasta and rice dishes are just under $20: I find the entrée size dishes, which are about $16, are large enough for me. Il Cantuccio is open from 6pm until 10pm Tuesday – Thursday, from 6pm until 11pm on Friday and Saturday, and from 5.30pm until 10.30pm on Sunday. There is no need to make a booking unless you have a large group.

Had V's day dinner with hubby and loved every moment. Service was impeccable, food divine & ambience wonderful. Highly recommend the home made gnocchi, the meatballs with mash and the veal with fontina cheese. Every mouthful was heaven.

Excellent service, amazing food. Staff accommodating above and beyond, allowing us a taster of the cheese prior to ordering. Could not fault this authentic little restaurant, thank you Mario

Friendly service and great food. We ate here tonight with friends. The waitress were very helpful and cheerful. The food was delish. Thanks for a great night.

Love love love! I dined w.... Love love love!<br/><br/>I dined with my parents and husband on Sat night. We had a wonderful experience. Fantastic friendly service and scrumptious food. Highly recommended. We will be back soon!

Loved it. Took our daughter for her 18th birthday dinner, the whole family was impressed with the quality of the meals. Beautiful food presented in a very traditional way. The service was impeccable, nothing was too difficult and very willing to please. The staff, like the ambiance, were warm and inviting. To sum it up it's like having dinner at an old friends house, just a pleasure.

Amazing. I absolutely loved this place! My husband and I craved this place for a year as we live in Sydney and couldn't wait to get back to eat there again! The bruschetta is the best bruschetta I've ever tasted hands down! The pasta is fresh and the food is FULL of flavour. The service was fantastic and staff were so friendly!

Bravo!. Went last night with some friends from Sydney. Fantastic service and amazing pasta, the best carbonara I have had in Melbourne made the traditional way with no cream. Made me feel like I was back in Rome.

Great food great service. Celebrated my mothers bday here. Food was very good. Staff were exceptional!

Yet another great meal at Il Cantuccio. Every time I visit from Newcastle I come here to get my fix of authentic Italian.

Horrible experience!. I went with my family on thurday for dinner, I gave a try based on the reviews, pretty small and dark restaurant, the staff is very friendly, but very disappointed with the food.<br/>We order antipasto, very poor quality plate, for main I order the cannelloni with tomato and cream and I ask, if can I have it only with the cream, because I can't have tomato, the waitress said, that she is going to ask in the kitchen, she came back saying that it's not possible, because is already cook, she said she will ask the manager. The manager came to our table and said that, he couldn't do nothing about it, because the pasta was already cook with the sauce. Even the pasta alone, I couldn't have!. I complain, why the pasta is already precook with the sauce? That for me is not a fresh plate, the manager started to raise his voice and got rude, insisting that the pasta was fresh. I should leave in that moment. <br/>How come be fresh, when is precook with the sauce? probably from early afternoon, what happen is someone have an allergic?, I order the scaloppine Marsala instead, another bad plate, the veal was cold, tough and the sauce was made with flour. The rest of my family order pasta, not 'al dente' and with lack of flavours. <br/>Definitely not a real Italian restaurant, I would not coming back.

Great atmosphere. Very nice restaurant, great food, a bit expensive but wouldn't complain about the price considering the quality of the restaurant

Cosy atmosphere, friendly attentive staff, delicious and satisfying meal. Would definitely come again.

Ambience, Beautiful food, great service. We had a beautiful meal at Il Cantuccio and were welcomed with small children. The service was excellent and the staff could not do enough to help us both with our food selection and with keeping the children entertained. Will be back and will definitely recommend.

Great service. Came here for dinner for the first time this week and was really impressed. The restaurant itself was a bit cold but the warm service made it quite pleasant. The food was good overall - we particularly liked the sauces of the main dishes and the homemade garlic bread.

Amazingly warm atmosphere :D. Only came here once, and I'm DYING to come back. First time I came here was with my father and brother. We were served by a very friendly and kind waitress (I didn't catch her name). The entrees and main meals were absolutely deliciouso and very filling, I didn't even have enough room for dessert! <br/><br/>Next time, I wish to try out Il Cantuccio's dessert range :)

Awesome food!!! Awesome service!!! Very very very good.

Wonderful evening. Lovely dinner at Il Cantuccio restaurant this past weekend. Great food, wine and service. The squid ink linguini and gnocchi were delicious. Will be back again soon!

Rude manager. I ordered a latte and herb bread and my friend ordered a main meal (pasta). In the middle of our conversation, a big guy (manager I think) storms to our table and angrily warned us in a loud tone that I had to order a main meal, that he wasn't going to waste a table on just one main meal! That it's a restaurant not a cafe. That he was willing to "warn us" this time, but next time we had to order main meals. Very rude. Was not willing to listen to anything I had to say and walked off. Then my friend's meal took approximately 45 mins to get there, and I never even got my herb bread! It's a nice cosy place and initially I thought I'd go back there... Most definitely not after that sort of service! What if a single person wants a meal there?? He's going to shut the door to them to not waste a table on them??! Really? Ridiculous!!

Fantastic. This place is excellent, the stone walls really grab your attention from the street. As soon as you walk inside you are greeted with the amazing aroma's coming from the kitchen. The food was just delicious and the service was great. Can't wait to return and try more items from the menu.

What a little gem!. We came across this little gem of a restaurant after our dinner plans had been upturned at the last minute. What a fantastic night! Gnocchi was one of the best plates of gnocchi I've ever had. Staff were absolutely lovely. We will be definitely returning to this restaurant in years to come.

Lygon St at its Best !. This is Italian dining as it it should be...great food, great service, great value and as an 'out of towner' certainly what I had come to expect of the Lygon St. dinning experience. Nothing was too much trouble (swapped my vegies for pasta) and despite the type of order, all dishes (risotto, veal ,pasta, etc..plus the deserts) were all of a high standard as evidenced by all the empty plates! Have certainly got this little restaurant on my 'must do' list for my next Melbourne visit.<br/><br/>Larry and family, Perth WA.

Best Italian in Melbourne!. Absolutely the best Italian restaurant in Melbourne (and we've been to a few!) <br/><br/>Mario and Loren have been there for years and bring the perfect family touch to every dining experience. They have the BEST customer service. We got engaged there and they gave us free drinks and dessert and were so lovely. The homemade gnocchi and garlic prawns are phenomenal, but you really can't go wrong with anything on the menu.<br/><br/>Five stars, would recommend to anyone!!

It is hard to know where to eat on Lygon St, there are so many options, and so many of them average. Il Cantuccio is the mirage in the desert, very solid food and lovely family run business. I would highly recommend the gnocci - fantastic!!

Very pleasant service, we ordered a variety of dishes, all were exceptional. Will definitely come back!

Large group of us maybe 20 people in the room upstairs Friendly waiting staff. Antipasto platter of good variety. The calamari seafood platter to die food. Very good calamari. Veal Involtini a but over cooked but generous serve. Generous serve if delicious home made strawberry gelato, pistachio gelato and chocolate gelato heaped into brandy basket. Recommend and will come here again. Hard to park around venue though. Thanks for having us.

Bellissimo!. A great little Italian restaurant! Warm, friendly & attentive service, lovely atmosphere, great food & good wine...the perfect evening!

One of the family. Read the reviews before I went so I was expecting a high quality homely style Italian meal. I was not disappointed. I booked for a large group and everyone was very happy with the meals, the service and the atmosphere. My meal was so generous that I could not finish it. Highly recommend going there.

Great food (highly recommend the meatballs from specials menu), awesome garlic bread and tiramisu - this place gets the basics spot on. Service also very good and a lovely atmosphere. We will definitely be back when next in town.

Wonderful Evening. Twenty-nine years ago and pregnant with our first child, we would visit the Royal Womens and then go to Il Cantuccio for a pasta mista. Twenty-nine years later we were planning a birthday dinner for our eldest son and remembered how much we loved Il Cantuccio all those years ago. Happy to report that very little had changed. The food was delicious ( the spaghetti rustica was fantastic!), pasta mista was still on the menu and the service was friendly and attentive. If I still lived in Melbourne, this place would be my local! They even surprised us with a cake and sparklers for our son! A wonderful night! Thankyou!

Romantic Evening Ever. Being a Lygon St Diner since the late 80s to now, I can't believe how I could have missed this place. I booked a table for 2 the day before, and briefly explained to the person on the phone how important and romantic I needed the evening to be. The staff member who answered the phone must have had numerous calls like this before, as he knew exactly what questions to ask and what table would suit my situation. Once arriving there the following evening I was greeted at the door by a mature gentleman, who was obviously the owner and the person I spoke to on the phone. He immediately made my partner and I feel like regulars, making sure we both felt comfortable and relaxed. My partner and I began with and Entrée, followed by the Main course and a bottle of red wine. In a nut shell, everything was exquisite. Everything traditionally cooked and prepared the way it should be. The customer service was next to none, as no request was to big. Even during the slight wardrobe malfunction we had during the night, the staff were extremely helpful and helped rectify the problem.(My fault, I couldn't keep my hands off my gorgeous partner) An amazing and romantic night, with excellent food and professional customer service. 10/10.<br/> To the owner "Mario" from George & Gia, thank you so much for such a romantic evening, will be definitely be returning.

An evening of good company and great wine. Looking for a place to escape the 42 degree heat of Melbourne city on a Thursday night, myself and some friends stumbled upon this gem of a resteraunt. We started the night with a chilled bottle of Allegria Shiraz Frizzante, enjoyed some lovely pastas and risotto, and finished the meal with another bottle of the chilled shiraz.<br/>The food was amazing, but as the old sayings go, a good night is made from 20% good venue, 30% good people, and 50% great wine.

Best italian restaurant ...excellent food, brilliant service, friendly as....I LOVE this place and can't wait to go back soon. I just ate my left over pasta for breakfast :)

Although we have been here a few times before, tonight is one of those special nights where everything has been perfect....to start with, the food, beyond excellence. I had spaghetti with mussels and clams and to say that it was perfect would be to understate perfection, my partner had spaghetti bolognase and that too was as close to what my mother would make when I was a child as I can remember. The service is still old school (as it should be) and the owner even bought us a couple of glasses of port, just to top of an amazing night. If I was to die tonight I would die a happy man

Just lovely! Had some dinner on a weekday evening and it was simply lovely- service was spot on as were the meals. Would definitely return and attempt to finish one of their main pastas!

Do you want garlic bread with that?. We went early on a Friday night and had the place almost to ourselves up in a nice cosy spot up the back. We had two kinds of pasta with a seafood theme. Both were pretty good, although olives were a bit salty. Overall really enjoyed it. <br/><br/>The only downside to me was the slightly pushy sales pitch - not the wait staff's fault as I guess they are obliged to 'upsell' by the boss - thing is I will order a garlic bread if I want it and ditto coffee - esp. I will make my mind up about the latter before asking for the bill - if I ask for the bill that is all I want!

Excellent service, great food and reasonable prices. The restaurant had a traditional Italian vibe which we really enjoyed.

I wanted to take a friend and her son visiting from NSW to an authentic Italian restaurant in Lygon St. I decided on Il Cantuccio and was very happy with my choice - so were they. Friendly and good service, great food and a cosy atmosphere.

When in Melbourne.... Not being local and therefore feeling a bit lost & overwhelmed by choice on Lygon St - picked this place to eat as it did NOT have spruikers out the front trying to bribe us with free wine / bread / coffee etc yet still managed to be pretty full at 6pm on a Friday. We were more than happy with our choice, beautiful Italian food served here. And we would always rather pay for our drinks/bread and have a great meal than a terrible one elsewhere!<br/><br/>Agree with some other reviews, service slightly slow but still adequate.

Caters for dietary needs.. I am probably a chefs worst nightmare. I am a pescetarian. I can't eat foods high in fructose includes garlic and onion. I can't eat wheat and I can't eat dairy. So going out for dinner on Lygon street isn't the smartest choice for me but my parents love Italian food. The people at Il Cantuccio couldn't of been more helpful towards my diet needs. I ordered a special of polenta with seafood and asked for no dairy (there was cream in the sauce), no garlic and for it to be GF. The girl who I believe to be the owner came over to me in a panic that the meal would be too dry and plain without a sauce. She was going to but Neapolitan sauce on it but it had garlic in it. She was in a panic not because I was ruining a dish but because she thought I wouldn't like it. Wish I ended up loving (they added a lemon butter which I am not a big fan of but it did meet my dietary needs). I am very grateful that they listen to my dietary needs. So many restaurants just think you are being a pain when you ask for meals to be altered when really your body just can't handle certain foods and you want to be able to eat the food you pay for.

Fantastic food. Five friends & I dined here tonight and we were all VERY pleased with the excellent service and fabulous food. No complaints and the desserts were to die for! Definitely coming back & recommending to others.

Nice... But disappointed?. Dined at Il Cantuccio after hearing some positive reports. Bruschetta wetted the taste buds and the 'melt in the mouth' gnocchi was to die for. My fellow dinners risotto was adequate but the polenta was a let down. Appreciate the mains are made to order however the wait was unacceptable and detracted from the overall dining experience. IFR

GOOD BUT....... Very friendly restaurant, with good food and splendid service but......pasta overcooked and calamari chewy and not crispy.<br/>The problem with all Italian restaurants in Melbourne is that...they are not Italian.<br/>They transform an Italian dish to an Australianised dish frequently awful.<br/>But Il Cantuccio is as close as possible to an Italian one.<br/>Say hallo to Mario , nice and friendly owner

The perfect Italian date night, dimly lit mood lighting, homely decor and the friendliest staff you'll ever find. Food was fresh, tasty and fast. Can't rate this little joint enough!!

THE BEST TITALIAN FOOD. We have been to many Italian restaurants in our travels, I must say that Il Cantuccio is our favourite, the great authentic food and good old fashion hospitality makes it a wonderful place to dine. We feel like family every time we visit and the food is full of good old Italian flavour, all served up in abundance. Everyone we have taken there has now made it a favourite place to dine. Thank you to Mario and Laurie for their warm and gracious hosting.

It was soooo good, excellent service & food. Defiantly come back when in Melbourne

Good pasta! Downside was that they DON'T have PIZZA!!

Great place!!! I highly recommend it.. I had dinner here tonight as my friends from interstate wanted to check out lygon st. I never go there as I find the food boring but this place is fantastic. There was great variety of proper Italian food. Not just pizza and pasta. The service was amazing. All the food was delicious but one meal was not the best and the waitress took it off the bill. We were happy to pay for it because everything else was amazing.. Hats off to her for doing that.. I will definitely be back... Just as a tip you should get the prawns Caravaggio (I think that's the name) it was prawns in a brandy sauce... Yum!!! Choc mouse was delish too..

A great meal on Lygon st. 4 nights in Melbourne away from teenage kids, two meals on the famed Lygon street. The first at an Italian restaurant that doesn't justify it's heritage. The second at Il Cantuccio which was everything that the reviews indicated it would be, good food, good service, all at a reasonable price, definitely one to go back too in the future. A definite like!

Good Italian Food. Thought that the food was above average, and great people watching from the outside seats. Service is was friendly but on the slow side

First squid ink pasta in melbourne. I was looking for pasta that is actually cooked in squid ink. But nevertheless this tasted pretty gd still. Not my favourite type of pasta as it was drowned quite heavily in olive oil. Also ordered the gamberi carbonara, pretty good too! The pasta here suits those that like it heavy w/ big flavours. As compared to the aldente minimalistic extra virgin olive oil tossed w/ prawns and a sprinkle of rock salt n parsley.

Great Italian food. Lygon Street is famous for its Italian food, there are a couple of places along the strip worthy of my business.<br/>Il Cantuccio is one of them, a no-frills Italian restaurant. They offer great Italian food in a very comfortable atmosphere with very little fuss and with smiles on their faces. <br/><br/>Nestled in the heart of the 'good end' of Lygon Street it has the added advantage of looking after their customers and not subjecting new customers to all sorts of nasty freebies unlike the other (more painful) end of the strip.<br/>All in all we’ll be back again.

Mind Blowing. Food was flawless, the waitress was very knowledgeable when I asked about the meal I wanted to order, also very friendly. Back to the food, I had the angelotti and just did not want to stop eating even though I was ridiculously full! Will definitely be returning here!

For once a place that lives up to its great rating. Service was tip top. Lovely, friendly and accommodating, and gave great advice too. Started with the garlic bread which was good. Ordered the vegetarian rigatoni with eggplant, chili and olives et al. It was delicious and very filling. Also the gnocchi with creamy bacon and mushroom sauce. This gnocchi was the real deal, silky smooth goodness. The sauce was ok but perhaps a tomato based sauce would've gone better. It was incredibly filling. We got the main size and only managed half. Top tip would be to order entree sizes as they are large serves and very filling. Bonus of ordering too much was a takeaway container of leftovers for tomorrow's lunch - score. My experience with Il Cantuccio 8.5/10

Be aware. As previously noted steer clear of the antipasto plate, it contained very little of the usual fare, however plenty of olive oil soaked lettuce mix, absolutely disgusting. Never to return

I don't normally do this, nor fess up to how bad a meal is. But the entrees were horrible. Under seasoned and greasy. The minestrone is worse than can soup. The fettuccine, spaghetti vongole and veal was much better although not amazing but def good enough to finish the meal. My advice, skip the starters and go for the mains.

Amazing pasta, with friendly staff and a cosy atmosphere. Highly recommend :)

We felt like guest at the family home - from the handshake at the door to the banter on settlinv the bill. <br/><br/>The food was very well presented and resented to our table quickly but not rushed. <br/><br/>The personal attnetion of the hostess to our needs really made us feel welcome and at home. Thanks!

Great Food and Service. We had a great time here last night with a couple from overseas. Food were delicious, tried the chef special Risotto, spaghetti marinara, calamari fitted,...etc and portion were big. The service is attentive and make you feel like home. The owner and his wife gave us a very warm hospitality and give good advice for my friend tour in Tasmania.

Loved it. The gnocchi with Bolognese and pollo asiago was magnificent. My fiancé and I had a great long conversation with the owner who gave us some great travel advice (we told him we were only in Melbourne for the day.) would highly recommend Il Cantuccio and my fiancé and I will be coming back next time we are in Melbourne.

Awful! I cannot understand how people like this place. IWW started with the antipasti plate, which contained mostly green salad, vegetables, broccoli(!) and carrots (!). Only very little of the expected good stuff, like Parma ham, salami, artichoke and cheese, which all was of pretty poor quality. The mains continued in the same manner, with too many ingredients of half decent quality. Italian food means focus on a having good raw materials and letting them shine. I would not call this italian. Do not go here!

Loved it!!!. A group of us ate there last night for the first time after discovering this place by doing a google search. Having read what other diners had said about their experiences it was one place that I wanted to try and I am so glad we did!! We entered the place with a warm and open greeting from the owner Mario and felt at ease straight away. We ordered some bruschetta and garlic bread to start with and found them both to be very tasty. Our next decision was to order our main dishes and this is where I became very indecisive in what I wanted to eat as I was struggling to decide between the Scaloppine Con Gamberi e Peperoncino and the Rigatoni Al Diavolo. Having asked the waitress who I found out later was Mario’s lovely wife what I should go for she kindly suggested that I could replace my vegetables from my Scaloppine dish and add in some of the Rigatoni and that way I could try both dishes!! I am so glad I did as both dishes were amazing and extremely generous in size. The veal and prawns were so tender with the right amount of lemon and the Rigatoni was cooked to perfection and was rich in flavour with little bursts of chilli.... Delicious!! The other three that I was dining with enjoyed their dishes just as much and I was even thanked by one of them for introducing them to the restaurant. <br/><br/>After our mains we all decided to order deserts, each of us ordering a different one so that way we all got to try 4 deserts and we ended up with the Profiteroles, Tiramisu, Chocolate Mousse and the Gelati. Let me tell you they were all WOW!! All 4 desserts were amazing and did not disappoint!! And just when the night couldn’t get any better Mario came over with some complimentary port for us all, it was so unexpected and really topped the night off!! I honestly can’t wait to go back there! The whole experience was just lovely.

Delicious! Beautiful ambiance and lovely service will be back again!

Amazing. Thank you fellow urbanspooners - whilst visiting Melbourne I wanted to take my son to the famous Lygon Street for his favorite - Italian. Il Cantuccio won the vote based on reviews from here and did not disappoint. Starting with not having a booking and finding us a table, we had traditional bruschetta to start - beautiful!!! My son had a Spaghettii Carbonara and I had Rigatoni with tomato based sauce and vegetables - Fantastic. Great service, great food - reasonable pricing. We will be back next time we visit Melbourne!!!!!

Excellent restaurant with very friendly staff and unbelievably good food.

The BEST Italian restaurant I have ever been to! We had the minestrone to start. Steaming hot and totally full of flavor. It was the best I have ever had. For main I had marinara with housemade gnocchi, and a touch of cream and chilli which they were more than happy to oblige. The gnocchi was amazing, beautifully light. I will definitely be coming back again and again. Reasonable prices. Beautiful family business. A++++

Good food, good service & reasonably priced. Will visit again.

Great Choice. After reviewing previous diner reviews, we decided on Il Cantuccio for dinner. <br/>We experienced great service. We ordered lamb shanks and pork meatballs, both impressive and at great prices.<br/>We were given a complimentary Rutherglen port wine which topped of our night! We will definitely be back on our next visit to Melbourne.

Friendly & nice food. Just been and have frequented a fair few times over the past. <br/>Owners and thier daughter also work there and serve & are very friendly and also open for a chat. <br/>Fast service and the hired help were also good and followed us up.<br/>Food is tasty and fresh. Wasnt expensive like some of the others. Had an an entree pasta since we had actual entrees prior and was a good serve. Complementary port was a bonus at the end but dont go expecting that.<br/>I noted prior reviews although didnt find the pasta too expensive compared to some in the area.<br/>Parking remains a problem.

Very nice- authentic and very traditional food!!

Fantastic food and service. Went to Il Cantuccio last night and everyone really enjoyed their meals :) It is a little pricey (as others have mentioned) but will definitely be going back due to the food and fantastic service.

Wow what a find .. Wow!!!!!! what a find out of these restaurants in lygon st good honest italian food with freindly staff will definitly go back. they made us feel like we were at home Keep it up..We love it.

One of the best on Lygon Street. So many restaurants on Lygon Street. So many restaurant pimps out the front trying to lure you in. Which one do you choose? I suppose this is why we're on Urban Spoon.<br/><br/>Il Cantuccio is good honest Italian food - generous servings at reasonable prices. Try the squid ink linguini with a bottle of owner Vince's own bottles of red (he makes his own and it's fantastic!).<br/><br/>Along with Tiamo down the other end, this is one of the best on Lygon Street.

A Great Dissapontment. Have dined here 3 times. The first 2 were quite good. The menu offers great choice and the wine list is not bad either. That said, my dinner there this weekend will definitely be the last. Of the 4 meals ordered, three were average at best, 1 was... well, it was truly horrendous. Given 3 visits and only one bad experience, I would ordinarily have put it down to "one of those things" or an "off night", but the proprietors attitude towards the our feedback was appalling. I never want someone to tell me I don't know what I'm talking about, as I hand them $171, ever again. A great disappointment... and an expensive one at that.

Don't miss it.... ... and you'd be forgiven if you did because this place is almost as wide as its doorway!<br/><br/>Small, cosy and friendly, this little family restaurant's decor is a mix of kitsch and almost random keepsakes and photos of the owners with other people you probably should recognise.<br/><br/>We stumbled in on a Saturday evening, and enjoyed a hearty, home-style minestrone, followed by a perfectly al dente spaghetti all carbonara (made the proper way, with no cream and not too oily). My wife's meal was a Veal Scallopine, which was overcooked and tough, but tasty nonetheless.<br/><br/>Part of the charm involved is that the staff clearly want you to stick around, making sure you're ready to take your main meals (which may account for their overcookedness, should they have been sitting around under lights??) and in no way stepping on your toes, no matter how busy the venue gets. We were even asked 'oh, are you leaving already?' when we got up to pay our bill!<br/><br/>All in all, a very comfortable, warm and cosy affair made all the more excellent by some top notch grub, at least on the soup/pasta side of things. The house wines were cheap, but not nasty.<br/><br/>Highly recommended.