I've been here a few times since they re-opened into a bigger space in Port Melbourne and absolutely loved it. Experienced both the fine dining and bistro, everything from food, value, quality and service in both areas has been 5 stars. Great to have you in our neighbourhood!
Had an amazing night at Ciao Cielo the new restaurant is absolutely gorgeous feels like you are dining in a Tuscan Villa.
We enjoyed a 4 course degustation Italian dinner with matching wines from Redbank.
The Chef is amazing such beautiful Italian food. Ciao Cielo certainly lives up to its reputation for elegant food in
stunning surroundings.
It’s our little neighbourhood gem. We love it the staff and food are great. Keep up the good work and we wish you all the best in your new premises.
Great little find, beautiful food, great service and lovely atmosphere. Highly recommend and will definitely be back!
Fine dining at its best and great Vespa Martinis! Love the food and the service is first class
Highly recommend this gem !! Best Italian food in Melbourne and outstanding customer service 👌
The best meal we've had in a long, long time - amazing attention to detail, beautiful food and excellent service. This place is a wee gem!
The food is so so delicious / fresh / cooked with love.
Exelent service they remember what you like even if you don't visit the place very often . Atmosphere great and same with the music !
I will return and my friends too ! Highly recommended !
Brilliant one of our favourite places great food good wines the whole deal and not over the top with prices a "little treasure"
The food is superb at Ciao Cielo, only surpassed by the service. Professionally run, small and intimate, warm and welcoming - what more could you want.
Absolutely loved our evening... delicious food... excellent service.... wonderful intimate atmosphere....
fabulous venue, amazing tastes, gorgeous folk at Ciao Cielo, wonderful service. definitely worth the vist and many return visits.
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My friends love casual dining and I had a lovely experience of tasting some high quality foods, including classics that have been polished to perfection using complex European techniques and ingredients.
Ciao Cielo gives off a rustic yet cozy vibe with their industrial yet elegant decor and nice fireplace, which stretches out to their garden where families and friends dance the night away. Only issue is it's a bit hard to see what you're eating.
Give attention to their nicely cooked barramundi, spaghetti and crabs. These were my favourite dishes of the night.
Beef tartare: truffled egg yolk, horseradish cream, accompanied by pane carasau (baked flat bread). The diced raw beef has been moulded by its special marinade, which goes so well with the horseradish cream and the flatbread although it was a bit tough and dry.
Salads are definitely a well-seasoned and balanced refresher in between or during your hearty mains.
Caprese salad: the sweetness from the fresh ripened tomato danced in harmony with the balsamic vinegar, and balanced out with the mozzarella.
Lightly fried calamari: not greasy NOR chewy at all. The slight crisp absorbs the drizzle of lemon, which is dipped into their aioli and creates an incomparable fried calamari experience in relation to fish and chips.
Chilli spanner crab spaghetti: confit tomato, garlic, chilli. The perfect balance of spice, sweetness, tanginess and umami. There was minimal crab but flavour was spot on.
Same goes for the Ciao Cucina Beef Bolognese Ragu.
Gnocchi was so creamy. I don't like peas, but I would eat it if it was in this gnocchi dish. With the mozzarella, the dish has a whole new playground of flavours and textures.
The steak was amazing and perfectly cooked to medium rare, just how I like it. The seasoning on the steak was already delicious, but the spring onion oil somehow elevates the dish to another level.
Overall, a whole funfield of flavours at luxury standard.
Food: 4.5
Value: 4
Ambience: 4
Service: 4
Overall: 4.5
Caroline Caz Lloyd-Stephens
+5
Love the atmosphere, the service, the food... this place is a little gem we keep going back to every second month at a minimum... the desserts are incredibly good and original. This is the place to recommend in Port Melbourne!
Had a birthday dinner here for 10 guests and the staffs were very friendly and accommodating. The food was amazing too especially the steak ! Would definitely recommend and come back.
Staff were very polite and friendly. Loved the pizza. The base was really light and crispy and toppings were simple, fresh and flavoursome. We enjoyed the pasta dish too the spaghetti was perfectly al dente
We love everything about this place, from the service to food! Perfecto! The ambience is nice, staffs attentive, food portion are good. We cant eat anymore after entree and mains, so cant order dessert 😨 Definitely will be back the next time we plan to have gathering with friends.
xx 💚
Beautiful venue, food is fabulous, staff are really lovely. Great vibe, a new Melbourne favourite for me!
Our god mother had a function here and it was fabulous! The function room was perfect- rustic looking. Food and wine was delicious, staff were attentive and we kicked on in the front court yard afterwards. I would definitely recommend this place if you have a function.
Oh hello ciao cielo (and cucina; actually my fave is cucina)
New location, bigger venue, twice as nice.
I have a true weakness for this restaurant. I am saddened for their competition as ciao cielo is dominating Bay Street.
Highly recommend any of the pizzas. My favourite is the old fave (aka san Danielle). Great crust, great ingredients.
Also the pastas are pretty delightful, spanner crab spaghetti is my personal favourite.
Don’t forget to get the mozzarella board!
Oh and the wine!!!!!! Great selection.
Such a lovely spot, family and dog friendly!
Ps. Also do takeaway. So if u want to sit in your pyjamas and eat amazing food; it’s an option my friends!
Please take time to visit if you happen to be in port.
Yum yum yum
Birthday Dinner at Ciao Cielo, such a satisfying me experience. The atmosphere was amazing and the service reached a new high. We got drunk off the lychee cocktails and enjoyed every minute of it.
Great Italian place in a beautiful setting. I go here all the time- the staff are lovely and the food is consistently really delicious. Such an asset to Port Melbourne!
Great ambience looking through front rustic doors , unfortunately the main two areas were booked for a private function but we could still get outside table . Service friendly, wine delicious and wood fired pizza amazing just how I like it!!!! Can vouch for the firey spicy one and prawn and chilli , brocollini side was cooked perfectly. Would highly recommend and return !
Ciao Cielo - literally translated from Italian as Hello Sky - is a sparkling addition to the Melbourne restaurant landscape. Situated on lively Bay Street, in Port Melbourne, Inspired by Art Deco elements, Milano sophistication and the glamour of the 40's. Original floor to ceiling boards, beautiful lead light windows dating back to the old shop row days when hardware was the trade. A look at the portraits on the walls show a tribute to the very much loved and missed Lloyd and Mary Grand parents whom past in the Black Saturday fires Bryan's food is about strong italian flavours reflected in the abundance of amazing produce availiable locally in Victoria. Bryan is by no means a traditionalist,…
From the very moment we entered, until our warm goodbyes we were made to feel part of the family.
Amazing food, impeccable service and encased in Port’s best interior.
Can’t wait to see you again. And again.
Thanks for a great night!
Long Black With Cinnamon
+5
Such a romantic charming ambience for Italian fine dining with a team of friendly staff and a beautiful and delicious selection of dishes! The mozzarella board is memorable and we really enjoyed our meal.
Lovely food; great staff, excellent ambiance :) really enjoyed my pasta dishes here as well as entree ! Oh and the limoncello martini is to die for !
This place is really nice if you're looking for a fancy dinner. The restaurant is really romantic and our waiter was lovely and so helpful. The food was a little salty but delicious nevertheless. I'll definitely come back.
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EDIT. Moving from 4 to 5.
Since the last review, we have been back here several more times. Stats speak louder than words.
——
This one was organised by hubby. He found it on google by searching “romantic restaurants” and this popped up.
This is on a corner block. There is a casual dining section and a more cosy section. We walked into the causal section first and thought they had changed the restaurant setting after the google photos were posted. Lucky we walked around and found the more intimate setting.
Our wait staff was so nice. Friendly, happy and made our lunch really enjoyable. He was taking us through the menu and just through his sheer enthusiasm, we just went with what he suggested. We didn’t actually quite read the menu. We weren’t disappointed. Everything was so yummy. This was the first I’ve had a salt baked fish.
Because the first experience was so good, we went back to Ciao Cielo within a few weeks. This time, yes, I still enjoyed the food, but the wait staff was of no comparison to the hospitality we once received. There was two staff that day. The male had a stressed look the minute we walked in and continued with the same tension throughout service. The female wait staff appeared to be quite in experienced. She recited the specials as if a child was trying to learn the times table and when we asked about a few of the dishes, she had trouble explaining. But that’s OK, you gotta start somewhere.
The annoyance for me came, when, after we ordered the cheese platter, the male staff decides to remove my mosacato – which still had one third left. He didn’t ask whether I was done, but just picked it up and walked off with it. I had to stop him. If there is food or drinks still left, the basic, basic courtesy is to ask whether someone is done before you remove it.
Two times, two different experiences. Right now, it’s on a 3-4 rating for me. Just the other day, we could have taken a friend to this place for lunch.. but I didn’t know who I’ll get, so went back to Ragusa just to be safe.
Housed in a Port Melbourne heritage listed courthouse, built in the early 1860’s, Ciao Cielo is a fine dining Italian restaurant with their more casual Ciao Cucina next door. We loved the cracked sandstone walls, solid wooden rafters and pine floorboards that remain from years gone by, giving a rustic but modern feel to the place. The food, modern Italian, was also impressive and we are already planning a return visit.
Venue is amazing! Little side area is cute but it's a bit of a greenhouse as there's no ventilation. Bolognese ragu was really delicious. Meat just melted in my mouth. Will come back
This is Ciao Cielo’s relatively new Restaurant at 115 Bay Street which is situated in an old Court House and is absolutely brilliant. Seats about 40-50 and the service is outstanding as is the menu.
My husband and I always share dishes. We started with 6 oysters. Then chicken liver parfait. Followed by the tuna caprese. All outstanding. We finished with the whole rainbow trout which came in a paper casing and rocket salad (so we didn’t need to order the rocket salad side dish which the waiter could have suggested!).
We enjoyed everything and along with a bottle of Riesling the meal cost approx $175. We will be back! But parking is a pain in the backside.
Incredible dining experience at Ciao Cielo. The staff were incredible helpful in making suggestions and very friendly the whole night.
The food was delicious! We shared the Farinata and olives for antipasti and the wagyu bresaola s entree! All yummy! For mains, the squid ink linguini and the Sardinian style goat leg, which was incredibly tender and delicious! The dessert was a standout, creme brulee that was a perfect amount of sweet, with delicious raspberry sorbet and a dark chocolate circle. So delicious!
The building was also fabulous and the fire place gave off a lovely homely feel. Definitely recommend this place for special occasions!
Good menu, entree a little small, mains good size, great taste. Good service not impeccable, and a good selection of wines. Loved the atmosphere, i will be back.
There's of course the classics; simple italiano inspired by traditional recipes, executed faultlessly with a combination of fresh produce and teaming of tried and tested flavour combos. Nonna's tiramisu, anyone? But owners Kate Dickins and Chef Bryan Nelson also aren't afraid to explore the creative side of Italiano cuisine, with modern tweaks aplenty across the menu.
Ciao Cielo has been around for eight years serving up amazing Italian food and has recently relocated to a bigger more breathtaking venue. The building is heritage listed and used to be an old courthouse. After renovations, the place looks like a dining hall of dreams. High ceilings, rendered walls, stunning bar, fireplace, big arched windows. The food to follow was just as stunning.
Our top picks from the Ciao Cielo menu include the Spencer Gulf King Prawn risotto. Superbly executed, the rice in the risotto was puffy and al-dente and, coupled with generous amounts of tender King Prawn pieces, had a wonderful depth of flavour.
The dish of Sardinian style goat leg was similarly wonderful. Goat leg had been cooked for hours and hours in a beautiful amalgamation of wild olives, fennel, lemon, chilli and marjoram so it was beautifully tender and had a melt-in-your-mouth texture. Together with polenta dumplings and crispy pangrattato, this was a hearty dish that was like a hug from nonna.
Wonderful setting and service. Entree main and dessert were faultless. Best gnocchi I’ve ever had. Full of flavour, seasonal and fresh. We will be back!
Great little restaurant pumping out great food
Small in size so bookings would be recommended
The spanner crab spaghetti was delicious along with the duck arancini
Will be back
This is a lovely and intimate restaurant full of ambience. The service is excellent and our waiter's wine recommendation was spot on. The food matched the service and was both tasty and well-priced. Highly recommended!
1st time there and certainly will not be the last. Atmosphere, the food and service were excellent. Went away feeling full without feeling sick or my pockets empty.
I loved Ciao Cielo; four of us went along and all were impressed. It was $340 for 3 courses each with sides, coffees and a bottle of wine. It was warm and cosy on a cold night, the quiet piped in tunes were ballads of pop hits (think 'Barbie Girl' being sung by Michael Bolton - classic!), the decor is nice and service was friendly and good. We all had different entrees, mains and desserts and everyone was impressed with each course. The serves were generous without being huge and the quality with seafood and greens were spot on. I'd highly recommend trying it out.
Ciao Ciela is a charming old world restaurant serving truly authentic Italian dishes that makes you want to come back before you even leave. There is not a hint of stuffiness and the service is attentive. The Sunday lunch is excellent value.
The decor is very nice and romantic. Food is yum! Pan seared scallops are perfectly cooked. Love it! And the eye fillet steak and the pasta are great as well. I Will definitely come back.
Great little place that takes you back to Italy without the 20 hours of flying and jet lag!!
Amazing decor equally matched with quality food.
Certainly not a 'cheap eat' but a place where you can have a chat and enjoy the ambience!
For a start, Ciao Cielo has a lovely ambience and warm welcoming staff. The decor is high quality Italian bistro and the music is well chosen. The wine list is quite large and carries both wines by the bottle and by the glass.
The food menu is varied with five or so entrees, pastas and mains with separate sides. The deserts are worth the wait and are not too rich but beautifully indulgent at the same time. Prices for all of the dishes are reasonable and the platting presentation is lovely.
In a word, the food is glorious! This is a place for special celebratory nights or just when you feel you'd like to be spoiled. Actually, this is a place to visit once a week! We will definitely be calling this one of our favourite Melbourne restaurants, bar none.
I brought my partner here for his birthday and I am so glad I did. The service and food were great. There was not a single dish we didn't enjoy, though of course some were better than others . Our favourite was the steak - cooked perfectly and all the flavours came together really well. The only slight criticism I would give for our whole meal is that the scallop entree only has 3 medium sized scallops. For an $18 entree I think 4 would have been more appropriate. Also, the plate was huge for such a small portion so it drew even more attention to the portion size. The flavour was very enjoyable though, so no complaints there! We had the poached pear dessert and all the elements were lovely. It was a fantastic night and I wouldn't hesitate in recommending this place for a special night out.
It is a very nice fine dinning restaurant. The food was very tasty. The venue was very cozy. The manager took care of order with cautious. The waitress was quite pretty too.
We will go again if throughout the night we did not feel pressured to order wine and more and more food. We will go again if we did not get attitude from the waitress to tip more and more.
The ratio of food to price was quite high. Alternatively I would suggest to price the food higher if money is the issue to keep the business running.
A great little gem in Port Melbourne!
This restaurant is a very small venue with limit seating, but beautiful decor with a nice soft, calm atmosphere and lighting, run by a lovely couple. For such a small venue you would not expect to find such amazing food, mostly Italian / European dishes with excellent presentation and flavours.
I was very surprised by the effort put into the presentation alone, not to mention how delicious everything was. The signature dish seems to be the Confit Duck Arancini which held up to the very high expectations...I was left wanting more immediately after I finished.
I ate quite a lot for one sitting here, tried several dishes and each one did not disappoint. One of mains I enjoyed the most was the Slow Roasted Lamb Shoulder... not exactly what I expected or how I expected it to be presented but I will come back for more another day soon.
4.5/5 Will return soon
Really love this place! We really enjoyed the service and the food here. I just came back from Italy and was so disappointed with Italian good from Rome. But my faith in Italian food was restored after our night here. I forgot the names of our dishes but we had the calamari dish, the lamb dish and a special they had that night, gnocchi.
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I came here for dinner on a week night, a beautiful little local restaurant ideal for dates and small gatherings. Delightful decor, candle lit tables and an intimate ambience, it looked very promising even before I sat down.
For the entree we choose to share the duck and pistachio terrine served with a citrus salad. The terrine was devine, great flavours complimented by the citrus and sweet sauce on the side.
For my main I chose the sardine style braised goat leg. The meat was so tender it literally fell apart with a fork and the marinade was so rich with flavour. The accompanying veggies provided complementary flavours that enhanced the overall dish. The polenta dumplings consisted of a crispy skin with a soft rich polenta filling, it was amazing.
For the side we shared the cauliflower gratin, cauliflower baked with a blue cheese sauce and crispy walnuts. The cauliflower was very soft and the sauce struck the right balance of cheese to not overpower the flavor of the cauliflower.
Overall I thoroughly enjoyed our meal, my friends quail was unceremoniously devoured and cleaned up so I assumed he also enjoyed his meal.
Service was great for a small restaurant, the water was topped up and table cleared promptly. The dishes were presented beautifully and the flavours were all amazing.
I will not hesitate to recommend this restaurant to all my friends, so if your reading this please eat here, you won't regret it.
Fantastic!
Been wanting to come here for a while and so glad the time finally came.
I really couldn't fault anything with this restaurant. The staff were amazing, the food was delicious. Actually better than delicious, the flavours were wonderful.
We loved everything that came out of the kitchen. And my cocktail was also just as amazing.
This is q must for all, you will not be disappointed.
Went there for lunch a couple of weeks back. Food was fresh and tasty and the service is great. Very friendly staff and the restaurant is cosy. Happy to come back.
Superb food! Friendly staff and cosy and elegant environment. Will definitely come back. Definitely need to try the truffle potato dauphines! Soft and melt in your mouth! One of the best player pasta i have ever had.
Had a most enjoyable Birthday lunch for my wife.
The meal was superb and Kate knows how to make any meal for her customers a special occasion
Thanks to the ciao Team
This is the most amazing place to dine.
Service is excellent and only surpassed by the quality of the food.
The atmosphere is sophisticated to match all elements of the venu.
GarrySmart@hotmail.com
+5
Came here for a birthday party with some friends and had a great time. The pasta special with Pine Mushrooms and prosciutto was very tasty and the service was friendly and professional. This restaurant is superb.
Perfect! Best calamari I've had in a long time. Barramundi main was delicious. Tried some goat leg too. Tender and full of flavour. Staff were very friendly and attentive. Drinks tasted great too.
I visited Ciao Cielo on a Friday evening in late April. We were warmly welcomed by Kate and Christian in the front of house. We couldn't resist the recommended house specialty of an Aperol Spritz to kick off the evening. Delicious and refreshing. The menu was described in delightful detail and we tried some of the recommended dishes. Bryan's creative combinations from the kitchen were amazing. Fantastic explosions of taste and texture, beautifully balanced and crafted. I particularly liked the prawn with pork cheek entree and the goat leg for main. The barramundi was cooked to perfection and the smoked potato fondant a real treat. They have a fantastic list of wine to suit all tastes and price. I thoroughly recommend Ciao Cielo, the team will ensure your dining experience and taste buds have a fantastic time.
Had my birthday dinner here, and was absolutely wowed by the whole experience. Beautiful food with wonderful textures and flavours, served by exceptionally personable and knowledgable staff in a warm & inviting setting. Kate and her wonderful team made a special night unforgettable. Thank you. Must go.
great valueexcelent food very creative, good service, good choice of wines, small cosy place on busy bay street, port melbourne.we will be back soon and we will defenitely recommend it
I visited ciao ciello on Valentine's Day and had the 3 course menu. Started with the zucchini and goats cheese bruschetta, it was really good! Also had the chargrilled mint and watermelon salad. It was good, but maybe needed more mint. I had the spanner crab pasta for main which was delicious and the pannacotta for dessert. The dessert had really nice flavours but it was a little over taken by the crumble and ice cream, there wasn't much pannacotta in the little glass. Overall it was a lovely restaurant and I would recommend it for a romantic dinner out.
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A slice of European heaven!!
Ciao Cielo is pure bliss! As you're walking through the very casual and laid back streets of Port Melbourne, the last place you expect to come across is a restaurant with so much subtle elegance and class. Upon first entry, you feel as if you are transported into Italy, completely forgetting that you were in Melbourne only moments ago! The decor and atmosphere is simply amazing. The service is unbelievably fantastic. Our waiter was so genuinely friendly, informative and helpful and you could tell that the reason for this was due to his sheer love and passion of his job. We ordered a couple of the signature cocktails to start which definitely didn't disappoint. My partner opted for the Toblerone which was bursting with flavour (and alcohol!). I opted for the Aster (from memory I believe this was right) which combined a minty liqueur with chocolate flavour which was uniquely interesting and a definite recommendation for anyone who fancies mint & chocolate together!
The food came out surprisingly fast and was Devine!! The combination of flavours in each dish was extremely well selected and impeccably balanced. For entree we decided to go for the special, fresh figs with goats curd, pistachio crumble and zucchini flowers - this was blind blowing! We also had the gnocchi to share for entree which easily scores right up there with the best of Europe! Now this was a combination to die for! Soft as pillow gnocchi mixed with fresh pumpkins, a killer blue cheese sauce, crumbled with Walnuts and finished with some well cooked spinach. Put every one of those ingredients on your spoon and let your taste buds do the talking - food heaven!!
For mains, I couldn't steer away from the goat's leg and my partner went with the shoulder of lamb. As expected, both were extraordinary! The goat's leg melted in my mouth (as my partner described the same for the lamb). The bone of the leg was removed by the chef to make my life easier. It was cooked in a clay pot which came out (literally) sizzling alongside very creamy (and I thought cheesy, but there was no indication of this on the menu) polenta dumplings, delicious bread crumbs, roasted tomatoes, wild olives, a touch of chilli, and various herbs and spices. It was a pleasure to consume. When it came time for dessert we were both happily bloated, but I was not leaving without having a taste, given my satisfaction of the remainder of courses and drinks. I wanted to try something different, something non traditional, and lucky for me the chef had whipped up a special that sounded too novel not to get. It was a mixture of cinnamon sponge cake with poached pears & pear sorbet, wonderful mascarpone, some type of delicious sauce (I remember it being salted caramel but I could be wrong) and some chocolate pieces to finish it off and give it that kick! It was definitely a good option for the night - was different, but amazing in its own right. It was a pure delicacy dining in this restaurant. We had a chance to chat with the Owner (and Chef!) and immediately we could discern that a restaurant like this cannot be imagined of without the sheer passion, love and dedication she had! There is a reason this restaurant was so bloody excellent and that's because the owner has a love for food and evidently a love for life!!
We will definitely be back as soon as possible. On a final and potential side note, the crowd / other customers all fitted perfectly into the atmosphere of the restaurant itself! That is to say, nobody was loud and obnoxious (as you may get at many other restaurants) and everyone seemed happy in their own little corner/table. This is something that is quite rare now as there is always a group of people who seem to think they are the only people in the entirety of the restaurant. Although this may have been the particular night and our luck, we seem to think otherwise as we believe that Ciao Cielo is so modest, lovely and respectful as a restaurant that it tends to attract people with the same characteristics also. It isn't the food or the service or the decor and atmosphere alone that brings you back; but rather it's the perfect combination of it all! Highly recommended!!
Quaint place with a stylish fit out. The 'must have' dish is confit duck arancini balls with orange aioli. Fellow patrons will be able to hear you crunch through that thick crust.
Absolutely fantastic experience. Service was amazing from the get-go (11/10), food was phenomenal (9.5/10).
Overall, a lovely and intimate gem tucked-away in Port Melbourne.
Would definitely return and recommend for special occasions.
As shown in the photos, my partner ordered the Waygu fillet, and I the gnocchi. Both were made with love and to absolute perfection.
Absolutely divine experience! We came on a warm night and were seated outside by the friendly staff who were more than happy to provide recommendations on their terrific menu. Every single thing we had, from the duck confit arancini, the chilli spanner crab spaghetti, to the dark Lindt semi freddo with raspberry sorbet was absolutely on point and delicious. This is a restaurant that absolutely knows its trade. Cannot recommend highly enough!
I arrived at approximately 6:45pm, there were two other couples sitting a few tables away. I was slightly wary when it came to making conversation with my guest as it was very silent, due to the acoustics I felt as if everyone could hear us conversing. I was not wrong, the waiter overheard our conversation on a few occasions almost as if she was eavesdropping. Nonetheless the Michael Bublé playing swiftly in the background was exquisite. Moments later a large Asian family arrived thus increasing the decibel count, there was no denying the contented expression on my face as I now felt my guest and I had some more privacy. The food was alluring, I asked for the bill however instead I received the desert menu.
Fantastic entree, main and cocktail dessert. Service was fabulous. The whole atmosphere was wonderful. Music set at a perfect level too. Love it!
Nice Supprise. Went with a group of 9... service and food was great will definitely be back...
A surprising find. Went for Mother's Day and both my wife and my mum thought it was great...as did I! Excellent service, food and wine. The desserts were to die for (& I tried three of them!!)
The Baroness Of Melbourne
+4.5
I am about to commit a mortal foodie sin. I am going to give away the location of a hidden neighbourhood gem. That's right, you heard me. I am going to let you in on my local go to "date night" spot. I do this because I consider it my esteemed duty to share with you only the best places to eat. This restaurant is unexpected perfection. As you step inside the unassuming Bay St shop front you are transported to a memory of a dark, moody, romantic dinner you had somewhere in Italy. Once you sit down you will totally forget that you are actually in Port Melbourne. Despite being a cosy space you feel in no way cramped and the acoustics are such that you do not hear every word the couple at the next table is sweetly saying to each other over the twinkling candlelight. Gorgeous artwork adorns the walls and adds to the atmosphere.
I cannot say enough great things about my main, fish of the day, the cone Bay Barramundi fillet with pea veloute, pan fried gnocchi, shaved fennel and dill – bloody gorgeous! Incredibly fresh, crispy skinned fish, crunchy fennel and super fluffy gnocchi. Just wonderful.
Great little local restaurant. Food was excellent. My only criticism is we found service to be a little slow & tables just too close together (didn't appreciate the people next to us commenting on our choices!)
We had 12 people for dinner the weekend before Christmas - it was fantastic. The staff were super helpful with a couple of us with allergy requirements and all of the dishes were delicious. Great service and great food. Can't wait to come back.
Best coffee on the strip.... The staff are amazing; experienced, understanding, perceptive. They provided clear descriptions of the dishes and excellent suggestions for wine matching.
A few comments/ suggestions. .. A little more calamari with the entree would have been appreciated. Save your effort on the housemade butter and serve the bread simply with a good quality olive oil. The spanner crab spaghetti would improve with a little less chilli as the spice overpowered the subtle flavour of the crab. The asparagus side was delightful. Overall a wonderful experience. Thank you
Everything eaten was delicious! Best churros I've ever had and the best is that you get to pick what chocolate sauce you'd like. Great service provided except that without asking they took away my wine glass assuming I didn't want any from the bottle we ordered.
Nicest restaurant ive eaten at in ages
Very intimate and cosy
Service A1
Very very classy
Definately be back again
The best meal I've eaten in a long time! A fantastic find with incredible food, lovely and kind staff, and a wonderful atmosphere.
Empty Nester Ready To Eat
+4.5
Great little find..... Picture this.....a cold Melbourne day, meeting with beautiful friends to celebrate a birthday, a quaint Italian restaurant which no one had ever been to before. It wouldn't matter where we met, this group of ladies will always enjoy each others conversation and company, but it's always a bonus when you stumble across a little gem. Ciao Cielo is exactly that, a little gem! The decor and ambience set the mood. The service from our waiter was fantastic. We all opted to take advantage of their 2 course lunch special and everyone was impressed. I had the slow cooked lamb which was outstanding in presentation, quality and flavour. Served with an included, good quality shiraz. My dessert turned heads and I knew everyone was jealous!! The homemade honeycomb with peanut butter icecream, brulee banana & creme caramel was amazing!! I will definitely be coming back. Compliments to the chef!!
Returned again to our new favorite restaurant. Shifted to Albert Park recently and found Ciao Cielo! What a find, great cuisine and wonderful atmosphere, loved it, thanks for the evening, just lovely. And wine was excellent as was the advice about wine list, GP
Came back again on Saturday night, and have to say it was sooooo good again! Thank you for always having great food and beautiful service.
What a beautiful dining experience!
The service is spot on and there is a very creative chef who takes pride in what is presented. Really really good.
Wow, lovely!. My fiance & I went here for dinner on a saturday night, since we have recently moved to the area!
We definitely did not regret our choice of booking at Ciao Cielo!
The food here is fantastic and the service is really good!
Constantly filling up our water and because the time between our entrees and mains were a bit longer than usual, we got free dessert and tea/hot chocolate! We were totally not expecting this as the wait didn't really affect us at all! Dessert is amazing!!!! And the lindt hot chocolate is wow!
Can't beat quality food and service like this! A really lovely place to dine in, recommend to all! It's Italian cuisine too!
Foodie Paradise. Found Ciao Cielo because another favourite was full. What a blessing... The most innovative combination of flavours we have eaten in a long time. My husband is fussy when it comes to gnocchi & his rating tonight was "perfect" for flavour although he thought the serving could have had a few more. I ate capretto which was the best ever - tender with a mix of herbs that worked beyond imagining they could. I'm more fussy about dessert & the Caramel Plate was oral heaven! Four small deserts that complement in texture, size & flavour. Superb ambience in a small space. We'll be back !!
I hosted a dinner there and it was fantastic. The food was innovative, delicious and matched with wine! The seared scallops with pea veloute, beetroot gel etc entree was terrific and the Capretto main course was perfect and hearty for a Melbourne August evening - polenta dumplings and spices were yummy. The Meringue dessert with white chocolate ceramic, pâté brisse and pink grapefruit curd etc was a delicate complex and complementary course. Kate Dickins service was thoughtful and unobtrusive when required. Spoke to Chef Bryan Nelson who spoke openly and well. Cannot recommend enough
Absolutely everything was AAA+.
Kate's service and passion for the food, experience etc was the best I've had in Melbourne thus far. Just do it and Enjoy!
:-) Louise Maree
Simply the best!. Love love love this place.
The duck arancini balls are just to die for. The staff are lovely.
You can order anything in this place and it will be top knotch.
They even do breakfast on the weekends which is super also.
What a great gem in Port Melbourne.
Fantastic little cafe in the heart of Port Melbourne! Excellent service, hardly any wait time for the food. We ordered their chilli crab spaghetti and the parma...an absolute delight!! Amazing flavours!! Left with a full stomach, wanting more...kudos to the chef and team.
Delicious!. I was delighted with the food and the service. I will be back.
Amazing! Brilliant menu, great customer service - the chef even made gluten free bread crumbs for my spinach and ricotta cake. Great general vibes with classic furnishings.
Had an enjoyable Saturday lunch with family. Relaxed atmosphere, friendly, knowledgeable host and great food. Looking forward to visiting again.
Pleasant Surprise. Dropped in to this lovely private italian restaurant off the cuff and was very pleasantly surprised. Great personal service and high quality meals which is not necessarily what you expect from Bay street.
We were served and entertained with great stories by one of the owners. A fantastic evening.
Highly recommended and if they can make places like this work in Bay st maybe more will be attracted to the area.
Wow!!!. This restaurant was a truly superb experience : fantastic service, amazing culinary experience, spectacular presentation, flavours, colours. Worth every cent. Highly recommend and shall be returning. Thank you!
Great Italian food. Service was very friendly. Was a bit pricey for a weekday meal. We would go back for a special occasion.
Fab food. One the real gems in Bay street serving lush Italian cuisine which makes you dream of the flavours days later. The chicken in the terracotta thing is amazing and cooked to perfection.
Also, the service is always friendly and efficient :)
Classy and delicious. Went there for dinner with another couple and loved this place. Service was really good, our waitress was very helpful and lovely. Food was great, very classy presentation and fantastic flavours. We liked it so much that we went back from breakfast last week and were not disappointed. I had pancakes and my partner had their big breakfast. Everything was cooked to perfection and we had a great start of our day! Will definitely be back soon!
Fantastic experience. Genuinely friendly waitstaff and classic menu items made for a very enjoyable evening. Steak cooked to perfect Medium, bolognese meaty and traditional and caramel desert plate well worth the $15.
A good go to for a nice intimate and warm environment.
On arrival you enter into an ambience of sofistication yet not pretentiousness. To have Lindsay & Kate know what you want before you ask for it, Exceptional service. I say this from only visiting this place occasionally and meeting them. They have never forget our names, this is the sign of personal service. When ordering from the wine list it is a must to have Lindsay make her suggestion to what should be served, as she has never offered something that didn' t hit the taste buds and win you over. Well what can you say about the food except, something to savor, "heaven in your mouth"., this is ultimately what keeps us returning. Everyone should eat here, before you leave this earth....I have been holding off from writing a review as I would like to keep this place secret, but it would not be fair to any one looking for a the ultimate dinning experience.
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One of Melbourne's finest gems - good thing it's not famous so I can always get a booking. Very nice, cosy small restaurant in a fantastic location on Bay St.
The location is superb because at night when the traffic dies down and Bay St is nearly empty, this place feels like a little gem because of the way it's tucked away near a little corner and next to no other notable restaurant. Yet it is so close to Beach Rd that you can always take a leisurely stroll down to the beach if the weather permits. The ambiance of the restaurant is first class, with nice open windows looking outside on to the fully refurbished tram tracks that the 109 runs on.
The food is absolutely marvelous. The had a taste of the potato soup and it was very rich in flavours, had a very strong bacon-ish taste to it that leaves you savouring for me. The duck aracini was a little filling for my liking but was done very well. The duck meat was extremely tender, albeit there probably could've been more of it given the pasta inside the aracini. The sauce/basing wasn't my thing but still went reasonably well with the aracini. Overall I would highly recommend these 2 entrees.
I had the honey-glazed quail for my main course and that was very well done. The quail was extremely tender and the honey-glazing and yellow sauce base (I forgot what it was) blended together very well. The dish was also extremely well presented (the chef had use cabagges making 5 little flower-shaped little patches out of it with corn sprinkled on top). Overall a pleasant dish. The eye fillet my friend had looked a bit ordinary but he assures me it was fairly good, so I won't pass judgment on that except I normally don't order steaks unless at steak restaurants or places famous for it. The wild barramundi (fish of the day) - which another friend had - was extremely tender and the skin was very crispy. The osso bucco was top-notch according to another friend and while I didn't try it, the presentation looked spectacular. The portion seemed a little wanting though.
Service was very good. At one stage my girlfriend didn't want to eat the gnocchi because she was very full after the soup and aracini. Even though the dish was already made, the staff were very helpful and readily cancelled the dish for us and replaced it with the honey-glazed quail. The price was extremely cheap (coming from someone who eats out a lot). We ordered a side sald, which was only $8, and the dish looked like a main - and for anyone who's eaten out enough, that is extremely cheap in Melbourne these days.
The strawberry dessert was the most delicious I've ever had. When it came out it looked a little bland as it was just strawberries and sorbet - but that must've been one of the best sorbets I've ever had. Very rich in strawberry flavours and when mixed with the garche and sprikled strawberry white chocolate flakes - and most importantly that strawberry sauce on the side - the taste was just so rich and so marvellous.
Overall this is a restaruant I'd consider a little gem - and partly because it is very small - and I would highly recommend people to try this on a casual week day dinner. Extremely high quality food, very well presented (on par with some of Melbourne's top restaurants such as Attica etc), but extremely cheap (came to around $80 per head for us and we ordered 1 bottle and ate all 3 courses).
Sophisticated Italian food. This is a great restaurant for a finer dining experience. The food is Italian without being predictable and there is a lot more to choose from than pasta and pizza. I've been here a few times now and have enjoyed it each time.
Beautiful Ambience. This small restaurant has a lot of charm, from the service to the impeccable food!
a must do in Port Melbourne
Second time & not the last... Being British & generally spoilt by the food in Australia we happened upon Ciao Cielo by accident in December '11. We thought that the food, service & ambiance then were on par with the best that we had enjoyed. Returning to Australia recently we were keen to see if the restaurant delivered again.... & it did!
A hidden gem! Had an amazing meal tonight - the reviews on here are all true. The bug dish wasnt on the menu tonight but it just gives us an excuse to come back ! (they said the bugs weren't high enough quality this week) we had the porcini gnocchi and the cannelloni and both were amazing. Will sef be back
This place is my life! eat here!
Wow! what a beautiful little restaurant, wouldnt be suprised if they get a hat soon. loved the food and what a fantastic wine list.
Yummy breakfast try the spinach ricotta cake witn poached egg, service was also great... Id love to go back for dinner.
Just had the most amazing valentines day dinner out ever!!! I couldn't believe my eyes when my boyfriend took me to this tiny little place which was so romantic, with red rise petals scattered over our table and strawberry cocktails to start. The 4 courses were equally as amazing as each other( which is rare). I wish it didn't end. My favorite was the hand made beetroot and ricotta ravioli w the tastiest Morton bay bugs w lasshings of truffle butter over them. Possibly the best dish I've had in my life. In short get down there soon for dinner! Thank you so much for a wonderful valentines day ciao Cielo.
Great little place. Small menu but food is too die for. Staff friendly and brilliant dessert cocktails. I will definately return.
Quickly becoming a favourite. Yesterday's Oz day lunch was another visit to Ciao Cielo this time with a couple of friends who have never been there. And again, it was such a lovely experience. We all enjoyed the atmosphere, the food, the wine, the friendly and efficient service peppered with warm banter. It is one of those gems you discover and want to show off to all your friends.
My husband and I ate here last night for the first time. What an absolute delight. The food is the best I have had in a very long time and the front of house service was fantastic. The restaurant was busy but is small and intimate. Before I left I made my next booking and can't wait to return. So lucky to have this as my local and will be recommending it to all my friends. Keep up the good work!
Quails and more. Went just before Christmas - 4 of us from work. 4 quails ordered. Wish there was more for the price paid, but in short...delicious! I could have drunk the corn sauce by itself. Love the churros as well. Service is good. Waiting to go back for the pork belly now :)
Quails of delight. We have just bought a BBQ and I am thinking of taking it back. For after having the BBQ Glazed Quails at Ciao Cielo, there is no real reason to cook at home again! The quails are coated in a home-made marmalde glaze and then coated on one side in kaiserfleisch, and the result is just tangily fresh and sensational. My starter was the lightly fried calamari with dried oregano and garlic aioli and this again had their own distinctive stamp - lovely and light for summer. For dessert I had their signature Affogato with vanilla bean ice cream and Norcello - divine. There are some places that you just fall in love with and I know we will be returning here again and again - it's well worth the effort of travelling outside of the CBD to Port Melbourne.
Fantastic Food and Service. Have eaten here several times. The welcome is so warm and honest. It is such a pleasure actually enter the restaurant. The food is something else. Just superb. Everything I have eaten here has been a standout. Beautiful flavours and so well prepared and served. And the desserts are not to be missed.
Good wine list.
Its extremely great value also.
Really liked the staff so friendly food good, maybe a few more choices for entrees would be a good move. We will go back, we come from peninsular but found it worth the trip.
Brilliant. Thank you Kate for looking after gs all from Toni&Guy across the road. I loved the pork belly, well loved it all actually. See you soon. Cheers Stuart
Fantastic place! A little taste of Italy with super coffee, great people and one of the BEST Bircher Muslei breakies around! Well worth a visit !!
Best in Port. The best place in Port Melbourne for good quality food and wine. Chef Brian certainly knows how to cook and Kate has got the chat and service just right. Presentation and service excellent. For breakfast, try the Eggs Benedict....the best I've had.
The Best duck arancini balls in the WORLD - and if you like gnocchi , try the mushroom with truffle - every mouthfull, well it's just mmmm. Oh did I mention the fettucini prawns?? And and.... Breaky VV Good too!!
Staying in Port Melbourne really opened us to a refreshing look of Melbourne. There are enough pubs to test the best of pub crawls, but we wanted lush Italian....and boy did we find it! This is a MUST VISIT restaurant. The Osso Buco photo taken by another review does not do it justice! Perfect meal, dessert and coffee....not to mention the down to earth host, Kate....Can't wait to come back and try the other dishes
Spectacular food and attentive service. Gorgeous soft gnocci with mushroom a highlight. The pork belly was stunning and cooked to perfection. Dessert is essential here so leave room. Any place that serves hot chocolate made with Lindt is class personified! Looking forward to a return visit very soon.
Great food lovely staff. We dined with grandma and Our 4 kids aged 7 to 17 all loved the food and so did we. . My advice go especially if you are a local we'll be regulars thankful for a lovely relaxing meal in a proper restaurant
Loving it!. Ciao Cielo is a great little Italian café/gelateria dining oasis in the heart of Port Melbourne.
First things first: The gnocchi is to die for.
Second thing: They play some great background music. Relaxing, modern, kind of funky stuff that puts you in a good mood. On the right date I'm sure it could even put you in THE mood... watch out.
Third: Did I mention that I love the gnocchi?
My partner and I have dined here a few times and have liked it all so far, he says the pork belly was pretty damn awesome, along with the salmon and another fave of mine is the bruschetta, with goats cheese.
I'm the kind of person who likes good food in a relaxed and ambient setting, so while the menu is a little shorter than many Italian restaurants, I'll keep coming back for the quality.
Little Gem on Bay st. As locals and foodies, my sisters and I have made this place a frequent haunt. The pasta is our favourite, especially the home made gnocchi which really can't be beat. The pasta sauces are of real quality both fresh and tasty and if you manage to leave room for dessert, it's hard to go past the delectable lindt chocolate churros which are always cooked to perfection and oh so moorish. Staff are friendly and very accomodating to our particular vegetarian needs as well. Definately a fav of mine & unlike so many restaurants in Port Melbourne....are quite well priced.
Great Food!. Had the fish of the day, baked salmon. It was one of the best salmon dishes I've ever tasted. The ladies nearby were having one of the multi-dish desserts and were raving about it. I look forward to trying that soon!
Brilliant after the update. We dropped by Port Melbourne for lunch this weekend and stumbled upon Ciao Cielo. It has apparently just been taken over by a new chef and her partner. Everything is bright and new and shiny. We really like the decor and ambiance. The coffee was good and the Lindt Hot Chocolate was delicious. For mains I ordered the Osso Bucco with Parpadelle pasta... it was brilliant. My partner ordered a chicken dish from the specials menu and it was nice, but the Osso Bucco was definitely a home run for us. Service was warm and very friendly. We'll definitely be back.
Omg!!! The gelati is simply devine!!! The hazelnut and rum and raisin are my top picks! But every single one has been anywhere from nice to blissfully amazing!!! I have also tried the gnocchi and it was nothing short of amazing!! My only problem now is affording my new addiction!!! Hehe! Maybe a loyalty card would helpy budget guys?? Can't wait for churros in winter :) Keep the great flavours coming! How about a maple syrup and maybe a peanut butter and jelly? :) Guys do yourself a favour and splurge on this amazing decadence! :)
Italian stunner in Bay Street. For handmade pastas with exquisite sauces, the young chef at Ciao Cielo is in a league of his own. The restaurrant is fairly new and Marissa the owner has got a brilliant chef and friendly staff, in tow to make lunch a real pleasure. Home made gnocchi, with pesto cream and crispy prosciutto, is delightful. My friend had the goats cheese, almond ravioli with caramelised pear and a light seeded mustard cream sauce, was bellismo! along with a lovely range real fruit and nut Gelati, this little ristorante is all class. along with Urban Burger and Hunky Dory Jewels in the Bay Strreet eateries crown.
If anyone is visiting Port Melbourne and wants good Italian food, go to Ciao Cielo.
So good!
Food: this place offers some seriously good Italian food! Everything was so good.
Everything came out in a timely manner, and was super fresh and well made.
The pasta was perfect! And you could tell was made freshly. Recommend a pizza too!
The croquettes were pretty damn good too!
I also recommend the peach cocktail (can’t remember the name)
Service/Venue: impeccable. Staff were attentive and knowledgeable. We’re always around but not overbearing.
Venue is perfect - intimate and presented perfectly.
Overall, highly recommend. Will definitely be going back.
We had my sisters baby shower at Ciao Ciello in the main room inside.
The food was incredible. Everyone loved it, and they were all very full which is great to hear from guests when you are hosting an event!
Above all, the service was 10/10. It was so nice to see that drinks were being topped up and attended to for the duration of the event The venue is absolutely beautiful! We loved the rustic look, made the decor look so beautiful.
The staff were also very polite and kind - Paris was great with facilitating the day. It was great to have such a friendly face greet us.
We are very pleased with how it turned out. And we will be recommending Ciao Ciello to all our friends for their events :)
My husband, daughter and I dined in for the very first time and we were thrilled we chose to celebrate at Ciao Celo. The menu is extensive- made choosing our meals difficult, but everything we ordered was delicious. We were thrilled to be seated right in front of the fireplace, but to be honest, every seat in the older, traditional dining area benefits from the warmth of the fire. I also want to point out if you’re not a fan of very loud restaurants, you will love this place even more, because it’s one of the few places in the area with carpet to soak up some of the acoustics. Loved every minute we spent there. Thank you for the splendid service and meals.
Great heated winter outdoor area, warm environment and atmosphere. Dog friendly is a plus.
Above all, really delicious pasta. We had chili crab pasta, the flavor is just beautiful. Will definitely come back again to try other things on the menu.
This beautiful looking place is huge, divided into fine dinning, open air and a casual donning area. And the casual area is loud.... like people really have to tell to chat.
Ordered Roasted Cauliflower Salad, Prawn Pizza, Saffron Arancini Balls, Capriciossa, Antipasto Platter, Fried Custard and Nonna's Tiramisu
Roasted Cauliflower Salad was easily the dish of the day
. Everything was quite refreshing and the mains were quite close to authentic.
Nonna's Tiramisu with orange flavor twist was super good
The Fried Custard served with Salted Caramel Ice Cream was sheer indulgence.
What was a disaster was the service. It was Pathetic. Misplaced ordered, no attention to the tables and no sense of service.
Vegans and Vegetarians have decent choice to order.
We had a lunchtime function for 20 people for a 90th birthday party with a private space with garden access.
It was a perfect setting for our family gathering and the food and service were both outstanding. The quality and variety of food was excellent and very generous servings. The staff were very friendly and helpful, unobtrusive and allowing plenty of chatting time with no pressure.
Overall we had a wonderful experience in a great venue which I would highly recommend.
We organised an intimate family engagement and this amazing restaurant has left a wonderful experience on us and our guests. Not an easy feat with 3 generations of Italians!! The Private Dining Room was beautiful with a great atmosphere. The staff truly cares about your experience and the service is unmatched. Kate was forever accommodating and was truly wonderful. The food is absolutely amazing – everything served was flawless. It must be your next dining/event experience.
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