Great food, excellent service from the friendly and knowledgeable staff. An old favourite of mine for years now and probably the best place to grab lunch in the city with a friend :)
One of our favourite spots in the city to just sit, relax, sip a vino and watch the city roll by. Awesome food, great wine list and the staff are attentive but not overbearing. We love it on a lazy Sunday afternoon.
The food was spot on! Arancini, prosciutto wrapped gnocchi and the veal were amazing! Staff very accommodating to our young children and pram!
A unique place to sit back and enjoy great food , wine and company. Great coffee ☕️Positioned near the top part of the Bourke Street . Truly a place to visit . A warm and welcoming restaurant that keeps calling you back . A credit to you Frank and Cathy 🌷❤️🍷
Amazing restaurant with really friendly staff! They have The Best Seafood Tagliatelli of Melbourne. Strongly recomend the restaurant!
We have been there for lunch and loved it, last night did not disappoint. Really great meal. Service was excellent. We will be back.
Alexandra Tanos Lambadaridis
+5
Went to Mess Hall looking for a quick but delicious meal and we were not disappointed! We needed to be at a show within 45 min and the waitress ensured our food came out all together. The food was really delicious and the service was impeccable! I'd definitely go again.
This is my morning coffee place for a reason. The coffee is excellent, and the staff friendly and intuitive. The hand-made pasta is the best I have ever had.
Had seafood taglatelli was delicious my daughter had the duck again very good. My Bicycle pale ale was nice and her pinot noir also. The service was excellent, would definitely go back.
Excellent food, great staff, good prices, relaxed friendly atmosphere.... its become my regular place for breakfast.
Love the Mess Hall breaky. The best bacon in Melbourne
Really delicious coffee and a fantastic granola, so much flavour, simply presented, and I enjoyed that it was deconstructed so could as as much or as little of things as you lol! Staff were lovely and we had a great business meeting over brunch!
Lunch in Melbourne city for a weekend away, right on Bourke St. greeted immediately, seated outside and order taken in good time. We moved inside shortly after as the clouds parted and the sun got very hot. Ordered flathead tails and pork belly. Coffee came quickly and a piece of dipping bread each with lovely oil and balsamic dip, coffee was excellent. Very nice Mediterranean decor, comfy and not too noisy. Food took 40 minutes to come out, but was very good when it arrived. At the more expensive end for lunch for 2 at just on $60 then a 1.5% card surcharge, but it is in the heart of the city. Very good, well worth visiting.
Really great food and friendly staff. We couldn't decide between the lemon ricotta hotcakes or waffles and the waitress recommended hotcakes for us. We shared between 2 as they are very filling. Would definitely order again.
Came here a few drinks ago but only had drinks and a small share dish!
Food looked very good and well presented.
Service was also good! Small place with limited seating. Luckily was not busy!
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The Mess Hall as mentioned in a separate review is next door to Sempre Pizza and Calzone. They're from the same restaurant group so you can order Sempre's wonderful pizzas from there also. We arrived in a large group and dined in their function room upstairs.
I start off with a strong latte and was met with gazes from my colleagues, I was tired and was in need of one badly. Well balanced, bitter and hot.
For starters we got focaccia di casa which had been made next door. It was simply prepared with a sprinkle of rosemary and a bit of olive oil. You could really taste the quality of the dough, it had a nice chew to it. You pretty much can't go wrong getting a full sized pizza for a main with that base. We also shared an antipasto misto, various cured meats, marinated vegetables, cheese, fried calamari and smoked salmon.
For main I got their handmade black and white tagliatelle, the black pasta being made from squid ink I believe. It was prepared in a classical melody with various seafood (mussels, pippies, prawns, scallops), chilli, cherry tomatoes and garlic. The pasta was prepared al dente and still maintained a bite, the seafood was generous and imparted its brininess to the dish.
Nearly everyone wanted some tiramisu and I couldn't pass it up either. The mascarpone was smooth and the biscuit was spongy and had good coffee flavour. Could have done with more biscuit but I'm not complaining, it was sizable and hit the spot.
Besides from being a heavily based Italian restaurant it also has a breakfast menu which you'll see more of your usual brunch items. I love that they've crafted their own unique pastas and sauces to match and their pizza is not something to overlook either.
The Mess Hall served great Italian/pasta meals. We had the gnocchi, meatballs and a side of rocket salad. The gnocchi was cooked perfectly, the meatballs were tender and served in creamy tomato-based sauce. There was nothing unique/out of the ordinary on their menu though; it was just another Italian restaurant. The vibe was quite relaxed and casual, staff were pretty friendly.
I’d read some good things about Mess hall and thus suggested the location for dinner with friends not realising it is in no way associated to Mess Hall in Brunswick which was actually the venue I’d been reading up on. Nevertheless it was an enjoyable meal and well worth visiting in its own right.
We each had pasta, I opted for a gnocchi which was as delicious as you’d expect off an Italian menu especially when handmade. Dessert wise we each selected something different the chocolate tart for me which was quite rich but the honeycomb and salted caramel broke up the intense chocolate flavour. One of my dining companions ordered panna cotta which appeared quite dense but tasted quite yummy and we also had the tiramisu. Would definitely recommend for an after work dinner
Perfect combination of Good service +friendly staff and good quality of food.
I strongly recommend the Beetroot Ravioli and Tiramissu desert.
Amazing Restaurant!!!!
I had a really good experience at this restaurant. Amazing food with really friendly staff. They have The Best Seafood Tagliatelli of Melbourne! Strongly recommend the restaurant!
Thank you for the beautiful evening at The mess hall.We loved every single dish,flavour and presentation of the dishes.
Very nice place to visit,good customer service and food.
Will come back for main dishes and new desserts (Poached Pear and Pannacotta were my favourites today)
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I felt my experience here ticked all the right boxes!
Couldn’t find an earlier time of booking that could match our departing flight from Melbourne via the Zomato app so I called in to book earlier which the restaurant accommodated.
Ambience was ideal for a relaxed conversation with friends, slightly dimmed lighting and a rustic wooden feel. Music was on point with some chilled 90’s hits (my childhood music). We were seated near the kitchen so you could see the cooking quite clearly behind the serving window (“ooh flambé!”).
Didn’t order drinks but the bar looked like they were ready to punch out some fancy cocktails or some wine to match the food. The arancini balls to share were amazing and received nods of approval from everyone, the B&W handmade tagliatelle was the perfect balance of pasta and seafood in terms of flavour and serving whilst the recommended broccoli complemented the main well. Lastly the spiced red wine poached pear with mascarpone and peanut crumble as a shared dessert was an interesting tasty coupling of flavours that I hadn’t tried before but yearned for more.
Not to forget the service, our waitress was always around and was diligently ready to clean the table and reset our cutlery before and after each course!
Overall, this experience really highlighted to me why Melbourne is considered one of the top food hubs in Australia and I’ll definitely make an appearance at this venue again if I’m ever in the city.
We came here with friends from interstate. Well this place was fabulous we enjoyed a few cocktails I could not resist a dirty martini with gin was so delicious. This was followed by entree of polenta chips and arancini they wete both full of flavour, followed by gnocchi which so yummm. We finished the night off with tiramisu and you must try the chocolate tart is was amazzzzing 😋😋.
Was a nice little find walking around Burke Street and randomly walking past this little hidden gem. The staff were superbly welcoming. Amazing atmosphere. Great food & Quick coffee. Cheers to the barrister!
We went for lunch and I ordered the chicken salad. it was the best chicken salad I have ever tasted....and i order them a lot! Just delicious.
The pancakes were quite small however they were delicious. Always love a bit of chilli with smashed avo. The food was prompt however, the service could have been better.
The black and white linguine w/ seafood rates as one of the best seafood pasta dishes i've ever had.
Seafood was fresh and cooked spot on, but also plentiful. No scrimping on the prawns or scallops that you come to expect. And the pasta itself was beautiful.
Lovely spot. and great food. Simple but effective.
The pasta is just so amazing here 🍝 The restaurant will change the selection of pasta from time to time. But no matter when or which pasta I order from the menu, they are always very nice and super delicious. The pizza here is also quite nice. They are handmade and have a very thin base. This is one of my favourite restaurants in town！
The Mess Hall in the CBD is the perfect spot for a mid week lunch - quick and friendly service for those who need to stick to a one hour time frame, a delicious Italian inspired menu with a large array of options, and an inexpensive price tag for the quality of food you get. The venue is small, but not cramped, with a no frills modern cafe type feel. It does, however, have a few little touches that makes it feel more special then your average run-of-the-mill cafe, including free bread with balsamic and oil on arrival and a delicious wine list to break up the work day.
Another great place for Breakfast when you have time to wait, but it was well worth it.
Staff really friendly and they serve the most generous size plates. I will come here again.
I love the pasta here❤️
Been here a few times already it's always delicious.
Service a bit slow but friendly.
It's a bit pricy but I think it's worth it~
Will be back again~
Yes it was a mess hall in a War. A place to comfort and give succour to those beset by the anxieties of war. Beautiful food north facing for winter sun a sensible music selection that soothes rather than jangles. Picture windows al fresco or step into the mess hall proper for welcoming food served efficiently.
Didnt know what to have and walked by this place. Had a lemon ricotta hot cake and a cup of mocha next to a window seat. A nice and warm dish to start a winter day. Staff are friendly and service was quick.
Went here after a comedy show in the city because Cellar Bar was packed. Pretty quiet in there with a few people sitting outside. Menu focuses on homemade pasta and a few fish/meat dishes. Wine list Italian focused and small but reasonable selection. I had the wild boar ragu, which was hearty and tasty but lacking a little refinement. The swordfish (special) and the seafood linguini seem to be the clear winners and were lovely dishes. I wouldn't cross town for this place but would be happy with the experience. Service was adequate.
I wasn't quite ready for this. Went with colleagues here for a Friday night drink to meet with a former colleague. Things are going very well as they do sometimes and the drink morphed into dinner. Ordered the swordfish and was taken seriously aback at the quality. Best swordfish I've ever had. Superbly cooked. Lovely accompanying vegetables as well. A wonderful dish. Service was a delight as well. I've only ever been here for lunch. Had never thought of it for dinner. As usual, I was wrong. Highly recommended.
The Mess Hall was busy on Sunday morning so we sat at the 'sister restaurant' next door. The waitress was really nice and attentive but everything took so long! Surely 15 minutes for a latte is a bit ridiculous. The food was nice but the serves are pretty small so don't come here unless you plan to eat lunch after.
Anonymous Hungry Hippo
+5
Highly recommend for a small team lunch or even just a breakfast in the CBD. It's never disappointing and always delicious. Great place for a bowl of pasta!
Good modern Australian/Italian restaurant in the heart of the city.
Very intimate with an area upstairs for event. The service is great and the food is delicious and very well presented. An instagrammers dream.
Find me on Instagram @Melbourne_Explorer.
Had pasta dishes here a few times and really liked them! Heaps of vege options and you can order pizza from next door as well - they have lunch specials for quite a good bargain if you are after some authentic italian pasta! Yummmmeh
The owner Frank and others have a another restaurant in the CBD on little collins street. He knows what he's doing when running successful restaurant. Food is always great, so too is the service. Winning combination! I had the soup of the day this time round which was carrot and crust bread. It was all i wanted on a cool day last Wednesday.
Came here for breakfast and ordered the ricotta hotcakes - a gentle sugar hit for a non-morning person. Hotcakes were soft and fluffy, coffee was good.
Went to the Mess Hall on a weekday night fairly late. They had plenty of space. Service was very friendly. We both took a dish of the day. I had a pumpkin risotti, which was very delicious. Boyfriend had grilled salmon. The salmon was a bit too grilled on the outside, and also the inside was a bit too cooked. The sides with the salmon weren't great either. Wouldn't mind going back though and try something else!
Good brekky and a constant stream of customers for take-away coffee, most obviously regulars. Interesting menu items that are changed regularly. I enjoyed my lemon and poppyseed hotcakes but it did take a good 30mins from arriving at the cafe to eating breakfast, so give yourself time if eating in.
A vibrant cafe recommended by my foodie, in the know, brother. Busy but not frantic, warm and welcoming on a wet Sunday morning.
I'm delighted that the days of disengaged wait staff are over. Walking into a new place is always better when greeted with a fresh smiling face. Gluten free options-yes.
Always appreciated when they "know" instead of having to check.
Seated, menus - coffee. Friendly, warm, no fuss.
I had my usual avo on toast- generous portions/ creamy fetta and a side of deliciously crisp bacon.
My husband declared his corn fritters the best he's ever eaten.
Lovely staff, great food, good value.
Tick, tick, tick. Thank you!
Had an absolutely delicious lunch here today! Ordered the duck ragu gnocchi. There was lots of delicious duck pieces that melted in the mouth, the sauce was full of flavour and the gnocchi light and tasty - I could've easily licked my plate! Will definitely be coming back.
Lovely quiet cafe in the CBD for a Sunday breakfast. Friendly staff and great food! We had the corn fritter and poached eggs with avocado on sourdough. Everything about the corn fritter was amazing and poached eggs were good- maybe not as runny as I usually like. Will revisit when we're in the area again!!
Went here for breakfast this morning, staff were super nice and friendly. Food was delicious and moderately priced, though it was a small menu to choose from. Staff wanted to and loved to hear feedback about the food which is always great to see!
Ricotta Hotcake Lover
+3.5
Good dishes with good service. But they do not have all day breakfast. The risotto is priced at $22 for the lunch hour. I don't want to spend that much for lunch everyday so I won't be going back. Good but not amazing.
Absolutely delish. Could not rate any higher. Top eats: polenta chips, the salmon gravlax (the pickled beetroot is outta control) and the choc tart for dessert is perfecto.
Nice hipster interior & pleasant ambiance. Staff pleasant & attentive. We ordered mushroom & truffle oil pasta & it was fantastic despite am carnivore hulk. Meat ball in tomato base sauce was our entry & it was beautiful. Flavorful & can see they used really good ingredients. Price was moderate....Ayumix327
Need to come before work to get my caffeine fix. Nicely located across from the tram stop in the top end of bourke street this is the best coffee you will find on this side of the city.
Came here w a friend for a quiet dinner, wasn't in the mood to line up for a hipster meal.
We ordered the antipasti platter, generous servings, but some of the elements didn't hit the spot. The blue swimmer crab pasta was nice, but the texture of the pasta wasn't perfect, but it's home made - so yum!
Could've done without dessert because I was stuffed but opted to order the ricotta almond cake. Didn't love it, thought the cake would be more almond meal as opposed to almonds. Probably should've ordered the choc tart.
Having said all of that, the of cheek was on point and service is friendly.
I sometimes come here for breakfast, the smoked turkey bagel is great. Also tried lunch here, had the squid ink pasta which i was pretty satisfied with, it was a decent size too.
We visited the Mess Hall on a warm summers evening and momentarily thought about sitting outside. ...before heading inside to stick with the table we'd reserved towards the back of the establishment. The skylight ensured we had a bright spot to dine in. A window and door provided views back into the kitchen area.
MelbourneFoodPaparazza
+3.5
Had an Espresso Martini here that was strong with the espresso and the vodka, and not overdone on the sugar, which I like. Price was standard, at $16.50.
A good consistent coffee in the city. I am a regular here for the mid morning pick me up and the staff at the mess hall are great. I have only eaten here once for breakfast and the food was wonderful.
They have a breakfast menu out front in the mornings and I just love it here. Decided to go for the vegetarian option and it was very pleasant and set me off to a great mood to start the day. Will definitely have to try their lunch/dinner options sometime
Great high quality tapas and seafood experience. Excellent service and outdoor location.
Nice little eatery which was not packed because the swaying was neatly spaced. Good service, water and cups weren't just dumped on our table but instead were poured. Food was good too.
They have this weekday lunch special...pasta and wine... Ok, their pasta made me so happy 😛. Staff are really nice... Great customer service guys!
Nestled at the top end of Bourke Street, across the road from the big dogs of Melbourne’s Italian restaurant scene, The Mess Hall is a modest establishment. There’s no big sign or fancy façade. Rather, the bustling of people in and out of the door, at the window ledge tables and seated out the front, is enough to make you stop mid-step and peer through the window. Venturing inside during the middle of lunch on a weekday is no easy task as the hall is full of regulars on their lunch breaks.
I've been having my fair share of eating out a lot during lunch lately and I'm glad for it. Sometimes I feel good that I'm not stuck at my desk all the time and working through lunch. A quick lunch at The Mess Hall was really nice last week. It's been ages since I've been here and honestly, it's not about the food. I like the music that they play here. It's very bluesy and has an art house feel to it. Of course, service was friendly and quick too. I'm always happy to have a tasty bowl of pasta anytime.
Had a late lunch here today. Had a beautiful pumpkin risotto and a latte. Superb on both fronts. Can't find a fault in the service or the food.
The Red Dress Melbourne
+3.5
We came here for lunch when the sun was shining. We ordered a lovely beetroot salad and some polenta chips. The chips were a golden brown colour, just the way you would expect your chips to be. They tasted amazing and had a beautiful crunch to them. The salad was very well dressed and delicious however for $15.50 you wouldn't mind a little extra in the bowl.
Kat - Oats And Cheesecake
+5
Polenta chips and beetroot gnocchi - need I say more? Giving 'modern Italian' a thorough run for it's money, The Mess Hall is fabulous on flavour without being pretentious (and without the ridiculous price tag). A firm favourite for sure!
Adventures In Winterland
+4.5
Wandering along Bourke Street in search of brunch, the buzz of people outside The Mess Hall caught my eye. It’s a welcoming space, stretching back to the kitchen and decorated with climbing plants on a wire mesh, soaking up the natural light pouring in from upstairs. The menu is fairly short, so I started with an orange juice, served in a generous sized glass, and ordered the green scrambled eggs. It came out quite quickly, and I was intruiged by the flavour combinations. Not your average scrambled eggs, this version had finely-sliced asparagus, pesto and truffle oil mixed in. Yep, truffle oil. Yum-o. The overall effect was fantastic – the pesto had a subtle flavour but the asparagus was crisp and juicy, and the truffle oil flavour lifted everything to a new level of deliciousness. The bread was a bit too toasted for my taste, but on balance this was made up for by the fluffy eggs. The staff happily left me to my book while they set up for lunch, and I appreciated not being rushed. I’ll be back to try their pasta and sit in the cozy upstairs room!
Had Poached eggs on Dark Rye bread with Bulgarian feta and avocado for brekkie, extremely tasty . Definitely recommend. The place itself is conveniently located. The staff are friendly.
The Mess Hall in Melbourne’s CBD is a great example of quality and yummy Italian style food, without the overs you would expect to pay considering its location. Eros Cugusi from The Mess Hall says the concepts behind the restaurant are simple principles of good food, a casual yet warm environment and good value for money.
Friend and I ate at The Mess Hall and sister restaurant Sempre next door. The Mess Hall serves top quality pasta and risotto style meals and Sempre true Italian pizza. Young Italian wait staff and chefs understand good service and make dining enjoyable but unobtrusive. Sempre pizza's are typically Italian - if you want ham, salami and perish the thought Pineapple - go somewhere else. The highlight however is the Tiramisu; unbelievable and addictive. Simply the best I have ever had, and that includes in Europe.
If theres an appropriate analogy this resto, its like the "Mr Tulk" of dinner restaurants. Good food but expensive for Melbourne standards. I like the pastas and meat dishes. Good wine. Sometimes the service could be more frequent/faster. Its a small venue.
Always a trusty brekky spot when galavanting around the CBD. Corn fritters are my go to. Need to visit for dinner as have heard the pasta is ridiculously tasty. Tasty coffee too and always friendly service. Nice change from some of the cafes up that end of la citta.
Good pastas.
Decent portions.
Price is slightly expensive.
Decor is simple but nice.
Ambience is average.
Service was good.
Might come back one day.
What a hidden gem. I booked the upstairs section for 10 people. The food was great. Tasty and not too salty. All meals were served at the same time and table service was timely. Our waiter was very polite. The atmosphere was warm with perfect lighting and music. I would definitely recommend this restaurant. Very reasonably priced too!! I'll be going back.
Beautiful atmosphere. Well priced. Delicious. It doesn't have a huge shopfront though so it's a bit easy to miss. It's near the corner of McIlwraith Place. If you love simple but wonderful food, and you're a fan of Italian, this is the place for you. The menu isn't ridiculously long and the prices are reasonable. But no mistake, the food is wonderfully satisfying, and absolutely delicious.
Blueberry and ricotta pancakes with maple syrup. Don't be deceived by the pretty berry topping, this is a man's dish. Would feed my whole family, really.
Demie's brunch choice was very pleasing to the eyes. So colourful! Loved it. She gave me one corn fritter cause she was so sure she wouldn't be able to finish it, And it was good. The asparagus was surprisingly cooked really well. The poached egg was slightly overcooked, but it still had a lot of the watery yolk thing going on.
Probably trying a bit too hard to be fancy, when it's really not necessary.
Overall a yummy, carefree breakfast; perfect for a catch up with old friends. 4/5
Squid ink pasta at The Mess Hall - tastes simple, fresh, not too seafood-ey, but oh so filling… It wasn’t a cheap dinner but it was well worth it. I’ve been here a few times for all 3 meals of the day and the lunch and dinner dishes have always been amazing, though brunch was a bit meh.
The Mess Hall’s probably not the ideal venue for your anniversary or important business dinner, but it’s a great place to catch up with friends in a relaxed atmosphere with some good food. The menu’s not specifically designed for sharing, but it still seems to work. You can bet that everyone will want a bit of the tiramisu.
There is a very good reason Grossi Florentino is called an institution. Just incredible on all levels and enjoyable in every way. Yes it is expensive, but absolutely worth it. Molte grazie!
one of the best restaurant, me and my friends had a great experience there
Fantastic service. From the lady that helped seat us to all of the waitstaff - absolutely phenomenal customer service. By far the best I've had in many years. The food and wine were top notch as well. This was my first time going here and now can't wait to go back! Great experience - genuinely the best.
Love this restaurant for it's consistently fabulous food and meticulous service. It's been a while, but it didn't disappoint.
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