What a fabulous place, we loved it, staff engaging and efficient delicious food and one of my favourite wines of the campaigna available � highly recommend
The food was impeccable- authentic Italian. I can't point out a favorite as out of roughly 10 dishes EVERY dish was delicsuous. We had pasta, braised ox cheeks, calamari, tripe and much more. The wine was outstanding we ordered chianti. We have already recommended your restaurant so several people and you really made my bday special. Thank you
This place out-performs on every level. Fantastic, friendly, knowledgeable staff, food to die for...
It was our first time at Sosta Cucina
I must say my husband and myself were both very impressed
It will be one our favourite restaurants from now on
We were welcomed by friendly staff , the service was amazing , beautiful decor & the food was mouth watering , we will definitely be back xx
Consistently outstanding food. I have been getting takeaway from here since the pandemic shutdown, and I must say the lasagne on the takeaway menu is one of the best lasagnes I have ever had (and I’ve had a lot!). The ragu pappadelle is also excellent, as is the spanner crab spaghetti and the bombolini.
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Went for dinner recently with my father and two of his work colleagues visiting from overseas, on Dad’s suggestion as he had been once before. We arrived without a booking not long after they opened and they were very accommodating. It was a sunny Saturday evening so we opted to sit outside however the sun quickly got too much and our very attentive waiter was happy for us to move to an inside table. Complimentary bread to start, I then had the zucchini risotto (entree serving was a decent size for my main) and we all shared the rosemary potatoes, which were so good I could’ve happily eaten more. For dessert I opted for the semifreddo al caffe, like frozen tiramisu with hazelnut - I was so impressed that I’d already devoured half of it before I thought to take a photo, hence my photo by no means does justice to how nicely it was presented! If I had to fault anything it would be that the tables were quite close together however this wasn’t really an issue as we were halfway through our meals before anyone was seated at the neighbouring table. We all enjoyed our meals and overall it was a great experience.
Food, service and ambience was amazing. Everything tasted fresh and had balanced flavours. Definitely recommend if you’re looking for good italian food.
I had one of the best cannolonis in this place. It was delicious. Loved this restaurant and would surely go back again. Ambience was neat and service was excellent.
I was hanging out with some friends in North Melbourne who recommended this restaurant. My mom was visiting from NYC and she loves Italian food. Long story short, we ended up at Sosta. No regrets, fabulous food, good company, great coffee, and pleasant service.
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Dined at Sosta recently with my brother and cousin. We’re Italian, I’m a good cook and the boys are better than I am.
Both are very educated in Italian wines and we all eat out often, in Australia and overseas.
Sosta is a small, elegant neighbourhood restaurant with the style and class equal to any fine dining city restaurant.
The dining space is beautifully styled.
We were greeted warmly at the door, seated and pleasantries were exchanged.
Wine list is broad and the impressed by dining companions. Both white and red were selected- the red needed decanting.
After the white was poured we watched as the sommelier tempered the red wine glasses, tasted and decanted our wine.
It is rarely done these days and done so well - it was a pleasure to watch.
And so to the food - excellent.
A mouthwatering selection of modern Italian food using locally sourced highest quality ingredients.
Our meals were delicious, beautifully presented and generously portioned.
Throughout our evening the service was friendly and very professional.
We can’t wait to go back to Sosta soon!
Came here for lunch and had the pappardelle with the lamb ragu and it was absolutely delicious. Definitely one of my highlights from my time in Melbourne. Service was friendly and food was quick to come out which was an added bonus. Would definitely come back again.
The decor was beautiful and quite fancy! I had the pasta first of the lamb pappardelle. So good, a little hard for my liking but still nice. The pork belly was so good absolutely enjoyed that. My boyfriend ordered pasta too and he enjoyed it! Definitely somewhere to visit!
Hubby and I dined here last night and had an enjoyable night! Friendly attentive service, very good wine selection
My husband had the Angus beef and enjoyed it -it had a really lovely charred taste , medium rare was a little more on the rare side.
I had the snapper which was fine. We had a nice eggplant side and the beans which was also good. Dessert- the gelato was really yummy and we had a chocolate caramel bar - which was fine
Would return
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We came to Sosta Cucina on the recommendation of an Italian couple, and now it's our turn to recommend Sosta to others! Everything from the friendly service, to the casual and relaxing ambiance, and finally to the delicious food were incredible. The only two issues that we had was the slightly cold welcome that we received when we arrived, and having to be content with empty water glasses for the majority of the meal, but aside from these, we really couldn't fault anything else. We must also commend the waiter who looked after us for most of the night for his wonderful service.
We shared the chicken liver pate and fried chicken liver for starters, and this dish set the standard for the night. It was a delightful fusion of different textures and flavours. We just had to request for more bread to go with the pate! The two main dishes were exceptional, and my partner especially loved the squid ink pasta. Even the simple side dish of eggplant parmigiana packed a flavour punch.
Of course we had to fit in dessert and it was a wise decision I must say. The chocolate and pistachio millefoglie was sensational, and help ended our night on a high note.
But the best part was yet to come. When we got the bill, we were surprised by how reasonable the price was. I think we have found our "local" Italian restaurant!
I can't fault this place. I have been here multiple times and I am never disappointed.
The food is absolutely delicious and affordable.
The ambience is lovely, and the service is outstanding.
I'd highly recommend to all!
Italian cuisine at its near best. Highlight for me included both the duck, lamb and choc dessert. Service was great which made the overall experience fantastic. I'll be back soon!
I ate at Sosta's tonight. I find I can always rely on getting a tasty meal and a good glass of wine. Tonight did not disappoint. We are lucky to have such a great restaurant right nearby. Especially enjoyed the pumpkin fitters, organic pumpkin and Meredith goat's cheese, and tonight's risotto.
Review from February 2017
I don't make it northside very often, so when I headed to North Melbourne recently for a gig at The Comic's Lounge I took the opportunity to try the Italian joint a couple of doors down, Sosta Cucina. Everything we ordered was deadset delicious, even down to the salad. A+ would eat again. 😎
Pictured: linguine al granchio e bottarga (linguine with blue swimmer crab, olive oil, garlic, parsley, golden breadcrumbs and bottarga)
This is my favorite local restaurant. The food is excellent particularly the lamb ragu and their specials. This is a restaurant that is consistently very good. The excellent food is topped off with a very fine wine list. Their Italian wines recommended by the waiters are always first class. I have not found better Italian wine anywhere at reasonable prices. But you do pay for what you get.
We call this our local - it is close to work and where we like to go for dinner every few weeks. I have lost count of how many times we have come here and the food has always been out of this world and the staff so friendly and welcoming. Heartily recommend a visit here!
The food here is always fresh and delicious. The staff are highly professional knowledgeable and warm. Just love this place. The zucchini flower entree and the calamari are always perfect and the specials are outstanding
Sosta Cucina is all class. For special occasions and fine (delicious) dining with my partner this is where I go. The black truffle oil and mushroom gnocchi CANNOT be matched. When I go to sosta cucina I feel like a princess, and the service is always fantastic. A Romantic atmosphere paired with candles and delicious Italian. Take my money!
We have been coming to SC for some years now. Have been to other similar restaurants, but due to the fantastic service, exceptional food and ambiance we always look forward to our return visits to SC.
Love the great specials they offer, and the baked goat and braised sweet peas with onion and prosciutto, also the WA baked scampi as a starter.
Also, our very kind waiter always remembers that I prefer a vodka martini to start the evening!
Went here for lunch with Hong Kong team. Presentation excellent. Very impressive. This was a quick eat and we did mains only. I couldn't go past the lamb rage. Meat a bit fatty, however ok. Service excellent bringing authentic Italian layer. Menu a bit limited, but covered fundamentals. Definitely worthwhile to bring wife here to make proper assessment
Loved it! We had such a lovely night! The Food & Cocktails were beautiful with service to match.....!
Well done guys thanks so much! Will definitely be back.
The menu looked great, the specials sounded terrific and the waiter was efficient. Good start and nothing disappointed.
My crayfish salad entree was delicious with shavings of fennel and tangy citrus. The wine list is enough to to match the foods and offer some variety by the glass without too many choices. I had an Italian white with the entree and a Barossa red with the main.
I had tender, pink lamb with two kinds of artichoke and broad beans. My friend had the roast duck with quince segments cooked to dark red, polenta and a fabulous sauce (think it was a masala reduction). Everything I saw looked good, the bread had just the right texture and was served with olive oil, salt and pepper. The dessert menu looked appealing too and with my excellent coffee I shared a donut puff with custard cream inside and chocolate sauce: I would have been-over full if I'd ordered anything more.
I highly recommend Sosta Cucina for a special meal.
Had a great experience. This restaurant is always packed ! And yeah I understood why ! The food and wine choices were impeccable and the waiters were very courteous and warm ! Overall a true gem in North Melbourne ! A must try for anyone around Eroll
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Such a great night! Blown away to be honest!!!
Okay so I first reviewed this place a few years back. At that point I gave it a 4, it was good, but not great.
After a couple of Saturday nights ago, I again went here and now I'm prompted to delete my old review and post a new one as I was totally blown away.
Sure I gave it a five, but everything aligned perfectly, service, ambience (Had the corner table near the window) and most importantly the food.
Worked my way through the menu, had scampi, calamari fritti, pumpkin canelloni, pork belly and some desert. Mind you, I can not wait to go back as there were so many other dishes I wanted to try, but alas you can only eat so much!!!
Scampi were grilled with a little bottarga, delicious, calamari were fried to perfection, soft and dressed with some lemon, perfect! Canelloni reminded me of a dish had in Italy, great texture on the pasta and the filling was of great flavour! But the pork belly, wow! Such a pretty plate of food, complex flavours and even crackling, what a dish!
The gentleman attending to our table was most helpful and corteous, in the end I gave him full reign to suggest wine to accompany the dishes and he hit the mark everytime! Sure it wasn't a $100 dining scneraio, but with this level of food, beverage and service, you can not really put a price on it!
Until next time, something that I honestly can not wait for!
Great little local Italian place. Really surprised me in that i wasn't expecting the quality that i got served for a little Italian restaurant in North Melb, felt like i was in Italy! Standout was the duck ragout wow wow wow!!! More please!!!
I chose the restaurant because I believed that it would provide an environment conducive to a business discussion. In that regard it was not ideal since the waiting staff were a little over attentive. The food, however, was very tasty and I was impressed with the gluten free and "garden range" on the menu. The price, I felt, was somewhat on the high side. Will I return? Perhaps for lunch, yes, but unlikely for dinner.
One of my favourite Melbourne restaurants. The food is out-of-this-world delicious! Service is always friendly and relaxed. Sosta Cucina is a must for anyone living in, or visiting Melbourne.
Beautiful upmarket traditional Italian cuisine. We had the pappardelle which was excellent as well as the dessert tasting plate. Although some may consider it pricey you can't put a price tag on quality.
Delicious food but loses points for being small serves that are overpriced. Sure pasta is filling and not supposed to be the main course, so price accordingly - or be a bit more generous. Nice vibe and good unobtrusive yet attentive service.
Sosta Cucina is one of my absolute favourite restaurants in Melbourne. Every dish is exquisite and the staff is absolutely lovely. The steak was cooked incredibly and the sautéed broccoli sprouts it was served with complimented it perfectly. If you are looking for a nice restaurant with the intent to impress Sosta Cucina is most definitely the answer!
Stayed at The Larwill Studio and the staff recommended this place and I'm so thankful they did. The food is absolutely outstanding as was the service. The prosciutto with mozzarella was quality as was the calamari... So fresh. Had the beef for main and the actual quality of them meat was 10/10 and I was actually thankful they served it a little less than medium rare as it was perfect. Had a self saucing mint chocolate desert which topped off a great night.
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HIGH STANDARDS -- I had a business lunch this week, two dishes for 30 bucks and I left very impressed with the place, the food, the service and staff.
The beef spezzatino was absolutely a winner. Very tender meat, great earthy flavour with semolina cakes . A perfect winter dish.
The pannacotta with quince compote was wonderful despite its simplicity, and had a lovely mix of flavours and textures. I would have loved another two pieces of the quince to round up the dish.
Complimentary toasted bread with olive while you wait for your food. Unfortunately, the crust of my bread was burnt.
The white wine house is good.
Their espresso coffee was perfect! Not bitter and flavoursome. Miracle!
Serving sizes are on the smaller side, but not too small either. You can choose from first, second and dessert to make your menu, so you won't leave hungry.
The place is charming, cozy and elegant, and they have great toilets.
Professional affable attentive staff.
Price is not too bad having into account the quality of the food and the service, but not cheap.
I have to go back Their food and drink menu is too tempting not to!
Fantastic. We hosted a special occasion Sundaylunch for 22 of our friends and family at Sosta Cucina and everyone was really. Impressed with the venue, the. Food and the service.
We had a great selection on the set menu and the antipasti were all delicious, unique and ample portions. Anitpasti, mains and desert were all faultless. Special mention to the wait staff, nothing was too difficult and they were very knowledgeable about the food and wine.
Cant wait to come back here again!
Great pasta dishes. Had a great meal (again) at Sosta Cucina - the food and services is always exceptional. It was busy even on a Tuesday evening which says something!
Absolutely delicious and definitely value for money! The portions are large and very filling. Their homemade pickled chilli is also a definite stand out. Service is amazing also! My faves include the duck, zuchini flowers, quail and the swimmer crab pasta!
Long time local, finally went and checked out Sosta. Very impressed, great staff and amazing food. The pasta is just so good, we were stuffed at the end of the meal. Great wine list and dessert (if you have the room).
A North Melbourne treasure. It has been some time that I have been to a restaurant and was impressed with the cocktails, food and service. I had the prosciutto and mozzarella to start, followed by the crab linguini and doughnut balls dessert. My favourite meal was the crab pasta which I can confidentially say is the best pasta I have eat'n to date. Will definitely be back soon
It's Northern. ...not Southern Italian fare here. Delicious food, great service and super wine list. Always reliable, always yum. A local treasure.
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Tick it off the list.... I had been meaning to come here for a few years and we finally made it. We were both a little underwhelmed with the whole experience which was a little dissapointing.
The wine we had by the glass was terrible and this was off the suggestion of the waiter.
Entree: i ordered the beef carpaccio with quali egg - this is my favourite meal and always order this wherever i go... this was horrible - could not believe that this place would have gotten it so wrong - the beef was thick and almost impossible to cut (should be thin). I did make a complaint as i was really lookig forward to the meal and they kindly gave me another attempt, although a little better it wasnt good still. :(
We then ordered the scampi and the pumpkin soup - soup was lovely and scampi was beautifully sweet.
Main i had the crab pasta and left half of it - the breadcrumbs that were used ontop of the meal had a stale taste which went straight through the meal.
Overall the ambience was beautiful, decor was nice but definately a place you can tick off your list.
Warm and cosy. Pleasant food, service and setting.
Highlight was the Sous-vide warm octopus
salad with pea puree and kipfler potatoes.
Would recommend and visit again.
I should have been a Italian! Love the food and all things Italian, Sosta is a beautiful Italian restaurant that gets it right. Flavours amazing. I had their homemade pasta, with zucchini, prawn and saffron. Stunning.
Came here for my dads birthday and thourght it was wonderful and the service was great but i wasnt paying so im unsure about the value
Beautiful dinner for my boyfriend's bday. Came here for the boyfriend's birthday and was suitably impressed. Lovely staff, gorgeous ambiance and beautiful food. Yes it was a lil pricey, but well worth it. Loved the lamb ragu and goat shoulder, and for dessert we had the waiter's recommendation of Italian donuts... exquisite. Will return for sure.
Really lovely restaurant. Our party of 7 dined very well here. My three courses were excellent. Superb produce and beautifully cooked. The Italian varietal wines were outstanding too. Great service as well. Not cheap but I was nonetheless very impressed. I'm keen to go back soon.
Umbrian Delight. Awesome wine dinner, with 4 dishes matched with wines from Umbria, the clear standouts Pasta with shaved truffle and a cheeky white, "Grechotto"
So good. Been here about 15times over the years. Love the food and the vibe. Some of the best pasta I have had. It's the sort of place you can take anyone for any occasion.
Spring evening dining. Restaurant service can wax and wane, the night I dined it was excellent, and attentive. Agree portions are small...but tasty. We could all do with smaller portions given current stats on BMIs in Australia. The staff recommended several specials and they did not disappoint. Would benefit from more options of wine by the glass for the lone diner. Otherwise overall excellent meal and service, will return to try some different items.
Nice service. Sosta offers a choice of good quality italian food. No traditional recipes, instead, one is offered meal prepared with invention. Small portions, which works for me, as rather than being overwhelmed by quantity, I prefer to enjoy quality. Staff was very nice and attentive. I have tried this place twice and will come again.
A favourite..... I love, love, love Sosta Cucina!
My husband and I have been coming here since it first opened. It is our local.
Recently changed chef, but the food is as good as ever. Regional Italian cuisine, so don't expect your basic spag bol.
Quality is the key here. Servings are smallish, but perfectly adequate. And that enables you to have all 3 courses without feeling like an absolute pig.
This week we attended one of their winemakers dinners, which are always exceptional value.
I'm confused by the talk of bad service, it has always been the opposite for us.
Classic italian. Came here bout a month ago on a lazy Sunday night. Nice ambiance, perfect first date restaurant. Knockout dishes squid ink pasta and lamb ragu! Warning portions here are very small, worth ordering sides if with a group. Give the choc semifreddo dessert a miss, opt for the selection of gelatto instead! They have Aperol Sours on their drinks list, gotta love that
Nice suprise... Went here about a month and a half ago.Lovely little restaurant with good service and good food. Squid ink and crab pasta a standout but the four of us enjoyed all that we ate.Great job guys, we look forward to coming back.
It's been 2 years since I was last here, but the food staff and ambience were as wonderful as the last time!! The Bollito Misto and the bombolini were outstanding!!
Fab Food on Errol. As someone who was unlucky enough not to have been born Italian I cherish my visits to Sosta Cucina. I can honestly say I've never had a meal that was less than memorable. Highlights include the stuffed zucchini flowers, burrata and tomato salad (the BEST cheese) and delicious buckwheat pasta. I'm puzzled by the negative comments about the staff - I've always found them to be lovely and thoroughly professional. Highly recommended.
Some intersting dishes. Food and service good. A lot to like about this smallish resto in a buzzy part of Errol St. We were there on a Saturday night and parking can be tight. Recommended.
Delicioso ---- but way too salty. I love robust flavours, spices and salt...but i was rather taken aback when everything i had was JUST OVERLY SALTY! thankfully i have a high salt threshold, food was still edible. our table ordered the famous crab linguine, pasta of the day (think it was orecchiette and lamb), roasted veal of the day and a lamb stew (part of a set menu). it was unfortunate that the saltiness had masked the beautiful sweetness and taste of the crab, meat and just about every ingredient. but i must say, once passed that inital salt shock, the dishes were exquisite - i can't get enough of that fine linguine.
i would love to recommend this place to italian food lovers - it's good value for money and honest cooking. but do stay away if you suffer from any heart or renal disease, or if salt is your foe.
i hope the chefs taste their food.
Great Italian Restaurant. In my opinion this is a really lovely Italian restaurant - and definitely the best in North Melbourne. It is nicely done with excellent service and beautiful food.
The best part are the shared entrees - the grilled squid and the zucchini flowers particularly are delicious and they serve them beautifully from a large platter to the whole table.
The mains can be dissapointing - the pot roast chicken is tasty but boring and the lamb ragu has been on the menu forever (it is good though). I had the blue swimmer crab pasta last time and found it a little bland - needed some lemon or something like that.
Thanks Team. We had lunch at Sosta for my birthday today and it was fantastic as usual. It was my wifes first time at Sosta as the other times we have been she had been unwell. My wife is very hard to please when it comes to food and she loved it. Great Food wine and staff 10 out of 10 guys
Love it!. I've never had anything less than a really great meal here. Staff are friendly and professional, the free house bread and oil are top quality and the food always delivers. The eggplant parmigiana is to die for! Vegos note that the staff are very obliging about catering to special dietary requirements and dishes are clearly marked vegetarian or gluten free.
From booking to paying Sosta Cucina defiantly ticked all the right boxes! The owner was funny and so knowledgable! Everything we ate had fantastic balanced and hearty flavors. I can't gave lactose and opted for the sorbet for desert! I wish I could get the recipe! Soooo good! I really wish that all the haters could have been there the night I was cause everyone person there was having such a great time! I will defiantly be back!!
The bread and wine was a great way to start the epicure. The Ragu rigatoni was amazing!
What a great little restaurant, found with help of Urban Spoon... Excellent service from waiters who know their stuff, tasty food and great wine. Don't get over this side of town much but glad we found this one!
Great. I found the service from Maurice was friendly and helpful. The lamb fell off the bone and melted in the mouth. The desserts were lovely. Plus, I found it was all reasonably priced - not at all in the same price bracket as The Press Club as one previous reviewer stated. I will be back.
Fantastic!. I was in Sosta last Friday for lunch and tried the new menu, as always terrific food and great service. I especially liked the Zucchini Flowers, amazing Prosciutto & Herb Crusted Sword Fish. All in all an excellent meal, I'd recommend this place to everyone.
Terrific. We go looking all over melbourne for good authenic italian - and we think this one is superb. Great food - authentic and imaginative, good staff, cosy envionment. Would definitely recommend.
Terrific Italian cuisine with simply the best ragu in Melbourne. Fresh produce and outstanding service make this abode a pleasure to be a part of. Intelligent wine list with expert advice. Enjoy!
Fantastic food and friendly staff. Everything was superb and we were very well looked after! Highly recommended!
Lovely little Italian restaurant. Decor is a bit dated but food is great and service is fast.
A little bit on the expensive side but well worth it for the experience and the food. Authentic Italian food, intimate dining, attentive staff and very clean. More of a special occasion place for the everyday Melbourian but simply divine. We ended up here for our daughters 1st birthday without looking into it and we were very pleased our previous plans fell through. Our daughter ate everything we gave her and kept looking for more (sorry about the sugo on the table cloth). A very special birthday for a very special little girl. Thank you
Brilliant little italian restaurant.
The quality of the pasta is outstanding. All other dishes we had were top quality.
Don't expect massive family restaurant serves of mush, this is special.
Delicious and authentic food with great service from the staff who knew their stuff and were very friendly! A cosy and intimate dining experience that I’d highly recommend. And even if you don’t think you can fit it try the tiramisu it was totally worth it! 😋
Food was so good at this place, and such good value, too. Beautiful, delicate pasta with lamb ragu and perfectly cooked steak. Simple but perfect
What an amazingly authentic and delightful Italian experience Sosta Cucina is. Can’t wait to return and try every dish on the menu. Thank you for the hospitality
Service and taste of the food are amazing and will come back for sure. The entree portions are a big small but the mains size are good.
Came with family and everybody was happy including the kids. They served them first and help us keep them happy and hence we all had a good time
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