Lt. Osteria

😱Lizzie’s first impression: it’s so close to where I work so it only makes sense that I come here every often - the aesthetics of the cafe is really pretty and I love the menu set up.

🍩Lizzie enjoyed: they have a big menu to choose from and all of their choices are quite delicious. I love the açai bowl pudding for breakfast as it’s fresh, sweet and everything I want to fuel my start to the day. I also like their scrambled eggs on toast - simple but done well. Good selection of Noah’s juices which I enjoy and also does a great lunch menu.

🍅Lizzie did not enjoy: it gets abit crowded at lunch time and it gets somewhat noisier than expected so try go at non peak times.

🥇Lizzie rates overall: great cafe for breakfast or lunch around the Goldsborough village area.

Set at the rear of a Bourke Street Building in Melbourne’s CBD, Lt Osteria presents a cosy yet stylish space to escape the office, and recharge the senses.

Being Italian, I instantly knew by the name (which translates to Little Bistro), that there would be an Italian behind this carefully planned space. Nunzio Vizzini, left the corporate world around the same time as his friend Nicole Thomson, and the pair decided to bring their ideal café to the city. Both being business minded, they knew exactly how surrounding office workers craved efficiency in service and coffee. Their corporate background set the foundation for a café that is easily accessible and in tune with time critical clientele.

Designed by Zwei Interiors, the split level space brings together their Italian & Australian heritage with artwork depicting the wild fennel (native to Italy), and Australian gum leaves. The art carries through into the venues menu and branding, which is accentuated by a soft mint theme, ample overhanging greenery, and blonde timber furnishings. Dowel rods throughout the venue create a canopy like feel, similar to that which you would find in Sicily and this is their attempt to bring the outside in.  It’s large enough to cater for that important business meeting, while cosy enough to offer a soft space away from the harsh corporate environment.

The modern Australia menu has an Italian influence, with features heavily local seasonal produce. Lunch options come with suggest wine pairings, and with favourites which include the Roast Chicken and Spinach Risotto with Grana Padano (paired with Pinot Grigio), and the Spaghettini tossed in olive oil with basil, heirloom tomatoes, confit garlic, and pecorino (pairs best with  pinot noir), and Bruschetta with buffalo mozzarella (Wining pairing: chardonnay).

Coffee is sourced from Reverence with the Lion Tamer and Night Vision blend in the hoppers for white and black coffee respectively, and rotating single origin beans for batch brew.  My Ethiopian Areka natural offered a sweet cup with a jammy mouth feel, and berry acidity.

If you find yourself strolling down Goldsborough Lane, make the time to stop into this little gem. Find Lt. Osteria at the rear of 550 Bourke Street, Melbourne (Enter via Lt Bourke Street).  Open weekdays from 7am to 4pm.

The food is impressive in its variety and breadth, but what impressed the most was the way the staff bent over backwards to accommodate the group Your Dear Luncher was a part of on this particularly busy pre-Xmas day.

The steak sandwich experienced was high end. First rate ingredients, a runny egg to soak the other contents with yolk ever so delightfully. A good cut of meat in there too, not some cheap off cut.

Impressive all-round, despite not looking all that inviting from the outside.

I ordered the avocado smash. It was very tasty with a generous serving of avocado which was perfectly complimented by the goats cheese. Simple but tasty!

Amazing food, friendly staff, great atmosphere and a cafe that’s always buzzing. Nestled on the end of Goldsborough Lane. Definitely recommend if you’re after an amazing melbourne coffee.