Popped into Bakini for a work meeting and had one of the sweetest chais I’ve experienced, it must have been powdered. I was quite impressed with the ambiance of the restaurant and was glad to have discovered it. No doubt I’ll return for lunch
Located at the ground level of Mantra on St Kilda road is this nice and cosy bistro come wine bar.
They had a good variety on the menu and there is quite a good range. We went with the spagetti alla vongole, and the cottoletta alla milanese which was a nice pistachio crumbed veal rib eye.
We really enjoyed the crumbed veal rib eye as it was sous vide and the veal was cooked to perfection. The portions were reasonable and was just right.
We ordered salad on the side and it was light and refreshing.
Overall, we enjoyed our meal at Bakini and the ambience and decor were sleek and elegant. Perfect for a night out or just the start of the weekend.
Incredible food, atmosphere and service.
We will definitely return in the near future and I’m already considering hosting my birthday here.
Thank you for a wonderful evening and experience.
This place is our regular and for real pasta this is exceptional.Staff are always polite,prompt and professional.Great relaxing atmosphere winter and summer.Keep an eye out for the special deals as they are such a rare experience in fine restaurants these days.Thanks always for the amazing food and friendly service.
Had a buffet breaky here. Has your classic hot food and good choice of yoghurt and muesli and fruits. Neatly presented and plenty of food. Good start to the day
Came here with 3 friends on a Saturday night for dinner. We started with some antipasti platters while we were finishing our first bottle of Soave. My main was Casarecci with Lamb Ragu and it was quite tasty.
Considering that the food wasn't top notch I think it's fair to make the overpriced call. On the bright side service was very attentive and friendly, great night out and a good range of wines. Thank you for having us!
Have brought corporate guests to Bistro Bakini for work lunches and even organised our employee work xmas party @ Bakini. Found all occasions to be simply excellent & carefree. Exceptional food, great service, and the perfect environment to take attentive guests. Have been spot on service for each occasion, and i will most definitely be returning for the delicious food...
Friday night Jazz is a winner and a great way to head into the weekend. Stopped by Bistro Bakini last Friday to enjoy happy hour with a mate and stayed for longer than expected. Food on offer was smashing and a step up from our normal after work drinks fare. We'll be back!
Had a wonderful lunch here today! Gorgeous sunny Melbourne winter day, able to see the trams roll by from the lovely big windows at Bakini. Enjoyed a lovely selection of light and crispy calamari with lime chilli aioli, mushroom and taleggio arancini, bacala croquettes, slow cooked veal and porcini with house made tagliatelle and finished with mousse al cioccolato - decadent and devine ! Chef married the autumn produce and flavours beautifully!! Service was welcoming and attentive!!
Will definitely be back!
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Best Italian Bistro On St Kilda Road!. As a lover of Italian food I was very much looking forward to coming to this restaurant for a corporate lunch and it sure did not disappoint. Working on St Kilda Road, it was very close and convenient for us all to attend. Upon entering we were greeted by the friendly staff and seated immediately. We all ordered drinks to start with and they were served chilled and immediately. We started with our entrees' to begin with, I ordered the Calamari with green chili and lime aioli and it sure did not disappoint! I finished this course of within two minutes! My colleague also ordered the sauteed mussels and they looked like heaven! We then had our main courses which was the seafood linguini with garlic and chilli, within a few minutes we had both finished our meals. To end the experience we ordered the panna cotta dessert to share, as we were both full to boot and it was delicious and was not overpowering at all with the orange segments. In the end we were both to full to move! If you are looking for a great Italian eatery on St Kilda Road, do not miss this! Great for lunches and dinners!
Dined at Bakini Friday night had a great experience service was great from time we walked in to the time had our coffee wich was excellent
the Italian waiter recommended
the pumpkin risotto it was great creamy light and tasty and the tagliatta Di manzo was juicy and tender finished with the tirumisu not too sweet perfect the barman made an awesome negroni
What can I say Bakini thank you for a great night
Ps keep up great work
Joe uva
Very very good ,great hospitality and friendly service from the two italian boys. How about the food?! A big WOW...seafood linguine and slow cooked lamb were so tasteful, to die for! I live local and i've tried different restaurant in the area, no doubt Bistro Bakini is the best one by far. MUST try!
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Disclosure: I was invited to dine as a guest of Bistro Bakini Do you guys find yourself thinking about your weekend plans…on a Monday? I do. All the time. As a fervent scheduler, I love putting things into my calendar to look forward to throughout the week, and of course on the weekend. So although I have plans this weekend already, if you’re still looking for options for Saturday night, why not consider the Masters of the Mediterranean degustation at Bistro Bakini An eight course degustation designed by Bistro Bakini’s executive chef, Luigi Buono and Executive Chef from ‘Out of Africa’ in Sydney, Hassan M’Souli, sees Italian food and Moroccan food coming together in one of the most unique fusions I’ve seen recently. A quick chat to chef Luigi on how he would describe the menu, and I like his description of Italian techniques, with a lot of the rich Moroccan flavours. For example, our first course at the preview for the dinner, a king salmon carpaccio, served with a preserved lemon harissa emulsion, is a relatively innocent looking dish, but unexpectedly punchy and vibrant in flavour. No gentle palate awakening here! The emulsion on this was absolutely everything, strong citrus and zingy, with the heat of the harissa coming up as well.
I have been staying in the hotel above bistro bakini for a few days for work normally I would head into the CBD for dinner but after discovering this little gem id rather head downstairs. The staff are great such a good bunch of people especially the Italian boys (didn't get there names) if your keen just to pop in for a beer, cocktail or a bite to eat the relaxed environment is impressive can't wait to visit again.
My partner and I stayed at the Mantra St Kilda for the weekend and after reading the reviews for Bistro Bakini on good old Urbanspoon, decided to give it a try. My partner went downstairs to order takeaway and returned in 20 minutes with bags and bags of delicious, hot, fresh food. We had the antipasto to share as a starter and did not even make a dent. Easily enough for 4. We both had pasta for main-seafood linguine and lamb oriechette-and can't fault either. Finally, we shared the Italian doughnuts for dessert and again, could have easily divided with another couple. My fiancée also noted that the staff were friendly, helpful and attentive. All in all an overwhelmingly positive experience, my only complaint being that we are too full to do much more than cuddle on our romantic night away!
Came here for dinner on a Friday night and was pleasantly surprised. Nice decor; buzzy atmosphere; live music; excellent negroni; great menu and wine list.
The croquettes, scallops and gnocchi were all very good, like really good...
Washed down with a silky smooth chianti - perfect.
Surprise. After it was selected for a work function, i did my usual urbanspoon search and after seeings its rating, didnt have high expectations. I was wrong.
The food was beautiful- everyone basically polished their plates. I ordered the Swordfish which had a beautiful tangy sauce to accompany the meaty but perfectly cooked fillet.
The other dishes ordered were the trout salad, lamb gnocchi and steak.
The service was the only thing holding them back. We had a could waiters and there was a mix of service - from warm and helpful to just rude.
I would definitely go back if i was in the area again.
What a find - Bistro Bakini. I spent two weeks in Melbourne recently and I must say that Bistro Bakini was an amazing find. Staying not far from the restaurant I visited the first night. The staff are welcoming and the service was great. They have a good selection of wines and the food was fresh and well prepared. The presentation was faultless. During my stay I visited Bakini regularly. I strongly recommend anything on the breakfast menu and the coffee. For dinner - I highly recommend the soup, risotto or steak. You can't go wrong.
Food great, staff attentive. Had to wait a long time for food, there appeared to be a communication issue between front of house and the kitchen. Had all the drinks wiped off the bill, so can't complain. I would come back and eat again.
Fantastic afternoon at this establishment. Great food, great service and great place to discuss business. Best antipasto plate I have had in a very long time. I'll be back.
Fantastic modern italian food. Prices good. The venue inside is fanastic. Dont be fooled by the outside. Service 7/10 ..they are very italian. Food 9/10
Love this place. New management is spectacular. They always make us feel incredibly welcome. We come here every Friday after work for happy hour. The food is delicious and amazing value for the quality!
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A reformed and remarkable Bakini. As regular diners at Bistro Bakini, this has become our venue of choice when we take friends out for dinner or clients for a drink/dinner. Why? Quite simply,the food is quality, the staff are friendly, knowledgable and accommodating and the general atmosphere is most pleasing. There is a distinct difference since new management and the improvement is evident in many facets of the restaurant, not least in the staff who are efficient and courteous. This leads me to suspect that the previous commentary given by "anonymous" below may be the rantings of a disgruntled former staff member (who perhaps did not meet the work ethic expected by the new management?) particularly as this person has chosen to remain "anonymous" . I was very surprised that "anonymous" was so scathing in his review of Bistro Bakini,as my experiences there have been so different, and the many people we have taken there are similarly admiring of the new and improved Bistro Bakini. I have to question the validity of his comments if he prefers to be "anonymous"...Keep up the good work B.B, we look forward to further enjoyable evenings here.
St Kilda Road takes an upturn. The folks at Bakini have taken on board the Urbanspoon reviewers comments from early 2012 and things are fast changing for the better.
I too went went it opened (early 2012?), though didn't dine as it all felt too awkward. (5 star resturant beneath a 3 star hotel). However!, In the last few months there is a new management team and there have been great changes. I'm now a regular!
The food is particularly good ($18-30 mains). The maitre'd is very welcoming and I look forward to further extension of operating hours to inlcude breakfast and weekends.
Despite being on St Kilda Road, it is sufficiently back from the busy traffic to create a calm and relaxed atmosphere in amongst the greenery. Outdoor seating also available for these hot nights. It can sometimes be a tad slow, but the staff are very happy to help when you've grabbed their attention.
Keep up the great work, it's a relief to finally have a decent dinner place along St Kilda road.
Absolutely fantastic. The food is elegant classy and tasty. The service is fantastic, staff are friendly and do ensure you are taken care off. would highly recommend this place for food, service, ambience, price
Great atmosphere, relaxing, funky and fresh. Delicious food. Love the homemade pasta.
Surprise Package. Had an unexpected dinner at Bakini on Saturday night and was very impressed. From the moment we walked in was greeted and offered a pre dinner drink in lounge bar area with warm cosy leather chesterfields... the Fitout/layout of the bar/dining area was amazing with a fantastic looking cellar with some great Italian and local wines.... Service was impeccable and the staff very attentive.
The highlight is having a clear view of the kitchen minus the glass you get in some dining venues... Amazing to watch the chefs at work. The Risotto and gnocchi was fantastic... The Pasta dishes were a real stand out and credit to the Chef.. I was informed that it was all made fresh in house and it tasted great...
Bar area would be great for Friday night drinks and I will most definitely be back for more of the Risotto!
What an unexpected gem in the neighbourhood!! We were just walking down St Kilda Rd, preparing ourselves to settle for bistro style dinner on a Friday night when we came upon this place. The food was just divine! I highly recommend the lamb rump. And I was very impressed with their wines. The very attentive waiter was spot on with his recommendations for wines. I may be a bit tipsy, but certainly not exagerating when I say the Italian red & the Moscato D'Asti he recommended were to die for!! Don't even get me started in the toasted Italian meringue for dessert!! We will definitely be back here soon!
Excellent. We visited Bakini on a Friday night and had a drink followed by dinner. The venue is absolutely stunning and for dinner each dish was just amazing. Service was excellent. We will return!
Amazing, all class for a great price. Went to Bakini with a few girlfriends the other week and had such a wonderful experience. We had the 4 courses for $65, which is a bargain considering they plate their food like a three hat restaurant. Plenty to choose from but I would really recommend the beetroot pasta with poppyseed sauce (so inventive!), the leek risotto (to die for) and the scallop and pork belly. we shared the desserts and they were all delcious, thouugh by that stage we were all pretty full! Highly recommended, beautiful venue and great service make it a no-brainer :)
Having been to Bakini a few times now, I've really enjoy the food and the service. The pasta dishes have been standout for me, try the black truffle ravioli or the tuna spaghettini. My favourite dessert was recently taken off the menu though...bring back the tiramisu guys!!! The coffee after my meals has been consistently good too, will definitely keep going back.
Bakini experience. We live on St Kilda rd a few blocks away north of backini. I took my girlfriend there to celebrate our eighth month together… I was looking for a romantic place and I have not been disappointed. Very unexpected to find a venue of that caliber on St Kilda Rd. Come to think of it, I haven't experienced such place anywhere in Melbourne… I found their staff to be very attentive and at my service!… I kind of expected them to be a bit obnoxious because they dress formally but no! They made us feel at home. The food was exquisite, they use fresh products and the pasta… that black truffle! the open kitchen was quite an experience. My girlfriend and I made a bet that one of the chefs would swear at least once during our dinner. We were unlucky. Those guys are so good. They make everything look so easy. We had such a nice time…. Before and after. Bakini we're coming back!
The World Loves Melbourne
+4.5
Bistro Bakini is a modern Italian eatery run by a Greek, and pleases with its rustic and accessible cuisine. Sometimes its the owner or wait staff that can make or break a dining experience. At Bistro Bakini it was a case of the owner Stavros adding to the colour and pleasure of the evening. The World Loves Melbourne was invited to experience Bistro Bakini on St Kilda Rd on a blustery winter's night.
The few things I found lacking on St Kilda Road were food and a supermarket until I realised down the street, there was a mini market for those urgent items and a beautiful Italian restaurant downstairs! Unfortunately, the restaurant downstairs is not exactly a place that serves $10 pastas / pizzas. Bakini is quite the opposite, a fancy Italian restaurant with an open kitchen. It is the kind of restaurant that you feel obliged to dress a little. With the dim lighting in the dining area and the spot lights towards the end where the kitchen is, the kitchen is where the show is. Unfortunately or fortunately, there is no Gordon Ramsay in the house and the small team operates quietly and efficiently. The menu is not overly huge, a few pasta items, no pizzas sighted and a couple of meat dishes. After having a couple of beers with a old uni friend across at the Belgian Beer Garden, we skipped straight into the mains, a gnocchi with ragu, half a duck and a veal dish. I was quite surprised that
Arrived 7PM, restaurant was moderately busy, seated immediately, service was quick and attentive without being rushed. Meals were on the table within 30 minutes of ordering, portion sizes were generous, all of the dishes were fresh and delicious, would happily dine here again.
Atmosphere: 4 of 5 great sitting area. Visited at around 5:30 pm so it can be really crowded later on or weekends.
Food: 4 of 5 the PAN ROASTED BLUE EYE
(Jerusalem artichoke, broad beans,
rocket & walnut pesto) was great and yummy highly recommended. Be careful of the small portion of you are really hungry!
Staff: 5 of 5 the girls there are so polite so nice and approachable.
Had the Gnocchi and really enjoyed it. All the other meals we had were also of great quality. The waitress was extremely nice and attentive. Would definitely come here again. Thank you for the nice dinner.
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