Best Italian restaurant to I’ve been in a while! Most Italian places I’ve eaten at have been mediocre and so eating at this place rediscovered my love for Italian food again.
Ordered their Frutti Di Mare pizza which was topped with seafood and their Mediterranean pasta which was a vegetarian pasta with a pink sauce. Both were extremely delicious and I quickly indulged in it as it was so tasty. Was sad when both plates were finished as I could have eaten more. If I’m ever in need of an Italian fix I will happily travel back here.
Taste: 5/5
Value: 4/5
Satisfaction: 5/5
Service was great. Food was ok. We love their chocolate pizza, numero uno. We order chocolate pizza and seafood pizza.
A genuine example of Italian cuisine... but obviously without overlooking their steaks...
Never been disappointed and is a frequent dinner hotspot for the family and I.
If you are looking for authentic Italian pizzas and an experience, this is your place. The pizzas are prepared in wood fires in front of you. We loved the Quattro Formaggi and the Nutella pizzas. Try them for sure.
Very friendly staff and nice serving. The food and wine is good and it has a decent price. Overall experience it was a nice place to have dinner
The customer service and the quality of the food is always a 5 star experience, hence why this is one of my go to places which never disappoints. Karlos is extremely attentive and values you as a customer. This place is a gem. The mediterranean pasta is one of the best pasta I’ve ever had.
Great for work lunch. Food comes out quickly after ordering. The blue cheese on their four cheese pizza was so good. Def going back when I need a cheese hit
Have been here a few times, staff are good, and the owner is friendly and makes my kids feel comfortable and laugh. They love being able to draw all over the table. They have a rather expansive menu, however I usually get a pizza and have never been disappointed. My wife usually has a pasta and and the pasta sauces have the right amount of flavours and are tasty. A large bowl of chips is certainly large. The chocolate pizza is the standout so make sure you leave room for that.I give it a 4.5
Eaten there twice. Once in a rush before the footy. Served very quickly. 4 different pastas and two pizzas. Fresh ingredients, good value, good service. one of my favourites.
Great place with really good simple pizza and pasta as it should be with non of this modern plate crap! Tasty great food as it was back in the days! Friendly staff and the kids loved it! The chefs let the kids play with pizza dough that made the night for them!
Went there for lunch with friends weeks ago.
The food had really big portions and the prices are so nice.
We ordered the four dishes.
Hawaii pizza
BBQ pizza
Pollo spaghetti
Caesar salad with chicken
All dishes were on average.
But We were not so happy with the service there, one waitress ignored us for the entire time?
The garlic prawns are the best ... the service is top notch ... the owner is a 👍🏽great guy ... 👍🏽 the wildfire pizza are great as well👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽
This is a great place for no frills pizza and pasta. No complaints about the margherita pizza or fettuccine alfredo we ordered. Both were simple but yum and exactly what we wanted!
We love this restaurant .. best restaurant on lygon st .. but so disappointed you guys were closed tonight ... we love Carlos and his hospitality. His pizza are great too. We will be back
Food was alright, staff are attentive and friendly. Atmosphere was good too neither too quiet nor too loud. Wouldn't mind coming here again.
We stayed in the city for the weekend and went here for dinner Yum, the food was really good. There was a lot to chose from and it is byo , I had the chicken schnizel with cream,white wine and avocado my friend had the gnocchi piscopio. the dishes were promptly served. The staff were very friendly the food was lovely give this place a go. We will be going back for sure
This place was a random choice by my friends when we were walking down Lygon Street. Got in, sat down at a table and ordered some pizzas and pastas - all vegetarian. All dishes were promptly served and were absolutely delicious. For dessert we ordered Tiramisu and Affogato. While the Tiramisu was really good the Affogato was just average. Would definitely recommend this place for the pizzas and pastas.
Delicious wood fired pizza with a great variety to choose from. Grabbed the large version of the student deal and was left satisfied. Staff are extremely friendly and service is reasonably quick. Disappointing to see this place doesn't get more foot traffic at lunch during the week. The Alla Arrabbiata had a subtle kick but with the extra chilli flakes was surprisingly satisfying. Bits of bacon provided texture and further emphasis on flavour. Very enjoyable.
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Friday night on lygon st for pizza is a must do at the very least once in your life and Mercadante is a great host for the occasion.
The front of house provides some laughs especially with children. The staff are pretty on top of things and kept it all running smoothly. They did ask us to move tables so they could fit people in but they were very helpful with moving and grateful about it all. On a Friday in Carlton it was completely understandable so that wasn't an issue at all even if it was mid-meal. The wait staff are clearly busy and at times the token smile slipped a bit but they got the extra chilli, oil and whatever we asked for instantly even with being very busy so you can't really complain.
Most importantly, the food was delicious. The pizza was winner. The base was perfect a good thickness and super crispy. The range was very extensive too. I would highly recommend the parmigiana pizza. Really lovely flavours and the ingredients cooked very well. The temperature was perfect too, didn't burn my mouth on the first bite but it also wasn't cold either.
The pasta dish, puttanesca was a hit too.
Overall highly recommend for woodfire pizza in Carlton and for a good night out with family and friends.
Came here for a meal with a group of friends. The lady outside ushering customers to their tables was very friendly, and so were most of the servers. However, the lady who gave us our bill just threw it on the table instead of handing it to us properly? and when we paid and she returned the receipt she just dropped it on the table again. Kind of ruined the whole experience for us.
Anyway, for the food, we ordered our own portions to share. We had a calamari fritti starter, a chicken parmagiana, a simfonia di mare pasta and another pasta. The calamari starter exceeded my expectations, it was very fresh and tasty. The chicken parmagiana was good too but it would have been better if it retained its crispy-ness throughout. I barely tried the sinfonia di mare pasta but they were very generous with the seafood which was great.
Would recommend it and will come back someday for the pizza.
Once again Lygon St has come up trumps 👍👌with the food had dinner here gnocchi with 4 cheese 🧀🧀🧀🧀 an I had the Pescatora Pappardelle the service waz good which made it even better.... yum yum yum
We got lured in one night by the spruiker out the front because he was offering free drinks. Bf and I both decided to go with lemon lime & butters which was a gerbils size.
We ordered the dips with focaccia to start of which was lovely followed by Woodford pizza. I don't remember exactly what flavour but it was pretty good and flavoursome. Only thing was it was a little too dry but good thing we had leftover dip which made it less dry.
Ambience was quite good, one of the waiters was joking around with diners by pretending to throw plates at tables & making people catch it when it was probably just a plastic plate. It was pretty funny watching everyone's reactions. Wouldn't mind coming here again.
Really really great food and service! We walked in off the street and winging it as it looked busy and we were impressed. We ate the no 29 pizza Amore - yum! And Cesar salad with chicken- more yum! Enjoyed a half litre of the red which was enjoyable. Well done guys! We will be back for the chocolate pizza that we couldn't fit in this time! :-)
i have been to this place couple of times , enjoy the ambiance and the friendly staff . lot of options in the menu . the food is delicious. chocolate pizza is a must try
First time tonight!! Went with my wife and another couple. All 4 of us said it's the best pizza we've all had in Melbourne for as long as we can remember. So glad we went here. Will be back very soon. Great food and lovely, fun staff. Keep up the great work
Best pizza on lygon. Food is delicious, if you love Nutella then his pizza is a must. Place is always busy, service is outstanding. Carlos knows how to make people really enjoy there time at his restaurant. Keep up the good work Carlos.
Great pizzas as expected! Excellent maitre'd managed our non-reserved roll up. Tiramisu needs someone to ask their Mamma for a better recipe, overall great value & a fun night.
I have so many fond memories at and of Mercadante ranging for over a decade. Good food and good staff. Come for the awesome pizzas but don't leave without trying out the Nutella Pizza - very very unconventional - but so wickedly delicious! And I hope you don't get a heart attack if and when...nah I won't ruin the surprise! Experience it for yourself folks!
Every time I go to Melbourne, this is the first place I go to eat. I love everything about this place. The service has never been anything less than perfect and the staff are so lovely and fun, the owner/manager (I'm not 100% sure) will always come out and chat to us and make sure we are enjoying the food. I always get the calabrese pizza which I just love and the friend I took last time raved about his pasta. Will continue going back here whenever I am in Melbourne.
It takes 40 mins to get the pizza and tap water didn't come.maybe it is for free. The waitress gave us a grumpy face when we didn't order anything not free for drink.
Just visited this place on Friday. Lovely staff, especially the boss! Very friendly and charming.
We arrived just after 1 with a party of 6, luckily there was a table! We ordered a few pastas and 3 pizzas. We were very happy with our food and the boss was very interactive with us. It made the experience amazing and I'd gladly come here again. The prices were very fair too. My favourite dish was the chicken and avocado pizza. Mmmmmm, can't wait to come here again!
Quite enjoyed this place. We even negotiated a free bottle of wine! Just because the wine was quite overpriced in generally. Food was ok. Prefer the pasta over the pizza.
We love Mercadante Woodfire Pizzeria. All the staffs are so friendly particularly the pizza maker, the big guy with so friendly attitude. He even gave our kids a raw material to make a pizza. For sure we will come back.
It's very rare you go back to a restaurant 3 years later and reminisce about that taste and flavour . It's hard to satiate my husband ( whom I wouldn't want to simple refer to as just a foodie) . The quantities are just right , not too much or too little . The Wood fried pizza Is wafer thin,with lots of toppings . The pesto is a from a different world . And the prices are so affordable for the quantity they serve . The only disappointment was the tiramisu ( which was stale ,hard and missable ) .
Melbourne Vegetarian
+3.5
Yum yum yum! Woodfired pizza will never go wrong!
Have to mention that they have the best chocolate pizza ! The best on Lygon st carlton!
Service was good too.
Host Carlos is a practical comic legend! The food ain't bad as well, can't leave without finishing off with the chocolate pizza! Keep up the good work!
Authentic Italian food. Great vegetarian options! We liked both the pizzas and pastas that we ordered. The service is also great. The owner and staff are very friendly and customer focused. Highly recommend!
Good meals, generous portions & the once that we tried this restaurant it was of high quality. The Wood fired Pizza was beautiful, light with fresh toppings. We also ordered a seafood dish of prawns & chicken dish and the food was great. We ended up sharing everything with chips & ceasar salad, between the three of us we walked out so full & happy. We couldnt go past the famous Chocolate pizza, it was amazing with some ice cream, yum! we all shared one because we couldnt fit any more food in but it hit the spot. Probably one of the best chocolate pizzas we have had. so light & not too sweet, just the right amount of sweetness.The owner ended up coming out & chatting to us to see how the food was & it was a breath of fresh air to see someone so successful, still humble & making the time to entertain our kids & have a laugh. Keep up the good work.
Nice pizzas and pasta. I think both are equally as good. Although I didn't find the chocolate pizza unique or special, it was pretty worth it with the 10% MOMU discount.
Excellent pasta, great entre pizzas and bruschetta. Great service. Amazing to dine with friends and family. Recommended.
Best Italian ever!! Customer service matched the quality of the food, will be going back and recommending to everyone we know :)
It was the perfect amount of food for both of us although I could have kept on eating the chocolate pizza all night it was so good! You can't really go wrong with Nutella. The Calabrese was also delicious, I really liked the pizza bases there. The others in our group ordered various pastas and all complimented the food. There was a little bit of a wait for our pizza though, we were all starving as it was around 9:30pm by the time the food started coming out and we had to convince the others to start eating first while we waited for our pizza. It really should come out all together.
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Lovely.. I love it when you access a menu and it features a limitless proposition catering to all breeds of cravings and taste. From pastas, to wood-fired pizzas to mains in the seafood, veal, chicken, steak department and what else have you. As soon as I spotted the Quattro Formaggi distinction of pizza, it was an affirmative- 'twas was a pleasure and a party of dairy supreme. (Extra cheese by request) I categorically adore my Italian-cheese blends. My fiancé nominated his Chicken breast with Cream & Mushroom Sauce and a sustenance of some well-poised seasoning of hot chips. The construction of the mushroom was non-overpowering and complimented the simple homie side salad.The aioli concoction was precisely measured to my ideal creamy emulsification. To the contrary belief of the below reviewer, the Nutella pizza as I see it, embraces a delicious crusty dough in spiral form; submerged in Nutella, with the option of additional whipped cream/ice cream. A little weightless on the dough, and therefore could easily necessitate the lone person to consume in spite of the ‘To share’ advice. Service is punctual notwithstanding robust patrons. The dynamism behind the kitchen is evident and heightens the aura of this family orientated restaurant.
Came here over the school holidays with my kids and my sisters kids. Loved the food!! The woodfired pizzas were the amazing, best I have had. Staff was great and extremely accommodating. Hard to find somewhere with great food and great service but this place has it all! Recommend to everyone!
Amazing food, amazing service, we came here twice, Carlos the owner kept the atmosphere fun and welcoming, must try the pizza! And the Chocolate pizza too! Hands down best Italian joint on Lygon!
Marie-pierre Castellani
+4.5
It s one of the best restaurant in lygon street, I came there one month ago and My husband and I took two pizza , we are italian from napoli and i can tell that the pizza chef is italian :) pizza were fabulous , the boss is funny and the service simpatic. Good memories anyway.
An outing with a group of friends, accompanied by great food & hospitality, what more could you ask for!! A night full of laughs from the owner who played a couple of practical jokes was just what we all needed. We all had a combination of different foods which were great, but their Gnocchi & Chocolate Pizza are a must try!!
Festivus - Exellent. Monty Burns rates this one...........Exelllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllent
calzone and pizzas rocks
place smells invigorating and food matches
Big Eyes For A Big Tummy
+4.5
Pizzas were awesome and the marinara we ordered was fabulous! I normally don't like to eat too much pasta but my tummy was crying for more after my partner and I regrettably shared that marinara. It's a great family restaurant, friendly to kids as they supply drawing pens for them to draw on the paper table cloths. Our new favourite pizza joint, not sure why we never noticed it before.
Authentic pizzeria!. Authentic tasting pizzas (I've eaten many pizzas in Italy so I should know), all the flavours well-balanced and not overwhelming, but very tasty. Service is very friendly, nice comfortable atmosphere even when it was quite packed. Recommended!
Amazing food and good service!. Really yummy Italian food!
The servings are generous and the flavours are beautiful.
Must try the Sinfonia di Mare pasta, one of the best seafood pastas i've had!
Yum!. Yummmy yummmy yummmy... chocolate pizza
Such a lovely vibe this place is ! Pink and cheerful , great for parties too.
Love the yummy pizza with fresh toppings . So generous .
And the pasta so chock full of seafood . Perfect lunch for two and I cannot move after that. Try it and you would love this pizzeria in Carlton .
Tasty Italian cuisine on Lygon st, we ordered a couple of wood fired pizzas and gnocchi. We loved the Salsiccia pizza with pesto base, mozzarella, pork & fennel sausage, red onion, rosemary potato & rocket, perfect combo!! Gnocchi was delicious as well. Staff were friendly, looking forward to coming back.
Arisfoodieadventure_ IG
+5
Enjoyed everything we had from here. Loved having the pizza with chilli oil & with their pasta you are able to choose what type of pasta you would like, and we opted for fettuccini on our Seafood Pasta. It had such generous amount of seafood in it 😊🥰
My favourite ❤️ would have to go to the Chocolate 🍫 pizza!
It was chefs kiss* 😗👌🏻 Never had anything like it!!
Fun, pink, vibrant atmosphere that’s great to catch up with a friend at 🙌🏻 the amount of seafood in the pasta was extremely generous which I’m so glad to see! The team is also full of energy which made the dining experience even better
The prettiest pink restaurant you’ll find in Carlton. Absolutely loved everything we ordered. The pizza was perfectly light and crispy with delicious flavours. Pasta had a good kick of chilli which kept us coming back for more and the Nutella pizza was 100/10! Very good food, friendly team and a relaxed and vibey setting. Will be back for sure.
Sarah Shares Melbourne (sarah.shares.melb)
+5
@mercadante_pizzeria, Carlton 📍This pizzeria is a real contender along the Lygon Street scene! It’s right next to Universal, and their new Pink Facelift makes them hard to miss! ✨✌🏻😍💞💖
All the pizzas we ordered were prepared with care and servings were incredibly generous!! The seafood pasta was ridiculously huge. Flavours also did not disappoint❣️ If you’re after a Pink Pizza Shop to take the girls - look no further for an authentic Italian feast!!!! 💕💖
Their cocktail list is also worth a try! 🍹
Cute pizzeria with pink dominant interior with woodfired oven which translates to great pizza!
We had:
🍝Squid ink Marinara.
Squid Ink pasta, prawns, squids, scallops & mussels.
🌟Olive oil based, perfect for the non-saucy pasta lovers or purists!! generous and juicy seafood. Yumm.
🍕Salsiccia
Pesto base, mozzarella, pork & fennel sausage, red onion, rosemary potato & rocket
🌟Thin base pizza with yummy sausages🤩
Great place for pizza, pasta and drinks with family or friends. Humorous owner😆
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