Review Tonda Italian - Preston

Preston should be very lucky to have a beautiful, authentic Italian restaurant like this. Home made pastas melt in your mouth, tasty pizzas and focaccias, great food all around. Excellent atmosphere and impeccable service. The primary woman leading the floor was so wonderful. Highly recommended 👍👍👍👍👍👍

Overall the taste is good but the pasta. Pasta is way too over cooked and soft. Even when it’s fresh, all pasta stuck together and extremely soft. Quite disappointed on it. The sauce is not bad though.

I cannot get enough of the food at this beautiful restaurant! Not only are the staff friendly and wonderful , the food is amazing !! Every time , it’s constant delicious Italian food , huge portions and very reasonable price !! The staff can’t do enough for you and nothing is an effort or problem for them . The deserts are also amazing ! The atmosphere is so lovely and inviting also !! If could give more then 5 stars ⭐️ I would !! If you haven’t tried this little gem in Preston your missing out !!!

Second time dining at this restaurant. Our friend took us here the first time, we ordered pasta and pizza and thoroughly enjoyed it. This time we had steak and a "Seafood platter" which they build up with seafood of your choice. We were WOWed! Thanks so much to Alister, the waiter who served us! Your recommendations were spot on and your service was meticulous ☺☺

Honestly best Italian food I've had in a very long time. The fresh homemade pasta is seriously so delicious. Service is so welcoming and warm. You can tell everything is made with so much love. Such a great vibe. Make sure you book in advance because they book out very quickly. Do yourself a favor and get the tiramisu! Yummy! 10/10

Scrumptious food, great service and down to earth atmosphere! Will be going back again to introduce others to this fine establishment.

Every time I come to Tonda it never disappoints. The antipasto platter is a must and I always struggle to choose from the amazing pasta dishes. I highly recommend the seafood pasta. Lisa and her team always provide amazing food and service. Best Italian in Melbourne!

Stuffed gnocchi was amazing and the young waiter who attended to us was lovely. All of our food was delicious and sticky date pudding was incredible. Majority of staff are super friendly with the exception of one - sorry but it's not nice to be ignored while standing in the doorway waiting to be seated and then have the eftpos shoved in your face while leaving to pay.

We celebrated 20yrs wedding anniversary at Tonda last Friday night. A big thankyou to Lisa for making our night extra special. the food was amazing. with beautiful display of antipasto as we arrived. Fresh and mouth watering. the best calamari and arrancini balls. the best service by Lisa and her staff. Definetly recommend Tonda Italian. cheers Caroline and Charles

What an amazing experience! The food was absolutely amazing. The staff were incredible and the host Lisa was awesome. I can’t recommend this place highly enough. We had dinner here last night and didn’t want to leave! The fresh home made pasta was delicious and the pizza was tremendous! The best Italian food I have EVER had! Thank you Lisa and the staff for making our first Tonda experience unbelievable. We will definitely be back!!!

The food and atmosphere is always great here. Always greeted with a warm smile and the staff really make you feel at home. The best pizza bases we have ever eaten in melbourne and because my partner is a coeliac they were very accomodating. The replacement gluten free pizza bases were exceptional so we will definitely be back again. Id say our new local hang out place now.

Thank you Tonda for a fantastic authentic meal and excellent service. I highly recommend this place if you love good traditional food, in a classy but relaxed atmosphere. The spaghetti, was to die for �

Amazing restaurant! My family & I were there celebrating my belated 50th birthday & the Food was incredible but the highlight was the staff. Liza and her gorgeous staff who were sooo accommodating & welcoming. Highly recommend!!!!Can’t wait to go back.

What a hidden gem in Preston. Food was amazing. The host Lisa was excellent as well as our waitress Greta Will definitely be coming back. Don’t forget to try the cannoli they are to die for !!

Highly recommend this restaurant! Best Italian restaurant in the north. OMG, the Food was soo delicious and the customer service, on point! �

Looking for somewhere new to celebrate our 46th Wedding Anniversary - walked past Tonda Italian on our way home and decided to give it a try - the rest is history, we have found our little piece of heaven - the food WOW ! super delicious, Bruschetta 3 ways, Baby Clamari, Spaghettini, Pappardelle with lamb ragu, all fantastico ! Haven't had Italian this good since the early 70's. The staff and atmosphere are great. Just brilliant ! Bringing the family soon !! Cathy & Chas

It’s all about the customer service and quality of food old food. We celebrated my mums birthday and left speechless! Amazing amazing amazing!! I highly recommend this restaurant. Well done guys. Simply class and quality! �

Best Italian food in Melbourne, Liza is the best hostess you will ever meet , she will go out of her way to make sure you enjoy your experience, best tiramisu and the antipasto omg Woop woop �

The family and I had a fantastic meal here tonight. The home made pasta set the spaghetti marinara above any I've had before. The baby calamari was perfectly cooked and the pizzas were great! The semi freddo was a massive hit with everyone and the Tiramisu, which is my favourite dessert, was the best I've had. The coffee was also really good. I will definitely cone back.

Had a great meal staff friendly & service second to none highly recommend

If you truly want to experience the most Magnificent and authenticity of its Italian culture, then you must come to TONDA ! With flowing cured meats and antipasto boards dripping with delectable and mouth watering pieces from the motherland . Crusty pizza’s to fluffy pillows of gnocchi pasta and let’s not forget mamas pink pavlova to die for BTW!<br/>It’s soft ambience and generosity of hosts and food! Then this food gem is a beauty ! They also have the most creative & delightful jam packed Mini essentials Nook in store to support you and your family ! From food items to face masks, etc...<br/>So do your self a favour and GO GO GO !!!!<br/>Booking is required as they are bursting at the entrance seems to get in !<br/>Gracie Lisa. Michael, Papa, Mama & Rebecca<br/><br/>Mary 🍷<br/>

We ordered Tonda delivery and fantastic service.<br/><br/>We absolutely loved the dishes - filled gnocchi with truffle cream, spaghetti marinara and a prosciutto pizza.<br/><br/>Growing up eating Italian dishes regularly at home and at grandparents, I loved how authentic the flavours were.<br/><br/>Amazing dishes, perfect.<br/><br/>Will definitely be ordering again and dining in when possible.

In January my boyfriend and I dined in for the first time and instantly loved the pizzas (mushroom and i think pork), calamari and polenta chips. We told our friends how good it was and still rave on when someone asks where the best pizza is. So I decided to book for a few friends in the outdoor area the next month for my birthday- our friends enjoyed it. During COVID we ordered takeaway pizza to have a date night in, best decision ever because we cant fault the service and supporting local businesses during a hard time.

We visited Tonda Italian for dinner last night and it was really good. The food was fresh and tasty and service was super friendly. Loved the atmosphere... very comfortable and the type of place you could sit at for hours sipping on wine and eating dish after dish of proper Italian food. We had the lamb ragu pasta (perfection), pear, balsamic and cheese salad and the lamb pizza. All dishes were full of flavour but the pasta was the hit of the night. So light and moreish. Can’t wait to visit again :)

We dined at Tonda just before the restrictions came in and unfortunately found both our spaghetti dishes to be quite bland. They were very generous on the scampi which was great, but I would’ve loved more flavour in the pasta sauce. The garlic bread pizza was huge and very good.

The service is great! Love the fairy light's in the restaurant😍. The lamb ragu never disappoints, great Italian food! The only thing I'd have to say desserts are pricey here and the wine could be better.

Have been wanting to try this local restaurant after hearing great reviews about it, and it didnt disappoint! From the minute my husband and I walked in, we were greeted with friendly and welcoming staff which always makes a great first impression. The food was beautiful, fresh, tasty and just enough. My husband had one of the specials which was a t bone steak, and it was cooked perfectly. Great food with fantastic service so will definitely be recommending to family and friends :)

Love the food, very attentive and great service! I will be back soon 👍🏻

I attended Tonda with my parents and I was impressed with the whole night. The staff was friendly and warm and the atmosphere was relaxed and welcoming<br/><br/>We had the bruschetta and the arancini for entrée. I loved the arancini. They were small but so full of flavour.<br/><br/>I had the stuffed gnocchi for main. Amazing! So light so full of flavour but not too rich and overpowering. My parents had the gnocchi with Napoli sauce and the risotto Pescatore. Both were amazing.<br/><br/>To Finish off we had the blood orange gelato for dessert. So refreshing and a great way to end the meal<br/><br/>Its a local restaurant that is well worth your time and money. I will be back to try that gnocchi with the Napoli and the dessert menu for sure!

AMAYZING! Some of the best Italian food in Melbourne. Service great. Wine list fabulous.

I have read great reviews about this place , I booked one month in advanced and finally i went there for dinner and was i disappointed... first we were seated at the back , looked like a converted shed turned restaurant, they had 2 stand heaters to attempt to keep there customers warm but being a cold night this was very uncomfortable.. i did not expect this.. not the best start to the night.. I ordered there famous antipasto , nothing special, i have had better antipasto platters which were much cheaper and more of it and nothing but the best quality, then I ordered the gnocchi with napoli sauce, they were so tough and just coated with napoli sauce, not enough napoli sauce as i would expect from a popular dish such as gnocchi.. i had enough at this point.. i have been to plenty of italian restaurants which i have returned to eat but this unfortunately will not be one of them.. i come from an Italian family so i know good Italian food when i see/eat it..

Greeted by Lisa and immediately felt like we were with family. Started with and Aperol Spritz , on the house , followed by a beautiful antipasto platter. <br/>The Spaghettina with Granchio was the popular dish , so simply went with the flow . Absolutely no regrets. It was delicious. The pasta could be a bit more ‘. Al dente ‘ but this didn’t lessen the quality of the dish. <br/>Dessert was a share platter and the Pavlova in particular , was beautifully presented. <br/>All in all , we loved it and will be back with a bigger party. <br/>Grazie Lisa. A presto.

first time here on a friend's recommendation, let's start with the anti pasto platter WOW! so feesh, absolutely cannot fault it, then we had the bruschetta 3 ways, again fresh beautiful so much flavor.<br/>for mains we had the specials baked salmon & veg & the mussels.<br/>salmon was cooked to perfection veggies were still tender & crisp, mussels had that fresh ocean taste with a beautiful simple sauce, also had the garlic n rosemary potatoes which were nothing special however the green beans OMG so good.<br/>now on for dessert, chocolate mousse so light & fluffy one of the best ever had, Mum's Pav very nice again just another Pav, & the grand finale the Tiramisu has to be second best in Melbourne!<br/><br/>As for the staff Rebecca the head waitress such a beautiful approachable person, the owner/head chef took his time out to have a good 10 minute conversation with us at our table, all staff members were extremely tentative cannot fault anything on our experience here and most definitely coming back on a regular basis.<br/><br/>Thank you so much for making our evening a night to remember.

We loved everything about Tonda!! From the warm welcome to the friendly chats, the beautiful cute atmosphere.. and then the amazing, delicious food!! It’s no wonder it’s a winner! Thanks Liza for making us welcome.. service & food 10/10!! Our new fave!

Their home made pastas are so good, the texture of the pasta is so good and the sauce is so fresh and tasty. Also the pizza is so delicious. Will definitely come back again to try something else.

I had been wanting to try this place for a while and it definitely lived up to our expectations! Authentic Italian food. Full of flavour and gluten free pizza base was just great! Staff were lovely and service was good. Would definitely go back. Unfortunately couldn’t take photos of all our food as we just dived in.

Unbelievable little establishment in the suburbs!<br/>I’m a local in the area and would no longer have traditional Italian food anywhere else<br/>Fell in love with the joint so much so I proposed to my now fiancé there, which now makes us have an emotional attachment to the place to now<br/>Lisa and the girls are doing such a good job, and it no longer feels like a restraunt it feels like family!<br/>5/5

Great traditional Italian food with excellent service which is hard to find. We were 10 people in total in the courtyard. Although it was NY eve, timing wasn’t impacted and the wine variety was awesome.

Attended for function as a guest. I'd heard great reviews and was looking forward to trying out the food at Tonda. Well I was not disappointed!! The antipasto 'boards' across the tables were laden with fresh salumi, cheese and other delights. As a main, I chose the Spaghettini with Moreton Bay bugs and it was devine. The pasta was a generous serving, had great flavours and the 8 bay bugs though a little on the small, were full of flavour. My husband had the porterhouse steak which was cooked perfectly. The mains are a little pricey but definitely worth it.  If you're looking for good, Italian home cooked food, give Tonda a try. The staff were very pleasant, friendly and very accommodating. My only issue was the split system - we couldn't get a happy medium with the cold air but the staff did try. Look forward to seeing you again, Tonda.

Tonda Italian is a wonderfully understated and unassuming restaurant. It’s warm, inviting and has a lovely “homely” feel to it. The food is delicious and so cleverly presented. The staff are very friendly. <br/>I ordered the bruschetta trio for starters, what a lovely surprise! Main meal was the stuffed gnocchi. Thoroughly enjoyable! Saving the best for last... dessert! I’m unashamedly particular about Tiramisu (Backstory: the bar was set for me a good couple of decades ago when I first ate my friend’s grandma’s homemade Tiramisu! She’s from Udine, north eastern Italy and the recipe is a guarded family secret. Needless to say, I was in heaven!). With some trepidation, I ordered Mamma’s Tiramisu. I figured that since the starter and main course didn’t disappoint, the chances of getting served an over-soaked liqueur and coffee laden mess were going to be pretty slim! I hit the jackpot! Probably the nicest Tiramisu I’ve tasted in a restaurant this side of town since having my tastebuds first tantalised all those years ago by Nonna Clozza! All up, a very enjoyable dining experience, I’m definitely going back for seconds!!

Went for Dinner with a friend and although the place was nice and staff were friendly we were a bit disappointed. We ordered the stuffed Gnocchi and 6 round pieces arrived on our plate for $27. The potato was stiff (not light and fluffy) an overall edible dish but not great by any means and over priced. The dessert of bombolini (little  doughnuts) was nice but drowned in caramel syrup which made it impossible to eat without feeling sick. I would recommend not ordering those two dishes but everything else served was delicious. The other disappointing part was they closed the front doors and you entered via the side gate just so they could squash in as many people into the restaurant as possible. It was very cold with drafts coming in from these doors and customers trying to open the front doors until they realised it was locked and to go around the side. Not a comfortable eating environment. I would suggest that rather than trying to squash in as many customers as possible that the place simply does not overbook. Uses the correct door for entry, turns the heater up on cold evenings and allows enough space so that their customers can have room to enjoy their meal.

I love this place. Great food and service. Lisa and her team are friendly and hospitable. They make the most unique and delicious gnocchi “cakes@. Thank you guys!

I quite enjoyed my dinner at Tonda. A friend and I shared a calzone, zucchini flowers with Gorgonzola cheese and a salumi platter. Everything was pretty delicious. Service is friendly, a bit too easy going and relaxed. I haven’t had pasta or mains, I’ll leave those for another time!

So glad I found this place, the food was 10/10, very tasty and authentic... annoyed I didn’t discover this sooner. My only complaint is that one of the owners/ managers (female) was very moody and somewhat impacted the family friendly vibe in the restaurant. Also $12 for 3 tiny meatballs for the kids is way too much $$$ I believe this needs to be reviewed. Despite this I would return as the great food outweighs the cranky lady and expensive meatballs.

Love this place!<br/>Beautiful Italian food.<br/>Great atmosphere.<br/>Good customer service.<br/>Very fancy Italian restaurant for down in Preston! Food makes you feel like you're in Lygon st!<br/>Definitely coming back 🇮🇹

We had an excellent family night out at Tonda. Staff were fabulous, attentive and lovely. The food was spot on, homemade gnocchi was just like my nonnas! Pizza was excellent. The desserts were so yummy and perfect size for sharing. Really great food and atmosphere.

Lil gem in the North side ,real authentic Italian cuisine ,nice atmospheres and rustic deco the only downside is a little chill temperature inside the restaurant for Melbourne winter so I have to keep my scarf on while eating . We tried baby calamari for starter, Margherita Pizza &prosciutto pizza for main. Pizzas was decent size and thin crispy base which is excellent . Calamari tastes fresh and delicious . Will b back to try more dishes. Recommended !!

Went here for a Tuesday night catch up with friends and what a gem this place is ! <br/>We ordered a couple of pizzas and the salmon and was extremely pleased with all our meals. The pizzas were cooked to perfection (not too doughy and not sloppy and the salmon was cooked to perfection)<br/>The antipasta platter is a must. All the cheeses and meats were fresh.<br/>The service was wonderful and everyone was so pleasant. Great local and hope they do well as their reviews are well deserved ! Keep up the great work !

Not only was the food absolutely amazing but the atmosphere was one that I haven’t experienced often. It was so homey and comfortable that we could have sat for endless hours and talked. Cannot recommend this place enough..

It's was our first time at Tonda and found the Staff members Liz and Rebecca to be fantastic. They were both so welcoming and very friendly. The woodfire pizza's were delicious and the food from the kitchen just as nice. We had the deconstructed pavlova for dessert which was spectacular and big enough to share. By the time we left I felt like I was saying good bye to old friends. Thanks for a great night ladies, we will defiantly be back for MORE!!!!

We celebrated my dad's 70th birthday here last night and it was a perfect evening. <br/>Originally we'd planned on going to Sonny's Bottega nearby because I'd been there before but in the end settled on Tonda as it seemed more inviting for all ages. So glad we did. If you're after Italian in the Northern Suburbs, you can't beat it. They manage to perfectly balance quality service with rustic charm. They welcomed my dad with a kiss hello like he was family and that pretty much set the mood for the evening. The food was awesome too, especially the antipasti platters they put together for us. Our party of eleven had a great night out and the oldies are already saying they want to go back. I can't say enough good things about these guys.

Excellent service and friendly atmosphere. Great food, will definitely be going back. Very traditional and loved the lemonchello. Highly recommended.

Just had a pizza delivered with uber eats. It's delicious, I can't fault it. I'm happy to have a great local option when there are so many average pizzas out there! Recommend. Cheers Tonda !

Came here for dinner on a Friday night, didn’t make a booking to which the waitress was quite rude about and told us we had to sit outside. Which we were happy to do anyway. Besides the rude customer service at the start of our experience, we enjoyed the wood fired pizza and pasta. Will definitely make a booking next time tho lol.

Great food ! Great Service. Make you feel like part of their family. Highly recommend the Baby Calamari and Stuffed Gnocchi with stuffed porcini mushrooms and truffle cream sauce has to be a signature dish and fresh ingredients! Dessert Tiramisù so light and delicious. Great local gem in Preston.

Great food and amazing service! Recommend the seafood spaghetti, can’t wait to return and try other dishes. Very homely vibe which I love :)

As soon as we stepped into the place we couldn’t believe how noisy it was. Definetly not a place to catch up with friends as I found myself constantly yelling. Something needs to be done about the acoustics. Pizzas are fantastic, antipasto was amazing but the pasta ragu was tasteless and the sauce was watery. We found the food over priced and the beers are were far too expensive. We won’t be back.

Spaghettini was very delicious !! Definitely coming back sometime soon! Would rather a tomato base like a marinara though.. Friendly staff & Great atmosphere

Had a lovely antipasto platter then shared four nice different pastas, the big let down was the dessert ,tasteless dry donuts smothered in extra sweet sauce  even the strawberries were smothered , no tiramisu on menu come on that screams italian , would go back but skip the deserts

Tonda is an authentic family run business that serves up amazing delicious Italian food . They make you feel like family as soon as you walk in right until you walk out. The dishes I had were the anitpasto board- which is not just gorgeous but huge ! I also had the parpadelle pasta and also the mushroom risotto which were all cooked al dente and full of flavour . I ended the night off with the canolis and HOLY CANOLI it was amazing,  they took me back to Italy! I cannot wait to return and bring the rest of my friends and family to enjoy this restaurant

Best Italian in the inner North! Thank you Lisa and the crew, salmon with prawns scallops and a bisque.. Creamy and zest! Love it. Give these guys a go

Updated Review 20/04/2018 <br/>Tonda continues to be a gem in Preston for their authentic Italian dishes. <br/>We came in for a traditional Italian dinner and we started off with stuffed zucchini flowers which were lovely. This was washed down with a beautiful house red. Normally I do not tend to go for house wines but our lovely waitress recommended it. After we let the red breathe we took a few sips and there was no stopping us! <br/>My friend and I both opted for the gnocchi and boy this dish did not disappoint. The gnocchi is made by the owners grandpa and all I can say is that it was heavenly. <br/>Every gnocchi seemed to be made with passion as every mouthful was amazing. <br/>My partner opted for the garlic and cheese pizza and this was delicious. The base was light and the combination of cheese and garlic was superb. <br/>Thank you again Tonda for a fantastic dining experience, you really looked after us and it was so great to see the restaurant full again and everyone enjoying their food. <br/>Here is a restaurant where food and service is oozing with passion! <br/><br/>Tonda is an authentic Italian restaurant, meaning you get authentic tasty Italian food. The first course was an amazing serving of antipasto served on a paddle board. Most of the food on the platter was made inhouse from the prosciutto to the bread. The antipasto board also had a delicious selection of pickles, marinated roast vegetables, cheese, olives & salami. The antipasto was a generous serving and good value, which we shared amongst 3 people. Next we had the Salsiccia pizza which had tomato, fior di latte, pork sausage and friarielli from what we usually order. The pappardelle was house made and so light. The slow cooked lamb shoulder was delicious and tender.<br/><br/>Tonda is a fabulous addition to Preston, its a great family restaurant, its always busy and its great to see people enjoying their food.

We visited Tonda on a Saturday night with a large group and it was bustling! Service was attentive and friendly. The food was nice, we ordered the antipasto platter, scallop risotto and pizza. <br/><br/>It was quite loud when we visited on a Saturday night, so if you want to have a conversation be prepared to yell.

The quality of food and service is fantastic. What a great Italian gem for Preston. We had the ragu, calabrese and capricossa. Delicious and highly recommend Tonda! All the best guys!

A great addition to Preston. The food was amazing and so fresh. The service was first class. Very reasonably priced and great quality food. The interior was classy and well done up.

AMAZING! I cannot speak more highly of Tonda. From the most delicious authentic Italian to the warm reception and service provided by staff. I felt like family the second I walked in the door. The food took me back to the pastas in Rome and Pizza in Florence. Definitely try the Arancini as well. Thank you Tonda, we will be back ASAP.

Thought we would try this place as it looked super busy! We ordered pizza and the spaghetti & meatballs. The pasta sauce was authentic and tasted just like nonnas! Pizza was cooked to perfection with the right amount of topping. Will definitely be back!

I brought my girlfriend here for date night after it was recommended by a couple of friends and we were extremely impressed! <br/><br/>We had the calamari, homemade gnocchi, prosciutto and gamberetti pizzas and it was all delicious. <br/><br/>We were treated like members of the family by Liza. She was very attentive and knowledgeable. <br/><br/>The restaurant is fresh and well setup, with an open kitchen which created a fun and buzzing ambience. <br/><br/>We will definitely be back to try the rest of the menu. I highly recommend this restaurant for an authentic Italian feast.

Amazing food very fresh delicious. Great size portions. The service is amazing warm and friendly - highly recommend! Will make this a regular.

Amazing food with amazing service. The waitresses are very knowledgeable. The ambiance is fantastic. Would definitely recommend this to friends and family!

Came with friends and was pleasantly surprised to say the least. The gnocchi entree stuffed with caramelised onion spinach and truffle paste was sensational. The bruschetta III ways was also very tasty. Fresh ingredients were a stand out on the yummy pizzas. Service was also attentive and friendly. Will be definitely coming again!!

Got takeaway from here tonight and the food was amazing! We ordered the rucola salad, spaghetti with meatballs and the prosciutto pizza. Couldn't fault any of it. The pasta was especially delicious - very authentic (was the closest thing to my Nonna's pasta that I have ever had at a restaurant). So happy to have a new local!

Had a beautiful meal with friends at this newly opened restaurant. The pasta and the bread are made on the premises. We shared calzone, marinara and pizza. It was the best Italian food I have eaten. The service was exceptional and the Italian beer was great. We will be back. A classy addition to the Preston dinning scene.

Fantastic authentic Italian food & amazing service. <br/>I shared a pasta & pizza with my husband we chose the spaghettini which had prawns, clamps & scallops with a hint of chilli. The pasta was homemade & cooked to perfection. The pizza was amazing too, the base was thin but crispy, we chose the Calabrese if you like hot, this is highly recommended. Nutella calzone for dessert was the perfect way to end the night. Will definitely be recommending to family & friends!!

New kid on the block! The food was awesome! The quality was excellent. Great ambience and staff were super friendly!! Highly recommend. Will definitely be returning!!