We love this place. It’s within walking distance of our home. The service is very friendly and efficient. Pleasant environment. The food is never disappointing and the prices are reasonable. Our only reluctant criticism is that on occasion the pizzas can be soggy in the centre which is disappointing as they taste great. Salads are a standout.
The closest gnocchi I have had to my nonnas, no one makes gnocchi like nonna! But I Carusi II do. My partner had the Margherita pizza which I may have stole a slice of and it was heaven.
Cute neighbourhood gem in St Kilda. Small intimate dining area but not too cramped. You can see straight into the kitchen. Food comes out fast and is hot and tasty. Good service.
Amazing Italian pizzas! Not your typical Aussie or USA style pizza which is even better. Other food options such as pasta are also great. It is a little squishy in there but the food is worth it
Authenticity Italian with amazing pizza and a social vibe. I only just recently discovered this place earlier this year but it is now one of my favourite pizzas in Melbourne.
The service is a little inconsistent but the PIZZA. MY LORD. would come back even if the service was bad every time haha we love this place. The cocktails are nice too.
Hungry Little Dinosaur
+5
I love this place. This is the best pizza, forget about Baby, Gradi, +39. This is the best pizza. I have been coming here for years and eating the same Prosciutto pizza which is how I discovered my love of goats cheese.
Six years later, pizza is still incredible and hits the spot every time. Staff are still a hit or a miss, usually a miss though.
Came here for a friend's birthday with 5 others. Was a little hard to fit all our meals on the table. Sizes of the pizza is good but is a little expensive for the quality you receive. Would also be nice if the pizzas could come pre-cut to avoid knives scraping on plates and finger cramps from pressing so hard. Service was nice though.
Little Jerry Seinfeld
+4.5
Excellent ambience, customer service and most of all, food! Can highly recommend any of the available salads. More importantly, the pizza is outstanding. We had the Romana, Quattro Formaggi, Caprese and the Pizza for a Friend. All of them were huge servings and of very high quality. Will definitely be back.
Definitely in my top 3 restaurants in St.Kilda. The pizza base is absolutely amazing, 'pizza for a friend' is my go-to choice with a carafe of red wine. The ambience is lovely and with authentic Italian's working here. Definitely recommend this place, book ahead to secure your spot. Perfecto!
I Carusi is definitely a gem! The pizzas are always light and packed with fresh toppings. The entree polenta chips and antipasto board are also favourites. Would certainly recommend.
This is definitely a local fave for me and always a great place to meet up with friends for pizza and a carafe or two of chianti. The food is consistently good and the service is consistently good. This place is always busy and justifiably so.
Food is absolutely delicious. I had the zucchini pasta with prawns and it was beautiful. My boyfriend had the pasta special and it was also amazing. Perfect spot for a date. Plenty of atmosphere and lovely setting.
Great Pizzas, great gnocchi. Quality Italian food. I love this place for a solid pizza on a Sunday, the dough is perfection. This place has always satisfied me. Great little cozy place for a dinner on a warmish night too
Absolutely amazing.
Very sweet exterior; quant, intimate interior.
Fantastic experience.
I Carusi II pays attention to detail; from the small candle and the small vase of flowers on each table right down to the lime slice in my drink giving it a nice tang.
All waiters are attentive, polite and friendly.
The food is absolutely delicious - we both ordered pizzas. HIGHLY recommend the calzoncino for dessert as well!
I cannot fault a thing! Great job, keep up the good work!
A true European style Italian restaurant that makes you feel welcome the moment you are greeted by a warm smiling hostess. The food is lovely and the wine by the carafe makes for a great evening out.
Great pizzas. It's all about the ingredients and the quality of the (thin) base. Authentic Italian pizzas among the best in Melbourne. However, if you want a stuffed crust and toppings entombed in industrial grade cheese, this place isn't for you.
I Carusi 2 is a great little pizza restaurant, the small premises is a just a minute walk from the hustle and bustle of Acland street. The interior is cosy, and minimally decorated with a great ambiance. The main pull for this restaurant is the pizza. Their menu offers a great variety of pizza, with good portion sizes and for the quality of the pizza I would say affordable prices. I would definitely recommend the potato pizza, with a thin base, well cooked potatoes and the perfect amount of caramelised onions this pizza is an absolute winner! I'd recommend booking in advance as there are not many seats available. I've also ordered pizza via their online booking system which worked great!
Best pizza! The buffalina 👌🏽👌🏽👌🏽 Very authentic and the staff are great as well. Takeaway is just as consistently good. Must go to for anyone in the area or visiting.
Highly rate this place for pizza. The pizza is always cooked to perfection and the sauce is next level. I recommend the buffalina with prosciutto. This is the sister cafe to Sorsi & Morsi. This place is great Sorsi & Morsi not so much.
My favourite pizzas in St Kilda. Healthy products, great taste! Good wine selection as well. I used to get there very often for take aways or dining in. Never disappointed. The staff is very friendly and helpful - sometimes going beyond what's expected (ex: one waitress walked my daughter to the bathroom as I was busy with my other child).
I recommend!
Emmanuelle Trémolet Le Pape
+5
J'adore ! Very good dishes made with the good products, very good price.
Thank you I Carusi II. During all these years in Melbourne, we regularly had dinner at I Carusi II and we never had been disappointed. The pizza are delicious and digestive (not too fat, not too big, made with good products). The wines match well with the Italian cuisine. The team is lovely. We also had takeaway pizzas and the children just "adore" it! I miss a lot the pear and chocolate pizza. Bravo à toute l'équipe.
Cute little pizza place that was recommended by a local! We had the broccoli and the potato pizza! Really light base which we loved! The broccoli was a tad boring, very bland flavours with a kick now and then from the chilli. The potato pizza was delicious!! It had drops of sweet onion relish delightfully placed over the cooked-to-perfection slices of potato covered in herbs. I would definitely recommend this pizza!!
Great atmosphere, intimate and cosy. All in all a positive dining experience, alla moda Di guiseppe pizza was delicious, however broccoli pizza lacked any flavour. Not a large range of vegetarian options, very limited. Pizzas were a good size- could share 1 between 2 females.
I organised to have my 14 year olds birthday party here. It was amazing - the chef made a real effort and made a stupendous chocolate mousse cake, the pizzas thrilled the crowd of hard-to-please young teenagers and, best of all, we grown ups had a glass of something plus dinner discreetly out of sight of our progeny (though within supervision range). The staff were fantastic with looking after the table(s) and everyone left very happy. I can thoroughly recommend this cool, friendly little pizza place that uses only fresh ingredients with (for the teenager of whatever age- in your life)- ample serves. As an aside, they seamlessly provided for 1 person with a gluten intolerance and the coffee, it must be said, is excellent.
This is a little gem and i'm glad i finally got there after driving past it forever!
It is a genuine Italian restaurant (they even speak the language) and the menu oozes authentic Italian flavours. There is limited seating which adds to the cosy atmosphere so i suggest booking in advance.
The menu was dense with options and made it hard choosing just one. After much deliberation i settled on the homemade Gnocchi Bolognaise. It tasted amazing but i could have done with a bigger serve. We also had a mushroom pizza which was seriously one of the best I've had. I think i might have to head back and just work my way through the incredible pizzas on offer. Thin base, fresh ingredients and tasted impeccable!
To finish us off the Gelato Trio and the Affogato were both spot on. Rate this joint right up there!
I absolutely adore the broccoli pizza covered in chilli at this place as well as the ever delightful waitress who tells you, "this is how they make it in my village!!"
I go to i Carusi all the time and love it. Best pizza in Melbourne!
Fantastic Pizza! This is my 'go-to' place for a really cool and casual dinner. The staff are always very friendly and accommodating and the food is so fresh. Love this place!
Lovely!. The Morton Bay Bug pizza is delicious, the atmosphere is lovely. We have been many times and always look forward to it.
Definitely worth visiting!
Delicious pizza. Nice little cosy restaurant with great pizza. Crispy base, beautiful tomato sauce and fresh toppings, yum!
the most important way of discerning a ‘great’ as opposed to ‘good’ pizza is by testing their Margherita. If one can master the flavourful simplicity of this dish then one has founded a true base for all good pizzas, I Carusi II is an example of this.
Please Sir Can I Have Some More
+4.5
What's more romantic than sharing a meal, stunningly simple antipasto to begin, a substantial serving of meat, vegetables, olives and crunchy herb bread. The eggplant and capsicum has been roasted so it melts in your mouth.
I distinctly remember three things happening on the first day I was in Naples. (And yes I know it's actually Napoli when in Italy or you are a speaker of that beautiful language; but I am in Melbourne and not one of those annoying people that need to drop
Go for fantastic thin based pizzas packed with flavour at I Carusi II (St Kilda), Ladro (Collingwood) or Mr Wolf (St Kilda). Any of these give London's Franco Manca a serious run for its money and come out easily on top in my opinion.
Authentic and delicious. Have eaten here twice. Food is authentic and top quAlity. Reminds me of dining in Italy. Highly recommend this place... So much better than any of the glitzy crap u find on acland at
Love it, great food and great wine. For all these years we have been coming here, it just keeps getting better. Pizza is great, wine too, location awesome. And love what they did with Sorsi e Morsi!
Authentic and delicious pizza/pasta!. I love this place. Just moved to the area and am looking forward to many more dinners here. Everything is made by hand from scratch and tastes like Italy. Friendly service and homely decor. My kinda place. Thank you St Kilda for having I Carusi II!
Great pizza, great pasta. We shared the gourmet cured meat plate (ask where it's from for a good story), the gnocchi ragù and the alla moda di Mario pizza and a bottle of Barbera. Then a night cap in Sorsi e Morsi round the corner. It was all delicious, the perfect night for us. Thanks to the beautiful staff for making us feel like we were in Italy!
Great wood fired pizzas and quality hand made pastas... fantastic little place!
Great Pizzas!. Pizzas fantastic - fresh from Italy service is nice and funny! Staff are fun. Interesting & pleasant wine list
Great pizza from great people. What I love the most about this place is the people behind it, the passion put into each dish is so strong, you can taste it. We had a Giggi (mushroom and truffle) and the gnocchi ragù, everything is made from scratch, our waitress was very helpful and took the time to tell us a few stories behind the dishes. Considering all this, it's nice to still find it's still on the cheap side.
I recommend it, I'm becoming one of their regulars!
Authentic and delicious. What a wonderful place, you walk in and you forget you're in St Kilda. Delicious pizzas, good italian wine, warm atmosphere, simple recipe for a great night (waitresses very helpful with decision making). And Italians everywhere, which makes you feel you're in on a secret... We had a spritz beforehand at adjoining bar Sorsi e Morsi, which seems to come straight out of a movie, what a gorgeous place.
Will be back for sure!
Delish. Better than pizza in Rome! Defo recommend this place!
Best pizza I've ever had - so so delicious. Awesome vibe to dine in albeit a little crowded. Love watching the boys work their magic with the dough! Everything's so fresh and authentic.
Best pizza in town. So good for so long. Highly recommend... Everything!
I've been here several times and each visit is a treat. Possibly the best non wood fired pizzas I've eaten. Even the normally stodgy quattro formaggio pizza here seems light and leaves you craving for more. The staff, often Italian, are friendly and cheerful and any shortcomings like the tight seating arrangement are easily overlooked.
GREAT PIZZA, cool atmosphere. We came after work on a weekday quite late, and had a great night of pizza and carafe wine. It may get hectic at peak times but we dined a bit later and were not in a hurry. Being pizza chasers, we have tried the Brunswick I Carusi as well, not to mention most of the woodfired pizza restaurants in Melbourne, and I think this one hits the spot! I prefer it to the Brunswick one, including the atmosphere. It is loud but the bar upstairs looks like fun too! I liked the exposed wooden features of the interior!
Loud....but!!!. “Excellent food, nice atmosphere and great staff. No complaints.
Great traditional pizzas!! Quality ingredients on a nice thin crust base.
Used the online booking system. Worked great. The pizzas were great. The menu somewhat overwhelming with the amount of choice! Had the banana and honey pizza for dessert - highly recommended.
Ambience was pretty noisy but added to the atmosphere.
Great bar for function. I was invited here for a function last week and we had a fantastic night, the food was fresh and tasty, really authentic (Giggi was my personnal favourite) and the waitress/barman was amazing and looked after us really well. We had great cocktails too. I will be back for sure to taste some more of the menu.
Awesome pizzas! Managed to get a table on valentines day evening for a late dinner they served up pizza in the shape of a heart which I thought was a pretty cute touch to the cheesy 'holiday'
This is how I would imagine pizza would be italy. Thin base, not overloaded, crispy, high quality toppings. I have been here many times and always consistantly good. The dessert pizzas are to die for, peach and white chocolate...mmm...
Outstanding. Possibly the best pizza in Melbourne (except for I Carusi One haha). The ambiance is great and service was prompt; but everyone comes for the pizza. It's because of this: they let the ingredients speak for itself and have perfected the base in the authentic, old Italian fashion. Simplicity. Perfection.
Good pizza cosy but not posh. Went here on a Sunday, it was very busy, tables are very close together so you can even get chatting to the couple next to you! I had the mozerella pizza and it was amazing, and the wine was really reasonable and very easy to drink. The chocolate calzone was a bit burnt though and yes the toilets are nothing fancy, but great for a local eaterie.
Devine. A truly great pizza experience. couldnt ask for more. delicious.
Delicious traditional pizza. Really good simple italian pizzas done excellently. Great dinner place, not too expensive, good atmosphere traditional italian food.
Fantastic pizza. Was the best pizza I've had in a long time. Highly recommend this place
Great pizza. Had takeaway pizza from here twice - both excellent. Thin and crispy base, flavoursome tomato sauce and fresh, wholesome toppings. Decent prices too - pizzas all under $20.
Great pizza, great spritz, and amazing desert! I will be back for sure, it's not often your craving for pizza is perfectly satisfied, they are so tasty (we shared a few), and to me the restaurant has got that perfect warmth for a night out with friends.
Went here for my 2 year anniversary with my partner and it was such a nice experience. We were well looked after by the staff, who put us in a nice spot and even shouted a desert for our special occasion. The food itself was phenomenal, and I can not recommend the bruschetta enough.
The BEST pizza I've had in Australia. Hands down. Could not recommend it more! If you've not tried the food here, get down for an experience in your mouth like no other!
The focaccia was just amazing!! Fresh ingredients and the dough was also fantastic.
The beef brisket croquettes were also pretty good.
On the other hand, the risotto was undercooked. I understand that risotto is a hard dish to make, but for $30 I was expecting more.
The desert was the big winner of the night!! Amazing caramel brownies!! 😋
Great cosy Italian with authentic dining options! Good spot for a date, with a niche selection of wine that pair well with food.
Pizzas are great
Gnocchi is great
Tiramisu is great.
Staff are friendly and very professional/hospitable.
Highly recommended, even on weeknights.
Just ate at I Carusi II tonight after wanting to try for so long and boy we were not disappointed !!! Despite only having 1 staff member working the floor due to the current staff shortages I assume, the guy on shift was absolutely amazing! He was welcoming and recommended a great pizza for us. We had the bruschetta with mozz and prosciutto to start and then the lasagne and a pizza and it was bloody unreal. Such authentic and tasty food. So so so impressed! This little romantic Italian has made my top 5 restaurants in Melbourne! Thank you so much !!!!
Lovely authentic Italian food, gorgeous service and a cosy atmosphere.
Noah and his team went above and beyond to make our large order happen, on time, and was absolutely delicious. Amazing team and amazing food. Thank you
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