Emilia reviews the ‘next big restaurant’ in Melbourne’s south-east

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Good people, soulful food and an abundance of hospitality experience make for the perfect recipe for the next big restaurant. If you haven’t heard about it yet it’s because they haven’t done any advertising.

Having only been open for seven months, their owner Massimo was the general manager at the southside institution, Cafe e Cucina on Chapel Street for 10 years so he certainly knows what he’s doing.

They’ve left the last seven months for the word to travel via locals and friends of locals.

When the restaurant is this good, word travels fast.

Diego, our waiter for the night, was charismatic and oozing with knowledge from the moment we stepped in. He taught me how to properly identify a Chianti Classico and ended the night with a complimentary dessert wine. A delight from start to end. 

The fit out was done entirely by the three owners, Massimo, his wife Sarah and the chef Sebastian at the restaurant. The Campari poster as you walk in is Massimo’s from his home.

As a handbag designer, Sarah designed the fit out and of course you get Sebastian’s beautiful touches in all the food.

Their personal touches, love and passion are so obviously weaved through every part of the restaurant. The name of the restaurant is derivative of mothers yelling out, “a tavola!” meaning, “to table” where family will gather, eat and celebrate.

Thanks to Diego’s fabulous recommendation, we started with the Vignole Chianti Classico, a gorgeous drop. 

For the food, we started with a meat and cheese board and arancini. I fittingly took my mum to this review – she’s fussy, let me assure you. She said the prawn arancini was the best she’s ever had. Apparently, arancini is normally tasteless rice dripping in oil and breadcrumbs. Not this one though; flavourful, crispy and much more bite sized than the big slabs she normally hates. 

For mains we loaded the table up on pastas – Linguine alla pescatora; mussels, prawns, pippis, octopus and calamari in perfect quantities and the rigatoni al ragu d’agnello.

Disclaimer of photos – I tried the gluten-free pasta and was blown away. Some of the best gluten-free pasta going around Melbourne. Also tried the cotoletta, broccolini, fries and insalata di rucola.

If you aren’t already feeling full just hearing this, leave room for dessert because it really won us over; affogato, limoncello, cannoli and panna cotta.

Mum’s comment on the affogato was that it was “proper”, strong, good coffee, topped with Frangelico and ice cream – it’s like an adult spider from last week.

The cannoli was topped and tailed by chocolate and pistachio but the dessert winner of the night had to be the passionfruit topped panna cotta. The panna cotta was ultimately creamy, I could eat it out of a tub like ice cream.

It was a little pricier than your average suburban Italian joint, but that’s because it’s not just your normal Italian joint, this is bound to become one restaurant people in the south-east will travel for.

Try and book two or so days ahead as the space is small. We did get in on the night but once people get a whiff of this place they’ll be booked out!

Tavola 

309 Centre Road

Bentleigh