Cicciolina

Stopped at place on recommendation from a local, Kristine from the Outlet store a couple of doors down. Her exact words were “all the other places in the area are tourist traps, this is the only place us locals will go to”. That was enough for me and my husband so we made a stop there for lunch. GREAT food! The burrata salad was phenomenal, and the chicken parfait was to die for. My husband had the fried sardines (I’m not a sardine girl but he swears by them), and the sauce they had them over was very good. We sat outside watching the life go by at St. Kilda, but the inside of the restaurant was very elegant and quite larger than it looks from outside. Had a really lovely experience here, highly recommend if you’re in the area 💕

Dined in the back bar, loved the ambiance, music selections, dim lighting, and overall vibe of the space. Sat in a booth, dinner and dessert was amazing! Happy to have stumbled into this alley-way gem. :)

Wonderful and very friendly service by the ladies (apologies as I didn't get their names). We ordered separate dishes (spag bol, gnocchi and veg pasta) and these were delivered within 10 minutes of the order. But no compromise on taste. Portions were generous. Highly recommended.

Surprisingly delicious and unique meal. Couldn’t fault anything that we ate. The blue cod arancini was perfect, squid ink pasta one of the nicest pastas I’ve eaten. Really lovely meal out and such lovely service, highly recommend

We went to this fabulous restaurant to celebrate a family milestone and I’m so glad that we did. The service is amazing - we had Sarah take great care of us during our stay. She guided us through the menu and was very attentive and friendly after that. The food was fantastic and full of flavour - the serves were generous so much so that we each took half the plates home. We had a wonderful meal at this terrific restaurant.

Enjoyed a birthday lunch with my daughter. The restaurant is warm & inviting. Staff are friendly & efficient. A mouth watering menu & great wine list. The food was fabulous & I throughly enjoyed the 3 courses.

a fully deserved 5/5 stars. Had a faultless experience here. The food was phenomenal, beautiful choice of wines, the staff were so kind and attentive, and the restuarant has a really nice vibe. We didn’t get our servers name but she was blonde, and definitely does a shout out. Lisa was also very accommodating. Fantastic work guys thank you

Service was amazing! Those ladies made you feel they genuinely cared about you. They were able to make well-informed suggestions as they were familiar with the food. The food was lovely, but super over priced.

After time in the 100F heat, I was just planning on a nice glass of wine in a cool environment The staff were so lovely (excellent wine guidance) and the wine (and food) so divine I stayed much longer than intended! Highly recommend everything I enjoyed: Oysters (with a perfect mignonette) Kingfish crudo (I did run out of jalapeño slices because I included them in each bite - was delicious even without) And the surprise was how amazing the Cos salad was - for any Americans, Cos seems to be heart of romaine - the combination of the goat feta, fresh mint, fresh peas, red onion... all WITH the Chalmers Pecorino 2021 was just incredible. To a person the staff were so welcoming and were clearly passionate about the excellent fare - I have logged this in my travel diary as a place I must return to on my next visit!

Been wanting to try this for a very long time, but as there's no reservations, the wait for dinner was always 2hours+ when I'd show up. But walking past yesterday at about 2pm, we were able to pop in for lunch. Cicciolina offers a nice, quiet Italian respite from otherwise loud and chaotic Acland Street. It has a variety of meats and pasta dishes, and starters etc. We got a seafood risotto, a mushroom pasta dish, a rocket salad, and some red wine. It was all really yummy, and we enjoyed our meal and convo. However I do not believe it to be exceptional or justified for its pricing, especially given it is way on the pricier end of things ($40+ steak, $30 pastas etc). I also certainly wouldn't wait over an hour to eat here. At the end of the day, the place is a bit rundown, and some of the servers are exceptionally rude and talk AT you rather than with you. However, all in all, it does have some nice Italian for Acland Street, and offers a nice change of atmosphere. I would return here given similar circumstances, but I certainly wouldn't race back or recommend people go out of their way to try it or anything.

Cicciolina has been around since 1993 with Chef Virginia Redmon in charge of the cuisines. The restaurant divided into three seperate areas; dining, bar and private dining for 10-20 people. love their vongole to the max

Great food, all dishes were served at the right time with a friendly smile. Only minor complaint was that it's quite noisy when busy, due to hard surface walls and floor. If it's warm enough I'd recommend alfresco. Loved it!

So good in so many ways. I have a rule when it comes to eating out; no queuing, well except maybe for thy thy 1, but that's a different story. This rule as a consequence has meant that I've not had the opportunity to eat here. So when I realised I was going to be in the area, early afternoon to early evening, I left one venue and met my wife for dinner here. We walked in and had a table straight away, a scarcity I'm told, hence the early arrival. What an excellent meal, great service without being pushy; or condescending. I had chicken dumpling broth, Spaghettini with Prawns and Apple Tartine. All beautifully presented and tasting divine. It's been a long time since I've had such and all round exceptional experience at a restaurant in Melbourne. To quote 'The Governator', "I'll be back".

Fantastic lunch here today. Lovely space, sensational food and great service. Nothing much more you'd ever want to be honest. Entrees magnificent. Barramundi main truly wonderful. Hard to know what to highlight as every part was good. The fish itself, the cous cous, the asparagus, the mussels - etc, etc. Wonderful wine list too. What a fabulous restaurant, and what a great day.

Start with a Campari in the back bar to ease you in the the evening. Perhaps a bowl of warm olives, or a plate of perfectly round arancini that have the distinct zing of fresh herbs and lemon zest mixed in with the cheesy rice goodness? Yes, do it. When a table in the restaurant is ready, you will be ushered in, marched quickly down the outside lane to get between the two. Most tables feel intimate - as if you have been tucked away in a little nook ready for an evening of secret discussions. It's warm and cosy and the service is attentive but not over the top. The steaks are perfectly cooked and come with enough accompaniments so you don't need to rely on sides to feel like you're hitting all your food groups. I like that they serve mustard in little dishes, rather than throwing it on your plate as other restaurants do. But the best bit? The epic wine list that is as much fun for me to read as it is to order from. There's a wide price range and plenty of European bottles to match the food. Served in appropriate glassware, it really makes an evening here a winner in my books.

One of the top Italian places in Melbourne. First if the bat is their famous sticky date pudding. It's a 20 year old recipe and tastes amazing. I can literally drink the butterscotch sauce it comes with. Always amazing food and specials change all the time. Can be a bit pricey but well worth it.

Serious excellence especially when you don't have to wait for a table. The crab soufflé was so good we were lapping up the sauce with extra bread. my lobster ravioli didn't taste like lobster but was still pretty good. The Italian wine I had for $52 was fantastic. Service was great. We split the venison main and they brought out two plates with equal sides. I thought it was Both original and delicious with the juniper berry crust and when I made a suggestion for another sauce they brought it out within two minutes - now that's service with a smile. First time I have left a fat tip since the USA.

Though this is not a every day type place I have been fortunate enough to celebrate a few special occasions here. Delicious Italian food and fantastic wine selection make this one of the stand out st Kilda restaurants for years now. It's easily one of the best Italian restaurants In Melbourne. The service is As you would expect from a fine dining establishment like this one. The waiters are mature and know their menu and wine selection inside out. The have all been doing this for a long time and are proud of what they serve and happy to explain the menu or make suggestions. Being vegetarian I do not often have problems in melbourne finding good non-meat options however the (very) few options this place offers are terrific. I wouldn't go so far as to say they have exceptional vegetarian food but when I went with a vegan on one occasion they were still able to cater. Though I wouldn't go here often (pricey) the handful of times I have been have been very nice.

One of my all time favourite restaurants. Wholesome, beautiful Italian type food and friendly staff. I keep going back to this place. It has never dropped its standards over the years. Tuna carpaccio still delicious. The 'honey cream' that makes an appearance in various desserts seasonally might be what ambrosia tastes like. Drinks are great with a nice wine list and full bar. Yes that means cocktails. Yum.

This place truly lived up to the hype. Chalkboard menu, Really well executed, super fresh dishes, big flavor and great service. Had a "saltimbocca" dish that while being a little rarer than I would normally like was none-the less awesome. Would definitely go back.

This was a great meal, where not one dish let me down. I shared the scollops, tuna carpaccio, polenta, salmon spaghetti and pork ragu. The polenta was fantastic served with pea pure and fennel! The service was great and the means were brought out perfectly timed and ordered which always contributes to an enjoyable dining experience. The serving sizes were very generous and brought out in two bowls as our waiter new we were sharing Would definitely recommend!

Fabulous lunch, perfect Aperol Spritzer to start and a glass of good Italian Prosecco. The risotto with asparagus and hazelnuts could not be faulted. There were delicious sounding desserts but the peach and nectarines poached in Prosecco with pistachio praline and red berry sorbet won me over. The macchiato was a real caffeine hit. Service was friendly and efficient and well paced.

Don't visit this restaurant in winter They turn off heating early we'll before all customers have left

Been going here 10 years never disappoints. Same menu mostly but the specials board always changes . i agree the sticky date is out of this world. Creme brûlée also worthy mention. Just get there early

Classic. Back bar. Still can spot old st kilda musos etc. Spag Bol and pot special on Monday is epic - 20 bucks (that's like 2 cents in an expensive city like Melbourne).

Ah may zing!! Impossible to get a seat, but if you get one of these hens teeth its well worth the wait.

We had to wait a REALLY long time for a table but the food was excellent. They let you sit next door in their bar until a seat opens up, and the bartender ushers you over. The pasta dish was so good! And we had an entree of some sort, I think carpaccio. On the pricier side but well worth it if you want excellent food.

I am about to make a very big call. Ready for it? This is my favourite restaurant. There, I said it! It's a bold thing to say nowadays when there is so much variety and competition, however Cicciolina in St Kilda has been my favourite restaurant for the last ten years and continues to remain so. I was first introduced to the cosy elegance by a friend, who was taking me out for dinner. I have always looked longingly at the crisp, white table cloths and yellowish low lighting. A diamond in the rough on Acland Street. Subtle nudes adorn the walls and the waiters have that perfect air of justifiable arrogance. I proceeded to order a steak, well done. My friend 'K', stopped me and demanded I try it rare. He was buying the meal so I obliged. A top class restaurant is the place to try new things and needless to say, I have never eaten well done again. Everything is right in this establishment, the 200 wines, the exquisite souffle, the steak. They put a back bar in a few years ago, genius idea as you can't book, but you can go and while away an hour or so drinking the finest, smoothest red whilst you wait for that coveted table.

Absolutely gorgeous restaurant. Great atmosphere, really delicious gourmet menu and friendly staff. Really enjoyed our night out here.

A consistent Favourite!! I love this place all season round from warm and cosy nights to cooling down in summer. Great start to the night is a drink in the backbar and move your way into restaurant when your table is ready. The steak, fish of the day and trusty salmon, leek and caper pasta tend to rotate as favourites. What stands out is the staff, they have been there for as long as I can remember and conduct themselves with smooth professional, warmth and hospitality. Go...gather your loved one/s now and immerse yourself in a soulful experience thats like a bit of home.