il Fornaio

During our Melbourne trip, we asked our tour guide for a place in St. Kilda that he would recommend as a local. we wanted something good and not touristy. Although he couldn’t remember the name of this place, he described us the location and said they had great baked goods and coffee. So after wandering around, we were able to find Il-​Fornaio. It was quite busy but we managed to find seating. The place had a hip vibe and we saw some people just having coffee while others eating amazing looking burgers. We had no idea that they served more than just coffee and we really weren’t hungry enough for lunch, at that point. We ended up getting coffee and something sweet to eat. The baked goods were delicious and coffee was pretty good too. I noticed lots of people coming here to get freshly baked bread. Though our experience was rather short, this place definitely made a good first impression. I wish I could go back to sample more of their menu!

Il Fornaio was my second home during the 7 years I lived on Acland St. Great location, amazing coffee, friendly staff, relaxed atmosphere and a menu that is never stale. I miss this place!

Excellent menu with a huge selection of brunch and lunch items. Cheeky names and unique selections. Amazing coffee and you can choose from full cream, rice, soy, almond or chocolate almond milks.
Today I had the Mila Kunis breakfast and it was outstanding. Eat here !

It’s as if they tossed the whole pig in a blender. Avoid the bacon and the ham! Bottom line; if your local, stop in for the great homemade bread and friendly service. Don’t go out of your way for their average coffee.

4.5 star review. Fabulous! What a great find in Unilocal.Hard to find great pancakes but this was a wonderful experience.
Nice outside seating. Very welcoming and attentive staff.
Hot chocolate: it was good, not great. Also the cup it came in was small and that was a turn off.
Pancakes: loved the jam on the pancakes, they are definitely fluffy, but from an American perspective not very filling. Would’ve been great to have 3 instead of 2. If you’re ordering the pancakes make sure to order a side. Always interesting when they give you ice cream with it. Honestly, skip the ice cream and add eggs for the price of what you’re paying for.
2 eggs and toast: you definitely need to add 2 sides to this. Partner had the hash browns which were AWESOME! The eggs were great, the bread didn’t come buttered (?) but overall very very filling meal.
The coolest part is we met the owner Lucca. He had a great personality, very friendly and took the time to chat with us while we were paying.
They take credit card.

If you come here. you must try their little cream donuts (that’s all I had along with a coffee as I was recommended by a friend). They are like no other… It’s almost like it’s a caramel /​dulche de leche type filling that tastes like heaven on earth!

I used to be a regular here, stopping in for coffees, take away fruit toast on the way to work, bigger breakfasts or a killer sandwich after a boozy night out. On those seedy mornings I’d find a spot inside, bury my head in a newspaper, sunglasses firmly planted on my face, and just give the staff that knowing look of «either kill me, or bring me coffee».
Then, I moved and became less of a regular. I forgot how much I loved the friendly staff, the relaxed vibe and the extensive menu with plenty of options for those needing a healthy, filling and/​or greasy brunch. They really cover all the bases here and now, guess what?!
(You’ll never guess)
They’re opening for dinners, offering a wide variety of pizzas and their own homemade cheeses! I have to admire them for going to the effort of bringing in their own cheesemakers and offering something a little different, though I think the menu could be a little shorter so that they could focus on nailing a smaller selection. My tip? Stick to the fresh cheeses — ricotta, scormoza and mozzerella.
Oh, and don’t you dare not have an Aperol Spritz.

Well thank goodness I paid a visit to this café, because hands-​down I devoured the best big breakfast I have ever seen!
With so much love poured into to my big breakfast AKA the ‘Ari Gold’, I forgot there were still cafes out there that cared so much about breakfast food.
Here’s what you’ll find on the plate: a scored cheese kransky, multiple bacon strips, roasted garlic tomatoes, sautéed mushrooms, wilted spinach, poached eggs, whole fried potatoes and grilled sour dough — are you getting the picture?!
Mark ‘The Terrifying Sharptooth’ ordered the ‘Short Stack’ consisting of buttermilk pancakes, smoked bacon and maple with a fried egg — are you drooling yet?!
Not only did the food win us over, but the St Ali coffee blend did too, not to mention they also offer the choice of embracing the ever-​changing ‘Coffee of the Day.‘
This all-​rounder café prides itself on using local and high quality ingredients where you can also purchase house-​made pastries, pies, hand cut pasta and cakes as well as a selection of breads baked daily from Noisette.
The menu is quirky through its play on words, everything edible and drinkable is mouth-​watering, not to mention the prices are absolutely reasonable.
The interior could do with a bit more warmth, but the fundamentals of a café are all there.
Tip: These guys will cater for any occasion.

If I were the richest woman in the world and I could pay the staff of one breakfast café to live and work out of my home (mansion, for the sake of the fantasy), I would choose il Fornaio. Filled with innovation and whimsy, this little St Kilda café is definitely doing something right. It’s pretty obvious on a weekend mid-​morning, when the brunching hopefuls stake out some sidewalk and wait for a table. I was lucky enough to waltz straight in and get a table upon my first visit, and I’ve been a die hard fan ever since.
Now, I realize that breakfast isn’t the end-​all-​be-​all meal for everyone, but I highly suggest that you order some morning fare when at il Fornaio. I say that blindly, however, because I’ve never actually tried the lunch menu. I imagine it’s impeccable.
On my first visit (and subsequently, my second, as well), I ordered the heirloom tomatoes, avocado, ricotta, basil & olive toast. I also added a poached egg ($ 16). The dish is simple, I will give it that, but all ingredients used are fresh and flavourful. The egg was perfectly poached (which I have a newfound appreciation for after trying to do it myself), and the bread was soft and delicious. All things considered, il Fornaio hit it out of the park. The quality of their food mixed with the relaxed café vibe and the über friendly staff make this a definite must-​go-​back spot.

Il Fornaio is beyond a bakery. Quietly propped up on the hill at the beginning of Acland Street, it has a calm beauty to it. It is a popular destination for breakfast in St Kilda and the outdoor seating fills up pretty quickly on the weekend. Best to go early.
Their bread is usually made onsite but as they do renovations, it is supplied by Noisette and absolutely gorgeous, still. The divinely elegant pastries and petite fours are a luxury hard to ignore. Their coffee is just gorgeous as it has to be in this Melbourne location.
It is an ultra modern bakery with a European twist and still manages to be relaxed. A summer day can be the loveliest to sit there with a coffee, a wine, a cake or a pasta.

The olive bread at Il Fornaio is known as being one of the best in town, therefore I had to try it.
I don’t like olives.
Whenever I say that to myself it makes me really upset because I know that I am missing out on something that so many people around the world love. I really want to know what I am missing out on! This is why if something has olives in it and I’m told that «you have to try it», I’ll try it.
I still don’t like olives. Nice try Il Fornaio, nice try. The over powering flavour of olives still runs strong. I had an irresistible Affogato to wash away the flavour. That was great on a beautiful spring day near the beach.