UPDATE IN DECEMBER 2021 What a difference a year makes!! Came back to Caterina's after the latest COVID lockdown for lunch with work colleagues and was absolutely appalled at the service. What was once elegant dining is now marred by inappropriately rude and hostile wait staff! Ok, we were 15 minutes late for our two-hour dining window but that's no reason to berate your customers and make them feel like they've upturned the whole restaurant apple cart!! We had one extra person for our six person booking and were berated even though we politely offered that one of our party would happily opt out. Instead we were faced with a lecture on how busy the staff were and how we'd now have to forego bread plates on the table and have our bread rolls plonked in the middle of the table (as it turns out, the bread rolls were very ordinary anyway!). We were, quite frankly, shocked at the behaviour of the waiter and, had it not been a farewell lunch for a colleague, would have walked out. That terrible staff attitude meant that this was definitely my last visit to this restaurant - which is a bit sad because the food is actually quite good. There are many options for good Italian food in the CBD and Caterina's is now off my go-to list!! ORIGINAL REVIEW IN 2019 DELIGHTFULLY AUTHENTIC ITALIAN CUISINE IN A COZY ENVIRONMENT Dropped in for lunch with a friend - our first visit to the restaurant. From the outside it looks a bit odd (almost as though you entering a church) but once you descend a full flight of stairs you enter a delightful dining room which is a good blend of sophistication and rustic Italian. Staff are very knowledgeable and helpful. The restaurant has a mix of large and small tables. As its on the lower ground floor there is no "table with a view" but there are cozy corners and more open options to choose from. The menu is quite extensive and is nicely complemented by a selection of wines. We elected to have scallops and sardines for entree - delicious and accompanied by a rich sauce. For main course, I had the gnocchi with truffles... delightfully creamy gnocchi and wonderfully flavoursome truffle! My companion had a 3 meat pasta which was equally good (and a very generous serve!). We had a rocket and pear salad to accompany the mains. With a wine each and sparkling water, the bill came to approximately $180.. not cheap but worth it for the quality.

Caterina's is a Melbourne institution and has been here for 28 years. Caterina herself, ageless and full of enthusiasm as she has always been. This is a place for good hearty Italian food. I am amazed by the staff's ability to memorise and rattle off the list of specials (probably longer than the menu!) Good wine list, reasonably priced and Riedel stemware to bring out the best of the wine varietal. And of course, for me, no meal is complete without requesting for a serve of the "Man's Salad" (french fries for those who are wondering). 2 Aug 22. My second visit to Caterina's in 4 weeks. I had the venison special.- absolutely superb! Definitely "5 Stars " service and food quality. Judging from the faces of other diners here, I am sure they would agree too.

I understand the hype - Caterina’s is amazing. I went for a solo lunch the other day and enjoyed a glass of white, some sautéed green beans (which were delicious thanks to lemon and breadcrumbs) and an incredible vegetarian mezzaluna with walnut sauce. I ordered the starter size which was substantial enough for lunch (in my opinion). My only criticisms were that service was a bit slow which wouldn’t normally matter except that I was on a limited lunch break - all in, I was there for nearly 2 hours as I had to wait a bit to take my order. The bread complimentary bread roll I received was also pretty hard but maybe it was meant to be? Otherwise everything was great and I can’t wait to go back.

They only do lunch here but great food and service. I enjoyed the lunch there. They always have nice specials. And I recommend coming here a few times on different days to try out their regular menu and their specials. Nice environment/atmosphere!

Never heard of this place until a friend of my partner’s recommended it to us. Quietly tucked away downstairs, you feel like you’ve escaped to Italy upon arrival. We loved the crowd and we loved the food. Beautiful flavours and generous servings. It didn’t just live up to the hype, it exceeded it. This is definitely one of Melbourne’s best hidden gems.

It was amazing! Great food, perfect temperature, garnished very well and tasting incredible. Highly recommended ❤️

Simply amazing. The decor, the service, the food & the host. Open Monday to Fridays for lunch, they appeal to more then just the suits. This is Italian at it finest. Fully encouraged to embrace the long lunch, we did, We pretty much ate our way through the entrees, sharing as we went, and added a couple of specials too. Unfortunately that didn’t leave much room for mains, but we had the goat and weren’t disappointed. An extensive drinks menu, including some special Italian beers to try. Cannot wait to go back, thank you for a memorable lunch, a perfect way to celebrate our wedding anniversary.

This is a hidden institution for the amazing Italian food that it serves. Located in basement of an old rustic space, the food is just mind blowing. Every single dish is so well curated and prepared with finesse. The hospitality and service is top notch

This is the second time I have had the pleasure of dining at Caterinas. . The place itself is like a museum of eclectic pieces of art. Outside of Italy this is the only “real” Italian restaurant I have ever found. . Caterina herself is an excellent host and you can hear the passion she has for her art and her food in her voice. I could actually go to this place and get her to take me around to her art pieces and listen to the story of what they are and how she acquired them . Then there is the food , what can I say simply superb. I’m from Brisbane I come down regularly to visit my daughter , this will now be our place. If you have not had the pleasure of dining at Caterinas , do it soon. Oh yea , they only do lunch .

A traditional Italian restaurant locates at a cozy lower ground. The service is perfect. The authentic plates were recommended and described by a lady. It is the best lunch in Melbourne CBD.

Che buono! We spent lunch at Caterina’s and it was fabulous. The dishes were just so tasty and delicious and the staff very friendly!

Love visiting this hidden gem when we are in Melbourne. Beautiful decor and ambiance transports you to an authentic Italian trattoria and the highly professional, attentive service that is so rare to find these days in hospitality is just so refreshing. Menu is extensive and everything we had was delicious. Highly recommend.

I just discovered Caterina's Cucina E Bar. I can't believe it has been there for 28 years and I never went there. It is a bit hard to find I admit as it is in a basement but definitely worth it! Brilliant very traditional food, a huge wine list, great atmosphere and friendly staff. They just got their last 2 kgs of morels and I loved my morels linguini!! A beautiful place for lunch in the city, I'll be back soon to try more dishes on the extensive menu. A great find for me!!!

Monday long lunch with my ex-colleague. Real Italiano taste and interior Enjoyed entree - Whip cod - King fish And pasta - Ragu Taliatelle - Prawn spaghetti Perfect matched chardonnay. Thanks catarina and team^^

My husband and I just love this place! I have never seen my husband get emotional over food before!! I hope this Iconic place just keeps going on forever. It is Italian food at its best, served with care and passion. One of the great meals of our life!!!

An Institution for Italian fine dining in Melbourne for lunch, its a destination for Melbourne restaurateurs and hospitality professionals as well as lawyers, Judges and business owners from the CBD.

Delicious lunch as always, super friendly and professional. I ordered off the specials this time, utterly divine 👌👌

In my Top 5 fine dining restaurants!! Amazing food and a vast selection of wine. Exceptional service from staff, manager Tania and Caterina herself. Will definitely go back

I love the atmosphere of Caterina’s. The service team are attentive, experienced and consistent, making it feel comfortable and want you to come back again and again. An authentic Italian Restaurant experience in the heart of Melbourne CBD. I’ll be back!

Caterina’s knows what it wants to be and delivers in spades. Standard Italian fare done well. Sting you on the drinks ($14 Menabreas - are you serious?) but they know their market - large groups not overly worried about where the cost lands - “we’re all having fun right?”. I’d certainly go again but would ask to see the seemingly top secret drinks list before ordering beers. There’s a very good wine list and we stumbled on some good wines for (just) under $100.

A Melbourne institution. The food is exceptional, the setting intimate and beautiful and the service... well it's called hospitality for a reason. Caterina is a true hostess and Elena is absolutely fabulous and an integral part of the team. The restaurant has become a new favourite place and regular lunch spot. I can't wait to continue coming back again and again.

I attended a function at Catarina‘s where there were many people and a couple of groups. The staff were thoughtful and separated our coats into two areas. Unfortunately, a lady who left before me took my coat instead of hers – they were practically the same, except that she had a scarf tucked into a sleeve, and it was in a different area. Tanya, one of the waiting staff members, had the presence of mind to ask the lady to check the jacket, and when the lady mentioned that her scarf was missing, to get a business card from her. Had it been not been for Tanya‘s presence of mind, I would’ve never had my jacket returned to me. I was very impressed by the quality of the service.

Wow, a last minute find but so happy we did. Table for 7 was great and food even better! Wine was well priced and food choices were excellent. Staff knowledgeable and accommodating. A surprisingly great last minute lunch.

Caterina and her team are incredible. The finest ingredients, a team of dedicated chefs. Service and ambiance is perfection.

Best lunchtime experience in Melbourne - the food and wine are divine! Caterina and her fabulous team make it an experience you won't forget! Highly recommend, 10/10!

I went to this outstanding restaurant 2 weeks ago for the first time after hearing about it for many years and it exceeded my expectations. From the outside you’re unsure what’s inside but I found terrific, extremely helpful and very friendly waiters, excellent wine list and the food was superb! I even paid the bill for two of my colleagues😂 I’ll definitely be back as I’d love to try some of the other delicious sounding menu items. Thank you for a great experience!

Forget about the hyped up Melbourne restaurants... this is the true Melbourne institution of Italian food. For those who have experienced the real soul of Italy, this a is place where you will rediscover it here in Australia. Caterina's soul emanates from every nook and cranny of the rustic dining room, which transports you to Italy for the afternoon. True Veneto cuisine served with an extra splash of love in every dish. A foodies delight, which is exceptional in every way. A special thanks to Caterina herself which shows us her heart every time we visit. Thank you for showing Melbourne what being Italian is all about.

Hidden below ground level this restaurant is amazing. From the moment you enter you receive excellent service from knowledgeable staff. The tables are well spaced and you are spoiled for choice with the extensive menu. All our dishes were attractively presented and delicious - we can't wait to go back!

Caterina's Restaurant feels like being in a beautiful bubble. It's magical. So many little details. We loved our lunch at Caterina's today and I would recommend this place to everyone I know. We tried different wines by the glass and they all where incredibly good. The manager Elena recommended matching wines with what we ordered. Grazie Caterina and staff for today 🙏

Well, I would have liked to have experienced Caterina's Cucina but they cancelled our booking for Monday. We booked over a month ago via Fork and I had two phone calls from them this afternoon telling me that I had to confirm our numbers, 6, and agree to a $50 per person surcharge for anyone that didn't turn up. I told them I would check with my friends and confirm in a day or so. None of these conditions had been communicated to us in the month that we'd had the booking. They called twice to lecture and berate me about our booking, the second call I had to listen to two people berating me. Because I couldn't confirm numbers immediately, and reasonably wanted a day or so to confer with my friends, they cancelled our booking. I got the feeling that they had other plans for Monday and wanted us to cancel. I understand that restaurants have had it tough over lockdowns and they're trying to make up for it now with the high demand they have for their tables, but the way I was treated today is not acceptable. If I could give zero stars I would because I wouldn't recommend them based on the contact I had with them today.

We thoroughly enjoyed our lunch at Caterina's. It was so good to see the City coming to life again and restaurants open. The staff were so friendly and attentive. Nothing was to much trouble. The lady that served us knew all the dishes on the menu and recommended some great choices to us . The gnocchi was the best I have had in a long time. We cant wait to go back. I would love to try the other dishes but it will be hard not to have that gnocchi again.

A lovely place for an unforgettable dining experience. The staff are polite and the service is exceptional. The food was excellent. Highly recommended. I must mention the coffee. A beautiful silky brew that complements the biscuits served.

Honestly!!! I am in awe🔥. Been to many restaurants so far that have amazing food but this place is just 1000 times above the rest! Their food is sublime and authentic however its the service that makes it better!! I haven’t met staff that’s this informed about every ingredient that goes in each dish. I am a pastry chef and Caterina’s is the epitome of what hospitality is and always should be. Thanks n I’ll be back soon.