Argento Cucina — Restaurant in Melbourne

Wow! What a complete disappointment this place was. I almost can't comprehend the high reviews of this restaurant. Where to start? We arrived and there was a massive group dining, making it really difficult for us to hear each other talking over the noise of the group. We ordered quickly, hoping to get away from the noise as soon as possible. At the half an hour mark, we asked where our food was... We were told it was five minutes away... We waited another ten minutes. This may have been okay if the food was decent. The mushroom risotto was meant to be a "medley" but consisted mainly of cheap white mushroom slices. The risotto itself was soggy and exceptionally bland. We ended up adding loads of salt just to make it palatable. The puttanesca had not a single olive or caper in sight as the menu suggested it would and to be honest, we've made better at home. The only redeeming factor was the man serving us, who really tried his best to redeem the experience for us. Overall, would never go back and cannot recommend. Go to High Street in Northcote instead and save yourself the pain...

The staff were friendly but not very organised. When we started ordering we were told things like "I will have to check on that" and "we do not actually have that." A few of the main meals on the menu were not available which made it seem like they were either not prepared or not willing to cook them.

I played it safe and went with a chicken parmigiana. The flavour was fine but the chicken itself was tough to cut, hard to chew, and grainy. Someone else ordered the beef and we went halves. At first they were happy with it but then were surprised and annoyed when they tried the chicken and were angry I had not said anything. When I tried the beef it was amazing at first, tender and full of flavour, but just under halfway through I hit a huge piece of fat that was almost inedible.

Overall the service felt a little off, especially since they did not mention the unavailable menu items when we first sat down. When leaving the staff were cheerful and smiling, but that may have been because our group spent...

Absolutely in love with this place — and the food!

From the moment we arrived, the warm, cosy atmosphere made us feel right at home. The staff were so welcoming and friendly, and the chef even came out to say hello — it honestly felt like we were being looked after by family.

The food was incredible, with generous portions across the board. We started with the arancini, polpette (meatballs), and calamari, and couldn’t fault a single dish. Everything was fresh, full of flavour, and beautifully prepared.

As someone who can’t eat dairy or gluten (the struggle is real!), I was so impressed by how many options were available. It’s rare to feel this well looked after!

Three of us ordered pasta and lasagne, and I had the rump steak (GF and DF). Again — generous, delicious, and beautifully cooked.

Even the coffee was a highlight. They made a fantastic latte, and it’s genuinely hard to find anything to fault.

P.S. If you ever add a gluten- and dairy-free dessert, I’ll be...