Cognoscenti Food & Wine — Restaurant in Melbourne

ORDERED: 🍞 Wood-fired flat bread, whipped ricotta, Za’atar, Mt Zero olive oil ($8.00) 🦪 Wood-fired oyster, Nduja, honey, sherry & lime butter ($6.50)

🧆 Sweet corn & cheddar croquettes, confit garlic aioli (3 per serve) ($16.00) 🦐 BBQ butterflied Queensland leader prawns, smoked chilli butter, fried curry leaves (4 per serve) ($27.00) 🐟 Saddletail Snapper crudo, mandarin & kombu dressing, avocado, pickled fennel ($24.00)

🍚 Prawn & Saffron risotto, mascarpone, lime, dill & crispy capers ($34.00) 🐟 Crispy skin Humpty Doo Barramundi, fire roasted summer vegetables, green oil ($41.00) 🦆 Roasted corn-fed duck breast, honey glazed parsnips, charred greens, cherry gastric sauce ($56.00) 🥕 Blistered carrots, dill yoghurt, lemon maple dressing, crunchy seeds ($12.00) 🍟 Crispy potato chips, rosemary salt, confit garlic aioli ($12.00)

It was $56.60 for my portion (which included a public holiday and card surcharge)

REVIEW: 💖 My favourites from Cognoscenti were the prawns and the risotto! The prawns are gigantic, and the BBQ really brings out its sweetness with a nice charcoal flavour backing it up. 🔥 The shell is almost crispy enough to bite through in some areas. But if you want to avoid the limbs poking up at you, then you can definitely scrape the meat out. It’s split in half for you as well! I appreciate the staff for accommodating an extra 2 prawns so everyone on the table could have one each. 🧡 The other favourite for me was the risotto. 💛 It was deceptively simple, but the creaminess and subtle flavours in the risotto made it a genuinely enjoyable dish. Split between 6, it was enough of a small sample to keep it fragrant and delicious, without feeling waterlogged by the creaminess that I get from finishing other risottos.

❌ My least favourite was the snapper crudo. Awkwardly, it had a piece of skin still attached (!!) which turned some refreshing bites into a chewy moment as it warmed in your mouth. Not quite the way you make crudo, but all the elements of the sauce were nice.

The service was pretty friendly, and the staff were on point on keeping our waters topped up. You can also park behind the Woolies (plenty of parking) if you were to end up in Belgrave...

Cognoscenti Food & Wine is our absolute go-to in Belgrave — a local gem where every visit feels special. Whether we’re celebrating something big, taking our families out for a lovely dinner, or simply enjoying a cozy date night, this place never disappoints. It strikes the perfect balance of elegance and warmth, and every time we leave with smiles and full hearts.

The service is consistently impeccable — professional, attentive, and always delivered with genuine warmth. You’re never rushed, yet everything runs smoothly, and the staff are incredibly knowledgeable when it comes to both food and wine.

We have our must-haves every time: the bread and fresh oysters. The bread is always beautifully baked, served warm with perfect accompaniments, and the oysters? Absolutely stunning — fresh, clean, and briny, they’re worth every bite and set the tone for an exceptional meal.

Every dish we’ve tried over our many visits has been cooked to perfection — thoughtfully presented, full of flavour, and clearly made with care. From seasonal specials to their signature mains, the menu is consistently excellent and showcases local produce at its best.

Their wine selection is extensive and well-curated, making it easy to find the perfect glass or bottle to match your meal. The staff are more than happy to help with pairing suggestions, and we’ve discovered some incredible wines through them.

Not to be missed are their cocktails, which are expertly made and on par with Melbourne’s best. Balanced, creative, and full of personality — they’re a brilliant way to start (or end) your evening.

Cognoscenti is more than just a restaurant — it’s an experience. One that’s consistently memorable, delicious, and deeply satisfying. A true treasure in the hills, and one we’ll continue returning to,...

The reviews are on the mark. This place is fine dining done deceptively simple. The ingredient quality, skill level, seasoning thought are all top level. I say simple because the dishes are not over complex, at least on reading the menu. But they are simply perfect.

Atmosphere was date night on our Sunday night visit. Couple, couple, couple, repeat. Service prompt and friendly.

The veggo egg plant and the pork belly both superb. Basque cheesecake and creme brulee also perfect.

A few minor gripes. Portions for mains (yet not desserts) are small and you might need to order a couple of sides. We chose some chips, but the order didn't 'go through'. On asking they came out with a nice apology after the mains. Good chips. Ordered some exceptional carrots to go with them, but by then the timing was all out. It would have been nice to have the chips comped along with the apology. Minor gripe. Mistakes happen

Also, the dishes are superbly sauced. It would be nice to have a piece of bread to compliment the small servings and allow mopping up the sauces made at such effort. Tempted to lick my plate and sad to leave the superb effort on the dish.

They do specials a couple of nights a week and a Sunday roast for not a lot. We'll try that out.

Prices are relatively low given the quality and reflecting the location, although I'd like to see a little more on the plate. If I were ordering again I think I'd have the eggplant main, and then (or even with) the the pork belly all to myself :)). But small mains and add-ons is the modem way :((

Highly recommended. Absolute quality dining...