Forno 88 — Restaurant in Melbourne

We visited Forno 88 and were absolutely blown away! To start, we had the Arancini Bolognese and Garlic Focaccia. The arancini were sooo good — crispy on the outside and perfectly creamy inside. The garlic focaccia struck that perfect balance of crunchy yet soft and doughy, bursting with flavour in every bite. For mains, we tried the Lasagne and the Gnocchi al Tartufo. The lasagne was definitely not your standard “from the supermarket” kind — it tasted completely homemade, with rich layers of meat and cheese that melted in your mouth. I would 1000% recommend it! The Gnocchi al Tartufo was also incredible — soft, delicate, and full of truffle flavour. I’m usually not a gnocchi fan, but this dish completely changed my mind. I’ll definitely be ordering it again next time! For dessert, we couldn’t resist the Nutella Pizza and the Cannoli. The Nutella Pizza was delicious — they’re definitely not stingy with the Nutella here (unlike so many other places!). The cannoli was also a lovely surprise; I don’t usually go for cannoli, but this one was absolute perfection. The space itself is on the smaller side, but we actually loved that — it made the atmosphere feel cosy and relaxed without being too noisy.

Overall, we absolutely loved every minute of our visit. Whether you’re dining in or grabbing takeaway, Forno 88 is definitely worth it. Thank you to the team — we’ll be back soon to try more...

My husband and I visited this new Italian restaurant yesterday and we were genuinely so impressed - such a gem!! From the moment we arrived, the service was exceptional: warm, friendly and genuine.

Now, the food - truly something special. We started with the pizza (Tartufo), and it was easily one of the best authentic Italian pizzas we’ve had in Melbourne (and we tried a lot!) The crust was light and thin, perfectly blistered from the wood-fired oven, and had that beautiful chew you only get from proper dough. The toppings were thoughtfully balanced, no ingredient overwhelmed the other, and the flavours were spot on. It tasted just like the pizza we had on our last trip to Italy.

For pasta, we had Gnocchi Sorrentina, with the gnocchi being freshly hand made, cooked to perfection with a rich sauce, well-seasoned, and comforting in all the right ways. It’s rare to find a place where both the pizza and pasta are this good. For dessert, we had an exceptional Panna Cotta, which was the perfect end to an authentic Italian meal 🇮🇹

Beyond the food, the atmosphere is lovely - warm and inviting, with a genuine sense of hospitality that makes you feel like a guest in someone’s home. You can tell this place was opened with heart.

It’s a beautiful addition to Melbourne’s food scene, and I have no doubt it’s going to become a favourite for many. We’re already planning...

Just what this area needed! From the moment we walked in, the aroma of freshly baked pizza and rich Italian sauces hit us, and we knew we were in for something special. Could immediately tell this place was the real deal – the staff behind the counter were chatting in Italian, and it genuinely felt like, if you closed your eyes, you could’ve been in a cozy trattoria somewhere in Rome.

We tried both the pizza and pasta, and they were absolutely spot on. The pizza had that perfect wood-fired crust and fresh, quality toppings. The pasta was just as impressive – rich, hearty, and clearly made with care. Really proper, authentic Italian, infinitely better than the average take away pizzas on this side of town.

And the best part? The value. For such authentic Italian dishes, the prices were very reasonable – great quality without breaking the bank.

These guys have nailed it on all fronts – food, atmosphere, and experience. We’ll definitely be back....