Harley & Rose — Restaurant in Melbourne

Excellent menu of original dishes that constantly amaze. 7 side dishes for $49 including a pizza. I would probably do 7 dishes rather than the pizza. The cod dip, beetroot, octopus with chips, croquette are exceptional. Lamb ham, salami and broccoli was ok. Pipi pizza was sweet.

Update 050424 Cod dip is still amazing. Some things on the paper menu were missing on the mobile menu so had to order and pay for those separately which was a bit confusing. The octopus entree has changed to a salad with boiled potatoes instead. Much preferred the previous version with crisps. Aperol pritz and Pimm's cup were light refreshing and still had a decent alcohol punch without the taste. The croquettes have been very inconsistent in size the 5 or 6 times we've tried it in the past two years. Sometimes it's for small cubes. Other times it's 4 finger length pieces. Spicy pistachios were overly salty and had a mushy texture with very little flavour of pistachio left. Strangely taste a bit like chicken wings too. Will try the broccoli salad next time with the lemon and almond cream.

Update 080924 Cod dip is still a great staple. Lots of favourites no longer on menu though including honey croquette and mussel/ octopus entree. Croquette now comes with a spicy marinara sauce which was tasty but not very spicy at all. Tried the beef carpaccio. Tasted somewhat like fatty tuna sashimi with the horseradish and pesto like sauce. Artichoke pizza was yummy and had the awesome black garlic flavour. Pizza was a tiny bit on the doughy side.

Mandarin margarita was a little on the sweet side. Preferred their previous chilli margarita. Order the sour twice. First was amazing with creamy texture and muted mix of flavours. Second was a bit too sour. Chilli negroni was on point with spice and booziness. Arnold cocktail was like a refreshing old fashioned with the lemonade.

Some items not on the online menu so had to manually order. So unfortunately kept the servers waiting being the last customers at 10pm on a Saturday sitting outside. We hung around to chat thinking that we've already paid for everything through the QR order and had all cutlery cleared. But they were waiting for us to pay for the manual orders....

Harley and Rose has been my go-to since it first opened its doors, a comforting beacon in the ever-evolving landscape of Melbourne's food scene. This place has a soul, and it’s in every slice of their fantastic pizzas. The pepperoni? A greasy, cheesy slice of heaven. The dough? Usually a masterclass in texture—chewy yet crisp—but on my last visit, they did manage to char the bottom. No biggie, though. With their cod dip on hand, even a singed crust gets a second chance at glory.

Then there's the eggplant-based pizza, a culinary wonder that makes you forget meat even exists. The chopped broccoli salad is another surprise, a verdant symphony that refreshes and delights. And let's not forget their negroni, mixed to perfection, cutting through the richness of the meal with a bitter, citrusy punch. Oh, and did I mention they have a bottle shop? Because they do, and it’s a godsend.

The squid ink pasta is a dark, delicious dish that leaves an indelible mark on your taste buds, a testament to the kitchen's versatility.

But here’s where it gets a bit murky. The service. Once upon a time, the staff at Harley and Rose greeted you like an old friend. Now, the smiles seem a tad forced, the warmth a bit manufactured. It’s like the soul of the place has been diluted by the constant turnover of staff. The camaraderie that once filled the air has been replaced by a mechanical politeness. It’s a damn shame.

Yet, despite these shifts, Harley and Rose remains a sanctuary for me. The food is still exceptional, a reminder of why I fell in love with the place in the first place. Sure, the service could use a shot of its old charm, but as long as the pizzas keep coming out of that oven, I’ll keep coming back. Because at the end of the day, few things in life are as forgiving—or as fulfilling—as a great slice of pizza, even if it’s a...

Been to Harley & Rose a couple of times now. First time had the Wagyu Bresaola (great), Linguine Marinara (okay), Milk Chocolate Panna Cotta (good), and Limoncello Sour (yum).

This time I tried the Devilled Egg and the Roast Pork Shank, with an Amaretto Sour.

The Devilled Egg just wasn't that good, even though I like egg and I like tuna.

The Roast Pork Shank (it says to share, but I did not) was alright; the skin was mostly crispy and the pickled red cabbage helped to cut through the fattiness of the pork. Not sure it's big enough to share between even just two people and still have it be considered a main meal. Also, it should say on the menu that the dish takes a while to prepare (maybe 30 minutes) because I really wanted to try it, and was only told when I ordered it (I came early so could've ordered it earlier). Decided to get it anyway while my friend got pizza, and she was almost done with her food when mine came out, so I was wolfing it down. I will say that the pizza came out fairly quickly since we went early and there weren't many people (because COVID). The wait time might not be so noticeable in a different setting.

The Amaretto Sour was not a traditional one as it had blackcurrant (I think) in it, but it was delicious all the same.

The menu did change a bit since the last time I visited, and next time I will try the pizza. They have a proper pizza oven and it always looks good, but I'm not a huge pizza fan so haven't...