The Grand Hotel Richmond — Restaurant in Melbourne

The Grand Hotel in Richmond is a true classic – elegant, welcoming, and consistently delivering some of the best Italian food you’ll find in Melbourne. The building itself has so much character, and stepping inside feels like a mix of old-world charm and modern sophistication. It’s the kind of place that works equally well for a special occasion, a date night, or a cosy dinner with friends.

The food is absolutely top-notch. Their handmade pastas are the stars – silky, perfectly cooked, and paired with sauces that are rich and layered without ever feeling heavy. The duck ragù pappardelle is a standout, full of depth and flavour, while the seafood pasta is fresh and vibrant. The antipasti is also worth ordering – simple dishes done exceptionally well, with produce that shines. And of course, the wood-fired pizzas are spot on: thin, crisp bases with toppings that feel balanced and authentic.

The wine list is extensive and clearly curated with care. There’s a strong selection of Italian wines alongside local options, and the staff are knowledgeable enough to suggest the perfect pairing without making it feel intimidating.

Service at The Grand is always warm, polished, and professional. You feel genuinely looked after, but never rushed. Even when the dining room is busy, the staff have a calmness and confidence that makes the whole experience smooth and enjoyable.

The Grand Hotel isn’t just a pub or a restaurant – it’s a Richmond institution. It combines charm, atmosphere, and outstanding food in a way that keeps you coming back again and again. Easily one of the best places to dine...

Undoubtedly the worst dining experience I’ve ever had. We were seated for 15 minutes with no water, no menus and no waiter had come to us and I had to get up and ask them in respect to menus and to come take our order. The venue was not even remotely busy, 2 tables at the front, my table and another party of 4. The food took 20+ minutes to arrive for the pizza, and the balance of food came 10-15 minutes after. I had ordered a Parma. The salad was warm, the chicken was flavourless. Chips had no salt & were dry. The spaghetti for the table did have fresh seafood in it, and needed a LOT of salt to try and bring out any flavour. Our water was never refilled. I had been waiting at the front of the bar for 10 minutes to request a spoon and a spare salt shaker, only to then be asked rudely by one of the staff members if I had a problem to him. I explained at the time the service had been poor to which all that was offered was a drink. No apology at that time, or even at the time of paying. Without a doubt the most overpriced, driest and flavourless food I’ve had coupled with the most rude...

My partner booked a dinner for us online for my birthday and the staff rang him back and let him know that the birthday person could have the meal for free. They were generous enough to let us know about this as we did not know before. We went for 6 course meals and they were flexible enough to change some dishes for me as I don't eat particular meat. The food was good.

1 star taken off is due to the long waiting time for food to be served. The couple who came after us were served before us. We went there around 6.45 and ended up leaving the place immediately after finishing the last dish around 9.30pm (almost 3 hrs). The last 3 dishes were served quite slow and we did not plan to stay that long for the dinner. We were quite bored waiting for the dishes. We were thinking if that was intentional so that we ordered more drinks. I had to walk to the cashier to get their attention to pay the bill as the staffs did not look at us often, they were around chit chatting with other white customers (we are Asian and were pretty quiet there). I did not complain as they already let me to...