We go here for work a lot. Easy, easy, easy. Good basic food for the traditionalists but they often do more adventurous specials that move away from the ush. Parking is always a nightmare so we usually leave our cars back at work and car pool but in summer we walk. Lovely waiters - quick drinks!

Approximate cost: $20

This has been my favourite Italian restaurant since 2009 when I first visited from perth. Years down the track and I still happily go back each time I'm in Melbourne to enjoy the fantastic pasta they have available. Delicious spaghetti carbonara and gnocchi Gorgonzola. Simple but fresh ingredients, well prepared and cooked and served promptly. Attentive waiters in a lovely setting. Very clean, spacious and welcoming. 2 Thumbs up!

I love café Italia. If you're a pasta nut like me then you've got to give them a go. They make the pasta fresh every day and it you can tell. It's silky and cooked perfectly al dente. My favourite is the fettucine alla arrabiatta but the pesto is great, too. If you're not into pasta they've got plenty of other dishes as well but I'm addicted!

Approximate cost: $20 for pasta

I really enjoyed my dinner there last night. I had the ravioloni (large spinach ravioli) and ensalada italia with a beautiful bottle of Kangarilla Road shiraz from McLaren Vale. They were presented attractively and they tasted delicious. My dinner was not spectacular, but very good. According to my friends, the pumpkin risotto, osso bucco and vitello saltimbucco were also yummy.

I liked the atmosphere inside the restaurant. I had initially thought it would be a bit touristy from the outside, but once I got inside it felt warm and inviting.

My only complaint is that two different waiters approached us and started talking without waiting for my friend to finish his sentence. I really don't like that in a restaurant.

I'll recommend this place to friends. I look forward to a return visit.

Approximate cost: $28

On Lygon St looking for Italian food? Avoid the touristy places on Lygon St itself like the plague, and instead, head down to Cafe Italia. Eating here was such a pleasant and refreshing change from the usual Lygon St rubbish. Lovely food, lovely setting, lovely service.

I visited Cafe Italia recently for the first time in several years. It used to be barely OK, not particularly memorable. On my most recent visit I had the most enjoyable meal I've ever had here, so I'd now cautiously give it a thumbs up, and would be happy to return.

I had the capsicum soup with parmesan croutons, from the specials board, and it was excellent. Lovely rich spicy soup, with big chunks of soft capsicum. I also had the calamari fritti on a pear, almond and rocket salad, and it was pretty good. Rocket's not my favourite salad leaf - I would have preferred a mixture of leaves - but the pear and almond worked well with it, and the calamari was tender and delicious.

I didn't have dessert. Desserts at Cafe Italia have always tended towards the cakey side, and cakes for dessert are just not my thing. I have nothing against cakes per se, but I don't consider them desserts, and I'm not at all tempted by dessert menus and display cabinets that contain an array of cake-like objects - gateaux, cheescakes, and suchlike - and not much else. A dessert needs to have considerable WOW! factor before I'll even think about ordering it these days, and cakes don't even make it out of the starting gate. Years ago, I'd occasionally be tempted by something on Cafe Italia's menu that sounded fairly pudding-y, but it always came out looking and tasting like a cake. Things may have changed since then, but nothing on the dessert menu tempted me sufficiently to give it a try.

Having said that, I should add that one of my dining companions tried the pecan tart from the specials board, and pronounced it acceptable.

Service was slow, but friendly enough, and to be fair, the place was very full.

POSTSCRIPT 12 Nov 2011: Went back for lunch yesterday. Had the calamari fritti again. Still superb quality calamari - cuts easily with a fork. The salad was again rocket, pear and almond, with a delicious honey-mustard dressing, although it could have done with a little more of the dressing. This time I decided to have dessert, because the specials board listed vanilla panna cotta with strawberries and almonds. Plenty of WOW! factor in that, I thought, and no way can a panna cotta possibly turn out like a cake and disappoint me. And all was well - in fact, it was very good. Rich vanilla bean flavour, lovely delicate texture, set just right. My only criticism is that in place of the chopped strawberries, or in addition to them, I think a strawberry coulis would have worked better. But that's a minor nitpick; overall, it was a very good dessert.

Had a very good meal there. I found the food to be very good and so was the service. I would certainly recommend this place for anyone to try.

Approximate cost: $25

Very cosy place, love the atmosphere, very relaxing. The food is really good and very lovely staff.

Approximate cost: $25

very delicious food. service was great. wonderful ambiance. I would recommend this place to anyone passing by, pay it a visit.

This is a great find - just off the main street, so its the word-of-mouth place that the locals rave about. Great pasta, great gnocci, great service. Good range of wine and beers too. Would love to go again.

Approximate cost: $20.00