Cecconi’s Toorak - Food VIC

5 /5 Quincy: Really lovely venue hidden in central Toorak up a set of marble stairs. The dining room and open air courtyard are both stunning. Lunch was delicious and good value at $59 for two generous courses. We tried the crudo and pork belly to start and the cuttlefish spaghetti and steak to finish. Nice wine, too.

5 /5 Nia: This is one of the best Italian restaurants in Melbourne. Ciccones has been a dining institution for over 20 years and their Toorak venue, it just continues that legacy. Its refined, elegant, romantic and very luxurious. The kitchen is led by a Naples born head chef with experience at Scorpi, and their new pastry chef has cooked for the royal family, Gordon Ramsays Maize and Harrods in London. The steak tartare was one of the best I have had. The squid ink tagliolini with a blue swimmer crab was silky and rich, and the veal cotoletta was a generous serving. It was golden and perfectly crisp. Their unique take on the classic tiramisu has featured in many publications best lists, and I can see why it was delicious. The wine cellar was perfect as was the wine. The staff were mostly Italian, and the hospitality was immaculate, not too over the top. Its the perfect spot for a date night, a celebration or just a great dinner out.

5 /5 Melody: The steak was cooked nicely, though it was slightly lacking in flavor. The accompanying sauce was delicious but not quite enough. Despite that, we really enjoyed the dish. The oysters were very fresh, and the scallops were decent. The sides and desserts were excellent. Service was a little slow at times, but the staff were attentive and friendly. Overall, we had a great experience and would definitely go back.

5 /5 R W: We recently hosted our wedding dinner at Cecconi’s in Toorak and couldn’t be more thrilled with the experience. The service was truly first-class, and every dish was exceptional. The planning in the lead-up to the event was seamless, and the team went above and beyond to accommodate all of our needs. Our family loved the private dining space, which created the perfect atmosphere for such a special occasion. A special thank you to Adriana and Nicoletta from the events team, who handled every request and enquiry with professionalism and ease. Their support made the whole process an absolute pleasure. We will certainly return and highly recommend Cecconi’s for any special celebration or dining experience.

3 /5 Brenda Nguyen: Dined here Sunday lunch with a group of 8. I’d like to start off with the disappointment of the service for a high end restaurant. Considering it was a Sunday lunch, and there were not many other tables seated at the time. I would completely understand if it was busy and there were many diners. The waiters were not attentive, missed basic hospitality like checking in to take drink orders from everyone - not just one, then walking off. One waiter in particular, was quite rude and unwelcoming in his tone and body language. It was difficult to get any waiters attention as they were gathered at the bar chatting away. When it came to food service, for the main we ordered steak and different types of mustard had been offered. Not everyone was seated at the table at that time, which I understand why not everyone had mustard. But there was no offer once everyone had returned to the table. Entrees are very small, it would have been appreciated if the waiter could have advised us of the sizes and recommended to order more. Oysters were fresh and delightful. I recommend the steak tartare, well balanced dish. Pasta dishes were the best part of this meal, we tried a variety of the pasta dishes, with each having balanced flavours. Portion sizes are definitely smaller than average for a main size dish. Steak, spatchcock and fish of the day main was average, nothing outstanding. Overall, good food depending on what you order - compliments to the chef(s). Poor service for the price point of the restaurant, which definitely has a lot of room for improvement. Please be aware of weekend surcharges - as expected at many restaurants in Melbourne. A strong recommendation for the business owners, please train your staff better when it comes to the payment. You are not a cashless business, so it is expected that some diners will pay in cash. It is not that difficult to count cash, and definitely does not require us - the paying customer, to count the cash for your staff in front of them, on the table, so they are able to visualise the correct amount.