Al Dente Enoteca Restaurant

Food is really amazing, especially cheese and pasta related. They serve hand made pasta and fresh burrata cheese. Their fish is very fresh and delicious as well, quite unexpected. Service is good and table is spacious. It’s truly a hidden gem in Carlton.

The service was exceptional. Everyone working there was incredibly friendly. The atmosphere was pleasant and not too noisy. My favorite dish was the scallops, and I would definitely visit again!

Gem in Carlton! It’s my first time here and absolutely mind blown. Understand why this place is quite busy on a Tuesday. The place filled with lots of natural lighting, also they have outside dining as well. The Starters come out very quick. For main dishes, they may require a bit of your patience but definitely worth the wait! One of the best restaurants in Carlton so far. Highly recommend for their pasta and dry aged duck - simply delectable! Staff attentive and genuinely friendly 10/10 service from start to finish!!

What a great find this place was!
Everything was exceptional - from food, drinks, ambiance and service. I was so
pleased with everything.

My favorites were the buratta with the cheese crackers and the blue eyed cod - amazing!!!
Also appreciate their choices for non alcoholic wine/drinks.
Only thing was I found the kingfish a bit fishy, but could have been just a bad day.

Overall 5/5 and would recommend this around.

Food was phenomenal! Topped by amazing and attentive staff! Nothing was a bother and as I’m a vegetarian the chef came up with the below absolutely delicious! We Will most definitely visit again. Thank you 🙏 team for having us.

An absolute hidden gem in Carlton! From the romantic ambiance to the impeccable service, dining here felt like a luxurious experience. The white tablecloths added to the elegance of the space, while the background music set the perfect mood. We indulged in the scallops, kangaroo tartare, and kingfish for entree and wild board bolognese and cacio e pepe for mains – each dish was a culinary delight. The attention to detail by the staff reminded me of dining at top-tier establishments like Vue de Monde or Attica. Plus, the thoughtful addition of a stool for bags and table crumbing by the staff was a nice touch. Highly recommend for a special night out!

Incredibile, food. Been to Italy many times before and literally think the pasta is on parr if not better than what you can find over there. The Cacio e Pepe is not your standard pasta dish…something completely out of this world. Wine was fantastic and service was also brilliant. Shout out to Elenaia (The Sicilian lady) for making sure we had a great time as well as the other waitress that was working who was also very good.

I very rarely pay $$$ for food, other than for special occasions. So super happy I stumbled across this one based on a Google search.
Food was top tier. I got the “banquet” $130pp. Pretty much all the entrees were 10/10.

My top 3, if I had to pick, would be the kingfish, the octopus and the tartare.

The only one I wasn’t 100% satisfied with was the dessert - it was too milky for me.

The dining experience at was delightful, impeccable service. We ordered a few dishes - Squid ink pasta, specials of the day Charred Sourdough, Ravioli,Duck Breast, and dessert. Kudos to the chef for not only creating delectable dishes but also providing exceptional service. When we requested a remake for the rare duck breast(The Asian in me can’t handle red meat that’s not well done), the chef swiftly delivered a perfectly cooked, tender, and juicy dish. The attention to detail and commitment to customer satisfaction truly set this dining experience apart. Highly recommended for those seeking both great food and excellent service.

An amazing experience! Literally a « sans faute » for them! We went with my partner for my birthday - Could not have picked a better place and we have done a lot of restaurants over the year, + I am usually very picky. This place was just TOP 👍🏼
- Service was amazing, not so many tables which enabled the staff to deliver higher service all throughout the night and be available at all times.
- Food was just incredible. My partner is italian and I am french. You know what I mean… But I literally think it was the best pasta I have ever had so far (sorry to my partner). We took a lot of different antipasti, entree and 3 different mains. All were amazing. Different, raffiné while meeting what you expect from a yummy and gourmet italian dish.
- Overall the prices are completely reasonable. You get exactly what you pay for and your expectations are just met to the highest.
- With the desert we ordered, they took the time to write a Happy Birthday + put a candle on the cake. I appreciated that so much!
THANKS TO ALL OF YOU for this experience I just had the best night. I would usually never go back to the same place and I love trying new restaurants, but I would love to come back and enjoy more good food from you guys again! Grazie mille!

The team at Al Dente really knows what it's doing! The food is SUPERB!! The Kingfish Crudo was a knockout, so too the Tortelloni Cacio e Pepe (cooked to perfection) and Scallops with Herbs and Pangrattato. The specials of Seafood Ravioli Del Plin and the Gnocchi with Nudja in a Basil Sauce with Nuts et al. were simply magnificent. The desserts of a cherry mousse and another of banana tarte tartin were both showstoppers. The serving staff were friendly and professional, and managed to keep their cool in a completely booked out lunch session. The ambiance was delightful as well. We have been before, and we will certainly go again. Gastronomic BLISS!!

My wife and I just ate here and we could not recommend this enough. The wait staff were all fun, helpful and very polite. They recommended good wines to match our meal.
The food was amazing. We had the 4 course set menu at $130 a head. My only complaint would be that there was too much food for us. It was all fantastic! The cacio e Pepe felt like we were back in Italy.
We had the 'Spring' rosé and the tempranillo by the glass which were both great.
We would definitely come back here.

Unbelievable experience! Michelle was such a great host and was the best pasta and dining experience I’ve had in Melbourne. Our new go too spot, well worth the trip. Got the squid ink and the ravioli and crisp for entrée

Everything was perfect! The food, so delicious and had high quality ingredients. They catered to all needs in the group and the service was lovely. We will be back!

First time. Absolutely fantastic. Food was so good. I had Spaghetti with Baby Clams, pasta was cooked to perfection, my wife had Beef Cheek and she “you didn’t even need a knife to cut, it just melted in your mouth”. Service was excellent and staff were on top of everything.
Be back again for sure and will tell other people.
Also, bought a packet of their home made gnocchi to try and they were great.

Exquisite, creative pasta, friendly service, and a well curated interesting wine list. Definitely worth coming back to to try more dishes. The Cacio Pepe dish was really good. My only suggestion is I would like to see more Italian wines by the glass, but this isn't a complaint at all.

This is one of our favourite Melbourne restaurants. From the moment you enter you sense that you will be in for a treat. Service is impeccable. Warm, polite and knowledgeable. It’s attentive without being intrusive or overbearing.
The food is of the highest quality. We always have the pasta with Moreton bay bugs in bisque, this time they also offered a pasta dish with wild boar which of course we needed to try. It didn’t disappoint. Beautiful golden snapper and a fabulous steak followed. Side orders of very moreish crispy potatoes and a delicious grilled cod complemented those mains and finally, to finish a beautiful meal, a blood orange bavaroise with chocolate marquis and an Italian cake that they call a sand cake with the most extraordinary texture that just melts in your mouth.
Very special indeed.
People leave Al Dente with a big smile on their faces. I know we did and we can’t wait to come back.

Standout. Better than any pasta you will get on Lygon street, or the CBD. Food was tender, perfectly cooked and well presented. Staff were attentive, friendly and went out of their way to accommodate. Great vibes and pricing was excellent for the quality. Highly recommend dining here.

Excellent. We had the Chef's suggestion and everything was great. Dessert was very special. Beautiful food. Perfect service. Not too noisy and a warm environment. Wine is expensive but very good Italian wine. Not cheap, but if you want a special meal, perfect.

One of the best restaurants I’ve been to in Melbourne! The owner/head chef makes sure each meal is prepared and presented with excellence! Within 5 mins of seating the chef came and introduced himself and his restaurant! He continued to make sure our meal was prepared with perfection! The wait stuff in particular Rory was amazing! I had such an amazing experience and couldn’t recommend this place enough!