Restaurant Santino

THIS IS THE BEST IN WOLLONGONG!
Yesterday, I visited Santino by myself, seeking an exceptional dining experience in Wollongong. Once I sat at the bar, the service was excellent. They took care of me and provided drinks promptly without being intrusive or pushy.

For my appetizers, I chose the Baccalà mantecato (not my cup of tea), but it was nice to have the opportunity to try new flavors. Then, I had the Heirloom Tomatoes. At first glance, it seemed like a simple dish, but the sauce surprised me with its beautiful, refreshing taste.

For my mains, I had pasta and chicken, both of which were amazing. They were flavorful, a rarity these days. It's the first time I've tried a dish that is both visually appealing and delicious. I finished with the Vanilla Panna Cotta, which was the perfect end to this fantastic experience.

As for the drinks, the Aperol Spritz, Lychee Martini, and a wine recommended by the bartenders were all amazing.

The staff never rushed me to leave or pressured me to order more drinks. They were all professional, reflecting the high standards of the restaurant concept, management, and service professionals.

Santino is definitely the best restaurant in Wollongong, and an experience you need to try again and again. Thank you very much, guys!

The food and service here was wonderful. We didn’t realise it was a hatted restaurant til after we dined here as was a last minute trip and booking. The atmosphere was cosy and intimate despite the size of the restaurant and the staff were attentive. The entrees were delicious - especially the beef carpaccio and the signature crudo in a tangy vinaigrette. We dined with our two children and hands down the best kids pasta (even just pasta in general) dish we’ve had in our travels around Australia and the world. Make sure you leave room for the orange cake with marmalade Grand Marnier. Will be recommending this restaurant to everyone and making it a must stop when down south.

Great fine dining experience - dare I say the best in Wollongong! I recommend the feed me set menu - you will definitely leave full and maybe even with some to take home. Staff are so friendly and down to earth and the ambience is wonderful with an open kitchen that you can see each dish being prepared. Restaurant is dotted with wine bottles, candles and other interesting ornaments. Cocktails are strong and vibrant. Wonderful selection of wines. Would definitely return to eat again 🤤

This is the best Italian I've had in Australia. They handled the food very well and used the peppers appropriately. So much so that I ordered another pasta after eating the orange cake. I really appreciate their excellent service. I highly recommend trying this restaurant

Loved the dim ambience & classy decor the moment we stepped in! The Feed Me lunch menu was fabulous & each dish was full of flavour! The pasta was on the saltier side for our liking but otherwise, everything was perfect! Our cocktails were fresh & delicious too!

Staff were very friendly & attentive! We loved the overall experience & had a really memorable time!

Really good service and great food! The atmosphere is lovely and our celebration was perfect!

The lovely Nicole accommodated our last minute booking, and the staff on the evening at dinner were all incredible and attentive.
The atmosphere was extremely welcoming and comfortable with soft lighting and view of the kitchen pass and bar.
A great light dinner and wine and will definitely be back!

Great venue with friendly service. Tried the $140 steak - was quite nice however not sure it was value for money. All the starters were nice and great atmosphere inside the venue. Wide range of drinks including a big wine list.

A wonderful dining experience for our anniversary dinner. A stylish setting, friendly and informative service and delicious food. We chose the feed-me menu and a bottle of Pinot Grigio. It was great value. Highly recommend Santino.

We had received a voucher for the restaurant after spying out how lovely it looked! Didn't disappoint! My husband and I went to celebrate our retirement and enjoyed a shared "Feed Me" menu. Everything was fresh and delicious, very interesting and balanced flavours and at the end of the meal we were both perfectly filled. Nice wine list, didn't have my cocktail of choice, but many bars don't make it anymore! Would definitely go again.

Always a pleasure to eat at Restaurant Santino. We had Mother’s Day here, food, wine and service were exceptional.
Despite water running through the ceiling in front of the grill plate due to a roof leak (weather was horrid) and a packed restaurant they produces the best sirloin I’ve eaten.
I highly recommend.

I have to commend this place, a beautiful atmosphere and stunning food that blew me away.
High quality wait staff as well, our server Ashley ensured we had a lovely evening and I cannot thank her enough for a wonderful experience and the astounding service she provided.
Would highly recommend their penne pasta from the feed me menu, absolutely delicious.

Will definitely be going back in the near future, high quality staff, food and an outstanding dining experience.

It was a lovely surprise to see my hometown boast such a beautiful elevated dining spot. Came back down from Sydney for my birthday and was served by the nicest and most sincere person- Will. He truly made our night that much better! Loved the open kitchen, pasta was a generous size (never change this!), all-round probably the best place for a good quality dining experience in Wollongong.

Fine Italian dining. An intimate atmosphere with great service. It's all open plan with views of a very tight kitchen space that the chefs create delicious dishes, getting attention of table staff with a clap instead of a traditional bell to maintain the intimate atmosphere. It's located in a small paved alleyway with a few other establishments. It would be easy to miss.

I had a lovely meal with a friend and we felt like we were very pampered. Atmospheric window seat. Every need catered to. Music was a little louder than necessary.

My my my, what a cosy, fantastic, beautiful, stylish, yummy little Italian place to eat.

Honestly, the food and staff are amazing.

If i had one compliant it would be that their dessert menu is not big enough.

Otherwise all the food they had was superb.

Delicious food and attentive service made for a lovely Sunday lunch. The feed me menu is generous and provides a great sample of the restaurant’s menu. This place is classy all round and is a real stand out in Wollongong dining.

We had the $80 feed me option and it was incredible. Had a hard time choosing a favourite dish, everything just lovely.
Service was perfect. Would highly recommend.

Loved the food, ambience and hospitality. Perfect for special occasions, with loved ones, or any celebration. The set menu Feed Me takes the cake.

Our experience at Restaurant Santino was amazing! The food was great and the service was even better. A special thank you to Freya, you made our anniversary dinner one to remember, your service and skills felt so warm and personal. We definitely will be back