Il Caminetto

Since the opening of Il Caminetto, the restaurant has truly established themselves as maestros of the Melbourne pizza scene. If you are looking for quality pizzas of the gourmet kind, this pizzeria should be at the top of your list.

The restaurant possesses a warm and familial character with its menu grounded in strong Italian heritage. What sets Il Caminetto apart is their ability to cater to this authentic Italian style of cooking whilst offering vegan and gluten free options without a single sacrifice to flavour.

The appeal of Il Caminetto’s pizzas lies in its beautiful crusts and the use of quality produce. As tomato and cheese are staple ingredients in almost every pizza on the menu, it is crucial that they get it right. And fortunately, they do.

The Italia was a pizza layered with refreshing and flavour laden cherry tomatoes cream, Italian buffalo cheese, fresh basil and prosciutto. The mixture of these fresh and light ingredients intertwined with the full-bodied prosciutto to produce a truly delectable and noteworthy pizza.

Apart from pizzas, Il Caminetto also produce dishes that are equally sensational. The Morcardini in umido (braised octopus served with soft polenta)

possessed a wonderful depth of flavour and featured beautifully cooked octopus. The Gnocchi di patate was also a stunner. We loved the pillow soft home-made gnocchi adorned with asparagus, pumpkin cream and smoked ricotta.

For something hearty, the Guancia al forno certainly hit the spot. Wonderfully slow cooked ox cheek that had been cooked for hours with vermouth spice and grilled baby cod simply melted in our mouths served atop creamy cauliflower puree.

Dessert time is equally as exciting at Il Caminetto. The Cannolo siciliano aperto was a crowd favourite. Think almond waffle layered with decadent ricotta, chocolate, lemon and orange. If you like gelato (who doesn’t?) then the tartufo pizzo calabro is a must – a rich hazelnut gelato encasing a dark chocolate centre.

Location: 114 Pascoe Vale Rd, Moonee Ponds

Phone: (03) 9370 6884

Link: www.ilcaminetto.com.au