400 Gradi

Always curious of the 400 Gradi Experience Whilst a nice pizza, their prices are likened to main dishes at renowned fine dining restaurants in Melbourne. Unfortunatley the experience in my humble opinion does not justify a mid $30s pizza price. If you are curious also, this might be something you try just once.

I was expecting great things based on 400 Gradi’s reputation but sadly, we were a little disappointed. I had the rigatoni al sugo which was flavoursome enough but the pasta was undercooked and it was almost devoid of meat. My wife had the gnocchi and beef cheeks which, again, was flavoursome but almost completely lacking in meat. I expect better than this when you’re paying almost $40 for a pasta dish. One bright spot was the house made bread which was outstanding.

Really delicious, relatively authentic Italian foods. Very nice thin base, perfect chewy crusts. Pasta dishes very simple and quite small but very nice. Side of green beans wash delicious! Service a bit slow, but considering they were very busy you understand, management tried to make up for slow wait staff service... quite expensive, but no more so than most higher end Italian restaurants...

400 Gradi. Renowned for amazing Napoli pizza, we trust it to reliably deliver the quality and restraint of authentic Italian cuisine. But wait, three stars for Essendon? Why? We ordered pizza tonight for pick-up - no delivery available via the usual sites, informed when I called to clarify that apparently they were too busy for delivery ... but not too busy for pick-up via driving up to the store and having the pizza brought out to me. Ok, so we order pizza as offered, to be brought out to our car. Great, not too busy to have it available for pick up in 20 minutes. Pizza ordered, we receive the message: " Park in our drive up carpark, and we'll bring your food." I arrive and wonder, where is this drive up carpark? Is it just outside the store? No signage to make it clear. So I call the accompanying number for questions and am told that the drive-up service isn't available tonight. Ok, well that's not what the website instructed, so here I am sitting outside the store 10 minutes after pick-up due, told that I need to go in. I go in, place doesn't look that busy, but can only see 1 guy coordinating the house, I'm in line waiting for my food, finally get his attention and he responds with some very cranky attitude --- not sure if he's annoyed with me or his employer - and tells me to wait outside in my car on the street, like I should have known ... rather than be confused by conflicting advice. Hmmm I wonder where I should have parked if there'd been no spaces outside. Anyway, get home, open up the Caserta. Look at the accompanying picture. One is the professional shot, generously covered in prosciutto, soooo covered in cured meat, so tempting we couldn't resist. The other picture is what arrived - most of the red you see is sauce, adorned by 3 and a half pieces of prosciutto. Lame. So disappointing. Is this what happens when a venue becomes a chain? Yep, it often is.

This place always delivers! I recently tried the one at crown, and was blown away by the quality and great tasting food. I tried a paste dish this time, out of this world, it was a creamy mixed mushroom dish. Their gelato was pretty good as well, perfect texture and consistency, the passion fruit is made with yoghurt, so it tastes creamy.

Fantastic service by the wait staff, glasses always fillled when empty. Delicious food compliments to the chef's and the birthday cake was delicious. Great job by all and the fantastic service provided by Maria for the booking and the night went off without a hitch. Will be definitely back whether for an intimate dinner or party booking.