Pellegrini's Espresso Bar

Wow what an experience I came in last Saturday at lunch time and the place was buzzing. A bit difficult to get a seat at the bar but that's only because this place is so popular. I ordered the rigatoni Pelligrini (meat sauce) and a plain water. The pasta was fantastic cooked al dente and a very tasty sauce with great depth, as someone with Italian descent I know a good pasta and a good sauce when I taste it.
While I was eating my meal a seat became available at the bar so I promptly moved there. As I was sitting next to two ladies the host gave me a hard time about trying to smooth in on their company lol such is their personalities everything is said in jest and good spirits and we all had a good laugh.
I'm not a big watermelon fan but I succumbed to ordering the granita as everyone was having one. I was pleasantly surprised and it was nice and refreshing. I finished with a macchiato and it was fantastic. $25 for the lot which in Melbourne really is par for the course I've heard a few whingers say that it was expensive but some people just want to complain about anything lol
No wonder these guys and been inducted into the Melbourne Hall of Fame, they've been doing this for so long they have to be doing something right.. and they are. Definitely recommended and I'll go again next time in Melbourne as I'm just south of Sydney.

This is a very late review. 13 years ago in 2009 I and my wife we were backpack traveling and visited this place two times in one an half days, the food/drinks were good, but what made me remember this place so long is the hospitality of the staff, when he found out that we are leaving Australia soon he offered free cake/ice cream and a simple of some pasta, not just this, he also give us a discount and told all customers (not too packed on that'll day) "they are not coming back tomorrow, the day after tomorrow and next week, why don't I give them some discount", what a warming memory!

Since then I have moved to US and visited Italy a couple of times, visited so many Italian restaurants/espresso bars, I still remember this place so well, today I'm looking my old blog and saw the pictures I took during that trip, why don't I just post an review and let everyone know this place has good food/drink, and nice staff. Hope I can visit this place sometime in the future!

I am starting to think the only way I want to explore a new place is with a local.
​I don't know how else I would have discovered Pellegrini's Bar. Nothing in my research bought this food destination. It is one of Melbourne's most iconic in a city that prides itself on coffee and fine food.
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​This place claims to have both, and I can only talk about the food. Opened in 1954, Pellegrini's was opened by two Italian brothers. It was then sold to Nino Pangrazio and Sisto Malaspina in 1974. Sisto's son, David, bought Nino Pangrazio during the pandemic.
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​Pellegrini's is small, and there is a lot of charm. There are just two counters with dinette stools and a small wooden menu that hangs from the ceiling.
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​The wait staff was magically bread fairies. I was handed one piece of soft bread to eat with my meal, and seem like every time I turned to talk to my dinner companions; there was more bread. The service was fast; no sooner than we ordered our food, it came out.
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​They offered us granitas... fresh watermelon, orange, and lemon. It was refreshing, and I kept asking for more of it.
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​The portion was massive! The sauce is thick and well-seasoned, and it heaps upon pasta or, in my case, risotto.
​There was so much seafood in my seafood risotto. I was almost overwhelmed...plenty of shrimp, mussels, and calamari.
​Tiramisu was heavenly if you love coffee. It gave a slight bitterness.
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​When you visit, you learn why Pellegrini's was inducted into the Good Cafe Guide Hall of Fame and listed by the National Trust of Australia.

Visiting Melbourne for the first time in our life and were told by a former resident that we absolutely HAD to eat here. He warned us that it was very small, only two counters with dinette stools, and somewhat indifferent waiters, but assured us the food was well worth it.
He was right.
The food here is amazing Italian food. We had the canneloni, lasagne, spaghetti bolognese, and the insalate.
Outstanding.
Don't get much authentic Italian food in west Texas, so this was a welcome treat. The place looks like a combination of the diner from "Seinfeld" and "The Godfather", but the food is the real deal. Don't really understand the negative reviews on here. (Maybe they were expecting The Ritz Carlton, not a real hole in the wall.)
We say "check it out"!
Am including a photo of the menu board because there isn't one on this site.

OK, it looks like a dump but the coffee is some of the best in Melbourne. Open 08:00 - 22:00 but hard to get in or get a seat in the PM. Have not tried the food as always backed up but even when busy pretty easy to get a coffee except Sundays of course.

Needed a cup of coffee and a snack before we went to an afternoon show at Princess Theatre. The places near to the theatre just didn't take my fancy and so we turned the corner and stumbled on this place. The decor looked like 50s. The guys serving were a mix of ages from their 20s to 70s but all serving with energy and industry. If they weren't serving they were chatting to the customers.
You sat at high chairs facing the bar or the wall. Many people were getting tucked into pasta. We really didn't have that amount of time so just when it for cappuccino and a cake...and sat watching the barrista and the outside world pass by in another time zone.
Next time I am in Melbourne I will have to try the pasta.

Old school since 1954. If you are in to classic take me back in time restaurants then you should stop by here. I thought the food was a bit pricey for what you get but the place is great for the atmosphere. The one thing that shocked me were the employees speaking Italian to each other, that's when you know it's a dolce vita.

The Godfather Bar haha :)!!
Was down in Melbourne for the greek festival so before i went oppppaa with the Greek food i had to go Pazzo at the Italian bar :).

Dad & cousin wanted great coffee us being from Sweden expectations are high, strong long blacks in Sydney is 7/11 coffees back home haha, dad got a flat white with a big scoop of Gelato on the side & cousin got a long black with a Ricotta cheese cake :D.
Dad loved the flat white & he said the Gelato was really tasty! Cousin was happy with his long black, said its not as bitter as most coffee shops that serve long blacks .. they possibly try to hard ;).

I was running on an Empty stomach so i had which i thought was an overly than usual big portion of Canneloni in a bowl compared to any other place I've been to & ordered that ... i aint complainin though lol!! 2 big rolls, plenty of cheesy tasty sauce .. i was huddled on my own with my bowl of canneloni, it was a heavenly 10 minute treat :D, all great things come to an end though ..

The inside of this place was perfect low light & not blinding bright.. perfect to walk in & unwind on the double :). It's the closest to an American diner yet slightly narrower :), row of seats along the bar & another row on the opposite side & the kitchen at the back where the Magic cooking happens :D!!

This place has been busy for 60 years for a reason, you could say Melbournians know where there is good coffee & good food :D!!
When i was there it was newly wed couple having their wedding photos in the laneway with a black Mustang & was telling me he'd been going here all his life :).

Then again there are a few that can't drink a coffee unless it has pretty chocolate sprinkled/milky pattern on top or eat the food if it isn't instagram worthy ;) lol.
That what makes Australia great though haha, old school is still up the top with the rest :)!!

I have always walk past Pellegrinis, I have seen many wedding shots taken here hence I am always curious about this place.

So we pop by for a coffee after lunch. The decor feels like its from the 70's or my parents living room when anything and everything goes up on the shelf. Dishes and dessert are served very simply. Scoop into a plain white bowl and a spoon. But nevertheless I was expecting great great coffee, they are afterall Italians, right?

Either the barista was having a bad day or I am I the wrong place. I ordered a skinny cappuccino, and I don't taste milk but bitter liquid and I looked at my friend asking if I would e in trouble if I left with the cup still full?
Reluctantly I drank 3/4 of the coffee and left.

What a great find.
I love this place. Old world charm, 60's diner decor.
Charming staff. And home made foods. Fantastic.
Coffee was the best I had in Melbourne.
Make it a point to visit.

A wonderful little joint, the oldest coffee joint in Melbourne also happens to be an amazing little spot for the best pasta and sauce in Melbourne!

In Melbourne for a bucks show last week; father of the bride (Phil), brother in law of groom (Troy), sister of the groom (Lexie) and I head out for a spot of lunch - Troy recommends a coffee first at his fave in Melbourne.

Pelligrini's is a tiny hole in the wall, with Bar and wall seating, it's been owned by the same guys for 32 years and then their father before them. Everything about this place seems genuine and authentic. There are people from all walks of life in the cafe having lunch - tradies, business people and tourists (like us).

The pasta looks good... And by god it tastes good. I couldn't decide between the ravioli with tomato and pesto or the Bolognese so our server says "I'll do something special" AND BRINGS OUT BOTH! Now I know this place is special.

I suppose the most interesting thing is - nothing is special but is at the same time. Our food is brought out almost immediately - the pasta is obviously cooked all day and kept fresh and Ready to go - it's not plated nicely there isn't nice cutlery or crockery - but it doesn't matter the food is wonderful gosh it's just sauce and pasta and ughhh amazing! The ravioli, pesto and bolognese are obviously made in restaurant including pasta) and the service is fantastic it's just like being at your Italian mates house.

We ordered coffee and strudel while another host sneakily took our plates. It's true what they say - Pelligrinis really is the best coffee in Melbourne and the strudel exquisite again without the fancy crockery just a lovely dollop of double cream.

It's the imperfections that make this place wonderful, the ugly crockery, the old fashion napkins, our order being added up in the hosts head, the cramped seating, heck even the absence of cake forks haha. This will be my go to for lunch every time I come back to Melbourne forever!