Al Dente

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

A Carlton Restaurant Born from Belief

Al Dente Enoteca has an origin story worth knowing. In April 2020, at the height of a global pandemic, chef Andrea Vignali founded the business as a weekly pasta delivery service — a way to support himself and other international visa holders through Melbourne's lockdowns. What began as a lifeline became something far more lasting. Vignali was later joined by chef Davide Bonadiman and general manager Michelle Badek, and together the three brought Al Dente to a bricks-and-mortar address on Nicholson Street in Carlton. The recognition has followed: Gambero Rosso awarded the restaurant a fork in 2023, placing it among a select group of Italian restaurants acknowledged by one of Italy's most authoritative food guides.

Two Rooms, One Philosophy

The restaurant occupies two distinct dining spaces. Enoteca is the more formal of the two — elegant, minimal, comfortable. Sapori, named for the Italian word for flavours, is classic and casual, with an atmosphere the team describes as "authentically Italian." A private room sits toward the front of Sapori for those who want to dine in style and without interruption. The approach across both spaces is the same: thoughtful modern Italian cooking, served across breakfast, lunch and dinner.

The Food: Italian Tradition, Australian Ingredients

The kitchen's guiding idea is what the team calls "Modern Italy" — traditional Italian techniques respected and then reinvented through the incorporation of local produce and global flavours. Everything is prepared in house. The pasta, made from an egg-yolk rich dough, is handmade daily: kneaded, rolled, filled and folded. Dishes cited on the menu include Kangaroo Tartare, Tortelloni Cacio e Pepe, and Latte e Miele — each drawing on Italian inspiration while acknowledging where they are being cooked. As Davide puts it: "We want to show that it's possible to mix local produce with the traditions we grew up with."

Guests can choose between à la carte and a four-course "leave it to us" tasting menu, available Tuesday through Saturday. Menus follow the seasons and change accordingly.

Beyond the Dining Room

Al Dente extends well beyond its tables. The Sapori delicatessen stocks housemade pasta, sauces and preserves alongside the team's favourite pantry staples — a place to assemble a quick antipasti spread or stock the fridge. A weekly at-home delivery menu is released via Cookaborough, covering fresh and frozen pasta, lasagne and ragù, delivered within 25km of Carlton each Saturday. Products are also available through Deliveroo and Uber Eats, and wholesale supply is offered.

The restaurant has attracted coverage in Gourmet Traveller — including a ten-page spread in their Italian issue — as well as features in The Age and Broadsheet, and a review in the Good Food Guide. The wine list has received an honourable mention in Australia's Wine List of the Year Awards for Victoria.