Restaurant
Caterina's Cucina E Bar
221 Queen St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
Find Caterina's Cucina E Bar
221 Queen St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
Directions ↗*Opening hours may differ during holidays.
Book NowAbout Caterina's Cucina E Bar
Down a Queen Street stairwell sits an old-world dining room built for serious conversation and an unhurried *pranzo*—operating strictly Monday through Friday from noon until four. Longtime CBD regulars treat the basement as a weekday ritual. Waiters rattle off an extensive list of unwritten daily specials from memory, while tables fill with Morton Bay bug egg noodles tossed in crispy garlic breadcrumbs, peppered crumbed pork chops, and carpaccio. Caterina herself presides over the room, greeting diners by name and steering boardroom celebrations into meals hosted like private family gatherings.
- Weekday Lunch Only: Open strictly Monday through Friday from 12 PM to 4 PM, dedicated entirely to unhurried midday meals and deal-closing sessions.
- Recited Daily Specials: Waitstaff bypass printed menus to passionately recite an extensive rotation of daily off-menu dishes tableside.
- Personal Floor Hospitality: Owner Caterina works the dining room floor daily, greeting regulars by name and delivering attentive, old-school hospitality.
- Subterranean Escape: Tucked below street level with beamed ceilings, marble tables, white linen, and an eclectic personal art collection.
What's On at Caterina's Cucina E Bar
Upcoming events, special menus and other reasons to plan a visit.
No events or specials listed right now.
Why Choose Caterina's Cucina E Bar
Discover why CBD executives and Italian food devotees treat this basement dining room as Melbourne's premier weekday lunch institution. Reserve your table today.
Executive Milestone & Deal-Closing Lunches
Guests rely on the restaurant for major deals and extended professional milestones, spending hours across multi-course meals supported by attentive, discreet service.
I was there as part of a big celebration for the closing of a deal, and we spent around four hours in the restaurant enjoying a long, memorable lunch.
Lena Miller Tailored Weekday Midday Sanctuary
With a strict Monday-to-Friday lunch operating model, the dining room is custom-built for CBD regulars seeking an unhurried daytime sanctuary.
The ambiance is business-oriented with an old-money vibe, and most of the clientele are regulars.
IL Melbourne Foodies Subterranean Italian Escape
Tucked beneath Queen Street, the dining room offers an immediate shift in atmosphere, transporting guests far away from city-street pace.
Quietly tucked away downstairs, you feel like you’ve escaped to Italy upon arrival.
Rachel Liu-Wang Passionately Recited Daily Specials
Service staff guide diners through an expansive, ever-evolving roster of daily off-menu dishes delivered with tableside enthusiasm.
There are multiple daily specials that is not in the menu that the servers would passionately present to diners.
Soo Hin Yeoh Hands-On Owner Presence on the Floor
Owner Caterina actively works the floor every service, anchoring the room with decades of hands-on leadership and personal care.
She is always present in her restaurant on the floor, helping out wherever she is needed.
Alessia Maio Welcoming Old-World Hospitality
Hospitality centers on genuine warmth and personal recognition, creating an environment that feels more like an intimate home than a corporate dining venue.
Caterina herself welcomed us and was absolutely charming. We felt as if we had walked into her living room.
Chanel C.
Most popular items
Signature dishes celebrated across unhurried weekday lunches.
Morton Bay Bug Pasta
The morton bay bug pasta is also phenomenal and so flavoursome.
Alessia Maio Crumbed Pork Chops
We thought the pork chops are great.
Soo Hin Yeoh Seared Scallops
Seared scallops, fat and juicy and succulent
Shelley Henley Beef Carpaccio
The beef carpaccio was so fresh and there was a perfect balance between the lemon juice, olive oil and salty parmesan.
Alessia Maio
Other favorites
Complementary drinks and desserts that round out an unhurried Italian lunch.
Tiramisu
Not too sweet on its own. If you prefer it sweeter, you can add the caramel sauce on the side. A classic, done well.
IL Melbourne Foodies Lemon Grappa
brought over a glass of lemon grappa handmade by Catarina's grandmother. What a beautiful touch!
Chanel C. Coffee and Biscuits
I must mention the coffee. A beautiful silky brew that complements the biscuits served.
R Chee Aperol Spritz
The wine was lovely, and the Aperol Spritz was excellent too.
Lena Miller
Beyond the menu
From grandmother's grappa recipes to passionate tableside recitations, experience the classic old-world touches that elevate weekday dining—reserve your lunch table today.
Handmade Family Digestif
Guests are treated at the conclusion of their meal to a complimentary pour of "lemon grappa handmade by Catarina's grandmother" as a warm, personal farewell gesture.
Floor-Led Owner Hospitality
Owner Caterina is "always present in her restaurant on the floor," personally greeting tables upon arrival and remembering returning guests even across years between visits.
Memorized Tableside Specials
Waitstaff demonstrate an impressive ability to "memorise and rattle off the list of specials," passionately detailing an extensive selection of off-menu market creations tableside.
Thoughtful Dietary Adaptations
Floor staff proactively accommodate intricate dining requirements, making intuitive "suggestions for alterations to some dishes" so guests with specific dietary preferences feel completely catered to.
Before you head over
Key advice on timing, off-menu ordering, and dietary flexibility—book your table early to secure a classic midday Italian escape.
Reserve Ahead for Midday Dining
Caterina's operates strictly for weekday lunch service from Monday to Friday (12 PM to 4 PM) and fills quickly with regulars. Book your table well in advance and set aside ample time if you plan to enjoy an unhurried, multi-course meal.
Take Note of the Spoken Specials
Waitstaff recite an extensive list of daily off-menu dishes tableside that can easily rival the length of the printed menu. Listen closely or ask your server to recap recommendations so you do not miss seasonal seafood or specialty pasta offerings.
Flag Dietary Preferences Tableside
The service team knows every ingredient across the kitchen's dishes. If you have specific dietary needs such as pescatarian preferences, let your server know when ordering so they can guide adjustments to the menu.
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