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Restaurant

La Lucciola Bistro

Unit 4/478 Chapel St, South Yarra VIC 3141, Australia

Recommended by 16 people

Updated

Find La Lucciola Bistro

Unit 4/478 Chapel St, South Yarra VIC 3141, Australia

Directions ↗
+61 3 9827 2146
HoursMonday: 10:30 AM – 9:00 PM Tuesday: 10:30 AM – 9:00 PM Wednesday: 10:30 AM – 9:00 PM Thursday: 10:30 AM – 9:00 PM Friday: 10:30 AM – 9:00 PM Saturday: 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM Sunday: 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM

*Opening hours may differ during holidays.

Plan your visit

About La Lucciola Bistro

Skip the flashy dining rooms along Chapel Street for honest, unpretentious Italian comfort that has not budged since the eighties. Tim and his mother run the room with quiet ease, dropping complimentary bread and butter to your table the moment you sit down. The kitchen sticks to what it knows best—rustic pasta drenched in slow-simmered ragu, hearty spaghetti bolognese, and crisp schnitzels paired with side salads. Longtime regulars keep returning for the nostalgic, home-cooked flavours, using crusts of bread to swipe every last drop of sugo off the plate.

  • Decades of Tradition: Run by Tim and his family across generations, serving an unchanged menu of rustic Italian staples since the 1980s.
  • Complimentary Bread & Butter: Warm hospitality marked by complimentary crusty bread and butter served to the table alongside meals.
  • Homestyle Italian Classics: Specializes in hearty, comforting home-style pastas, slow-simmered bolognese and ragu, and crisp schnitzels.
RestaurantItalianRestaurant

What's On at La Lucciola Bistro

Upcoming events, special menus and other reasons to plan a visit.

No events or specials listed right now.

Why Choose La Lucciola Bistro

Why South Yarra diners return across generations for unpretentious, comforting Italian classics

  • Generous Homestyle Pasta with Table Bread

    Generous, hot servings of hearty homestyle pasta like spaghetti bolognese and penne arrive fast with complimentary table bread and butter.

    Food came out fast and hot! Parm, bread and butter appeared on my table and I got stuck in. Perfect portion size, the taste is so nostalgic.

    Mavis Tian

  • Complimentary Bread and Thoughtful Extras

    Both dine-in and takeaway orders receive thoughtful complimentary bread, butter, and extra cheese alongside generous main dishes.

    food came with extra parmesan, huuuuuge and delicious portions, and free fresh bread. So thoughtful!

    Sarah Bell

  • Warmly Welcoming and Nurturing Comfort

    Decades of continuous family operation create a deeply comfortable, welcoming sanctuary where patrons feel genuinely nurtured and cared for.

    It’s a cosy, welcoming spot on Chapel Street, and the kind of place you feel comfortable in straight away.

    Nathan Magdanis

  • Nostalgic Nonna-Style Homestyle Memories

    Every meal brings back fond family memories, delivering classic dishes that capture the genuine warmth of traditional Nonna-style home cooking.

    I highly recommend La Lucciola if you're in the mood for Italian food that tastes like it's cooked by Nonna.

    Craig Lawrence

  • Enduring Decades-Long Family Tradition

    A reliable dining tradition spanning decades, serving the neighborhood continuously with warm multi-generational family hospitality.

    I’ve been going to La Lucc for 28 years and it’s been a tradition to eat there with my nephews since they were kids (now men).

    Emily Brimson

  • Steadfast Unchanged Rustic Classic Menu

    A steadfast, unchanged rustic Italian menu offers complete culinary dependability across visits spanning more than twenty years.

    Best thing is, they never change their menu, ... IF IT AIN'T BROKE DON'T TRY TO FIX IT

    Claudia Paewai

Beloved traditional Italian pasta and hearty homestyle classics prepared consistently for decades.

  • Spaghetti Bolognese

    On a cold rainy day, I was craving a comforting spaghetti bolognese and got exactly what I wanted. Food came out fast and hot! Parm, bread and butter appeared on my table and I got stuck in. Perfect portion size, the taste is so nostalgic. Just really good and simple pasta done very well.

    Mavis Tian

  • Gnocchi Quattro Stagioni

    I always go for the gnocchi quattro stagioni — it’s rich, full of flavour, and cooked perfectly every time.

    Nathan Magdanis

  • Veal Parma

    There is so much to love about this restaurant, but mostly it’s that it has heart and soul, truly delicious food (Veal Parma always) and the loveliest family behind it.

    Emily Brimson

  • Spaghetti and Meatballs

    A family run, local restaurant serving home style Italian meals. The potatoe salad is the BEST, and you can't go past the spaghetti and meatballs.

    Melody Carstairs

Before you head over

Helpful pointers on reservations, dining hours, and ordering for your visit.

  • Reserve Ahead for Dinner

    Book a table ahead of time, as the dining room is small and busy nights fill up quickly.

  • Visit for Weekend Afternoon Dining

    Take advantage of afternoon service between 3 PM and 5 PM on weekends when most nearby Melbourne kitchens close.

  • Pace Yourself with Complimentary Bread

    Save room when bread and butter arrive with your meal so you can savor hearty mains and use the bread to mop up pasta sauce.

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