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Restaurant

Roccella

158 Clarendon St, East Melbourne VIC 3002, Australia

Recommended by 65 people

Updated

Find Roccella

158 Clarendon St, East Melbourne VIC 3002, Australia

Directions ↗
+61 3 9416 1700
HoursMonday: 8:00 AM – 8:30 PM Tuesday: 8:00 AM – 8:30 PM Wednesday: 8:00 AM – 8:30 PM Thursday: 8:00 AM – 8:30 PM Friday: 8:00 AM – 9:00 PM Saturday: 8:00 AM – 9:00 PM Sunday: 8:00 AM – 8:30 PM

*Opening hours may differ during holidays.

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About Roccella

Clarendon Street regulars head straight to Roccella for uncompromising Italian comfort and genuine hospitality. The room hums with family milestone dinners and casual date nights, where servers treat tables like old friends. Pasta purists lean into the rich slow-simmered ragu and comforting seafood pasta, while the colossal chicken parma comes flanked by crisp, fluffy chips. What sets the kitchen apart is its obsessive care for coeliac dining—delivering blistered pizzas and saucy plates safely marked on distinct black dishware. Even alternative pizza bases like charcoal black dough spin through the rotating oven alongside classic sourdough. A glass of Shiraz pairs with garlic focaccia, leading up to crisp custard cannoli and house-made cakes straight from the pastry counter.

  • Warm milestone hospitality: Servers uphold genuine, attentive Italian hospitality, effortlessly managing big birthday milestones and lively family gatherings.
  • Coeliac-safe dining: Strict cross-contamination protocols and distinct black plates give coeliac diners total peace of mind for both pasta and pizza.
  • Specialty doughs and rotating oven: Bakes traditional sourdough alongside specialty charcoal black dough in an even-baking rotating pizza oven.
  • Substantial regional comfort: Generous classics range from slow-simmered ragu and seafood pasta to colossal chicken parma with fluffy fat chips.
  • On-site pantry and pastries: Features an integrated pastry counter with fresh cannoli alongside retail shelves stocked with packaged pastas and sauces.
RestaurantItalianCoffeePizzaRestaurantCafeDessertTakeaway

What's On at Roccella

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

No events or specials listed right now.

Why Diners Choose Roccella

Why diners choose Roccella for safe gluten-free Italian dining, milestone celebrations, and warm hospitality.

  • Coeliac Safety and Black-Plate Identification

    Roccella follows dedicated kitchen protocols to prevent cross-contamination, visually identifying every gluten-free order with distinct black tableware.

    They have signs explaining their gf practices (very careful about cross contamination!), gf dishes come on black plates, and they double check everything.

    Linda McIver

  • Specialty Doughs Baked in a Rotating Oven

    Pizzas are baked evenly in a rotating pizza oven using both traditional light sourdough and alternative specialty doughs such as charcoal black.

    The pizza oven rotates some very light and fluffy traditional sourdough so that all pizzas are cooked even and well put together.

    Ian Lethbridge

  • Confidence and Peace of Mind for Dietary Needs

    Diners with coeliac disease can relax and order with complete confidence, knowing staff thoroughly explain the kitchen's protective systems.

    Desy explained their system to ensure that our food was coeliac safe which made us feel extremely comfortable ordering and eating especially when our not everyone on our table was eating gluten free.

    Bridget

  • Welcoming, Family-Style Italian Hospitality

    Warm Italian hospitality and genuine staff attention make guests feel as if they are being welcomed directly into a family home.

    The friendly staff especially Desy and Antonella make me feel as if l am going to visit my family in Italy!!

    Stefania Roberts

  • Memorable Setting for Family Milestone Celebrations

    Attentive, personalized service ensures milestone events like birthdays are seamlessly hosted and memorable for all generations.

    The service was exceptional, the food was incredible, and the warmth and authenticity from the staff made the whole night so special.

    Mini Treasure Kids

  • Attentive Hosting That Welcomes the Whole Family

    Owners and floor staff proactively engage with families and groups, creating a gracious and hospitable dining environment.

    The owner, Bruno, was incredibly gracious and generous. He made sure we were able to get one of the last tables of the night, chatted to us several times and even treated us to some complementary dessert

    Lauren Fritsky

Signature pizzas and authentic Italian classics prepared with meticulous care

  • Gluten Free Pizza

    The first time I had their gluten free pizza and pasta I could not believe it was gluten free!

    Sachini Wickramasekera

  • GF Lasagne

    I had an excellent gf lasagne, will need to go back and try many of their other dishes!

    Linda McIver

  • Norma Pizza

    The Norma Pizza was just as beautiful.

    Israel Tiomno Molina

  • Honey Glazed Roast Lamb Shoulder

    The Honey Glazed Roast Lamb Shoulder was cooked just right—tender, and full of flavour.

    Israel Tiomno Molina

Beyond the menu

Thoughtful hospitality details and rigorous culinary protocols at Roccella

  • Dedicated Black-Plate Allergen Protocol

    Servers explain the kitchen's cross-contamination safety protocols directly to the table, and all coeliac-safe meals are served on distinct black plates to prevent dining mix-ups.

  • Warm Owner Hospitality & Celebration Treats

    Owner Bruno and the floor team actively connect with dining families and have surprised visiting parties with complimentary cannoli and Nutella doughnuts.

  • Charcoal Dough & Rotating Oven Craft

    Pizzas are prepared using distinct dough variations like charcoal-infused black dough alongside traditional sourdough, baked evenly in a rotating pizza oven.

  • Integrated Italian Pantry & Pastry Counter

    An on-site retail pantry and pastry counter allows diners to take home artisanal cakes, Italian pastas, and specialty jarred sauces after their meal.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Roccella safe for coeliac and gluten-free diners?

Yes. Roccella is exceptionally coeliac-friendly, utilizing strict cross-contamination protocols, clear explanatory signage, and dedicated black plates to clearly distinguish gluten-free meals such as pizza and pasta.

Should I make a reservation before visiting?

Yes. The dining room can become very packed, so reserving a table in advance is strongly recommended, especially for dinners and group celebrations.

What types of pizza dough and crust options are available?

Beyond classic dough, Roccella offers specialty pizza bases such as a black dough made with charcoal, as well as an acclaimed gluten-free pizza base baked in a rotating oven.

Is parking available near the restaurant?

Yes. Street parking is available nearby, and patrons report finding parking relatively easy on weekend evenings. Both paid parking lots and free or metered street options exist around the venue.

Can you purchase pantry items and desserts to take home?

Yes. In addition to dine-in service, Roccella features an on-site pantry and pastry area with Italian pastas, sauces, take-home cakes, and desserts like cannoli and doughnuts.

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