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

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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.

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

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.

Before you head over

Practical advice on reservations, dietary safety, and pantry takeaways for your visit to Roccella.

  • Look for the Black Plates for Coeliac Safety

    Staff clarify safety systems for dietary needs, and all coeliac-safe gluten-free meals are visibly differentiated on distinct black plates to prevent mixed-order mix-ups.

  • Book Ahead for Peak Vibrancy

    The vibrant dining rooms in front of the bar and rotating pizza oven fill up quickly, so reserve a table ahead of time to secure seating without waiting.

  • Grab Pantry Goods and Pastries on the Go

    If you are pressed for time, browse the pastry counter and on-site retail pantry to take home fresh cakes, packaged Italian pastas, and house sauces.

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