Cafe Notturno

Profiled by de Groots Media
Established in 1978, Cafe Notturno has long been a firm favourite on the Lygon Street strip. Wishing to create a venue that was unique to Melbourne, the original owner decided on the gimmick of being a large Italian style cafe that never closed, which is how the name Notturno (meaning nocturnal in Italian) came to be. Today the hours are not quite so long, but the Italian-style feel remains, with friends catching up here regularly to partake in traditional Italian fare and quality coffee.

Cafe Notturno offers an all day breakfast menu which includes all your favourites such as muesli with seasonal fruit, and bacon with fried or scrambled eggs on toast. Lunch on a gourmet pizza such as the Jupiter with tomato, jarlsberg cheese, dried tomato and prosciutto, or homemade beef lasagne. In the evenings try the scotch fillet steak with mushroom or pepper sauce, served with thick chips and salad, or a succulent grilled Dory fillet served on a bed of rice with fresh spinach and a lemon butter sauce. Finish with a selection of scrumptious cakes and traditional gelati. Cafe Notturno offers a concise, Australian-friendly wine list with a tempting selection of cocktails and alcoholic milkshakes.

Veda Wickens