Caffe Cento Venti

PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIA
Caffe Cento Venti is a delightful traditional Italian eatery housed in an equally delightful red brick building that spills out onto Collins Street, where large market umbrellas protect diners from Melbourne’s temperamental elements. Take the few steps up and turn left for the dining room or right for the bar area and coffee making station, where seating is also available but minimally so and quite cramped at that. Open from breakfast through dinner, Caffe Cento Venti has a deliciously tempting menu with daily changing specials that reflect the seasons.

Start the day with smoked salmon, tomatoes, onion and spinach tossed together with scrambled eggs, served with toast, and washed down with a glass fresh orange juice. For lunch or dinner start with an entree of calamari fritti (calamari lightly dusted with flour and pan-fried with a touch of chilli and garlic), or the salsiccia alla griglia (spicy Italian sausages with a mushroom sauce). Follow with the gnocchi di nonna (homemade potato and pumpkin dumplings with chilli and garlic in a Napoli sauce), or the anatra in umido (oven-roasted duck served with a blueberry glaze). Finish with the Italian favourite tiramisu and a glass of sticky. The good sized wine list of mostly Australian offerings has many options available by the glass.

Veda Wickens