Mario’s Cafe

Mario’s is a 30 year old Italian Restaurant, full of old Melbourne charm, quality authentic cuisine and the most obnoxious wait staff you’ve ever had the displeasure of encountering in your entire dining lives in our fine city.
This evening, three friends and I graced this Mario’s with our business, which included entrees, drinks, mains, deserts and coffees along with laughter and chatter on their reasonably quiet evening and we were met with utter disdain when we went to pay our near $ 200 tab.
Our waitress, who had felt the entire evening above using a note pad (and did not have the memory for this) informed our Credit Card Roulette winner that she could enter an amount for a tip, when my friend politely advised that she would decline this and «not because of your service, just because we aren’t in America.» The waitress, thought it best to get into an altercation.
I’m sorry, but is it not awkward enough you are putting people on the spot right in front of you and pressuring them to give you their money just for you doing your job? This is not America, you aren’t using tips to make up for minimum wage and if you were you certainly would have gotten a tip. This waitress, continued to ask «have you worked in the industry?!» My friend «yes I have.» Waitress «So you should know what it’s like.»
Etc etc. I just walked out, it was so awkward!
We left with our mouths open. Listen, whatever your beliefs are on tipping that’s fine, I think it’s fine to tip if someone is great, but this person was so average. We asked for water three times and she kept forgetting things and she had an attitude the entire evening. I understand that hospitality isn’t the best job in the world and everyone has off nights, but don’t ask for a tip and if you aren’t going to get one, just leave it at that!
Up to that point, we were raving about Mario’s exclaiming that it was going to be our new place and that we had to take everyone we knew there and it was fantastic. Now, I will never go back and will actively tell people about my horrible experience. I’m absolutely mortified by the entire situation!
Tip: You catch my flies with honey, honey.
#marioscafefitzroy #waitressfail #tipssuck #tacky

We always wonder past here on our way to Coles and often there are people sitting with bowls of delicious pasta and glasses of red wine. Finally we decided to join this seemingly happy group and we weren’t disappointed. I am a lover of all good spaghetti and lasagna and will tend to gravitate towards these if they are available on the menu but i was swayed by an eggplant spaghetti instead and boy was I glad i did. delicious. Perfectly cooked pasta with just enough aubergine to not be swimming in sauce but touch your tongue with every mouthful. Just divine. My partner ordered the lamb rump and the meat was cooked so well with all the accompanying vegetables a nice crisp touch. Yes we will definitely be back!

Marios is a key part of living in Melbourne. It’s a great meeting place, a great meal place or nice for just a quick coffee.
Their all-​day breakfast was the inspiration for everybody else’s all-​day breakfast.
Reasonable prices and delightful service puts the sweetener on it as one of Melbourne’s most reliable eateries.

Very professional staff, good friendly atmosphere — however both of our meals were undercooked and also were no where near the price paid. From an Italian — I would not recommend this. But it could have been the chefs first day (:

Mario’s has been around for years and years and Fitzroy simply wouldn’t be the same without it. Back in the day when I was 18 I didnt like the place — I found it pretentious back then, but now as a 36 year old I really appreciate it and what it is about.
Im come to discover that its not actually pretentious at all! Its just very sure of itself and understands what it is about and is not prepared to compromise that for anything. For example, they refuse to sell coffee with light milk or soy milk etc. And fair enough too — if you are going to drink milk, then drink real milk. The idea is that it is kept authentic like a small café in Italy. Introducing «funky inner city things» like soy milk, light milk etc would compromise the authentic small Italian café idea which Mario’s have lived by for so long. The «cash only» policy (which I presume still exists) is another example of what Im talking about.
While some people will no doubt see this uncompromising stance as a cop-​out, I will say that while they practice this «easy» part of the uncompromising policy, they also practice the «hard» parts well — for example, their baristas and waiters are emaculately dressed, extremely professional, very very good at their jobs and are also very friendly despite knowing that they are the best on the strip! They are extremely unpretentious!
I don’t get down to Mario’s very often, but I was there yesterday with my 3 year old twins. I was a tiny bit surprised that they actually made them a «babycino» and I giggled when one of my sons pointed out that there was no marshmellow involved! And of course the babycino was made with real milk and they were very cheap! The kids drank them remarkably quickly — which indicates that with their real milk policy, anti marshmellow /​credit card /​soy /​chemical stance they are on a winner and know it! As a café, the only way you can impress 3 year olds is to make good food or drink — and Mario’s do this brilliantly!
They have been around for 25 years and I hope that they are still around in 125 years!

I think Mario’s is great. It’s relaxed and not full of the same people in all the other places down Brunswick street (you’re less likely to see sunnies on at night and ironically bad fashion for example). I also like that it’s not really a family place so there aren’t large tables or kids running around.
The food is always good. Fresh, simple, not too expensive. It’s simple and the waiters are efficient and leave the friendliness to Mario himself.
Go and try it, i doubt you’ll regret it.

My favorite simple Italian café in Melbourne. Waiters are so professional, food is perfect.

Decent pasta. Friendly staff. Not much more to say.

Another of the celebrated Brunswick St institution, the Italian restaurant Mario’s is one more these pretentious pieces you find littering the street. Unlike many of its peers who share the sentiment, Mario’s can get away with it.
The food is tasty and consistently amazing. Italian pastas and other excellent small timers — avocado on toast works well, even better us the egg.
The coffee matches the quality of the food, but all you lactose intolerant sorts should take it black. Do not ask for soy or skinny, you may be stared daggers out the door.
As you leave you may notice a Fitzroy literary contemporary hidden in the corner — is that Nick Cave I see?

Mario’s Café is the brainchild of two Italians called Mario Maccarone and Mario De Pasquale who met in the hospitality industry in the early 1980s. It has now been going strong for over 25 years.
Located on Brunswick Street just past the Johnston Street intersection going away from the city, they specialise in hearty Italian food and good coffee.
I came here for breakfast not too long ago and wasn’t too impressed with the number of breakfast options. Their menu was kind of small and although the food was good, it was by no means the best breakfast in the area.
The lunch and dinner menu does look a lot more exciting, so I’ll probably have to check it out before passing judgement on that.

Mario’s Café is like any other Brunswick Street establishment — moderately priced, good portions, and average food. Okay, not all Brunswick Street establishments are like that, but the majority of them are, and there’s nothing wrong with that. With both a significant local and tourist presence, Brunswick Street cafes have to cater to a variety of taste and pocketbooks. This includes Mario’s Café.
Serving what is probably described as Italian inspired cuisine, Mario’s Café continues to maintain a good reputation in the Fitzroy area. I’ve come here a few times and usually, I am underwhelmed by the food. Their fettuccine pesto ($ 16), which is my go to, is good, but inconsistent — sometimes it is pretty bland.
The service is usually spot on — better than the food. The wine list is average ($ 45) and includes the usual Australian wines — something from Heathcote, Yarra Valley, Mornington Pennisula, etc. No wow factor. But despite the average food at Mario’s Café, it is one of the better cafes on Brunswick Street.
My biggest gripe: If they’ve been here for 25 years as others have highlighted, they should probably get with technology and get rid of their cash only policy. Maybe this has changed?

If Mario’s ever disappeared it would change the face of Brunswick Street significantly. It would be a sad, sad day.
I have no fear of that happening though. Mario’s is this year celebrating it’s 25^th anniversary so they’ve obviously discovered the secret to long-​lasting happiness.
The secret? Well, it’s no secret really. It’s simply that Mario’s serves up delicious and authentic tasting Italian food — wonderfully robust pastas and perfectly cooked meats — and they do it with a certain flair that captures the spiritual essence of modern Melbourne.

Old Italy on Brunswick St. Mario’s has been serving good, hearty Italian meals in this spot for so long that you can currently order a bottle of their own 25^th anniversary bubbly to have with dinner. And there’s a reason it has survived: the restaurant is casual yet intimate, the service is no-​nonsense and fast, and the food is simple, well made, affordable and filling.
Last time I was there I took my parents and an aunt and uncle as an introduction to Italian food away from the Lygon St circus (they’re all from out of town) and they really appreciated getting a slice of the real deal. I ordered the penne puttanesca (anchovies, capers, olives, garlic and tomato — $ 16) which was dense and flavoursome.
We also had a bottle of WA merlot, which at $ 40 was the cheapest of the reds — yeah, the wine is on the mid-​upper end here and there’s no BYO. We also got plenty of garlic bread to share to start and the elderly waiter gent was po-​facedly charming as always.

Nestled cosily in the hustle and bustle of Brunswick street, Marios celebrated its twenty-​fifth anniversary this year. Considered a Melbourne institution, this place is just generally amazingtown. The atmosphere is super chilled, it’s very gay-​friendly and the coffee rocks. Be warned Starbucks crowd, your skinny milk and soy demands aren’t welcome here. It’s fat milk or nothing and they do it well.
Last time I went I had a salad which was delicious and the waitress was very patient with my family’s’ complex food requests. I sampled some of the butternut ravioli which was so good and I have it on good authority that the puttanesca is out of this world. It s always busy here but you can always get a table.
Mario’s also supports local artists, displaying and selling their work inside. They are happy to provide water for dogs at the outside tables. The food here is always fresh and well-​presented and there are ever-​changing specials in addition to the established menu.