Pepe's Italian & Liquor

Name: Pepe's Italian & Liquor
Address: 275-285 Exhibition Street, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, AU
Telephone: (03) 9663 7994
Price range: $$
Rating: 5

Pepe's Italian & Liquor: Italian dining, cocktails, and a courtyard vibe.

5(5 reviews)

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About

Located at 275-285 Exhibition St, Melbourne, Pepe's Italian & Liquor blends Italian dining with a cocktail bar in a heritage-listed red-brick setting. The courtyard and moody interiors create an Instagrammable vibe, while service is consistently praised for warmth and attentiveness. Guests enjoy pasta favorites, hearty sandwiches, and well-made cocktails at reasonable prices—a versatile spot for dates, celebrations, or casual nights with friends.

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Location

275-285 Exhibition St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia

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Information

275-285 Exhibition Street

Melbourne, VIC, 3000

(03) 9663 7994 pepesitalian.com.au/

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Services

Italian Dining

Enjoy authentic Italian-American cuisine, including handmade pastas, sandwiches, and entrees like Polpo alla Pizzaiola, served in a cozy, heritage-listed setting.

Cocktail Bar

Sip on expertly crafted cocktails such as espresso martinis and amaretto sours at our stylish bar, perfect for pre-dinner drinks or evening socializing.

Beer Garden

Relax in our enchanting courtyard under fairy lights, offering a lively yet intimate atmosphere for outdoor dining and drinks.

Event Hosting

Host special occasions like birthdays and engagements with personalized service, including Prosecco toasts and attentive staff to make events memorable.

Lunch Specials

Try our weekday sandwich specials from 12-3 PM, featuring options like La Porchetta and Mushroom Melt, offering great value and flavor.

5.00 · 5 reviews

Overall rating

Stephanie Hutton

via Google

· 8 months ago

We dined on a Friday night when the venue was clearly at full capacity, and while there was a wait for food, the service throughout the evening was genuinely excellent. The staff were attentive, kind, and consistently checked in with us, despite being under obvious pressure during a very busy service. Having worked in hospitality myself, I know how challenging peak periods can be, and the team handled the evening with professionalism and care. In particular, the maître d’ who welcomed us, along with the three servers who looked after us in the parlour — the American female server, the Australian female server with brown hair and a warm demeanour, and the Australian male of Asian appearance — were all fantastic and made us feel very well looked after. The food, as always, was impeccable, and we love returning to this venue. Thank you also for the thoughtful touches, including the Prosecco for my birthday and helping us celebrate our engagement — it truly made the evening feel special.

jerena teo

via Google

· 9 months ago

Made a reservation for Saturday for lunch at 12pm, got my seating pretty quickly as we got there. We were taken care by Amelia and she was just fantastic! Service by the other waitresses was very good too. We ordered 3 entrees. 3 mains, 2 beers , 2 cocktails and our bill was only approx $300, prices were decent! Ambience was also fantastic, very instagramable indoors and outdoors. We will definitely be back!

Clare D

via Google

· 10 months ago

I recently revisited Pepe’s and it was just as magical (if not more so) than I remembered. From the moment you step through the gates into the courtyard you’re warmly greeted by staff, shown to your table with menus in hand and drink orders taken promptly. Even on a busy Saturday night full of couples, birthday groups and friends catching up, the vibe stays lively yet surprisingly intimate; I could actually hear everything my friend was saying, and the service stayed on point despite the crowd. We kicked off with some cocktails — espresso martinis and amaretto sours — and shared a feast: Polpo alla Pizzaiola and Steak Tartare to start, then Spaghetti Gamberi e Pomodorini and Lamb Mafaldine for mains. The food was delicious, portions generous, and prices more than reasonable. We couldn’t even finish one pasta bowl we ordered — that’s how full we were! The interiors are absolutely stunning. Pepe’s occupies a heritage-listed, red-brick building, and the vibe channels a mid-20th-century New York / classic Italian-American restaurant meets Melbourne cool. Cathedral-height ceilings, moody yet inviting lighting, the bar stretching along the space, and lots of artful touches. Whether you sink into a banquette for a cosy dinner or sip cocktails in the courtyard under fairy lights, it truly feels elevated and well considered. All in all — a gorgeous restaurant that ticks every box. Great for dates, celebrations, cocktails with friends, or just a really good meal. I’ll definitely be returning — maybe for my birthday next year

Miss Culinaryy

via Google

· 11 months ago

If you told me this was in Melbourne, I wouldn’t have believed you! Stepping into the location felt like I was back in Europe, it was one of the prettiest parlour I’ve been in a while! But pretty interior aside, their foods were equally delicious! Pepe’s have always been famous for their pasta but Pepe’s parlour specialises in sandwiches every weekdays 12-3PM! We got to try their La Porchetta sandwich which had a really crispy pork crackling with nicely cooked meat, cheesy flavour from the mozzarella and strong herbs aftertaste as well! The mushroom melt had such a well cooked mushroom, it was soft and melts in your mouth. We also really enjoyed the salad as we’re not usually big fans of pumpkin but were surprised how good it tasted because of the seasoning. The skewers were also juicy and savoury! Considering the size of the sandwiches, I’d say it’s very much worth the price as it can definitely be worth 2 meals! 🐷 La Porchetta Sandwich ($19) 🍄 Mushroom Melt Sandwich ($17) [V] 🐮 Meatball Sub Sandwich ($18) 🍢 BBQ Chicken Skewers Salad ($28) 🍝 Baked Spicy Rigatoni Vodka ($32)

Sarah M

via Google

· 1 year ago

Amazing experience!! From the moment we entered Pepe's we had a warm welcome, and were seated in a cozy spot along the booth. Our waitress was attentive but not overwhelming. The decor and ambience felt like a cozy chalet heightened by the lovely moody lighting. Although all the food was delicious we especially loved the garlic and butter Focaccia, pumpkin filled pasta cones and both desserts DELICIOUS. Highly recommend the toffee pudding and filled donuts. Will definitely be going back to Pepe's!