Al Dente Enoteca

About Us

History Of Al Dente

Founded in April of 2020 in the midst of a global pandemic, Andrea Vignali established Al Dente. Originally a weekly pasta delivery service, Vignali founded the business as a means to support himself and other international visa holders during COVID-19 lockdowns. He later joined forces with Davide Bonadiman and Michelle Badek, as their joint vision came together to take Al Dente to a bricks and mortar location.

Now, Al Dente brings to you an approachable fine dining enoteca, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, offering a choice between a la carte dining, or leaving your experience in the capable hands of chefs Andrea and Davide for a tasting menu exploring their favourite regional Italian dishes. An emphasis on local wines with rotating favourites on pour, and humble, good service are what we are known for.

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If at-home-dining is still more your style, Al Dente has a well-appointed delicatessen, called Sapori (meaning flavours in Italian), where you can browse shelves of housemade pasta, sauces and preserves, as well as a selection of the team’s favourite pantry staples. Need to cater dinner in a hurry? Or just wanting a little antipasti with a good wine? Come by and let the Al Dente team create your perfect at-home menu!

Al Dente also delivers! Via Melbourne based online platform, Cookaborough, a weekly menu is released each Sunday, with deliveries happening within 25km of AD in Carlton the following Saturday. All Sapori items are available, as well as fresh, seasonal and ALWAYS handmade pasta, lasagne and ragu. Perfect to stock up and enjoy on a rainy day!

All of our pantry items, including our fresh and frozen pasta, are available to buy on Deliveroo and Uber Eats.

All of our products are also available for wholesale.

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“We Want To Show That It’s Possible To Mix Local Produce With The Traditions We Grew Up With”

Davide | Al Dente Chef

The People Of
Al Dente

Andrea
Owner / Chef

Andrea

Owner/Chef

Born in Lombardy in northern Italy, Andrea was drawn to restaurants from the age of 12, first during school holidays at his uncle’s tavern in Liguria, then on weekends at a restaurant in his home village of Robbiate. “School wasn’t for me,” he says. “I couldn’t stand still for a second but being in the kitchen showed me I was good at something. Being fast and full of energy was an advantage.”

He shifted to culinary college where his teachers saw great potential, sending him for work experience to top regional kitchens and as far afield as Switzerland. As soon as he graduated, he joined the staff of Michelin-starred Pierino Penati, not far from Milan. Steady promotions over four years saw Andrea attain the role of chef de partie but it was no picnic. “We’d work 13 hours a day, six days a week,” he says. “I loved it and I learnt so much but it was a crazy time.” Next stop was La Tessitura, a 30-seat restaurant closer to his village, where he quickly progressed to his first head chef job aged just 22. He was a local sensation and the TV crews came calling but Andrea’s horizons were broader. “I thought I needed to travel,” he says. “So I got on a plane to Australia.”

Two days after he arrived in Melbourne, the young chef had a job at Grossi Florentino. "It felt like a home away from home and it was great to work with owner-chef Guy Grossi and executive chef Chris Rodriguez," says Andrea. "I learnt more about Italian food there than I did in Italy.” There was also the joy of being immersed in Melbourne’s hospitality world. "I loved Melbourne straight away," says Andrea. "You can talk about wine and food with everyone. When everything is good, this is the best place in the world."

Andrea is passionate about progression, and his results-driven mindset helps to carry Al Dente and the team from strength to strength.

Davide
Owner / Chef

Davide

Owner/Chef

Davide Bonadiman was born to be a chef. His parents ran a restaurant in the heart of Verona, in northern Veneto. His childhood was intertwined with the family restaurant and he fell naturally into a cheffing career. “I always loved cooking because I was in that environment from when I was young,” he says. “It grew into a huge passion for me.” While studying hospitality, Davide worked in Michelin-starred restaurants in Verona and won the opportunity to travel to London for work experience in a four-star hotel.

The wide world beckoned and, in 2013, Davide came to Melbourne. He feels fortunate that his first job here was at Mezzo, a lovely restaurant which used to be on Little Bourke Street. He worked under great teachers such as Mirco Speri (now at Buono in Parkdale) and Marcello Mariani (now at Caterina’s). After four years as understudy, Davide took charge of the restaurant for two years, before seeking new adventures at Grossi Florentino.

At Grossi, he cooked alongside Andrea, bonding enthusiastically over a shared love of cooking the food of their home country with beautiful Australian ingredients. The pair have carried that same philosophy forward to Al Dente. “We want to show that it’s possible to mix local produce with the traditions we grew up with,” he says. “With this great combination, we can create something truly unique.”

Davide is involved in every aspect of the business, but he has a special focus on pasta creations and is the mind behind our wine list developed alongside our knowledgeable front of house staff. He has developed a strong passion for wine growing up, one that he shares with his father. Wine research and tasting is now his favourite activity on his days off-work.

He is the quality control maestro alongside Andrea, checking every single dish prepared. His obsession is one of the main reasons we can stand behind the quality of our dishes.

MICHELLE_PORTRAIT
Michelle
Owner / General Manager

Michelle

Owner & General Manager

Every customer who steps in our venue knows Michelle. She’s the friendly face welcoming you into our restaurant, guiding you through our seasonal dishes and local wines when you join us for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Michelle spends her time researching and tasting wines from all across Victoria and Australia - championing small, local winemakers is a passion of hers. Whilst she wears many hats in our restaurant, this is her favourite one.

Her role within Al Dente is an essential one, with her experience in flavour assisting in the development of our menus; the official taste tester! Her detailed explanation of our chef’s creations will leave you mesmerised, and alongside the FOH team, she’s committed to delivering an incredible service, time and time again.

Sergio
Sergio
Chef

Sergio

Chef

He’s the friendliest person in the building. No one gets to work without getting a hug or handshake from Sergio. He’s an excellent chef with great cooking skills, creativity and leadership. He works with passion alongside Davide and Andrea, in creating beautiful dishes for you to enjoy.

He’s been with us since summer of 2021, and has been an important part of our team since he joined us.

We’ve sponsored Sergio, and we’re so glad to be part of his journey here in Australia.

Sergio leads with an immense amount of passion and care (you’d be forgiven for thinking the business was his!), loves tattoos, and will often be listening to rock and metal music.

KEVIN_PORTRAIT
Kevin
Chef

Kevin

Chef

Motivated, energetic and eager to learn all that he can from Andrea, Davide and even Michelle.

Kevin has been part of our team since mid 2021, just months after we opened the doors to our Enoteca. He’s grown exponentially, both in taking on leadership roles and working autonomously as a representative of the business.

Kevin is on sponsorship with us, and we’re excited to see his growth.

Kevin powers through prep, holds himself to high standard, pushes himself to be the heaviest lifter of our team at the gym (sorry, buddy, Davide takes the cake on this one) and loves a bit of rap music.

SHARIL_PORTRAIT
Sharil
Chef

Sharil

Chef

Sharil started with Al Dente at the start of 2023, and as soon as he arrived we saw immense potential.

Bringing another layer of culture to our team, we soon understood his methodical approach to his work.

Great with numbers, systems and processes, Sharil took on leadership roles in the kitchen and ran with it! His analytical approach and attention to detail cement his value in our team.

He, too, is on sponsorship with us, and we can’t wait to see what he achieves over the coming years.

Sharil likes nice cars, nice whisky and things to be completed in an organised fashion.

ADRYAN_PORTRAIT
Adryan
Chef

Adryan

Chef

Adryan joined our team in the summer of 2021 as a kitchen hand whilst studying commercial cookery. Since then, he’s come the furthest in his professional and personal growth.

Through a lot of learning with Andrea, Davide and the rest of our kitchen team, he’s developed his passion for desserts.

It was a truly beautiful moment for us the first time Adryan created a dish for our dessert menu, and we couldn’t be more proud of him.

His eye for detail in plating up beautiful dishes is second to none. If you notice an immaculate plate of antipasti or dessert hitting your table, chances are, Adryan’s put it together.

Ilenia
Restaurant Manager

Ilenia

Restaurant Manager

Some may say this is Ilenia’s restaurant, and to an extent, they’re not wrong. She’s been with us since early 2023, only taking a small break from her role to complete her farm work in Far North Queensland.

She brings years of experience in fine dining, Michelin star restaurants, and luxury hotels, and leads our front of house team with grace and passion.

Ilenia’s leadership and high standards are what keeps our front of house team motivated.

She leads with knowledge and a firey Sicilian grit that you just can’t argue with. She loves dining out, organised chaos and a little bit of Italian tradition.

Her warm service and commitment make her one of the shining stars of our team. We most certainly wouldn’t have the restaurant we do today without Ilenia.

FRANCESCO_PORTRAIT
Francesco
Supervisor

Francesco

Supervisor

Francesco is an old soul, wise beyond his years and with a sense of humour hard not to laugh along with.

He’s got talent, charm and knowledge that’s nearly incomparable. Coming from Campania, he’s got a great taste for Italian wines and will be able to find a bottle from our wine list that you’ll love.

TAIGEMEDIA_PORTRAIT
Taige
Creative Strategist

Taige

Creative Strategist

Taige is the videographer and creative strategist behind all of our social media videos. Under his company, TAIGEMEDIA,
Taige and Andrea have spent countless hours researching, brainstorming and producing all of the educational, hilarious and engaging content you see across our platforms.

How we met Taige was very serendipitous; at the end of 2023 when he came to shoot some content at Al Dente for Delicious 100. Andrea saw Taige’s passion, and together, they decided to start working together and bring our social media marketing back in house.

TAIGEMEDIA work tirelessly to boost our engagement on social media channels, with videos (like the viral Tiramisu) amassing over 50 MILLION views.

Taige loves technology, symbiosis in creative ideas and a little Fernet Branca & Cola.

Our Team

Our recipe for success starts with our team. Add a bit of passion, a lot of talent, and plenty of hard work and you’ll find yourself right at home with us. At Al Dente, our modern Italian restaurant in Melbourne is built by a passionate hospitality team who bring their knowledge, experience, and passion to every service. We care about the small details, and we create a welcoming environment where everyone feels part of something meaningful.

Our chefs spend hours preparing every element that lands on your plate, while our front of house team brings warmth, attention to detail, and genuine hospitality to every guest who walks through our doors. Fine dining restaurants can sometimes feel sterile or uncomfortable. At Al Dente, we find the balance between refined dining and a local favourite; a place where you feel comfortable the moment you walk into our little piece of Modern Italy.

Together we create the experience that Al Dente is known for. Whether it’s serving your morning caffè latte and breakfast as the day begins, or helping you build the perfect menu for lunch or dinner in our Carlton restaurant, our goal is always the same: exceptional food, genuine hospitality, and a place where everyone feels welcome.

Without our guests there is no Al Dente, and without our team there is no hospitality. All we hope is that the passion and creativity we put into what we do is something our guests can feel from the moment they walk through the doors.

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Our Recognitions In The Industry

Honorable mention in Australia’s Wine list of the Year Awards for Victoria, awarded two glasses

Feature in April 2021 Gourmet Traveller “Restaurant News” for new restaurant opening

Cover photo and ten page spread in August 2021 Gourmet Traveller for pasta recipes in their Italian issue

Good Food Guide 2021 – review

Featured Articles

Interested In Joining Our Team?

Whether you’re an up-and-coming chef or a front of house star looking for hospitality jobs in Melbourne, we’d love to hear from you.

At Al Dente, our modern Italian restaurant is built on a small team that supports each other, takes pride in great food and genuine hospitality, and always tries to see the possibility, not the problem. We believe that when a committed group of people works toward something bigger than themselves, incredible things can happen.

We are always open to hearing from chefs and hospitality professionals looking for restaurant jobs in Melbourne.

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