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, 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, 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. A locally focussed wine list with rotating favourites on pour, and humble, good service are what we are known for.
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.
“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
Our Team
Our recipe for success starts with our team. Add a bit of passion, a lot of talent, and some hard work and you’ll find yourself within our staff.
We are a team of young, passionate hospitality people bringing our knowledge and experience forward each day. We value the little things, the smaller details, and take pride in a positive environment; our very own Al Dente family.
Our chefs work tirelessly preparing every element on each plate of food, and our front of house use their immaculate attention for detail and warm customer service skills each and every day.
We come together to deliver a great experience to every one of our customers; without our guests, Al Dente wouldn’t be the business it is today! Our team are happy to make your morning caffe latte whilst you browse our shelves, or help you create your ideal menu whilst dining in our restaurant. We take pride in our work, and all we can hope is that our passion and creativity translates from our ideas, to a warm feeling for our customers when they walk through our doors.
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
