EAT > Sorsi e Morsi, St Kilda (14/20)

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Tucked just beyond the green hush of St Kilda’s Botanic Gardens, Sorsi e Morsi (Sips and Bites) feels like the kind of Italian neighbourhood escape that every suburb hopes for and few master. But this is St Kilda the former home of Melbournes more Bohemian set and today upwardly gentrified, which means every corner seems to have a new bar or restaurant poking out.

On the quiet corner of Blessington and Barklay Streets, away from the thrum of Acland Street, (in what was once the delightful pizza bar iCarusi) the sunlight flickers off rustic timber tables from morning to night, while the happy din of locals—spanning a lingering breakfast to the late Aperol spritzers — swirls through a space that is imbued with a warm, lived-in charm.

Since 2013, Sorsi e Morsi has offered a slice of Italy on Blessington Street, carrying a reputation for genuine hospitality, cheery service and a knack for making every coffee, panini, or cacio e pepe taste like a welcome home.

EAT >

Breakfast devotees looking for sweet go for the Rice Pudding with baked rhubarb, strawberry compote and pistachio or for a more savoury option the classic Baked Meatballs which combine beef & pork into mouth melting meatballs, served with white beans, tomato sugo, a top crusty toasted sourdough. Of course this is Melbourne so there is also excellent morning coffee.

However the kitchen’s heart beats loudest at dinner, with a short, classic menu of handmade pasta, pillowy gnocchi, and comforting secondi, each reflecting the “nonna-style” promise—nothing showy, everything generous and layered with care.

Antipasti—like arancini or stuffed onions—set the stage for bowls of slow-cooked lasagne, prawns with garlic and chilli tossed through spaghetti, and heart-stoppingly robust osso bucco pie when winter returns.

I had the lamb ragu which was tasty and the perfect balance of rich sauce to the fluffy gnocchi, Nomes who joined me for dinner had the rabbit ragu served with casarece (a short curled pasta) also very tasty. This is definitely not fine dining but when it comes to quality eats in St Kilda this an excellent easy option.

DRINK >

The wine and cocktail list tips its hat to both local and imported Italians, nothing really special here and I was pushed to find a wine that I was going to be excited about, but the negroni was good and they had an Aperol Spritz on the happy hour menu, which was ideal for the weather.

CONCLUSION >

Sorsi e Morsi isn’t just a café or restaurant—it’s a genuine, lived-in part of the St Kilda community; equally suitable for a perky breakfast, a languid lunch with friends, or a dinner that lingers well after dark. Staff radiate familiarity and ease, always ready with another round or a thoughtful suggestion.

This kind of food was once only found at the iconic St Kilda institution Ciccolina but this is one of the changes for the better, substance and style alike.

For travellers and locals alike, there’s an irresistible charm in its honesty—proof that Italian simplicity, when done right, needs little embellishment beyond good company and the next sip or bite.

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