Ciao Italia – One Of The Best Italian Restaurants In Perth

Ask anyone where the best Italian restaurant in Perth is and most of them will direct you to Ciao Italia.

The trattoria first opened its doors in 1999 as a tiny 20-seater humble eatery with a primary focus on takeouts. Word of its gourmet delicacies soon spread far and wide; today, Ciao Italia is a reputable household brand with throngs of eager fans queuing up every night.

Ciao Italia has gone from strength to strength over the past 1.5 decades, and they now have two outlets. The flagship restaurant at South Perth does not accept reservations, but bookings could be made at the newer location in Nedlands. We joined the eager queue at South Perth are here to present to you the low-down on our overall dinner experience.

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The 17-year-old restaurant is located at the corner of Douglas Avenue and queues start forming way even before 5pm. Note that the restaurant is closed on Sundays and Mondays.

Ciao Italia’s comprehensive menu boasts a splendid selection of Italian classics such as wood-fired pizzas, handcrafted pastas and lo and behold, the tastiest tiramisu you will ever have! Portions are incredibly generous and each dish could feed up to three pax.

We waited approximately 30 minutes before being allocated a table – and was told that we were already considered lucky for such a relatively short waiting time.

We kickstarted our meal with Calamari Alla Griglia (A$37.50) – superbly fresh ginormous squid rings grilled to perfection in a special homemade lemon sauce and served with lightly tossed mixed salad.

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The variety of pastas is extensive and guests can choose from fettucine, penne, ravioli, spaghetti, torellini and the list goes on. We highly recommend the Alla Salerno (A$35.50), which is essentially an exceptionally huge portion of artisanal squid ink pasta served with succulent shrimps, fresh basil and dunked in rich, creamy, white wine sauce infused with rose.

Do not leave Ciao Italia without ordering their heavenly Tiramisu (A$8.50). Smooth, delicate and moist, the texture of this coffee dessert is delightfully consistent throughout and hands down the most delicious rendition we ever had! The ladyfingers sponge cake – sandwiched with mascarpone cheese layers – topped with cocoa powder and cream blew us away.

Ciao Italia
273 Mill Point Road
South Perth WA 6151, Australia
(Corner of Douglas Avenue)
Tel: +61 8 9368 5500
Sun and Mon: Closed
Tue to Sat: 5pm – 10pm

About the writer:
Hui Jun Ng is a staff writer for ladyironchef. She previously worked in the food and marketing industry. She loves traveling and enjoys exploring underrated destinations. In her free time, you will find her indulging in coffee and her all time favourite local dish – bak chor mee.