Head-to-Head · Melbourne
Grossi Florentino vs Cutler & Co
Two Melbourne destination dinners a generation apart: Grossi Florentino's old-world Italian grandeur against Andrew McConnell's modern Fitzroy flagship. Book by the occasion.
The Verdict
Two Melbourne destination dinners, a generation apart in style. Grossi Florentino is the grand Italian room above 80 Bourke Street, trading since 1928 as Cafe Florentino and run for decades by Guy Grossi; in late 2025 the Grossi family sold it to Rebecca Yazbek's Edition Hospitality, which reopened the upstairs Florentino Dining Room in 2026 under hand-painted murals, with the same handmade pasta and gnocchi brought up to date. Cutler and Co is Andrew McConnell's Fitzroy flagship, opened in 2009 in a former metalworks at 55 Gertrude Street, a modern Australian room built on a daily Chef's Selection and a long wine list. One is old-world Italian grandeur; the other is contemporary Melbourne at its most assured.
The split is heritage versus invention. Florentino is white linen, murals and a classic Italian carte for a celebration that wants a sense of occasion. Cutler is the McConnell template of seasonal, produce-led cooking and slick service that defined a decade of Melbourne dining. Neither city carries a Michelin guide, so both are judged on the plate. See both in the Melbourne dining guide.
Scores, Side by Side
| Score | Grossi Florentino | Cutler and Co |
|---|---|---|
| Food | 8 / 10 | 9 / 10 |
| Atmosphere | 9 / 10 | 8 / 10 |
| Value | 6 / 10 | 7 / 10 |
Which One for Which Occasion
| Occasion | Editorial Pick |
|---|---|
| A grand anniversary | Grossi FlorentinoThe murals, linen and old-world Italian room make the bigger sense of occasion for a milestone. |
| A contemporary destination dinner | Cutler and CoMcConnell's seasonal cooking and the Chef's Selection are the more current Melbourne benchmark. |
| A business dinner | Grossi FlorentinoA formal Italian dining room reads more clearly to a guest than a buzzy Fitzroy room. |
| A food-led night out | Cutler and CoThe daily-changing menu and wine list reward diners who want to follow the kitchen. |
| Classic Italian craft | Grossi FlorentinoHandmade pasta and gnocchi made on the same equipment for decades are the draw. |
Price Comparison
Both sit at the top of Melbourne pricing, with dinner for two and wine landing comfortably into three figures each. Florentino's upstairs room runs a classic Italian carte plus a tasting; Cutler builds around an a la carte menu and a daily Chef's Selection, with the option to let the kitchen drive. Neither is cheap, but both deliver the polish to match. Weigh them against the best Italian restaurants worldwide and the wider modern European restaurants worldwide.
How to Book
Grossi Florentino books direct and through the usual platforms; under Edition Hospitality the upstairs Florentino Dining Room is the room to reserve, separate from the Cellar Bar and the cafe downstairs. Read the Grossi Florentino review in full before you book.
Cutler and Co opens Wednesday to Saturday for dinner and Sunday for lunch at 55 Gertrude Street, and books direct and on the usual platforms; weekends go first. Read the Cutler and Co review first. For occasion fit, weigh both against the best Melbourne tables for an anniversary and a team dinner. For more match-ups see Grossi Florentino vs Brae and Brae vs Cutler and Co, and browse the compare index.