Espressino Coffee and Pizza Bar

Espressino Coffee and Pizza Bar

70 King St, Melbourne

(Ph) 9620 4774

☆☆

P and I were going for lunch again - found this cafe right next to home! ☆☆ given by the Cheap Eats Guide =)

We realised this place is opened by the same people at +39 Pizzeria - our experience there last time wasn't very good, thought we'd give it another try this time!

We came here at 1pm - there were a few 4 people tables outside and a single 2 people table inside. We wanted to sit outside but they said we weren't allowed to and made us sit on the table inside =/ We sat down for 2 seconds and a waiter came and asked us if we wanted to order but we said we wanted a few more minutes - all the waiters were kinda rude and blunt =/

You can get pizzas here, or pre-made ciabattas or piadinas. P insisted on ordering the Sole e Luna - half Calzone pizza filled with ham and Fior Di Latte & Half a Margarita pizza $16.50 even though I said we had ordered it last time.

I was choosing between the Capricciosa Italiana - Italian tomato salsa, Fior Di Latte, leg ham, artichokes & mushrooms $15.50 or the Salsiccia - Italian tomato salsa, Fior Di Latte, Italian Berkshire Sausage, Porcini Mushrooms & Parmesan $18.50. P said he wanted the Salsiccia - we didn't even realise we had ordered this one last time too! =O

Salsiccia

Cheesy goodness! and the crust was crunchy but not too salty unlike our last experience! Those porcini mushrooms are really unpleasant though =/ We actually thought they were artichokes (we got mixed up with the Capricciosa Italiana) - kinda slimy tasting =S I've never not liked any type of mushroom so I was very shocked! Would have been nicer if the sausage pieces were cut into smaller bits instead of me cutting it up myself.

Sole e Luna

The Sole e Luna was just as we remembered it - full of cheeeeese! When we cut it open all this liquid cheese leaked out =D

The crust was a bit tougher - I had trouble cutting it with my blunt table knife - they actually have some sharper knifes in the cutlery bucket but I didn't realise. P got one of the sharp ones and had no trouble cutting through the pizza crust =P

When we went to pay at the counter, P pointed out they had a mini pizza behind the counter and it's baked already!

Which means our pizzas were most likely baked once already, and were just ovened warm for us. They didn't feel hot enough to have come out of a 382°C oven (like at +39 Pizzeria) so we figured they must be made at +39 Pizzeria, and just brought over to Espressino. And it makes sense 'cause I looked up how much we paid for +39 Pizzeria - $45 compared to $35 on this day at Espressino.

Food~

6/10 - wasn't as salty as at +39 Pizzeria but felt jipped they weren't freshly made for us!

Service~

1/5 - quite poor with rude blunt waiters who wouldn't let us sit outside =( I get it it's the lunch time rush but that's when they'd get the most customers so should try and please more!

Atmosphere~

1/5 - felt quite claustrophobic at at tiny table in the middle of the cafe with waiters rushing past us every 2 seconds bringing food out..

Gave them a second chance, but still wasn't very good =(

C.

xo