Stella Restaurant & Bar

Verdict: A polished, neighbourhood-anchored favourite that balances comfort, style, and crowd-pleasing confidence. Stella knows exactly who it is — and executes accordingly.

Stella doesn’t shout for attention. It hums.
From the reviews, what people keep returning to is the ease of the experience: the softly lit dining room, the warm timber tones, the open, sociable bar energy, and a sense that you can dress up or dress down and still belong.

The food sits squarely in modern Italian territory — familiar foundations, clean execution, and enough finesse to keep it interesting without alienating anyone at the table.

Dishes that dominate reviewer memory:

• Hand-made pastas that hit the sweet spot between richness and restraint (especially the slower-cooked ragù styles)

• Wood-fired pizzas with a loyal following — praised for balance rather than gimmicks

• Seafood plates that regularly get called out as “surprisingly refined” for a casual-leaning venue

• Desserts that are described less as theatrical and more as reliably satisfying — the kind you order because you always do

Service is one of Stella’s quiet strengths. Reviewers consistently mention staff being friendly, efficient, and unforced — not hovering, not robotic, and particularly good with groups, celebrations, and repeat guests. The bar team earns its own praise for cocktails that are well-built without being showy.

Perfect for: relaxed date nights, mid-week dinners, group catch-ups, pre-event meals, or when you want something polished without committing to fine dining theatre.

Recurring minor friction points:
On peak nights, pacing can lean a little relaxed, and a few diners note that popular dishes do occasionally sell out. Not framed as failures — more as signs the place is busy for a reason.

Bottom line:
Stella isn’t trying to reinvent South Yarra dining — it’s refining it. Consistent food, a room people enjoy sitting in, and service that keeps things moving without breaking the spell. That combination explains why so many reviews end the same way: “We’ll be back.”