Gambino Restaurant & Rooftop - Glen Waverley

A refined Italian dining room and rooftop venue offering modern Italian cuisine, polished interiors, and a social atmosphere above the buzz of Kingsway.

First impressions and location

Gambino Restaurant opened in 2025 and has quickly positioned itself as one of Glen Waverley’s more ambitious dining venues. Sitting on level five and extending onto a rooftop terrace, the restaurant quite literally rises above the Kingsway strip. While that elevation gives Gambino its sense of occasion, it also introduces a practical quirk, access appears to be via a single elevator servicing all five floors. When the venue is busy, particularly on weekends, it is easy to imagine bottlenecks forming as diners arrive and leave around the same time.

That said, once you step out of the lift, the feeling is very much that you have arrived somewhere intentional. You are removed from the noise and visual clutter of street level, replaced instead with a calmer, more considered dining environment that feels designed for long evenings rather than quick meals.

According to Gambino’s own description, the venue aims to balance two distinct moods, a refined dining room focused on modern Italian cuisine, and a rooftop terrace designed for spritzes, sunsets, shared plates, and social energy. It is an appealing pitch, especially for Melbourne’s south east, where venues that combine polish with scale are still relatively rare.

Quick facts

Type	Restaurant
Highlights	A refined Italian dining room and rooftop venue offering modern Italian cuisine, polished interiors, and a social atmosphere above the buzz of Kingsway.
Cost	Focaccia $10, Chicken Cotoletta $36, Risotto $42, Kids pasta $18, average spend around $90 to $120 for two people
Location	L5/73-75 Kingsway, Glen Waverley VIC 3150
Best for	Group dinners, special occasions, relaxed family dining, long evenings with friends
Website	https://www.gambino.au/

Booking, arrival, and suitability for families

We booked in advance after receiving several recommendations from friends who described Gambino as a good option for group dinners and special occasions. For this visit, I was dining with my wife and our children, which is often the real test of whether a venue’s claims of flexibility and warmth hold up in practice.

Gambino does offer a kids menu and has baby high chairs available, which immediately makes it more accessible than many similarly styled restaurants. While the overall aesthetic leans towards elegant rather than casual, families are clearly not an afterthought here, and we never felt out of place bringing children along.

Staff on arrival were welcoming and efficient, guiding us to our table without fuss. There was no sense of being rushed or treated as an inconvenience, which is something parents will appreciate, particularly when dining in venues that also attract couples and larger adult groups.

Interior design and atmosphere

Walking into Gambino’s dining room is genuinely surprising in the best possible way. The interior leans into a moody, elegant aesthetic, anchored by dark curtains, subdued lighting, and a sense of deliberate restraint. It feels chic without being cold, refined without being intimidating.

The lighting deserves particular mention. It is dim enough to create intimacy, yet still bright enough to comfortably see the table and your food. Each table is complemented by a small lamp, which adds warmth and helps anchor conversations, especially as the evening wears on.

Seating is another strong point. The chairs feature a plush, velvet-like texture, and along one side of the table we were seated against a comfortable lounge bench. This may seem like a small detail, but it makes a significant difference over the course of a long meal. Gambino clearly expects diners to linger, and the physical comfort of the space supports that expectation.

Overall, the dining room successfully delivers on its promise of an elegant yet relaxed environment, one that works just as well for celebratory dinners as it does for catching up with friends you have not seen in a while.

The menu and approach to modern Italian dining

Gambino’s menu positions itself within the modern Italian tradition, offering familiar formats with contemporary flourishes. Handmade pasta, grilled meats, antipasti, risotto, and desserts form the backbone of the offering, supported by a drinks list that encourages long, unhurried evenings.

There is a clear emphasis on sharing, both in the structure of the menu and in the way dishes are presented. This aligns well with the restaurant’s social positioning, particularly for group dining and family meals where variety is part of the enjoyment.

Prices sit firmly in mid to upper range territory for the area, reflecting both the setting and the ambition of the venue. While not inexpensive, Gambino is clearly aiming for an experience that justifies its pricing through atmosphere, service, and execution.

Starting the meal, focaccia and first bites

We began with the Sourdough Rye Focaccia, priced at $10 and served with garlic butter. Four slices of bread arrived warm rather than hot, leaning towards lukewarm, which slightly muted the impact. That said, the focaccia itself was pleasant, soft with enough structure to hold the butter without becoming greasy.

As an opening dish, it did its job, setting the tone without overwhelming the table. While it did not stand out as a highlight, it was a solid introduction and worked well as something to share while deciding on mains.

Kids menu and value considerations

Our eldest opted for the Butter and Cheese Pasta Shells from the kids menu, priced at $18, along with Kids Fries for $11. The pasta shells were cooked al dente and, somewhat unexpectedly, ended up being one of the more enjoyable dishes on the table. There was a simplicity to it that allowed the quality of the pasta itself to shine.

In fact, we found ourselves preferring it to the risotto we ordered, which says more about the risotto than the kids dish. The fries were shoestring style French fries and were serviceable without being memorable.

From a value perspective, the kids menu made sense. Paying $18 for a well executed pasta dish felt reasonable, particularly when compared to adult pasta options that push higher price points. Families dining here will likely appreciate having this option available.

Chicken Cotoletta, a standout main

One of the clear highlights of the evening was the Chicken Cotoletta, priced at $36. This dish featured a deep fried chicken cutlet topped with capsicum and capers, served over tahini. On paper, it sounded straightforward, but in execution it was excellent.

The chicken was tender and well cooked, with a crisp exterior that did not feel heavy or greasy. The capsicum and capers were more than just garnish, their acidity and sweetness worked beautifully to cut through the richness of the fried chicken. The tahini added depth and a subtle nuttiness that tied the elements together.

This was a dish that felt confident and balanced, indulgent without being overwhelming. It is the kind of plate that leaves a lasting impression and would happily draw me back for a repeat visit.

Risotto with blue crab, high expectations, mixed results

The risotto, priced at $42, arrived with sweet corn, blue crab, chives, and leeks. My wife was particularly intrigued by the inclusion of blue crab, which is not something you see frequently on menus in this area.

Unfortunately, the dish did not quite live up to its promise. The portion was thinner than expected, with a relatively shallow layer of rice topped by the accompanying ingredients. While the crab meat appeared fresh, there was not much of it, which left the dish feeling underwhelming given its price point.

The flavours themselves were pleasant, but the overall impact was muted by the lack of generosity. When a dish highlights a premium ingredient like blue crab, diners understandably expect it to play a more prominent role. In this case, it felt more like a suggestion than a centrepiece.

Service and pacing

Service throughout the evening was attentive without being intrusive. Staff were knowledgeable about the menu and happy to answer questions, and dishes arrived at a comfortable pace that allowed conversation to flow naturally.

There was no sense of being rushed to turn over the table, which aligns well with Gambino’s positioning as a venue for lingering dinners rather than quick meals. For families and groups, this relaxed pacing makes a noticeable difference to the overall experience.

Rooftop appeal and broader positioning

Although this visit focused on the dining room rather than the rooftop terrace, it is easy to see how Gambino could function as a broader social destination. The rooftop, with its emphasis on cocktails, DJs, and shared plates, offers a different energy that would likely appeal to a younger crowd or those looking to extend their evening beyond dinner.

This dual identity, refined dining room below and vibrant rooftop above, is one of Gambino’s more compelling strengths. It allows the venue to cater to different moods and occasions without diluting its core offering.

Is Gambino worth it?

Overall, Gambino Restaurant delivers a polished and enjoyable dining experience, particularly well suited to dinners with friends, celebrations, and family gatherings where atmosphere matters as much as the food.

The interior design and comfort level are genuine strengths, as is the standout Chicken Cotoletta. While not every dish hits the same high mark, particularly the risotto, the overall experience remains positive and cohesive.

For those in Melbourne’s south east looking for a venue that feels elevated without being pretentious, Gambino is an easy recommendation. It is a place where long lunches can stretch into dinner, and where a single glass of wine can comfortably turn into a bottle.

Disclosure: This review reflects my personal experience and views. I did not receive payment, freebies, or incentives. Some links may be affiliate links, which may earn me a small commission at no extra cost to you.