Great food but disappointing service. The quality of the food itself was very high, and we were delighted with the flavour and size of servings. The service, however, felt rushed and focussed on efficiency rather than our dining experience. This was our first time dining at Joia; we had out-sourced the kids for the night; and we had hoped for, and anticipated a more personalised and intimate dining experience. The ordering felt rushed and impersonal; the mains were served before the entree plates and cutlery were cleared; cutlery was not then replaced between meals (and the attention of wait staff could not be gained to receive new cutlery, so we took them off the adjacent table); and I was advised that I had to pay the bill before receiving a detailed bill to review (despite me requesting a copy of the bill before paying, as is the norm). As it turned out, the bill was in fact incorrect, and we were overcharged. It was a very odd experience, and I commented on this at the time. It was an unfortunate and unnecessary conclusion to the evening, and felt indicative of the rushed focus on efficiency, over customer experience. Sadly, I would not recommend.
Food: 4
Service: 2
Atmosphere: 3

Visited here a few months back now with friends who had recently moved to the area. We actually spotted the place online when it was not long open, and bought our friends a 'new home' gift voucher to try out one of their new 'locals'. Our friends have been a few times now since using the voucher, and I think this is their go-to pizzeria, so they wanted to take us for a visit. The venue itself is nicely presented, with a cute little Vespa at the entry. Staff are friendly. Menu has a good variety of food on offer. There was a fair mix of food ordered, but my partner and I had the Calzone and the 'Salsiccia & Patate' pizza. Both were tasty, with very generous toppings/fillings. My partner wasn't too sure about the taste of the salsiccia (used to our local place), but I think that was more a personal taste thing. Will likely revisit again when visiting our friends in the area.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$20–40

Honestly we were disappointed by our experience. I had a Pizza & my partner had the seafood pasta. The pasta was very fishy and tasted not right (this is something we order all the time when we're out so we love seafood). When I told (what looked to be the manager) he said "well we got it fresh today and everyone always loves it so not sure". He was not really willing to take any feedback even though we were nice about it. We still paid for it & after we made payment he said "just remind me next time you come in & I will look after you". I am sorry but there wont be a next time after you handled it like that. I can appreciate some times meals can go wrong and if its fixed on the spot I would come back to the restaurant but I felt it was handled in a very arrogant way.
Food: 2
Service: 2
Atmosphere: 5

Joia Cucina, lives up to its reputation! Finally a local restaurant that focuses on simplicity, quality, ambience and service. The menu provides a selection of Italian favourites of Antipasti, Pizza, Pasta, selected Secondi/Mains, Contorni & Dolci. All of our dishes were served promptly, hot and delicious. The antipasto board was generous and the calamari were tender. We shared a selection of Pizza - Diavola, Cotto/Funghi & San Daniele. The Diavola pizza was nice and spicy, just how I like it. I had the Spaghetti alla Pescatore (seafood) and pleased that the pasta was cooked aldente. The venue and decor is indicative of an Italian Osteria, which provides a relaxed and pleasant dining experience. I highly recommend Joia Cucina and I look forward to revisiting soon with family and friends Tony (#antonscucina)

Had a wonderful dinner last night at Joia Cucina. Food is absolutely amazing and it's obvious that everything is cooked from scratch with no short cuts. Pizzas are perfect. The restaurant is a bit noisy but our rowdy family group didn't help! They need to invest in some extra wine glasses, a bit of extra training in their young staff but that's a sign of the times, and take drinks orders a lot quicker. That extra drinks round would help pay the for staff and wineglasses. Oh, and please sell Rose by the bottle and add a couple of Cab Savs to the list. Overall it was a very positive dining experience in a light, fresh space in the old ANZ bank position. I wish them well and we'll be back.

Melbourne’s Italian food scene is always strong, but the menu, service and quality of food here is truly exceptional! We tried the antipasto board with focaccia to start, which were both amazing, particularly the focaccia, and great to share. I then had the San Daniele pizza with prosciutto, which I have had a few times and is amazing, packed with toppings. The service from all the staff is particularly great, more than the usual small talk at most places, with true passion for what they are serving. Definitely recommend checking out!
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
San Daniele

Exceptional dining experience at Joia Cucina! The pizza and pasta dishes were delicious and full of flavor. The real highlight, however, were the specials - the Pizza Capri was a taste sensation with its perfectly balanced toppings, and the squid ink risotto was a showstopper with its rich, savory flavors. The attention to detail in the preparation and presentation of the dishes was evident, and the service that we received from John was top-notch. We thoroughly enjoyed our meal and can't wait to return for more culinary delights. Highly recommend Joia Cucina for a memorable dining experience!
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

Joia Cucina and the team are incredibly accommodating. Our office is located above the restaurant and we had a Halloween street event and the team helped us cater for over 40 staff members, whilst also handling a busy restaurant. The pizzas were fresh and hot and the communication in the lead up was fast and easy. The food was fabulous and went down an absolute treat with barely any leftovers for the team to take home. We couldn't thank the Joia Cucina team enough for helping us on the night. We would highly recommend to anyone to use them for catering as well as a dinner ! The Nelson Alexander Ivanhoe team will definitely be back

Beautiful restaurant that somehow manages to be on the main drag but also tucked away from the noise and 'hubbub'. We had a couple of wood-fired pizzas and couldn't stop until every slice was demolished! The service was absolutely gorgeous and they accommodated our early in-and-out needs (we had a 6 week old baby with us and needed to be quick). We shared a bottle of pinot-noir which was complemented our food beautifully. We will be back again and with a booking! Limited seating so you definitely want to book. Will be back again but we might find a babysitter next time so we can start longer and try a dessert or two :)

Wow! What a wonderful Mother's Day lunch we had x6. We all enjoyed ourselves. We were welcomed by John when we arrived. We weren't overserviced but staff was attentative. Floor staff served with a smile/laugh. The food 10/10 with wonderful flavours. We ordered mushroom truffle arancinis, eggplant meatballs, mexicana pizza, pappadelle lamb ragu, ravioli with duck sage butter sauce and gnocchis. We will be back again. Thank you to John and his team. Excellent!
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
$60–80
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
Truffle Arancini

We had a work function held at Joia Cucina which included a restaurant cooking experience for the whole team where we learnt to prepare food and then got to eat it as part of our dinner. It was an all round fantastic 5 star experience and I would certainly recommend it to others. All of the chefs and staff onboard with a helpful, positive and fun loving attitude to assist us making and learning about some of their to-die-for dishes; from authentic pizzas, pasta and arancini through to cannoli. A wonderful night was had by all. Thanks team Joia Cucina, well done! If I could give 10 stars I would.

We had been meaning to try this restaurant since it opened but unfortunately it fell flat for us. The service was great, the wait staff very friendly and food was quick. The food wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t special either. The porcini and truffle arancini were tasty, but not of truffle. We had the capricciosa pizza, the toppings were juicy but fell right off the base, making it challenging to enjoy it all together. We also had the pappardelle ragu, which again wasn’t bad but was nothing incredible, it lacked the depth of flavour expected of a ragu and the pasta itself seemed a bit thick.

We were in the first sitting and ordered veal, only to find out that they had sold out!. We then ordered pizza only to see Veal come out to 2 customers 20 minutes later. I asked how that could happen and was told a lot of the veal went to take away orders (door dash). Not one take away person entered the building during our sitting. To make matters worse the waitress had a word to the owner and chef and they all had a good laugh. This place is seriously amateurish and will need to lift its game if its going to survive in Ivanhoe.
Food: 1
Service: 1
Atmosphere: 3

Great food, the place is pretty noisy though, and a times, the service was a bit slow, when we were trying to organise desert, it felt a little as if we were being ignored until we got the attention of one of the wait-staff. Once we did, the actual service was excellent. Just - prioritise your clients when they look at you, not wiping down tables please. Very nice blue steak, tiramisu was excellent.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
$40–60
Food: 5
Service: 4
Atmosphere: 4
Recommended dishes
Tiramisu

We are pleasantly surprised and welcomed. Have been back to Joia x4 now in < 4 months....and every-time I cannot resist but had to order the rib-eye steak. It is cooked beautifully and a good portion. Their wood-fired Napoli pizza and pasta Pescatore are also fresh and delicious. Love the service and one of the stand-out among the Joia team has been Brendon. Creative in his approach, genuine and personal. It created a memorable experience for us all. Many thanks. See you soon again.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$40–60

Staff was very polite and professional, head waitress couldn't of been better at training her staff and most off all the food was fantastic! Would definitely recommend this place, me and my family will be going back again sometime soon!!
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$60–80
Kid-friendliness
Crayons and pizza pictures to colour in were supplied as soon as my son had finnished eating to keep him entertained while we finnished our meals
Wheelchair accessibility
There's a ramp from the main street footpath

John and Catarina made our family feel very welcomed and gave us excellent service throughout our birthday celebration lunch. We ordered a good variety of pastas pizzas salad and antipasti. All were delicious and well prepared. Everyone was very satisfied and enjoyed the great atmosphere.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
$40–60
Vegetarian options
Very good
Dietary restrictions
Very good
Parking
Easy
Kid-friendliness
Very good
Wheelchair accessibility
Very good

We are always made to feel welcome at Joia Cucina. Katrina and John really look after us. The pizza is fantastic. The service is great. I recommend this restaurant to all my friends.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$60–80
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
San Daniele, Beef Ragu, Truffle Arancini, Calamari
Parking space
Plenty of parking
Parking options
Free parking lot
Parking
Plenty of parking nearby

The pasta tastes incredibly fresh - the gnocchi Sorrentina was full of flavour as well as the lasagne we ordered. Added some broccolini and garlic bread on the side which were a nice addition, too. Certainly didn’t feel rushed on a Monday night, and the service was friendly. All in all would happily go again to try a few more things on the menu!
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$60–80
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

Our waiter John was absolutely awesome he is a GEM with his authentic Italian heritage warm friendly personality and so informed on what to recommend from an amazing Italian menu where the pasta is all home made. YOU MUST COME and say ciao to John and experience his extraordinary waiter authentic Italian charm, which is backed 100 + per cent with authentic absolutely tasteful delivery GO John GO Joya numero uno Italian restaurant in Ivanhoe From Mary and Brendan

Joia is a great new place, the concise all Italian menu is perfect, very authentic Italian pizza and pasta and the cannoli are just awesome including the Italian beer and wine selection. Very good servings! The staff want to be there, you can see the smile in their eyes and take the time out to provide a great engaging service and dining experience. It's a busy place and rightly so, it has a very good family feel, with or without children in tow. We will be back.

Disappointing. Food was OK but the service was ordinary. Had to ask to order, ask for more water, ask to clear glasses. However, this biggest issue that is was FREEZING in the restaurant. The door wouldn't close properly and it was draughty and unpleasant. We had a table fo 10 and everyone had to sit in jackets because it was so cold. Did not make for a good experience. (PS there was only one other table taken and we were placed near the door)

This was our first time visiting Joia Cucina, we look forward to returning again! Food was delicious and staff were friendly, welcoming and professional. Thankyou for a great night Rhi
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$40–60
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 4
Recommended dishes
Truffle Arancini, Seafood
Parking space
Plenty of parking
Parking options
Free parking lot

Stumbled across this wonderful place by chance and had some takeaway during lockdown, my fussy little ones loved the gnocci ragu so much we had to go in when it opened for the full experience. Did not disappoint, food was great, service attentive, the atmosphere and decor was spot on as well. Perfect for dinner with friends or family, groups large or small. Already looking forward to my next visit and working my way through the pizza menu.

Chose this place on a whim as I was really wanting a mushroom risotto, and was not disappointed at all!! We ordered the lamb ragu pasta, calzone and dessert and everything was absolutely incredibly delicious and fresh! The service was even better than the food, very welcoming and warm environment. If you want good food with even better company definitely come down!:)
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$100–120

Finally got to Joia Cucina after being recommended by a friend and we weren’t disappointed! Had a lovely evening with a group of 9, and we all thoroughly enjoyed ourselves - ambience of the restaurant, service was attentive and the food - the quality and flavours were wonderful! Will definitely be back - thank you John and team.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$80–100

I loved my experience at Joia Cucina, I thoroughly enjoyed my meal , my fish was cooked to perfection! ,And the Calzone with nuttella filling was absolutely delicious!.The staff were so warm and friendly and the look of the restaurant is very inviting with a fantastic atmosphere, I would definitely recommend you try !
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$40–60

We recently had a family function at Joia and the staff were fabulous and very accomodating! Everything was great, from the food to the service and we couldn’t fault them. We had a set menu and our guests loved all the food. Thanks Caterina and the team for a wonderful experience. We can’t wait to dine there again!
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$40–60

Just moved into the area and was craving some pizza. Order was ready 10 min after placing a phone call, and damn is it delicious! Some pizza to rival the top pizzerias in Melbourne. The gluten free pizza base (+5$) was top notch, as were the standard pizzas (we got Mexicana and Gamberi). Will be back for sure!
Service
Take out
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$20–40

Joia Cucina offers delightful dishes that won’t break the bank, making it a fantastic value for money. The flavors are spot-on, but be prepared to raise your voice – the lively atmosphere might hinder conversations during dinner - it’s Loud!
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$40–60
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 4

An absolute amazing little restaurant. Perfection every where. When you ask for medium rare steak... It comes as delicious medium rare steak. Tuna cooked to perfection, and fantastic pizzas.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$20–40
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
Calzone Pizza, Seafood

I recently visited "Joia Cucina" Pizza & Italian restaurant with a friend on a holiday from Qld. The food was so lovely and fresh, the staff were very attentive and friendly and the restaurant very clean and modern. Our meals were exceptional. Highly recommended.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$100–120

Amazing food , atmosphere and friendly staff. My family and I had their amazing pizzas. Look forward to coming back. Wish I took some photos.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$20–40
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Kid-friendliness
Great for kids. Kids menu cater for all ages.

Best Italian food we have ever had! All made fresh and in house. Servings were generous. Prices reasonable. John was so attentive to our needs. Even prepared a candle on a slice of tiramisu for my husband's birthday! We will definitely be back. Highly recommended!
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
$60–80

We had a family function at Joia Cucina for 40 people and couldn’t have asked for better service and quality. They were wonderful to deal with and catered for our every need. Our guests were very impressed with the beautiful Italian food, friendly atmosphere and professional Highly recommended!
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch

I turned up with my elderly aunt without a reservation on a busy Saturday night and even though they were fully reserved the host went the extra mile to fit us in! The food was amazing too. We'll be back!
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$40–60
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 4

Local to Ivanhoe, and located in the main strip. This Italian spot has a great atmosphere and the food was really good. The beef in the Ragu could have been could a bit slower and longer to get a bit more of melting in the mouth effect, however the pizza’s are amazing. Overall rating 4.5
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner

What a wonderful find! Food was genuinely in house made and delicious, beautiful ambient environment , friendly staff and smooth service! I would definitely recommend Joia Cucina for intimate or large family get togethers. See you next time!
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$60–80

We thoroughly enjoyed our function of 25 people on the weekend. The food was excellent with generous portions. The hospitality was great even though we had a set menu Sandra was more than accommodating when all the children changed their minds. Thank you we will be back.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch

Great Italian hidden gem in Ivanhoe. One of the best pizza in Melbourne, great service, great atmosphere, a bit expensive compared with other peers, but overall great quality of food.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$40–60
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

Fantastic food. I had the seafood spaghetti (handmade pasta to my delight perfectly cooked with also perfectly cooked seafood) and my partner had the ragu (one of the best pappardelle we’ve had). The panna cotta was incredibly smooth and a light and very enjoyable dessert. Very polite and friendly wait staff also.

Menu’s good. Food’s good. All dishes were great - the baked mussels, the papedelle ragu and the spaghetti pescatora were terrific. Service is good too. The only problem here is heating. On a very cold Melbourne night, it was very cool in here too and actually quite uncomfortable. Fix that and it’s a five.

Phenomenal food. Service was impeccable. Very attentive and so damn friendly. Can't wait for that proper Italian carbonara to make an appearance on the menu
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
Beef Ragu

The gamberi pizza is delicious. Best thing I have eaten, apart from their tiramisu too. Staff were attentive and friendly
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$40–60
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
Tiramisu, Calamari

Caterina looked after us and was attentive without being overbearing. She took the time to make some delicious suggestions that we loved. The food was incredible. I'll definitely be going back
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

We had a wonderful dinner at Joia on the 8th May. If I could give it 6 stars I would! The service was exceptional, the food was delicious and the staff were so lovely. Particularly Jake who looked after us impeccably and Antonio who showed my 6 year old son the tricks of pizza making.

The cheese on our pizzas was melted, but not nice and golden brown and bubbly. My husbands prawn pizza only had one little prawn on each massive slice of pizza so that was a bit of a let down for the price. But the staff were very friendly and attentive and my cocktail was delicious.

Take a stroll down Ivanhoe Town to the new Italy One of Melbourne, Joia Cucina. Awesome traditional woodfire pizza with real Aussie toppings!!! The best size Olives l've ever had on the Capricciosa Pizza. Well done on creating a new fresh Italian food experience. Rob L.

Food is good. The plate kept sliding on the table when cutting the steak, making it so hard. Suggest to consider having table cloth or mat. Hardly able to chat when visiting, but it is only halfly filled.
Food: 4
Service: 1
Atmosphere: 1

The best place in the area for amazing Italian food and even better service from the incredible staff!
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
Tiramisu, Pappardelle Ragu

John is fantastic. Enjoyed a wonderful meal with friends last night, great food, great service, lovely atmosphere. The homemade pasta was to die for. We will be back in no time.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$20–40

Amazing pizzas, worth the extra price. Somehow their pizzas are even better than their premium counterparts in the area. Ivanhoe has no shortage of great Italian restaurants serving woodfire oven pizzas but Joia is the new best. Will definitely return.

We decided to host our twins 18th family party after we went there for a Sunday family function. Didn’t disappoint again! Caterina and Craig were fantastic, food was delicious and our spritz was spot on! Very relaxed and wonderful night. Grazie Joia!

Delicious food but hardly any served, especially for a Christmas party function. Actually, quite a meagre amount for the price paid per head considering the base material is pasta. Would not recommend booking a large dinner at the restaurant.

We live locally in Ivanhoe and have always wished we could have good restaurants that serve great food at lunchtime and not just a cafe style menu. Joia Cucina has the best quality lunchtime menu in Ivanhoe!!! Having travelled in Italy

Really good experience in joia cucina restaurant, highly recommended Martin mocktail and lemon basil sorbet. Definitely will visit again and introduce my friends to come as well.
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

Great service with welcoming, family vibes. Fantastic food. We had the Joia pizza and gnocchi bolognese, and both were superb. We’ll certainly be back again soon. Thank you.
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

I wanted to enjoy it, but the pasta pescatora was inedible. The staff were efficient and friendly
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$40–60
Food: 1
Service: 4
Atmosphere: 3

Went last night. 2 families with kids. Everyone enjoyed their food. Prices were reasonable, and servings were very generous. Will definitely return.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
$40–60

Maître d' let us in for a coffee despite not being open yet. Coffee was great. Didn't have time for a meal but the menu looked fab.
Meal type
Other
Price per person
$1–20
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 4

Food is fairly pricey, however I think this is fine as the quality of the food matches up to it. I especially liked the chocolate mouse they put in a coffee cup for me with cream and fruit, very yummy. Staff very nice too

Ordered for pick up the “Pasta Pescatore” based off Joia’s GMB menu and it turned out to be 12$ more expensive (42$ instead of 30$). The GMB menu isn’t up to date with current prices. Food was ok but nothing special.

Visited this place last night. The food was superb - among the finest pizzas I’ve enjoyed recently. Fresh seafood, awesome draft beer, and outstanding service! Definitely planning a return visit. More

Fantastic birthday thank you John for help with customisation of the set menu for us. Great service awesome Rib eye steaks thank you
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

Good food and friendly staff! Best pizza and pasta in Melbourne!
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$20–40
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

Finally some decent Takeaway in Ivanhoe. This place was awesome! Great quality, very friendly and perfect service! The food was awesome - gnocchi and pizza was on POINT! Highly recommend.

Best pizza in Ivanhoe - food was authentic and tasty. Service is also exceptional. We’ll be back!
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$60–80

The best wood fired pizza I’ve had in a long time. Service was a little slow and they really need to turn up the heat a little.. it was quite cold in the dining room. More

We had a great night at Joia, the food was delicious and service was great, attentive wait staff, in particular the waiter and manager. Excellent and will be back! More

Great place for a cold beer after work. The pizzas looked great. So will definitely be back to try them!
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Other

Great menu and the food is delicious. Helpful friendly staff who go out of their way to ensure an enjoyable dining experience. Best pizza in Ivanhoe !

Amazing food and great service! Best espresso martini’s in Melbourne!!! Cathy and her staff were so friendly! The restaurant had a great vibe

Delicious food and great service. The pizza was a stand out. A special thank you to the gentleman waiter my party of 5 had last night …

Wow. Beautifully soft gnocchi, incredible wood fired pizza and wonderful, freshly made tiramisu - we loved it all. Definitely will be back!

Have been eyeing of this place and so glad it’s finally open. Had take away pizza twice now and it’s been simply superb both times.

Our new favourite place. Fabulous wood fired pizza, really good cocktails and attentive and friendly staff More

Great food, with service to match. Our group of 10 really enjoyed the lunch yesterday.
Service…
More

Amazing food, and the best service. Will definitely be back soon!!
Service…
More

Dinner and service was excellent!! Thank you.
Food: 5…
More

Nice venue with good selection of meals. Friendly staff.