La Vita Emporium - BALLARAT CENTRAL

A family celebration for a birthday was terrible on so many levels. The menu was limited and the special had "run out". The only main vegetarian option arrived. The vegetarian tart and salad arrived. Tart was the size of a small cake and the salad was a meagre helping of rocket only. The steak sandwich arrived on stale baguette and the steak was overdone and dry. The caramelised onion was red onion cooked til transparent. The price was $200 for 4 excluded cake and coffee!

This venue is three in one. A friend and I enjoyed lunch in the cucina/cafe, moved on to the giardino/garden where we were inspired by the garden decorations and (generally) small plant selections. Then the casa/homewares section offered a delight of quirky home accessories. Given the time of the year, there was quite a selection of different sorts of Christmas ornaments. We came primarily for lunch and were not disappointed. The food was tasty and well-presented. The coffee was good and the individual cheesecakes we had for dessert were lovely. The table service was prompt and friendly.

Authentic and delicious, the Margherita pizza at The Forge truly lives up to its reputation as the best in the world.

Upon entering this restaurant, I was impressed with the level of service.

Cozy, welcoming, and laid-back - this restaurant was the ideal spot to unwind after a night at Sovereign Hill.