Toto's in Carlton (Melbourne)

Toto's Pizza House has been in Melbourne forever...well that's what it feels like to some of us who have lived here for more than 50 years! When Ken worked in the CBD, he and his mates used to go there for lunch regularly when it opened in the sixties, but until today he hadn't been back there for many years. So when a Italian friend invited us to have lunch with her and she suggested Toto's, we thought it sounds like fun. And it was! Luisa was born in Australia but her parents were Italian. Her Mum died last year, and her Dad who is in his nineties, lives on his own, so Luisa spends a lot of time at his home, and takes him out on weekends. We met at Toto's at 1 pm and stayed until about 3. Ken, Luisa and I had pizza, and her Dad had spaghetti. Luise and I shared a sinfully rich Tiramisu dessert and we all had coffee. It was a delightful afternoon, and the weather was kind with the sun out all afternoon. Toto's has an unimposing frontage, and is unpretentious inside, but their pizzas are the best!

The bar, and part of the seating area.
 Below: we took photos of each other: Ken and me, Luisa and her Dad.

Below: The desserts cabinet, what was left of our dessert after a few minutes, and the man Toto's was named after.

When we left the restaurant, we went for a walk along Lygon Street, which is one of the beautiful wide streets in Carlton and the suburbs surrounding the CBD. Lygon is famous for it's 'Italian strip' of cafes and restaurants which overflow with people on the weekends. It was relatively quiet today, possibly because it was cold, despite the sun.

All the cafes have the outside eating areas which are protected by the plastic walls from winter wind and rain, but in warmer weather, they are completely open.

I was curious about these stairs into one building...I suspect it might be more than just a bar up there!