Clients reviews about Forli Italian Restaurant

We were visiting my mother in law at Balmain Hospital so looked for a local Italian restaurant, we were very glad we found Forli! The service was impeccable, Abbie our waitress was very attentive and took our order with drinks for the 5 of us and committing the entire order to memory. The bruschetta was very tasty and fresh as were the meatballs. My wife had the Linguine Marina which was devine, it had so much seafood, very generous servings indeed. 3 of us had the Schnitzel platter which is a new addition to their menu. This was fantastic value for $40. It came with garlic bread, meatballs, 3 different Schnitzels, gelato and a choice of beer, wine or softdrink. The Schnitzels were really tasty and tender, will definitely go for this again. We all had a really enjoyable dinner and will be back again. ~ Mark T

WOW! WOW! WOW! We stumbled across Forli while searching for a spot to celebrate our anniversary, with our 8-month-old in tow, and we couldn’t be happier that we did! From the moment we arrived, the staff were warm, welcoming, and incredibly helpful. The atmosphere was relaxed and inviting, and the team not only made us feel right at home but also took the time to interact with our little one, which was such a lovely touch. The food absolutely exceeded our expectations-fresh, full of flavour, generously portioned, and just downright delicious. Thank you for a beautiful evening! We’ll definitely be back. 🌟 ~ Jess F

We went for dinner on a Wednesday night and had an amazing experience from the moment we walked in. The service was excellent — the waitstaff were incredibly friendly, attentive, and always had a smile on their faces, which made us feel very welcome. The food was absolutely delicious. The pasta boscaiola was creamy, full of flavour, and perfectly al dente. We also tried the burrata pizza — it was so good we were practically licking our fingers! You can tell they put a lot of love into their dishes. Highly recommend this place for anyone looking to enjoy authentic Italian food with top-notch service in a cozy atmosphere ~ Ana C

If you're after classic Italian meals that are done well this is the place. Both our meals, lasagne and linguine marinara were delicious and flavoursome. I'm very particular about seafood being fresh and was not disappointed. The menu, both food and drinks, is varied and extensive so it would be difficult not to see something to your liking. We enjoyed our glasses of Sangiovese. Friendly and accommodating service. We had a nice chat with the manager/owner too. Would recommend booking as it looked to be popular. Look forward to coming back for another great meal! ~ Eva P

We booked Forli for a birthday party and could not have been happier with the food and the service. Everything on the day was spot on and the drinks were always full. As my nephew said on the day when he saw his spaghetti and meatballs ‘if this tastes as good as it looks it should get a million stars’ and he loved it :) Hana ensured it was so easy to organise the event with her and nothing was too much trouble. All the guests had a great time and said they will be back :) since the party last weekend I have already collected takeaway from here again. So impressed with the food. ~ Susanna C

We were tired and grumpy, walking up and down Darling St battered with icy winds to find a place to eat, unable to make an unanimous decision, as you do. We randomly picked Forli oblivious to the great meal awaiting us! We had the Antipasto, Spaghetti marinara and Margherita pizza and that was divine! The serves were extremely generous. The service was excellent, attentive and friendly. The waiter took our order without taking notes. The atmosphere was relaxing. Highly recommended and too good to be missed. ~ Stéphane P

Absolutely amazing dining experience! The meatballs, mussels and burrata caprese salad are great choices to start off with. Squid ink spaghetti is highly recommended as well as the sweet potato gnocchi. Everything is so rich in flavour. But have to say the highlight of our dinner is the homemade cheesecake - best cheesecake I've ever had! Nice cozy ambience and great service too. Overall the place is definitely worth a visit. That is to say I would love to come back if I were in town next time :) ~ Tu H

Amazing food, fantastic service, and perfect location. It was strangely empty when I was there compared to other restaurants in the neighborhood. I wonder why. Being right across from the beautiful Balmain town hall, our al fresco table enjoyed perfect view of it. Initially we were on the fence about the food, since almost entirely of the kitchen and wait staff are non-Italian. But the food came out better than we expected. Everything was just right. ~ Scott N

We went for an impromptu lunch on a lazy Friday. Despite the somewhat empty space (giving doubt to whether or not we chose the right restaurant), we were looked after very well. Shout out to Sachina, the wonderful young lady who was very hospitable and attentive. Nothing to fault as well from what came from the kitchen. We ordered two pizzas, squid ink pasta, and mussels. Everything tasted wonderful. My elderly parents who were not enthused before demolished everything on the table. ~ V. T

Italian Bliss💋💋💋 Update April 2025 Just upgraded this to 5 stars. This is a fantastic food. Our second visit as good as first one. Italian Bliss - love this restaurant💕 Excellent food and service We went here on a luxury escape experience voucher. The restaurant has a special menu for this offer to choose from and includes wine, beer or soft drink. We share one of the freshest salads we have had for a while with the restaurant’s home made focaccia ( OMG) it was unbelievable. Then we both had chicken with a mushroom cream sauce with was served with roasted veg, very generous meals. We finished with a generous slice of tiramisu cake. There are tables for two along a window and larger tables scattered around the restaurant. This is suitable for couples, friends and family. Bathrooms cute. There are a lot of restaurant in Balmain with shiny fairly lights and claims of good food. Walk up to this restaurant from the car park behind Woolworths and you won’t be disappointed. Seriously this is good. Love your local guide-M❤️ Like or follow me please ~ Inspired4me2You

My partner and I had such an amazing experience at Forli. I have to say that everything we had was absolutely beautiful italian food (my partner is italian so he has high expectations, and he was gladly surprised). We ordered the calamari, the cozze (mussels), the porchetta pizza and the tiramisu. The waiters were very attentive and they made the experience even nicer. This has turned into one of our favorite italians in Sydney and we will be coming back and recommending to friends and family. ~ Angela J

Atmosphere was lovely and cosy, the decor is fitting for not only the restaurant, but the location. Friendly helpful staff, knowledgeable with their food and drinks menu. Food came out fast, tasted delicious. I got The buffalo mozzarella margarita and the pappardelle, both dishes were absolutely delicious, the dough of the pizza was light with a crunch, and the home made pasta was delicious. All in all a great experience, would highly recommend this restaurant! ~ Corey w

Wow wow wow!!! This place is a must try, everything was amazing, the mussels were cooked perfectly in a very flavorsome sauce, the pork and fennel homemade pasta was rich in flavor, the squid ink prawn and calamari pasta was amazing and our deserts completed the evening. The customer service is a 10/10 all the staff were perfectionists and attentive and the food was exceptional. I will defiantly be back again, so happy we stumbled across this hidden gem. ~ Christine M

Not from the area and tried Forli Italian Restaurant, glad we did. Absolutely delicious and wonderful service. We had bruschetta for entree, with a gnocchi gorgonzola and a burrata, n'duja prosciutto pizza for main. Fantastic. Beautiful fresh bruschetta. The gnocchi was freshly made and the gorgonzola sauce was the right balance of flavours, very nice. Couldn't stop eating it. Pizza was great, delicious base cooked perfectly and yum toppings. Can't wait to go back and try other dishes. ~ The H

Excellent service in a lovely space. Food was great. If you like experimental schmancy Italian, this place may not be for you. But if you like old school fare (like I do), you won't be disappointed. Really enjoyed my pizza. And the house wine (sold by the half litre and litre) was really good too. I'm now looking to book a birthday party here I liked it so much. And the wait staff were just lovely. ~ Andrew M

First time here and loved the whole experience from start to finish. Happy friendly service, sharp and clean, atmosphere and decor authentic, and flavoursome fresh dishes in generous portions. Not in our local area but we'll be back as the best we've experienced in a long time. And thank you for continuing to accept cash and keeping our basic and essential Freedoms of Choice alive. Keep Cash Alive 👍😁. ~ Salvatore C

Absolutely loved my experience at Forli ! The atmosphere was warm and inviting, perfect for a cozy dinner. The food was exceptional; the pasta was fresh and cooked to perfection, and the marinara sauce was rich and flavorful. The staff was attentive and friendly, making sure we had everything we needed. Don’t miss the tiramisu—it’s the best I’ve ever had! Highly recommend for anyone craving authentic Italian cuisine. Will definitely be back! ~ Abinash P

We've just had a perfect lunch at this beautiful restaurant. Excellent food, excellent service, beautiful, friendly staff. Can highly recommend. The Nepalese chef cooks the BEST Italian food ever. The restaurant is nicely decorated, the ambience is wonderful. It was the best dining experience. Do yourself a favour and dine at Forli's. It will be our new, favourite restaurant. ~ Lorraine W

I recently dined at Forli Balmain, and I was thoroughly impressed. The carbonara pasta was absolutely delightful, one of the best I've ever had. The restaurant has a warm and inviting atmosphere, and the staff were attentive and friendly. I highly recommend this place for anyone looking for authentic and delicious Italian cuisine. Will definitely be coming back! ~ Ted W

I recently had a fantastic dining experience at this Italian restaurant. The pizza was delicious with a thin crust, and the pasta was also quite enjoyable. The staff was extremely friendly and accommodating. I ordered a cappuccino which was rich and not too acidic, making it a delightful drink. I highly recommend this place and will definitely be returning when I'm in the area again. ~ Qingning J

My partner and I were in a rush to get dinner and came across Forli Italian. We were a bit hesitant because of time constraints but we raised these concerns and they reassured us that they could get the dishes out around 10-15 minutes. Which they did! We ordered a pasta and two entrees and it did not disappoint! Beautiful food and beautiful service! ~ Kii

Had the perfect evening at Forli. Came with a few friends as we had heard good things about this new establishment and it did not disappoint. Food was delicious and authentic- you can tell how fresh the ingredients are. On top of the great food and wine, all of the staff were friendly and went above and beyond to deliver an exceptional experience for every guest. Can’t wait to return! ~ Emily J

I had an absolutely magnificent time at Forli. Our Rotary club chose it as the venue for a get together. The food was absolutely top notch. I had once of the best pizzas of my life, which somewhat oddly was a cheesless one. (See photo) The band playing were on point. Very accomplished jazz trio. They, along with the staff, created a classically Italian feel. Highly recommended. ~ Anthony B

Love the atmosphere of this new cozy spot in town. Handmade pasta is a must try. I tried the Linguine Marinara which was amazing. They do have occasional specials, so you might find some extra secret dishes that wasn’t on the regular menu. The staff were friendly and helpful. If you are looking for some authentic Italian food. This could be the right place for you. ~ Joe L

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