Donato traces its name back to Nicola Donato, who left the small Calabrian town of Pizzo Calabro in Italy convinced there was more room for his ideas elsewhere, a story the Mount Martha cafe tells as the foundation of its Italian identity. Day to day, it runs as a fully licensed cafe on Craigie Road, open for coffee and breakfast through the week before shifting into dedicated Italian dining events: $30 Thursdays pair a pasta dish with wine or beer, and Donato Dinner runs Friday nights from 5:30 to 9pm as a more focused Italian dining experience. The cafe is dog-friendly on the outdoor lawn area, offers full disabled access, and has ample onsite parking, practical details that matter for a Peninsula cafe drawing both locals and day-trippers. Beyond the dine-in menu, Donato sells take-home fresh lasagne, pasta sauces and Italian groceries, alongside free-range eggs and bread from Baker Boys, extending its Italian focus into a small grocery offering. Weekend trading runs 7am to 4pm, giving it a reliable spot for a Mount Martha breakfast or brunch as much as an evening pasta fix. The combination of daytime cafe trade and dedicated evening dining events gives Donato a dual identity that suits both a quick coffee stop and a proper night out.
Visit WebsiteMenu Not Available!
