A first visit to Tinello in Carrum puts a long menu in front of you. House-made pasta sits beside pizza, grilled steak, baked barramundi and a full drinks list, and each page adds another choice. This guide organises the menu by course and dining occasion, so you can plan what to order before your visit. Tinello is on Nepean Highway, a short walk from Carrum Beach, and the dishes below suit both a relaxed beach-day lunch and a leisurely dinner . Each section names a few dishes and says who they suit.
How the Tinello Menu Works
The main menu starts at 11am. while breakfast is available until 2 pm, giving diners a choice of breakfast and main-menu dishes, and one person can order eggs while another orders pasta. Tinello makes all pasta and sauces in-house each day from traditional family recipes. Symbols on the menu mark vegetarian-friendly, gluten-friendly and vegan-friendly dishes, and some dishes can be made to fit. First-timers may enjoy ordering several dishes to share around the table.
Start With Something to Share
Entrées make a good opening round. Six are worth a look:
- Arancini: two hand-rolled rice balls with Napoli sauce and mozzarella.
- Meatballs: two house-made meatballs on rich Napoli sauce, topped with parmesan, with toasted bread.
- Bruschetta on charcoal bread: tomato, onion and fior di latte on house-made activated charcoal bread, finished with balsamic glaze.
- Garlic prawns: sizzling in olive oil and garlic, with toasted bread to mop up the pan.
- Stuffed olives ascolane: a beef, pork and chicken filling, crumbed and fried, served with aioli.
- Prosciutto board: three slices of prosciutto, buffalo mozzarella and bread.
Pick two for the table. Arancini and the prosciutto board give you one warm plate and one cool plate, and garlic prawns with meatballs suit a table that wants something richer.
The Pasta Worth Ordering First
The pasta menu works best when you start with what you feel like eating:
- Something rich and slow-cooked: lamb ragu pappardelle, built on lamb cooked for nine hours.
- Seafood: Tinello’s Famous Seafood Pasta, linguine with Moreton Bay bug in a seafood bisque.
- A classic: carbonara linguine, with eggs, guanciale, pecorino and pepper.
- Vegetarian: pumpkin and spinach gnocchi, or funghi mushroom with truffle oil and parmesan.
- Something familiar: pick a shape (spaghetti, linguine, pappardelle, rigatoni or gnocchi) and add Napoli or bolognese sauce.
Gluten-free pasta is available for an extra charge. For more detail on the lamb ragu, seafood pasta, carbonara, funghi and gnocchi, read 5 Italian Pasta Dishes You Have to Try at Least Once.
Pizza for the Table
Pizza suits a shared table, and a few picks cover most tastes:
- Margherita: San Marzano sauce, mozzarella and basil. A simple first pick.
- San Daniele: buffalo mozzarella, prosciutto, rocket and shaved parmesan, for something fresh.
- Amalfi Mare: prawns, calamari and mussels with garlic and parsley, for seafood lovers.
- Garlic and cheese: a shareable starter in pizza form.
A margherita beside a pasta gives a table a base to build on.
Mains for Bigger Appetites
Mains cover a few different moods:
- Comfort food: chicken parmigiana, or veal Milanese cotoletta, a veal schnitzel served with chips and garden salad.
- A lighter plate: barramundi baked in foil with olives, cherry tomatoes, garlic butter and chilli.
- Steak lovers: porterhouse (300g) or rib eye (350g), both Australian grass-fed beef cooked to your liking.
- Lamb: three lamb cutlets with Kipfler potatoes and mint dipping.
- Home-style: grilled chicken cacciatore, with capers, olives and capsicum in a red sauce, served with mashed potato.
Creamy garlic, creamy mushroom, pepper corn and gravy sit on the menu as sides.
Lighter Options and Salads
Caprese, rucola (rocket, pear and walnut), panzanella and insalata are suitable as a light lunch or as side dishes. Grilled chicken can be added to the insalata mista. Soup of the week suits a smaller meal.
Dietary Needs and Seafood Sourcing
Symbols on the menu show vegetarian-friendly, gluten-friendly and vegan-friendly dishes, and a legend notes that some dishes can be made to fit. Tinello’s food may contain traces of nuts, dairy, gluten and seafood, so tell staff about any dietary requirement when you order.
The menu also marks seafood as imported from overseas or Australian-made. The garlic prawns carry the Australian-made mark. The seafood pasta, seafood risotto and calamari carry the imported mark.
Something to Drink With It
The drinks menu has a match for most dishes:
- Montepulciano or Chianti with the lamb ragu and the meat dishes.
- Vermentino with seafood pasta, risotto or garlic prawns.
- A Classic spritz or an Italian soft drink such as Galvanina makes a good aperitivo.
- Mocktails for guests who skip alcohol.
- Organic coffee to finish.
For more on choosing a wine, read how to pair wine with Italian food. Please enjoy alcohol responsibly.
Sample Orders for Your First Visit
For two: one shared starter, two different pastas and one pizza to share.
For a family with kids: the kids’ menu for under 10s (spaghetti bolognese, rigatoni Napoli, nuggets and chips, schnitzel and chips, or calamari and chips), plus a pizza for the adults to share. The family dining guide to Carrum has more ideas.
For a group of four or more: two starters, a pizza, two pastas and a main.
For a seafood-focused meal: garlic prawns, then the seafood pasta or seafood risotto, with a glass of Vermentino.
Good to Know Before You Go
Booking ahead is recommended for weekends, and you can reserve a table using the online booking link below. The menu lists a 10% weekend surcharge and a 15% public holiday surcharge. Breakfast and the main menu overlap in late morning, and the Carrum breakfast guide covers the morning dishes. For things to do around the area, read the first-time visitor’s guide to dining in Carrum.
Plan Your Visit
- Address: 640 Nepean Highway, Carrum VIC 3197
- Phone: 0466 075 456
- Email: tinellocarrum@gmail.com
- Booking: [reservemytable link]
- Hours: [CONFIRM BEFORE PUBLISHING]
Frequently Asked Questions
What should a first-timer order at Tinello?
A shared starter such as arancini or garlic prawns, one pasta and a pizza or main make a solid first order. The sample orders above scale that for two people, families and larger groups.
Is the pasta made in-house?
Yes. Tinello makes all pasta and sauces in-house daily using traditional family recipes.
Does Tinello have vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free options?
The menu marks vegetarian-friendly, gluten-friendly and vegan-friendly dishes, and some dishes can be made to fit. Gluten-free pasta is available for an extra charge. Tell staff about any dietary requirement when you order.
Is there a kids’ menu?
Yes. The kids’ menu is for children under 10 and includes spaghetti bolognese, rigatoni Napoli, nuggets and chips, schnitzel and chips, and calamari and chips.
When does the main menu start?
The main menu starts at 11am. Breakfast runs until 2pm.
Do I need to book?
Booking ahead suits weekends. Use the online booking link in the Plan Your Visit section.
Order Once, Share Widely
A first meal at Tinello Carrum can be simple to plan choose a shared starter, a pasta dish and either a pizza or a main course. Add a glass of Italian wine or finish with an organic coffee to round out the meal. The menu has enough range that a second visit can go in a different direction. Book a table at Tinello Carrum and bring a company to share it with.
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