Review Charcoal Lane - Fitzroy

Great food made to highlight native Australian ingredients. They gave us complimentary bubbly because it was a special occasion. Their home-cooked bread to start was served steaming hot and delicious. We tried the calamari, emu, wallaby shank, and the souffle with a trio of chocolate sauces. My favourite ingredient was the surprise pickled chilli in the calamari. The restaurant has nice decor highlighting Aboriginal art and pleasant staff.

I'd put this in the top 5 of my dining experiences in Melbourne. Why? The menu is creative and different from anything I've seen. The native ingredients produce exotic flavours that feel new but are not "shocking" to distract. It's been a while since I had such a welcoming and unique dining experience. To top it off, the service was great and the ambience is stylish but not stuck up or over the top. Plus I like the idea of the social enterprise. I recommend the halloumi and the wallaby shank.

A stunning showcase of Australian flavours. The kangaroo was the standout. Wallaby was great, too. The wines were excellent. I really enjoyed their in-house bread and Australian dukkah. They have good gluten free and vegan options. The service is fabulous and I'll definitely be back.

Having been there a couple of times in the past years already, there's always a new taste buds explosion to have. Had the Mushroom Tian and that was one of the best dishes ever, with excellent combination of new and unusual flavours. The soufflée as dessert was very delicious too. Staff is very professional and friendly. A unique restaurant and highly recommended for all Gourmets.

Deliciously interesting food. Great unique flavours you don't get anywhere else. Service was really nice and friendly. Bit on the pricier side but the quality of food shows for it. Venue was really nice with aboriginal art all around

The chargrilled kangaroo was sublime and all other dishes we tried were also really good, with plentiful lunch portions. The restaurant is quiet and feels very welcome. It also made me more curious about Australian native art, mostly due to the paintings on its walls.

I've been here twice now, once with a small group of 4 and the second for an event with 17 people and a set menu... Both times were great! The food was delicious, staff are super friendly and knowledgeable, and the overall atmosphere is perfect! I must especially thank them for the large group night, everything went along like a well oiled machine and the rest of the restaurant was full! The particular reason I like it though, is its confident connection to Indigenous Australia... As a social enterprise restaurant, with training for youth to get hospitality experience... and the food itself, everything has local Indigenous ingredients, flavours and textures you just can't get anywhere else. Thanks for a great night team... We will be back!

Fantastic food with purpose. Loved the atmosphere and service and that everything was local. It was quite reasonable for the price too. The food highlight of my Melbourne trip. We had the chef's selection for appetizer which was generous and offered a wide range of tastes. I had the kangaroo filets and my boyfriend had the fish of the day. The kangaroo was very tasty and not tough at all like some people warned me. We also guiltily shared a side of shoestring fries which were crisp and crunchy. I tried different wines throughout the course and it amazed me how diverse and delicious locals wines can be from sparkling thru muscat, rose and pinot grigio. We finished off with a chocolate and macadamia torte which was perfect size and sweetness to cap off the evening. I would come back again!

Absolutely amazing. Great service, exceptional food and drinks. Was visiting Melbourne from Sydney and was very impressed. Great to see a restaurant dedicated to showcasing indigenous cuisine. Highly recommend...the smoked Victorian eel and lemon Myrtle margarita are to die for! That’s for a great lunch yesterday:)

This restaurant is to die for. The food is fantastic, doing amazing things with local indigenous ingredients. You'll never have a fine dining experience with flavours like this anywhere else. The staff are also amazing, warm and friendly. Fine dining food with real, down to earth service. We will be back! Thank you!

Great place! Atmosphere was lovely. Wall decor was artfully pleasing. Australian unique food was well prepared and presentation was excellent. The service was excellent. Highly recommend for travelers wanting to try OZ dishes or those seeking an awesome meal.

Definitely worth the visit and have no hesitation in recommending this fine dining experience. Fantastic staff and amazing locally sourced foods we ate the $20 lunch specials, the daily catch John Dory and the kangaroo after we had a Devine tasting platter that included barramundi, wallaby, roo, babaganush, marinated feta all presented on interesting grains salads and lightly dressed. The meal was complimented with the Wirra Wirra Chardonnay and the Punt Road Pinot. Compliments all round. Thanks for a great time and great food. Best experience in Fitzroy for quite some time. 5 stars!

Lunch was fantastic and gentleman that served us was great fantastic place and friendly staff! Explained the meal that we were having and everything that was in it! I'm from the U.K. and I'll definitely be returning!!!

I loved it. I grew up eating kangaroo and wallaby. They can really dish up some special food. But the quong dong and finger limes along with some wonderful other flavours I found it really worth the eating experience. Loved it

Delicious food, fabulous service and beautiful décor. As a vegan I was so impressed by the way they accommodated my dietary requirements without compromising on the quality of the food. If you haven't eaten at Charcoal Lane you don't know what you're missing

This is an exceptional locale to dine, to experience amazingly creative indigenous food and service and to enjoy. And it supports and honours the trainees who do an amazing job welcoming, cooking, serving. Totally great, . hearty thanks and blessings, Padre Peter

I went to a private function here last night, and loved it. The food was fantastic, and the staff are great & so friendly. I can't wait to visit here again.

Stunning and interesting food (pork belly... OMG), fantastic wine list and lovely staff. Highly recommended.

Always a favourite! It had been a while since I'd been to Charcoal Lane. So happy to see them still in operation & business as good if not better than it was 3 years ago! Well done 🌟 Enjoyed a delicious Christmas dinner & the wine selection on the advice of our waiter was spot on. Cheers Charcoal Lane, keep doing what you're doing & prosper! 🎄

Simply Amazing! I highly recommend Charcoal Lane! The service & food were exceptional.

Stunning and inventive food using native Australian ingredients - all delicious! Great service and friendly staff.

Great food, well presented and the staff were friendly and helpful. Turned out to be a fun night with family sharing yummy Aussie tucker and wine!

Charcoal Lane isn't just a meal, it's a celebration of the food, people and culture of Australia. I went here for a team celebration and had an interesting experience learning about the amazing program that the restaurant operates.

In a city full of diverse food options, this is one place that feels truly Australian. Not only is the food outstanding, the restaurant operates for a good cause. This is a must visit on any trip to Melbourne.

Charcoal Lane is a great restaurant that focuses on quality, native Australian produce and is also a wonderful social enterprise that offers young Aboriginals an opportunity in the hospitality industry. <br/><br/>For food, we decided that we’d opt for a mixture of “safe” and adventurous dishes, but I’ll let you guess which was which! For starters, we tried the scallops- which were cooked perfectly; the emu spring rolls and fried crocodile (which tasted like chicken!) with native herbs and finger limes.<br/><br/>For mains we shared the wallaby and sweet potato mash; which looks quite rare from the photo (the kitchen cooks it med-rare) but actually texturally was more like med-rare despite appearances- and the Cajun fish special, with a side of greens. By this point we were pretty stuffed, but thought it would be rude to not at least try a dessert- so we opted for the poached pear with mango and sago. <br/><br/>Absolutely delicious food, lovely, well-informed service and was a great place to catch up with others and have a great conversation. Menu items do change depending on availability and seasonality so would be great to return and try something new!

Came here to celebrate, we had a citibank dining so received a free bottle of wine of we paid with it. Also I really enjoyed the concept of giving an opportunity for indigenous youth to learn skills (in hospitality).<br/>The young lady who served us that day was training so she a was stumbling a bit, but that did not worry us. We chose the native tasting platter, the wallaby parm, emu main and a serving of fries. This was plenty of food and did not need the fries.<br/>The platter was delicious, it was such a wide variety of unique tastes, fish, sausages, sea greens.<br/>The wallaby and the emu on the other hand were a tad to raw for our liking, however we were told they were served raw. It was quite gamey but I suppose that's was these types of meat tastes like. They were easy to cut and the sides served with them were really good.<br/>Overall it was enjoyable and value for money was there, but I would avoid game meats for me next time but that is a personal preference.

Went to Charcoal Lane for my birthday. Had been thinking about getting to this restaurant ever since I'd heard about it. With a focus on indigenous foods and ethical approach to staffing this restaurant really sets a high bar. The food was different and interesting, it was also delicious. The staff were attentive and knowledgeable. I'd be keen to come back here again.

Came for a private function and they really came through in all respects. Very accommodating with our requirements and a good staff to customer ratio. Because we had less than 40 guests could select what they wished rather than alternate drop. Everyone was very happy with the food, drinks and service.

I came here for a Year 11 Food Studies excursion and I thoroughly enjoyed it. We had a tasting plate with many different leaves and berries from the bush which are traditional aboriginal foods. We also were given a large complete main meal each, they were very lovely to me since I am vegan and I had the most amazing bush tomato and wattleseed gnocchi! It was the best gnocchi dish I have ever had, I will definitely be coming back. The whole message that charcoal lane projects is a massive plus as well, providing work to many Aboriginal Australians and being a social enterprise is an A+ from me! ❤️

We got charcoal lane to cater for our morning tea and I had a salmon blini and hibiscus and lemonade scones with jam and cream. <br/><br/>The salmon blini was really yummy and the hibiscus lemonade scones were fluffy even though it was cold already by the time I have it.<br/>

For entree we had the chef’s platter which had an interesting variety of flavours and everything on there was delicious! My husband had the kangaroo for his mains which was cooked perfectly. I had the emu which was okay, a bit too chewy and tough for my liking. The black garlic soil was lovely at first but towards the end of the meal, the flavour got too intense. Our side dish was served as we were finishing off our mains but we didn’t mind because the staff were absolutely warm and friendly. Overall a nice experience.

It's great to see a place like characoal lane that combines a social initiative with delicious native Australian produce and great service. A lovely space with a warm ambiance and attentive staff. We started with the prawns with lemon and pepperberry and the paperbark smoked duck. The duck was a huge standout with an incredible flavourful reduction drizzled around it. For mains we had the very popular parma wrapped wallaby and the roasted emu fillet with native salad. The emu was a favourite, it was cooked to perfection and the chocolate 'dirt' on the side was amazing. Dessert was a chocolate and whiskey tart (a little heavy on the whiskey maybe as that was the dominant flavour) with wattleseed cream. I really recommend this place!

I had the twice cooked lamb with red curry sauce. The lamb was so tender it fell apart. Loved the Native Dukka and the white chocolate parfait. Staff were lovely and friendly. It is a fantastic concept highlighting our native foods and our wonderful indigenous people. Would definitely go back.

Charcoal lane is a neighborhood gem. Staff are lovely, ambiance is great & the food is sensational & unique. So great to find a place that celebrates REAL Australian native ingredients & flavours. The tasting plate was a good place to start. I found the crusty flat bread shards a little chewy.. The homemade bread is incredible with beautiful dukkah dipping. The emu was tender & flavorsome, I've never tasted better kangaroo, & the dolce chocolate pate dessert I am still dreaming about. The Parma wallaby in my opinion could have had a little more flavour cooked through it. It's an awesome social enterprise & cause. I'd also gone to the event during goodfood week & was really impressed with what their mouthwatering creations. A must visit!

Came here for lunch a few days ago. Love the initiative, great to see Australian native food on the menu too. Starting plate was great and had heaps of food on it (they did make ours big enough for the 3 of us but was still plenty of food). Presentation was really nice. Haloumi and poached pears stood out for me. I had the mushroom and quinoa starter for my main as I was pretty full, was a really nice combination of flavours, beetroot crisps were so good! The only downside of the experience was one of the guys I was with ordered the mushroom lunch special but he was served a steak.. luckily he wasn’t vegetarian and didn’t mind too much so just ate that rather than it going to waste.

The emu main course was over cook and meat was tough and the celeriac potato gratin taste awful. Kangaroo on the other hand was acceptable. I am a fan of game meat and I must say that my dining experience was disappointing

Set Xmas menu with limited choice on offer here. They weren’t quite on their game today. I had the fish of the day, orange snapper. It was nicely done and well cooked but lacked flavour. I also had the strawberry, praline and eucalyptus terrine with chocolate ganache for dessert. It was very nice but a bit too rich and no one at the table could finish it. Service was a little slow but they are all trainees as this is a social enterprise.

Charcoal Lane delivers the diner a true Modern Australian dining experience, most notably in the indigenous ingredients they use. I'm a pretty adventurous guy but for whatever reason I played it safe that night.<br/>The pork belly was crisp and tender, paired well with the fruits on the side. The twice cooked lamb however I couldn't get around and usually I'm a huge lamb fan. It was very gamey and I struggled to finish it. Forgot what was in my crepe but it was okay.<br/>Great concept, fell a bit short of expectations that night but would be super excited to try their other menu items.

Went to celebrate my anniversary. We had the emu fillet a an entrée, and kangaroo and wallaby as main. The wallaby was to die for!! The flavours in the food were overall great. In my opinion the price was right.The ambience is beautiful and friendly service. The background of the restaurant is very inspiring, definitely coming back and strongly recommend it.

Finally went there for dinner tonight after wanted to go there for years. Took my hubby there for his birthday. Loved the experience. Lovely modern deco. Friendly floor staff. Great food! For Entree we had the Chef's Native Tasting plate sharing plate for two; main was pan seared Emu fillet and parma wrapped Wallaby and shared the Lemon myrtle tiramisu as our dessert. We loved every dishes presented to us. Emu fillet was definitely a must order dish....sooo good. With a great social initiative and philosophy of Mission Australia, Charcoal Lane delivers on all fronts.

Wonerdul service at Charcoal Lane. <br/>Great looking menu and drinks menu. We enjoyed the tasting plate to start with. Wow. It was incredible. The baked tomato and pepperberry bread was great. The emu kabana was surprisingly a standout. Kangaroo was soft and flavoursome. We loved the coastal succulents. A real hit of freshness and salinity. Lived the lemon myrtle and macadamia dukkah. Enjoyed a lemon myrtle margarita to start. A must try! <br/>We enjoyed the emu and swordfish as mains. Really great flavors used.

Dining with a conscience. Charcoal lane combines high quality, seasonal ingredients with a social responsibility. Aboriginal youth is trained and employed by this Fitzroy gem that specializes on truly Aussie ingredients for their mainly grill menu. I had the wallaby steak and the chefs tasting plate when I visited almost a year ago and it was truly exquisite. Give this place a try if social and environmental responsibility is important to you!

Great place, great atmosphere. I find the menus in Melbourne quite ripetitive sometime, while Charcoal Lane has a very original selection. We tried the  tasting plate for two (very Greeky, with olives and feta ), the emu, the lamb shoulder and the baba, and we really liked everything. We'll be back soon!

Charcoal Lane is a restaurant with a difference. It’s a socially minded venture (part of Mission Australia) which provides a comprehensive training program for young people that have had difficultly finding work. The food is notable for many things, including the extensive use of native ingredients.

Charcoal lane has a very welcoming surrounding. If im not wrong its run by Mission Australia. Charcoal Lane offers a selection of unique menu which incorporate many native Australian ingredients such as Emu, Moreton bay bug, melon myrtle etc. It was for a friend's birthday celebration hence we ordered a few things to share. But i especially like the emu fillet which was really refreshing yet packed with a bit bold flavour underneath. Stafd were friendly and helpful in explaining their menu. I will surely return to try the wrapped wallaby as well as the Rum baba dessert next!

Went for a friends birthday last night. The service was great - they assisted us in how to go about choosing entrees since we were a large group. Had a couple of tasting platters which was delicious. For main I went for the pan seared emu with Beetroot risotto - first time having emu! It was like beef but more tough. Loved the risotto! Large quantities. We brought our own cake so didn't have dessert. They had a goood wine selection too! Would recommend as a great place to try modern Australian cuisine!

Had a family dinner here with 10 adults. Fabulous inventive and very delicious food. We all loved it. The staff were delightful and professional,patient and helpful<br/>We all decided it will be our 'go to' place for future family events. Sensational.

I came to dinner here last night with an open mind, despite a poor review from my sister who previously went. Unfortunately Charcoal lane did not deliver on the food, though the service was friendly and capable for trainees. I had slow cooked pork belly with rocket for the main and creme brulee for dessert. The pork belly was dry and not soft and tender as you would expect from a slow cooked dish. The pork skin was not crispy and the rocket was way too salty, I could still see the salt grains all over them! A friend had the emu which he thought was dry. Even worse was the creme brulee which looked good with a crispy caramel top but as soon as it broke there was only custard soup underneath and others on my table had the same experience with their brulee. I would not even serve this to my guests at home let alone charge $17 for it! If my friends and I weren't in a rush to catch a movie at Imax we would have definitely complained.<br/><br/>I really don't know why this restaurant is getting such great reviews as its mediocre food at fine dining prices. Please look elsewhere to spend your money for great food but if you want to support a good cause by eating mediocre food then come here.

Friendly staff, Tried the Emu and kangaroo which were surprisingly tasty. The salad on the dishes though we're quite bland with no dressing. Had a large party which were very late but no complaints from the staff. Lamb was apparently the best ever by those who ate it. Will be back for sure to try the lamb!

Oct'16 update<br/>Went here for dinner with a colleague from abroad because it serves Australian tucker. It was good, but not nearly as good as last time. We came in without a reservation. They said they were fully booked but when we asked if the high tables were booked as well, they said we could sit there. Not very smart to not offer that to us pro-actively because we might have walked away. And one reservation didn't turn up, so in the end we could take a normal table. I have adjusted the score from 4.5 to 4.   <br/><br/>Apr'16<br/> Love this place! Has been on my list for a while, now went with parents in law who visited from NL which was a good opportunity. I always wondered why this place wasn't very busy and still wonder. Maybe there are not enough people who like to eat traditional Aussie food? They have mainly Australian native animals as meat and fish dishes and use also a lot of Aussie herbs, plants etc. Their home-made dukkah is really good. Started with the tasting platter (see photo), can't remember what other dishes we had, but everything was really good. Service was good too, obviously have to take into consideration that some of them are in training. I love this place and will definitely go back, great food and good service for a good cause! Only thing I don't really like is the interior, I feel it lacks some charm or warmth..

I wanted to like this place. It has a great premise, and is supporting a great cause, but the execution was lacking tonight...<br/><br/>Started with the tasting platter, which had some chorizo, camel sausage, beer battered croc, pork belly, school prawns and a chickpea arancini thing. Overall it was tasty, if not a little bit too greasy.<br/><br/>The other entree was some blackened Moreton Bay Bugs in a pool of roasted capsicum sauce. The bugs were unfortunately far too salty and this completely overpowered the subtle flavour of the bugs.<br/><br/>Mains were the pan seared emu which unfortunately was quite overdone :( Th risotto underneath was ok and the jus tried its best to overcome the overcooking of the duck. The vegetables cooked in paperbark were impressive to look at but in the end was just roast veggies. I think a dish like this needs more than the novelty of being in paperbark.<br/><br/>Ambience is nice and service was friendly if not a little underprepared but I understand these are staff in training.<br/><br/>

Our group had dinner there. On a very hot night, It was very hot, with little relief apart from open doors. <br/>Inexperience and different standards of service were obvious, but the good will was there. It is clearly a training ground, and I am surprised the prices do not reflect that. They do need to learn that meals need to come out together. <br/>The food was varied. The barramundi excellent, the tasting plate interesting, why saganaki? the Moreton bay bugs were way too blackened. <br/>However, ultimately, enjoyable, and we wish the venture well.

Went here for a work function recently. There was about 25 of us and Charcoal Lane looked after us really well. For entree I had the emu fillet which was very tasty but I wish there had of been more emu! For main I had the pork belly which was delicious and perfectly cooked. One of my friends had the slow cooked lamb and it was to die for, melt in the mouth! Unfortunately didn't try dessert but will definitely be back for second round. Thanks for the great food and great service Charcoal Lane, keep up the great work.

Good food and service in an innovative atmosphere<br/><br/>We went here on the advice of a friend who dined with us. The menu (in fact, the whole restaurant) is based on native Australian fare and the food is delicious. We only had mains but they were superb. We can definitely recommend the oven-baked duck breast, which comes with pistachio sausage, a very innovative wattleseed crumbed potato that's dressed up to look like a little apple, pear and plum compote and a delightful sauce. As well, the twice-cooked lamb shoulder with saffron pink peppercorn mash and orange jus was wonderful. The pan seared emu fillet with beetroot and lemon myrtle risotto and shallot salad was also well received.<br/><br/>Presentation of the food was very appealing and service was generally good.<br/><br/>This is a "training restaurant" for indigenous Australians and, in our opinion, it works well (of course, there's lots of senior staff on at any given time). The decor is filled with aboriginal art to complete the experience.<br/><br/>Prices are on par with other restaurants that serve this quality food (mid-thirty dollars for mains), although the entrées are a bit pricey in the high teens.<br/><br/>Would definitely recommend trying it.

Wasn't sure about this place, compared to a lot of places in the area it appears quite modest. As soon as I stepped inside I was blown away, the menu, the staff and the beautiful presentation of the food was something to be proud of. That it is a part of Mission Australia makes it even better! Keep up the good work.

Attractive décor with friendly, welcoming staff.<br/><br/>We had the Chef’s Wild Food Tasting Plate, Chargrilled Emu Fillet, Parma Ham Wrapped Wallaby, Chocolate & Wattle Seed Pudding, and the House made Apple & Muntrie Berry Pie.<br/><br/>All of which were served promptly, cooked perfectly and absolutely delicious.<br/><br/>I notice some people complained about the staff in their reviews, which nearly put me off going. I am glad I ignored these comments.<br/><br/>This is a non-profit restaurant, whose aim is to help train indigenous Australians, giving them a career path. <br/><br/>It’s a shame that certain people don’t appreciate this and choose to criticise because their waiter was not as fast or as confident as they would like.

Very disappointing meal. The Emu was well cooked but unseasoned. The sauce was extremely bland. The salad was un memorable and the side potatoes were slightly undercooked and tasted like a bad side at an dodgy BBQ. Loved the concept but it did not live up to the price tag or Melbourne's high standard.

Beautiful entrees yet the main was so much salty. Nice service and reasonable price. I do not recommend any of their dessert tho. Overall its worth a try.

Great concept, wonderful social enterprise Let down by cold (freezing temperature in the restaurant), disjointed service and less than spectacular food for the price. Just 'ok'.

My friend and I had lunch at Charcoal Lane yesterday and had a wonderful dining experience. The service was absolutely excellent and the food delicious with much to choose from on the menu. I highly recommend it to anyone wanting a fine dining experience for a reasonable price.

Wonderful dining experience from beginning to end. Fantastic staff, interesting menu, generous portions. A really enjoyable evening, and a nice change from the usual cuisnes. You must check it out!!

Exceptional food and service. I found this place on Urban Spoon recently and was interested due to the support from Mission Australia and vision of training aboriginal staff and use of Australian native ingredients (flora and fauna alike). I was not disappointed. The emu fillet was superb, and the wait staff lovely plus you leave with an added feeling of happiness in supporting a great initiative. Will certainly go again.

Charcoal Lane is located in Fitzroy and operates as a training facility as part of Mission Australia to help people regain their independence and gain employable skills. The menu consists of modern Australian cuisine including Wallaby Sirloin and Emu Fillet. We started off the night with some tasting platters that featured salmon, kangaroo, crocodile and lots of other native goodies. I was pretty proud of myself

I went for the CL special - eye fillet on nettle risotto with chargrilled asparagus. I’m not into piggery, but the good thing about specials is that they are BIG. This was two very generous slabs of fillet and although I was surprised that the waiter didn’t ask me how I’d like it cooked, it came out exactly how I would have ordered it.

... Crumbed Crocodile Meat with Plum Sauce. Absolutely delicious and addictive. Who would have thought crocodile meat is that delicious?!

It is difficult to tell that Charcoal Lane is a training restaurant. While there are some barely noticeable subtleties, the service is superior to many hatted eateries in Melbourne. Water glasses were constantly refilled, orders were smooth and our level of satisfaction was repeatedly checked. At the end of February, Andy Bedford joined Charcoal Lane as Head Chef. He is obviously fastidiousness when it comes to ingredients, as evident by the fact that the Barramundi — which was supposed to be smoked in paperbark and served with parsnip cream, sautéed chickpeas, raisins, broccolini florets and sauce vierge — was removed from the menu halfway through service as the flesh “just wasn’t quite right”.<br/>

Change of plans and we find ourselves on Gertrude Street looking for somewhere to enjoy a lazy lunch. Charcoal Lane stops us in our tracks, $45 for a 3 course lunch with a glass of wine? Why not! Charcoal Lane combines fine dining with a training environment to enable Aboriginal and disadvantaged young people to train up and move on into employment.

everything was harmonious and went beautifully.

Charcoal Lane presents delicious native Australian-inspired food with a menu that proudly showcases the incredible array of fruits, vegetables and herbs Australia has to offer. More importantly, it provides a truly wonderful experience where you are able to take part in an enterprise that seeks to provide Aboriginal and other at risk young people a truly life-changing experience.

I wouldn’t say the flavours are wondrously spectacular but the quality is certainly consistent and has a rustic feel about it...

This blog post contains photos only.

I've been here a few times and the food is always unique and amazing!<br/><br/>I had the emu filled cooked medium rare and it was juicy and delicious, exactly the meal I was craving. <br/><br/>We didn't get to the restaurant until 8:15 which by my standard isn't very late for a Saturday night meal. By 9:15 we were the only table left, there were 6 of us at our table. By 9:30 I got the distinct impression the staff wanted to head home, which I understand as they would have had long days and need to get some rest. I did get an unpleasant vibe from the staff, they were nice and courteous but there was displeasure in the air. Several of our side dishes that we ordered didn't arrive and we had to re order them and then when they came,after we had finished eating and one of them wasn't the right dish. The staff were very friendly about this and took it off the bill so that made up for it but still...<br/><br/>All in all the meal was nice and I love all the unique food and the jus the chef makes are superb. I will return just hope the service is nicer next time.

Beautiful meal , the tasting plate was delicious and the main meals were all full of flavor and amazing. Would definatly go back again.

I like it. Both times I've been here the food was excellent. Waitstaff were very professional and engaged in giving us a good time. Also very good value. Some other reviews say it can be "hit and miss" - so maybe I've been lucky - but so far can't fault this restaurant, it's terrific.

Loved it. Wonderful! Wonderful food, wonderful service

Great experience. We dined at Charcoal Lane last week and had a great experience. The native tasting plate was a highlight and the mains were beautifully presented and tasty too. Our staff member was helpful and informative when it came to explaining the food, and helped make our experience special as a last stop in Melbourne. We are from U.S.A so can't be back but would recommend to other diners!

Very tasty food with decent portions, good value overall. We ate the emu main and lunchtime special kangaroo, both were excellent. The lunchtime special was filling with chips and salad, but not much meat compared to the emu main. The emu main was great, well seasoned. Shoestring fries are excellent, recommend getting a side serve.

To be commended. This place serves up some really tasty dishes, with a side of feelgood. The service is a bit hit and miss, but everyone seems like they're trying really hard so it's actually lovely to be a part of someone's training journey. The chicken with marmalade was excellent, and colleagues raved about the kangaroo. We all ate off the express menu which I think I read somewhere means you can be in and out in 20 minutes, although this wasn't the case for us. I think we were there for at least 40 minutes, although we were a group of eight. The team here is to be commended on this social enterprise. Hopefully it continues to go from strength to strength.

Lunch Deal Pretty Good. Would agree that the service stills needs work as staff could be a bit more attentive and welcoming but overall we liked it. We had a fish and salad and chicken and chips. All cooked nicely and plated up well although portions could have been a tad bigger but still better value at $15 than some other places in Gertrude St. Would be good if they had the heating on though...

Probably won't return. A group of about 10 of us came in for dinner for my sister's birthday a couple of weeks ago and whilst there were some enjoyable aspects, we probably won't be returning. <br/><br/>Some of the food was quite nice, but it wasn't consistent. The pork belly entree for example was very tasty, perfectly crispy, and it was a tiny portion. Which is fine because it's an entree. But there was a roast parsnip (I think?) vegetarian entree that was a quite large portion (probably big enough to eat alone for lunch) and so they didn't really match up. The lamb and kangaroo mains both looked delish but I wouldn't recommend the laksa, just not that flavoursome and the veggies were a bit soggy. <br/><br/>In addition, the service was very ho-hum. We had bottles of wine that were kept in an ice bucket on the bar and we had to keep getting up and asking to be topped up, plus the boys only got offered one round of beers, which is silly because they would have drank more and spent more money! Plus our server didn't really know what the specials were. And after both courses we sat with empty plates in front of us for a long time which is not that great when there's only 2 or 3 other tables in the venue. <br/><br/>I understand the concept of the restaurant and think it's great and understand that that means there can be some service hiccups. But it's not a cheap venue so there really needs to be some work done to get it up to scratch. <br/>My Mum emailed Charcoal Lane the next day to give some constructive feedback on these issues rather than have me post on here but it's been two weeks and they never emailed back so there you go.

Mobile review What an amaz.... Mobile review<br/>What an amazing restaurant. Great service, beautiful & tasty truly Australian food .we are proud to support the concept towards a great cause and partnership. Highly recommended if you love adventure on your plate;)

Great Spot on Gertrude Street. Flying to Melbourne for my first trip out there, I was reading a pamphlet on Melbourne that just happened to have a quick review on Charcoal Lane. I am not usually adventurous with food but I always look for a great atmosphere and decided it would be a great place to check out. After walking there from Queen Victoria Market, I had worked up quite an appetite and was quickly seated and attended to. I ordered the Crocodile Sausage and it was SO delicious. The waiter had given me an idea of how it would taste/texture and it did not disappoint. I was very happy with the service, the food, the atmosphere and the location. Very cute spot and definitely worth checkin gout if you are near the area.

Function at Charcoal Lane. I recently celebrated my 30th birthday by booking the whole of Charcoal Lane for a dinner for 60 people. I selected 2 entrees and 2 mains and served birthday cake for dessert. <br/>The night went swimmingly - the food was fantastic, serve great and my guests had a fabulous night. Charcoal Lane were very accommodating of gluten free, dairy free, and vegetarian guests.<br/>I would highly recommend Charcoal Lane for dinner and for a function.

We'll be back soon. Haven't been here since the new menu - loved it before and our meal tonight was beautiful

Great Concept. I'm all for restaurants training the less privileged, and I loved this aspect about Charcoal Lane. What I wasn't too impressed by was the food - I had the Kangaroo, which was ok but a little touch. The side salad I ordered had no dressing - and was basically a plate of mixed leaf salad from the supermarket - unimpressed. <br/>It had a nice décor, and the outside seating was lovely. I don't think I'll be returning, which is disappointing as I'd love to support such a great initiative.

Great food, lovely staff a very pleasant lunch had by all we will all be coming back even the very hard to please foody!

Innovation and good food. After a couple of poor start issues, the restaurant was very good because the server excelled and the food itself was interesting and sumptuous. The restaurant does not allow special bottles of BYO wine. I tried to bring a 1989 magnum of James Irvine Grand Merlot for a 24th birthday celebration and offered to pay corkage, but not allowed! Pity, as the oldest red wine on the menu was three years old. The bug on table that I killed before we started was also not good. However, quickly made up for as noted above.<br/><br/>1. Restaurant and Decor - The restaurant is in Fitzroy in a gentrified area across the road from a tall housing commission flat. The building is an old converted bank and was used by the Aboriginal Health Service that with Mission Australia still works with the restaurant to assist aboriginals and underprivileged to move into the hospitality industry. A restaurant that tangibly supports a cause. The decor is wooden and modern (see photo).<br/>2. Service - Apart from BYO wine policy, the service in the restaurant was fantastic. The main guy waiting on our table explained the unusual Australian food aspects and dealt with numerous food allergy issues that we had. The service was prompt and effective even though there was a very large group booking when we visited. <br/>3. Food - The food was really interesting and challenging (in a good way) to the taste buds compared to more traditional herbs and spices. The food and sides were excellent quality and well cooked and the tastes blended well. I had the lamb strap and it was delicious with the asparagus with ruby lime and fries. The desserts were also interesting and I had the pudding with coconut covered ice cream - very tasty. <br/>4. Allergies - As noted above, the gluten free, dairy, nut, egg and fructose malabsorption allergies were understood and dealt with by component adjustment to desired dishes rather than no you cannot have this this and this! It was very well done, and with good humour too!<br/>5. Wines - The no BYO even for special wines was poor. The wine list itself was short/limited but a pretty good selection. however, with no aged (over three years) alternatives (that I prefer) and mainly in the $40-50 range. <br/>6. Value - At $600 for two courses for seven people including tip and wines, it is not cheap. But given the food quality and unusual varieties, and the excellent service, I say it is very good value.

What an amazing restaurant. Great service, beautiful food and all for a great cause and partnership. Highly recommended

Average decor, service was attentive but a little unpolished. Food was exceptional, distinct and well integrated unique flavours. Looking forward to eating their again.

Modern/Native Australian Food. Beautiful food and great service.<br/>Score 10/10

Beautiful food and great service. loved the tartare and the roo. stunning flavours and presentation. fabulous.

Best food, worst vibe.. Well not the WORST vibe. Not at all. Only relative to the food.<br/>I went to charcoal lane as someone who loves food but had never eaten kangaroo or the like. Therefore, it seemed logical to go straight in and order a wallaby tartare and kangaroo for main, right? Well I actually had the barramundi and my partner had the roo but whatever.<br/><br/>The food was EXCELLENT. To be honest the wallaby didnt really taste particularly wallaby-ish, I dont know if thats good or bad. It was just like a normal steak tartare, unless wallaby actually tastes like beef. Dish was a little small but hey it's only $16 and was presented excellently. Oysters with some kind of berry vinaigrette were also fantastic.<br/><br/>The fish was ace. Nothing that different from your usual fine dining fish meal, but did the job well. The kangaroo and pan fried gnochi was sublime. I never liked the idea of eating kangaroo but this was unbelievable. Incredibly tender, flavoursome, and the pan fried gnochi was the best Ive ever had by a mile.<br/><br/>All the food we had was great and very cheap for the quality. The only problem with charcoal lane was the ambience. The fit out is simple and sophisticated, but a little plain. Can't help but feel they could do with some more art (aboriginal would seem appropriate), the red/yellow/black table trim outside seemed the only visual nod to the native element of this restaurant. Lighting too bright as well. Despite the place being half full we felt a bit rushed - the food came out a little TOO quickly and the waiters were otherwise rarely seen.<br/>Still, the food made up for it. 9.5 for food, 6 for ambience/service/etc. Will definitely be back.

Australia on a plate. The slow, but steady and welcome growth of the use of authentic, native ingredients continues. Charcoal Lane does it with style, elegance, spectacular flavours, presentation, service and a social conscience.<br/><br/>The menu is small and eclectic; much more preferable to have a few items done well and with the freshest ingredients than pages of mediocrity. <br/><br/>The wallaby tartare was tender, moist and flavourful, as was the lamb backstrap for main. The sashimi for entree and barramundi were both perfectly balanced and delicate flavours. <br/><br/>The staff were friendly and most helpful. And yes, it is a lovely place to go for a romantic tete a tete with your spouse on "date night"!<br/><br/>And after a lovely meal, you can always have a slow wander up and down Gertrude Street for a bit of people watching.

Had dinner here with a few friends and i have to say the whole experience was simply gorgeous. it was very chilled and its quiet yet romantic ambience has become one of the main reasons i'll be back to this place.<br/><br/>the food was very good indeed! its skillful incorporation of native australian ingredients into dishes that we always see at restaurants around the country has clearly won my heart. we had the barramundi, fillets of kangaroo and the pork belly. each of them with splendid presentations. the former two were extremely well executed. however the pork belly dish was relatively overcooked and didn't do its '13 hour slow cooked' statement any justice. the pricing for all these dishes were high and portions were unexpectedly small, so don't expect to be filled up after a dinner service.<br/><br/>will definitely return to this place for its wonderful food and service.

Wonderful and getting better. Have been here 4 times over the past few years. The food Gets better with every visit. Innovative and tasty. Great way to eat and also help disadvantaged people gain skills, work experience and confidence. Well done, team.

AUSSIE AUSSIE AUSSIE. Lovely native aussie ingredients, very original ideas. great work guys!

It was nice.... Charcoal Lane was a pleasant lunchtime experience. The service was a little slow, although lovely. The duck confit was delightful, the roo superb, and the vegetables beautifully flavoured. The cheese platter was generous. I was less impressed with the salmon I was able to try- the skin was chewy rather than crispy, and the side salad and fries were disappointing. The side salad had only the tiniest smattering of persian fetta, it felt mean. The fries were also a very small serve, and were rather too brown. Overall it was a nice experience, but I wouldn't return unless someone else was paying.

Perfection. I had a friend with a newborn baby visiting, so we wanted to find somewhere that was a bit quieter to eat than our usual haunts. Had been here once before for cocktails, and had been keen to come back for food because the cocktails were so good!<br/><br/>I had the pork belly and scallops -- I'm always hesitant about pork belly, but it was perfectly cooked, with a crunchy, crackly top. The scallops and other accompaniments were all delicious. The roo and gnocci were equally well-received by my fellow diners (my partner says it's the best roo she's ever eaten). We shared the beetroot salad with dinner, which was beautiful also. <br/><br/>Dessert was a lemon tart, with a perfectly crisp and not too crumbly sweet crust, with the filling not overly citrusy, but still flavourful. The chocolate mousse was also brilliant. <br/><br/>My only complaint was that my beautiful Punt Road bortrytis semillion came out *after* my dessert, rather than with it -- but no big deal when the rest of the meal was such great quality. We would all happily go back here.

My favourite!. My boyfriend and I had the most AMAZING MEAL EVER here. We had degustation - I was in ecstasy the entire time. I'm talking food so good you cant even talk because you are so blown away. He is a vegan and he asked for a vegan degustation and the was equally impressed. The whole meal was great, I finished off with a platter of fabulous cheese with Muscatel grapes matched perfectly with port. I wish I had photos of this food so I could relive the moment. Must go there again. Everyone should go here and if you can, do the degustation.

Excellent meal. Myself and a few friends went for our regurally monthly lunch and was very impressed with both the quality of the food and the service.<br/>I was however disappointed to find that the main menu was not available at lunchtime and the lunch menu whilst offereing very good value was limited in its choices and excluded all my prefered options from the main menu. I do plan to go back again but next time for dinner and not lunch.

Great food and accommodating staff.. Ate here last night for my partners birthday, they were only too happy to prepare a special vegetarian degaustation menu. The food was great, the staff were lovely.<br/>A great place that provides opportunities for young people who may otherwise not get the chance, well worth supporting!

Amazing Dinner. I truly enjoyed my visit to Charcoal lane. Such a wonderful restaurant, the food was amazing, presentation of dishes was beautiful, service wonderful and very well informed staff. I was bring an old friend who has eaten at some of the best restaurants in the world and she was highly impressed.<br/><br/>The general ethos of the restaurant is enough to make you want to return.

Follow the Charcoal Lane.... Amazing! Absolutely mesmerising tastes and a five-course degustation where you get to choose any 5 dishes on the menu! (Yes, you can go all desserts if your really wanted!) The menu changes daily as well, so you won't get bored if you go back again and again and again! :)<br/><br/>Try the Marron with Angel Hair Pasta, or the Scallops with Pork Belly if you get the chance! Super yummo! My limited vocabulary won't do it justice.<br/><br/>The curt portions were surprisingly filling after the fifth course, and the cocktails rounded out the perfect evening. Surroundings were comfortable, and not packed or noisy like other establishments. Service was polite and helpful. Great stuff! :)

Beautiful flavours. As a traveller from the UK I was initially disappointed that the menu didn't have as many 'authentic' Australian ingredients as the menu on the website. However there were subtle touches throughout the meal, including the olive oil infused with a range of local herbs. Each course was delicious, especially the Waygu beef. The service was friendly, and the atmosphere relaxed. If I lived in Melbourne I would certainly be a regular customer!

Such awesome food! Went here for our 2nd anniversary and the lunch deal was such amazing good value (we have a pretty tight budget so it was great to be able to afford somewhere nice!) 3 courses and a drink for $45. Win! Service was great too

Good stuff. Went for our 1st year wedding anniversary. Good food. Good service. Good feel. Nice, Nice!

A bit overpriced?. I liked the food and the service, very attentive but somehow expected a more exhilirating food experience.<br/>We were blown away by the desserts but did not experience the same with entrees and mains. <br/>I think I will come back for lunch (special is 2 dishes and !1 glass of wine for $35 I think) rather than dinner that was a bit overpriced for the experience.

Great food. I had lunch at Charcoal Lane recently. It was pretty busy with large Christmas work groups so fairly noisy. However, the meal of 3 courses and a glass of wine for $45.00 was terrific. Interesting yam patties as entre, the best pork dish I've ever tasted as mains. Lovely dessert, combination of white and normal chocolate parfait. . Friendly attentive staff, plenty of fresh chilled water at the table. All in all, a great experience I'll be back.

Ah lunch, love doing lunch..... Nothing better than a casual lunch during the week and time to satisfy my curiosity passing Charcoal Lane in Gertrude St on the daily walk to work. Like Nina (see The Age review) I can recall some disastrous bush tucker experiences of the past and was confident the classy looking Charcoal Lane would not fall for the same trap.<br/><br/>Being an old bank building the interior is a large open space tastefully decorated with aboriginal art canvas baffles on the ceiling and an eel net light fitting as the room centre piece. I imagine it would get quite noisy when busy like other city iconic buildings like Silk Road and <br/><br/>We decided the 3 course lunch menu ($45 with a glass of wine) offered some great choices and good value. My friend chose the wallaby tartare - a wonderful rich gamey dish matched nicely with hazelnuts. I tried the red curry kingfish with coriander and pepper berry. Curry flavour was nice but slightly underwhelmed with this.<br/><br/>For main I had the kangaroo, no worries with this signature dish. Great flavour and texture and subtle rosella jus makes this dish. My friend had the king salmon which was quite overpoweringly fishy - perhaps this dish would suit a a more subtle fish flavour like barramundi? Beetroot lovers be sure to try the side with salt bush and meredith fetta, great combo!<br/><br/>Dessert was a tough choice. I enjoyed the raspberry & rosella flower canneloni but had food envy with my friend's visually stunning choice - the dark chocolate parfait with marshmallow (see pic).<br/><br/>So get down here, enjoy the food and support this great social enterprise Mission Australia joint venture.

Terrific food with native food twist. Been meaning to get here since reading a great review last year. Finally managed lunch on Friday and will definitely go back. Great food - interesting, cooked to perfection and beautifully presented. Service good without being intrusive and decent wine list. Had the kangaroo, melt in your mouth stuff and the pumpkin, sage and madacamia gnocci. Use of native ingredients great and really works. It's smart, so couple of courses, glass of wine each and coffee cost us around $100 for 2, but there is a 2 course + wine $35 option for lunch. Definitely recommend.

Fantastic Dinner!. We went to Charcoal Lane for our anniversary dinner and from the moment you step into the place it is just a beautiful space and a beautiful looking restaurant.<br/>The service was top notch the whole way apart from the waiter not refilling my water without prompting, but apart from that little blip, it was great overall. The food was amazing, so beautifully plated, the meats and fish we ate were cooked perfectly. The Native Herb Crusted lamb rump was amazing, as was the Seared Kingfish entree. The dessert platter for two is a must to eat! It's so good and it's just so stunning to look at you almost don't want to ruin how pretty it looks! We will be back again for sure!

Lunch was truly remarkable, dinner next. Just walked into this restaurant today and came out having tasted one of the best lunches I have had in ages. Stunning produce, beautifully presented with a truly artistic touch. What a find. Will be there for dinner soon.

Went with a group so was lucky enough to say we'll have one of everything, liked if so much we went back for seconds! Great fresh clean flavours with some interesting twists. Definately worth trying if your up for something a bit different with your food.

My partner and I share the W.A. marron entree and then she had the kangaroo fillet, med rare while I had the duck. Food was cooked beautifully, the atmosphere was congenial and staff were attentive without being overbearing. An excellent experience all round!

Took my fiancé there for a birthday dinner, and was mightily impressed. The service was friendly and professional, the ambience was sleek and warm at the same time, and the food was simply superb! There was something new about every dish. The use of native spices, and ingredients like bush tomatoe and quandong, kept things fresh and interesting. The desert tasting plate was a highlight. A bit of everything! And everything was delicious. They are still waiting on a liquor license, and that is one of the only impovements they need to make. Also, for this calibre of food and standard of service, this is a very reasonably priced restaurant.

... when Maria suggested we head to Charcoal Lane for dessert, we packed up and headed down. When there, the boys selected individual desserts (priced at $16-$17) while Maria and I decided to share the dessert platter for two ($34)

Charcoal Lane is one place you’ll want to go back to. We did – and we loved it yet again. This uniquely Australian enterprise is more than a dining experience; it’s an ongoing story. This was ours:

A while back, I was lucky enough to be invited to @jeroxie's birthday dinner, at Charcoal Lane. I'd been meaning to visit Charcoal Lane for a while, as it's within walking distance of home, and has the twin attractions of a native ingredient-inspired menu

I have been meaning to visit Charcoal Lane for some time, particularly since I met chef Damien Styles at Taste of Melbourne and got to sample a little of his food. The restaurant is run by Mission Australia and provides work experience and training to Abo

You know that Charcoal Lane is a different sort of restaurant as soon as you walk through the handsome heavy black doors.

I first visited Charcoal Lane in September last year. This white building used to be home of Victorian Aboriginal Health Service (VAHS). I have shady memories of walking past a prominent black, yellow and red coloured building almost everyday to and from