Review The Coal Pit - Nunawading

It’s a hidden gem! Very clean, nice feeling inside. Staff were friendly and welcoming- the service was great. All of the food was excellent and the portions were generous and priced well. They make nice cocktails as well. If you haven’t been here- give it a go. Try the tfc!

I was very impressed with this restaurant. I saw some nice photos on Google reviews but thought that it may have been misleading. I was slightly hesitant that I booked a table to arrive with almost no other customers at the time, but I was in for a very pleasant surprise! The food was incredible, without a doubt some of the best calamari and dips I've ever had. The wait staff were very sweet and down to earth. The prices were very reasonable and we left with leftovers! I would definitely come back again whenever I'm in the area. I hope they do takeaway, too!

Nice Middle Eastern cuisine, drinks were reasonably. priced service was pretty good. The only thing I'd suggest is to change the music from House to r n b or trance music... house music made me want to eat in a hurry... lol....

Value for money. The food was a taste explosion so delicious and the friendly staff made it a fabulous experience. Will definitely be back.

Delicious discovery in the eastern suburbs. Ordered the Night In for 2 people plus kunefe. Plenty of food for 2 people. The HFC was my favourite dish and the desserts were delicious. The falafel were a little bitter and I should have chosen another mezza instead. Loved the accompanying sauces and chillis. Finally kunefe in the eastern burbs! It did not disappoint, it wasn't as cheesy as some other ones that I've had as this one is ricotta based. However, it was crispy on the outside, creamy in the inside, buttery and not overly sweet. The baklava was crispy, sweet and the nuts were fresh. Definitely coming back for sure.

MIND=BLOWN! was looking for another local restaurant that are a bit different to the generic. I got takeaway stay in for 2 with an extra desert and mezza. absolutely incredible. I’m glad I’ve found a new local. I will be back like swarzenegger

I came here for lunch and coffee. Food and service were great. The restaurant is spacious and there's outdoor seating area. It's also a good place for quick coffee and meeting.

Food was amazing and service was top notch, this is now one of my go-to places. Simple menu done well. Check it out. Also great for events all about the back room.

We went for a Sunday brunch... Great portion sizes = good value for money! As people who drink a lot of coffee, got to say that ours were great; loved the Proud Mary blend. Food was tasty with good spice combination and reasonable choices for the kids. The chocolate shake! Delicious... We'll be back �

Had a casual lunch with mates, the food was epic, atmosphere was awesome and the service was excellent. Found a joint I can hit a casual coffee at with mates and also hit up a great feed. Definetly will be coming back to this place!

Not too bad, nice venue. Coffee was average (far too hot), many better cups within a few minutes drive. Breakfast menu is great but the lunch menu is very pricy for a cafe.

Great coffee and perfect atmosphere. I had the Lamb kebab and finished off a calamari meal as well. Couldn't recommend it more. Delicious!

Very friendly people and awesome food! Highly recommend the meat tagine

Coffee is spot on and the food is bloody amazing! The service is great, the boys really look after you! The Habibi is the pick of the breakfast menu and the haloumi with honey is outstanding!

Great middle eastern restaurant - calamari was great, haloumi salad delicious and Jim loved his kebabs. Will be back over time to taste the rest of the menu :-)

Great service and excellent food. Prices are reasonable, really happy to have found this place�

Am a regular to The Coal Pit. Always excellent service with a smile and consistant delish food. Highly recommend!

Great food ! So nice to have a change...most places do the same old thing. Spices and flavours are amazing, the meats and seafood cooked brilliantly. These young guys are so friendly and accomodating, really treat you well, beautiful smiles. Yet to have the turmeric coffee as it has been so popular they have run out but the dirty chai latte is �

Great service and delicious, authentic middle eastern food - I never seem to pick the 'right' restaurants for our extended family dinners but this one was a WINNER!

Just dropped in to The Coal Pit for a coffee, definitely coming back to sample the dinner options, menu looks scrumptious!!! Super friendly staff, ambiance is amazing.

Absolutely love this place. Great food, nice coffee, decently priced wine, and really good, friendly service. Great local!

Awesome food, great service and modern decor. This place is perfect for kids especially if they like the choo- choo train :)

Went to grab a bite to eat with the family and we all ordered the burgers which where amazing. Great food, love the atmosphere and quite reasonably priced. Would definitely go back again.

Do yourself a favour and get on down to this place. Paprika prawns, the burger and chocolate mousse. Amazing.

Had a burger and a coffee both were great When I opened the box and saw my burger I actually said wow out loud and it tasted that way as well

We had an enjoyable meal. Meat cooked to perfection. We had a meat platter it was delcious. You will not go home hungry. Service was excellent. We will come back again with friends. Thankyou.<br/>

We came here on a 50% off Set Menu weekday night. Very welcoming service, quite atmosphere. The decor is very basic, so no distractions - you can have an easy conversation. Most importantly - great value offer, large portions and tasty food. I was quite impressed with the quality of the "house wine", and beer included in the deal is ANY from the menu (not just the cheapest one)

The Coal Pit gave us a great dining experience with excellent service. We were surprised at how big the portions were, and definitely got our monies worth.<br/><br/>We ordered the set menu from thefork.com with its 50% discount.<br/><br/>Food: We got three courses, the entree was a nice starter and the bread was amazing - we were obsessed. The stew had really great flavor, could have been cooked a tad longer so the vegies and fish were softer - but personal preference. The kebabs and chips were nice as well!<br/><br/>Service was great, our waitress checked on us to make sure we understoof the set menu and enjoyed everything. The resturant has a nice open space and outfoor dining, felt roomy - would be good for a gathering.<br/><br/>

Disappointing. We ordered some dips which came with warm and soft bread - a good start. We tried the chicken and lamb shawarma, and some lamb kebabs. The shawarma meat was just fatty chicken meat, finely chopped up with seasoning. Lamb was the same, and not at all the rotisserie meat you could expect. Both were served with plain white rice - not basmati and not seasoned at all. Boring and cheap. The backstrap kebabs were tender but they were very small and there were only two for $20. Service was friendly and attentive, but the food needs improving to call it "Middle-Eastern" cuisine.

We'd been meaning to go for here for a long time so I was pretty pumped to try it out.<br/><br/>I'll choose a few starters over mains any day as they tend to be the best options for vegetarians, and these guys just happen to have some awesome ones.<br/><br/>Falafel, eggplant chips and Halloumi chips (to share!) were ordered and quickly devoured.<br/><br/>All three came with the perfect amount of dipping sauce to last.<br/><br/>The Halloumi wasn't too salty - the staff checked to make sure that it wasn't based on some feedback they'd had in the past.<br/><br/>The eggplant chips were the perfect balance between firm and gooey.<br/><br/>The falafel was green on the inside and nicely browned on the outside, and even now I have no idea what they were made out of. They tasted fantastic and did not leave me burping falafel afterwards like many often do. (Gross I know).<br/><br/>My husband got an open chicken shwarma in a Turkish style bun which came with a generous serving of fries and dipping sauce.<br/><br/>He looked to be in his own private tasty/messy heaven as he smashed it faster than a bullet train.<br/><br/>These guys REALLY nail it on the condiment generosity.<br/>Portion sizes were good and flavours were bang on.<br/>Decor was pleasant.<br/><br/>Overall a great addition to the Eastern suburbs.<br/><br/>10/10 would eat here again<br/><br/>

such a delicious dinner, absolutely loved how cute this place is! staff were so nice to me about gluten free options and made sure i was able to eat! I had the yummy lamb shish kebab with a tomato & cucumber salad and hommus & tzatziki dip accompanied by a pomegranate mocktail yum!

Would give 3.5 if possible. Staff were really friendly and the food was good, but not incredible. We shared the dips, meat cigars, haloumi fries and mixed grill.

The breakfast offerings have a middle eastern twist to a greater or lesser degree, depending on what you order, and the flavours work beautifully. The service is prompt, accommodating and friendly. Actually when I was paying the bill, the girl noticed me eyeing up the small sweet filo pastries in the cabinet and put two into a bag for me to take, on the house. I'd recommend the mixed middle eastern breakfast that comes with falafel, hummus and two types of sausage. The housemade flat bread was warm, soft and yeasty, the sausage fragrant with cinnamon, the scrambled eggs yellow and silky, and the falafel crunchy and delicious. We'll be back for dinner for sure.

I can’t describe my joy in visiting The Coal Pit for the first time. I ordered a dirty chai and was pleasantly surprised with how strong and “clean” it tasted. I’ve had the pleasure of having the Sujuk Shakshuka and the Falafel Burger with Chips. Both were delicious, beautiful plated and exactly what I expected and wanted.<br/><br/>Their classic and authentic Middle Eastern dishes take me back to my travels in Morocco and Turkey, they have successfully created a beautiful fusion of Middle Eastern Cuisine and Melbournian cafe style. <br/><br/>Such hospitable and capable staff create a warm and comfortable atmosphere that entices me back each time. The fact that all the staff are attractive human beings doesn’t hurt either. <br/><br/>I love the outdoor seating, however each time I’ve frequented The Coal Pit there seems to be an uninvited bee that doesn’t realise when it’s company is unwanted. Please let me know if this is just me.

Tried the coal pit after looking for something different in the area. Surprised by the tasty, fresh food, great charcoal flavor and pleasing service. The wait can be a little but well worth it. I suppose good things take time. I'll be back.

Second time trying the coal pit- and it impressed us again even more so tonight. They’ve really tried to make the outdoor bit inviting- and succeeded- it has large umbrellas, fake grass and fairy lights- it’s inviting despite being next to Springvale road. We had corn with honey and paprika, chicken grill plate and the chicken burger. All of them absolutely delicious- and those charcoally flavors really permeated, giving a delicious, smoky carmelisation that really gave the flavor depth and deliciousness. The burger was probably the win of the day- but really we were stoked with all of it. Particularly liked the small touches such as the toasted fennel seeds in the salads. We really think that this is a little gem and hope that other people will support it so that it can survive for many years - Keep up the good work guys- we will be back! 👍🏼👍🏼

I have been to the Pit quite a few times and am an unabashed fan. Exemplary customer service from both the wait staff and one of the owners who I doubt ever takes a day off. I seriously doubt you can score better coffee in Melbourne, and I frequent a lot of wonderful cafes. Amongst a praiseworthy review, special mention to the menu. There is not the sameness that can occur from venue to venue but a real variety and point of difference to their dishes. As a strict vegetarian, not only am I well catered for but the staff are particularly specific in regards dislikes, allergies etc..... and the Falafel Burger is to die for. If you have not been to the Pit do yourself a favour... go...now !

We found this place by accident & was absolutely delighted by the kind staff and on point service! Middle eastern food is my absolute favorite, so I did have high expectations- that were definitely met! My partner & I loved it so much we came back the next day for lunch :) If your in the area, or wanting to go out somewhere nice, but decently priced, please do visit The Coal Pit!

So good to get some decent middle eastern and Mediterranean food in the eastern suburbs. And tastes like homecook meals especially the sausages and the haloumi. The boys were awesome for a chat as well. The interior is really nice especially the feature wall painting.

Close to Nunawading station, amongst a group of shops along busy Springvale road, this cafe blends Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine with some western influences. The café is set back from the road, and upon approaching, you are greeted by an expanse of artificial turf and outdoor table settings. Inside, the décor is modern urban, with a black painted concrete floor, one wall of exposed brick, suspended lighting and some interesting wall designs including a steam train mural with attached trestle beams, and a multi fluorescent coloured faux brick design on the wall toward the rear around the kitchen/servery window. It is furnished with solid timber tabletops, accompanied by stylish timber and painted steel chairs. A bench aligns one wall. Some funky music playing gently in the background, helped to complete the ambience. The extensive menu includes some vegetarian options. There were very few regular breakfast items on the all day brunch menu, but rather, some interesting Middle Eastern hybrids. I selected the falafel plate, which comes with with avo smash, sweet potato, and tomato, and as well I ordered a side of mushrooms. The meal was attractively presented, tasty, and filling, and the coffee was very good. I found the service to be courteous, attentive and unobtrusive. This venue provides a little different take on your standard cafe, successfully blending Middle Eastern fare with modern western cafe culture.

Good coffee! 'The Middle Eastern' is a nice a change for breakfast. Try the manek sausages alongside 'The Avo'. Also given the mug size, single shot mocca's the way to go.

The Cafe sit next to KFC on Springvale Rd in Nunawading. A hidden gem I would call it, a menu mixed with exotic Greek and Mediterranean flavours, special yet tasty! Definitely worth a try if you are around this area. We have tried the Middle eastern big breakfast and a Kransky dish. Drinks I have ordered the wet Chia, loved it.

Does hv the favour or middle east, maybe my order is small size, other than that the taste is good. Well done. Hope to cone back and the dinner selection

Love this place! Delicious, tasty and cheap. Friendly owner and he's really done a great job renovating the place. Great lighting and double glazed windows keep this place warm and cozy. <br/><br/>A gem

Best Kabab plate... has a delightful range of dishes.. came here with family... we all enjoyed our meals... at a reasonable price. Great new eatery in the eastern suburbs with excellent service. Recommend.

The food was absolutely exceptional. Loved the middle eastern touch just delicious. Excellent friendly service and a lovely atmosphere. We will be back thank you!

really nice staff. the outdoor lights really brighten up the place. yum food. this area need restaurants like this to brighten up the night life

A relaxing space with effortless ambience - sitting inside feels a world away from the hum of traffic on Springvale Rd. Good variety on the menu offering some unique options to share a meal with family or a simple catch-up with friends over a (good) coffee. Last but not least, wonderful service with a smile & much appreciated.

Food was nice, though for the location I felt for Middle Eastern foods is a little high for Nunawading.  There is a similar food cafe in Ashburton, called Ashy's with much bigger portion.

Wow, this place is fantastic! We absolutely loved it. Everything was wonderfully cooked and beautifully presented. The serving sizes were filling without being over the top and the service was great. Chairs are comfy too. Our kids enjoyed their falafel (so did I). I had the beef kofta which appeared dry but it wasn't at all and the flavours were brilliant. My husband preferred his lamb kebab. Both were delicious.<br/>When we were paying they asked us if our kids were allergic to nuts, we said no. They proceeded to give us some free baklava! Maybe they had to get rid of it anyway if no one bought it, I don't know, but regardless it was still a lovely thing to do.<br/>It's so good to have places like this in the suburbs. We'll definitely be back to try out more of the menu.

We didn't really enjoy the food here. Whilst there was some nice outdoor seating，the food left a bit to be desired. In summary:<br/>- caramel milkshake lacked a caramel taste;<br/>- the trio of dips was lacklustre. The hommus was the grainiest hommus ive ever had，and all dips needed some sort of seasoning;<br/>- the burger was merely ok，typical cafe fare. Could have done with a better sauce.<br/>- the kebab had nice meat，but rice was flavourless.

The Coal Pit delivered on their promise of providing an authentic Mediterranean meal.  I ordered 'The Chicken' and am happy to boast that the chicken was beautifully charred whilst also melting in your mouth.  The size of the dish was also quite generous...and for a big eater like myself I was ecstatic.  I finished my meal off by purchasing an 'Oreo Shake' which was the 'cherry on top' of a great first experience at The Coal Pit.<br/><br/>Can't wait to go back and try other items off the menu!

Sat outside in the nice sun. Good coffee, ordered a strong almond milk flat white and they got it spot on. Good food, filled the stomach of my fiancé who has a huge appetite. Pleasant staff. Will be back! :)

Good food and dining experience on 2 occasions. Nice outdoor area and great service. Servers suggestions were tasty and takeaway cakes were great

The food that we did get was pretty good, but unfortunately it was not what we wanted. nearly everything we ordered they said they had run out of, only we were the only people that had been there for dinner that night.  To top it off, the waitress messed up the order twice, I could have understood if it was busy, but as I said, we were the only people there.I dont think we will go back in hurry.

The name of this place reminds me of the Steve Martin movie 'Father of the bride' where the father, George suggests  having the wedding at '......our favorite restaurant. The place we've been eating at for fifteen years. The best. The Steak Pit!'.  His young son, Matty replies 'I don't think you want the word "Pit" on a wedding invitation, George.'<br/><br/>So maybe you don't want your wedding here, but you might want your casual lunch or dinner that's for sure.  Late notice we managed to get a table for we five on a Saturday night.  I think The Coal Pit has only been open a few months, so the place wasn't full.  I like the space, and our youngest loved the life-size picture of a steam train on the wall.  Colourful and stylish it is.  Service was super-friendly, if a little 'novice'.  I shall start with the one major flaw in our meal.  We ordered entrees from 'The Start' section of the menu, and from 'The Main' our...well mains.  The food arrived really quickly - but also all together, which was unfortunate.<br/><br/>Onward and upward however.  The food was very good to great.  The Lovely Man, who could also be called 'The Chicken Wing Fan' had hoped to try their wings here, but they'd sold out.  Fortunately 'The Burger' hit the spot with a (house made) pickled that he really liked - usually he's just as likely to set pickles aside - crazy as that seems.  He said the pickle was 'very salty in a good way', and our son loved the burger with pickle as well.  They also found the big planks of chips delicious, including the spicy aoili.<br/><br/>Our youngest chose the Calamari from 'The Kid' section of the menu, and it comes with chips *or* salad, so he went chips (as we'd ordered a salad from 'The Side' to share.  The calamari was salt and pepper, I could see the pepper, and was concerned it might be too 'peppery' for him, but he devoured them.<br/><br/>Our oldest went with two entrees, the first 'The Mussel', which her dad also chose, there were about a dozen mussels, in a chilli-ish broth, and lots of good toasted Turkish-style bread.  Mussels were very tender, and apart from the olives which he doesn't like, the rest disappeared from both their bowls.  My daughter's 'The Octopus' was baby octopusses and sweet potato, once again beautifully tender seafood.<br/><br/>My choices were 'The Menek' which were chargrilled sausages with tahini (check) and bread (a no-show*).  The tahini and, I think perhaps a balsamic glaze worked nicely with the sausage, I would have loved some bread to mop.  <br/><br/>'The Chicken' was a boneless piece of char-grilled chicken, that was smoky and moist, with a lovely 'rice' (simple wording, but yummy rice) and lebne - gorgeous, along with a lovely rocket salad.<br/><br/>'The Fattoush' had good flavour, the bits of bread were too large to eat as a mouthful and not easy at all to cut with a knife, so a bit frustrating in that respect, but, apart from that, enjoyable.  There was a great mix of ingredients - *red* capsicum thank you - far more delicious than the green, and a medley of tomatoes, cherry, yellow cherry, a green mini Roma style, and red onion without the astringency, a lovely selection of leaves too.   <br/><br/>Coffee was deemed delicious by my o/h, the 'Dirty Chai' has a real hit of that same coffee - nice one - and the iced chocolate was apparently well worthwhile.  Our kids eyed off the last brownie in the window, and had that put aside for after their meal, it was a generous serve, so perfect for two kids to share with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.  Miss and I shared a 'Mars Bar'....not slice, it was kind of a cake.  Huge thing, also served with a scoop of ice cream.  Seriously rich, too much for me, the kids enjoyed it.<br/><br/>The Coal Pit is open for breakfast, so we'd like to go back to try some Middle Eastern breaky.  The owner (?) explained being Middle Eastern there's no pork products, but the selection doesn't seem to suffer from that.   We were also told the already quite generous selection of breakfast options may well be increased in the coming days.   We're keen to go back, it's a great change from the usual cafe options around these parts, with just a few tweaks and a bit of word of mouth 'The Coal Pit' could be impossible to get into on a Saturday night late notice! <br/><br/>*Edit: on perusing the menu with my glasses on, I see that bread is an 'extra' with this dish, so listed alongside, but then below it says '+plus bread add...'.  My misunderstanding, though it would have been lovely if the waitress had asked if I wished to have the dish with or without the bread.<br/><br/>====================================================================================<br/><br/>We (O/H and I) waited a whole 19 hours to return.  Yeah, we missed the breakfast menu, which I am still keen to sample, but The Lovely man had his heart set on The Meat Platter, so that's what we had.  We'd started with Mr Coffee having another cappu, because he likes the coffee here.  In the interest of science I tried the Hot Chocolate.  A lovely 'just-sweet-enough' version - my kids would probably want another spoonful of sugar - 'just-right' temperature hot choccie', yummy.  I would warn though, offering a straw with a hot drink could be a bit risky, at least for kids who could burn their mouths easily as obviously it's hottest below the surface.  Cute glass it's served in, and although it doesn't have a handle, that was not a problem as it wasn't scorchingly hot to hold.<br/><br/>The food.  We were invited to request how we would like our steak done, of course The Lovely Man wanted rare, while I wanted bleu, 'we' chose bleu...in fairness we were eating his choice of meal!<br/><br/>The selection is more than reasonable, two menek (chipolata size snags), 'half' a chicken (boneless), two kofta (seriously delicious, loved the spices in this), big slab of steak cut int three big ol' chunks (and serve rare as requested thank you, though could have had more of a char without), Two chicken skewers, with a different flavour profile to the piece of chicken, two beef skewers (done to medium-medium rare), and a lovely basmati rice.  There was a house-made pickle including cauliflower and carrot, but it was a bit too salty for me.  Good olives, gorgeous feta, absolutely spanking fresh tabbouleh...described as 'traditional', which I think is as 'trad' as any family, some are burghul heavy, some are parsley (or other herb) heavy, this one was tomato heavy, and delicious, it was lain on a bed of what seemed like 'freshly picked' rocket.  Fabulous.  The menu described the dish as having a 'choice of dips, bread, and the "compliment" (toum, pickled veg and olives)'.  I know we got the veg and olives, but I think the toum was AWOL, as was the bread and 'choice of dips' - we were not offered a choice at least.  We did get the gorgeous lebne, thick and creamy and delightful to me, but I suspect The Lovely (sometimes fussy) Man would have preferred any.other.dip - as he dislikes yoghurt, a win for me, but I felt a bit sorry for him!<br/><br/>It's a big feed, even if we didn't get everything the menu offered, most of it delicious.  It could serve three or four diners possibly.  Perhaps these are teething problems only, not sure how long they've been open, not that long, so all's forgiven.  Have to go back for breakfast next!<br/><br/>===================================================================================<br/><br/>Twice since last visit we have had breakfast at The Coal Pit, and it just gets better. Recently we devoured 'The Salmon' which is a glorious combo of a generous amount of smoked salmon, wilted spinach, poached eggs and hollandaise, all delicately assembled within a brioche bun. A touch of sumak for the requisite zing. Perfectly poached eggs too, which some restaurants struggle with. Nothing to say but 'yum', three of us had it, three of us loved it, and it kept us going all day. However...the best was yet to come...<br/><br/>I felt a tinge of guilt going to a restaurant with Middle Eastern food and selecting the most un-Middle Eastern dish on the menu (because I am a sucker for hollandaise and smoked salmon, but still) I vowed to come back soon and go Full Middle Eastern Breakfast!<br/><br/>The menu has had a rejig. Still difficult for my old eyes to read (I keep forgetting my glasses), so I have to have the kids tell me what's what (the menu is on cardboard coloured background and the print blends in for my eyes). Our youngest chose odd items to go together (don't blame the restuarant for the combo, they're just giving the customer what he wants!). He selected from the kid's menu the poached egg on sourdough* with smoked salmon and a cheese kranksy - he was thrilled!<br/><br/>Three of my breakfasting companions went with The Kransky - and their eyes lit up and the feast presented to them, two eggs (any way), not one, but two cheese Kranksies, a delightful sweet, spicy chutney (and two of the three wouldn't choose chutney but would have this one again), two chunks of deep fried halloumi that had been crumbed, and showed no sign of oiliness, a slice of sourdough and to top it off a hash brown! The chef very kindly scores the kransky which aids in the eating as well as the charry flavour.<br/><br/>As per my promise, I went as Middle Eastern as I could manage - The Middle Eastern Big Breakfast. I felt healthy and indulged at the same time eating this. Why? Well the fava beans to put not too finer point on it. I know, many love baked beans on their big old breakfast, but I swear you may never go back after trying the fava (ful) at The Coal Pit. I could have just had a bowl of these beans. I didn't of course, I also had on that plate the Middle Eastern Style scrambled eggs with pastrami. This amounts to eggs that are less 'scrambled' than your usual scramblers, so you can see the egg white and the yolk, apart from a bit of s & p and the pastrami, I think that's the only thing in them - they were great. But wait. there's more, there was a wonderful rustic dip to go with - hummus maybe, I am not sure, but that's my feeling, the pickles I've had previously (I still find them a tad too salty, but with the other ingredients it helps a bit to offset the saltiness), not one, not two but three Menek, the lovely little Middle Eastern snags I have enjoyed as part of a dinner. You think that's enough? Maybe, but not! There are felefel and flat breads to mop it all up. Seventh Heaven I was in! I found the felafel were a bit hard and I missed the lovely soft steamy centre I have had in other felafel. Minor quibble overall though - I can't wait to try other breakfast options with a Middle Eastern bent. The service continues to be impeccable, the 'dirty chai' (chai and coffee combo) is my idea of a good time (I haven't liked coffee before, so the fact that I like in in chai is a biggie), and the willingness of the staff to talk about their food is pleasing.<br/>  These guys are clearly passionate about their food and business.  A courtyard set-up may be in the works at some stage in the future.<br/>*I am not sure about other people's kids, but our youngest struggles with toasted sourdough, it was good to know that, in future if we request the toasted sourdough in the kid's breakfast be replaced with their warm flat-bread they will do so happily.

UPDATE 21/04/2017<br/>Proud Mary coffee beans and La Marzocco combo is still not churning the right latte.<br/>$4.50 Danish is good, $7.50 for a serve of Caramel Slice with a scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream is a bit much.<br/><br/>It feels chaotic .... On their Soy Latte alone<br/><br/>Great to see more and more cafes are being established in Nunawading junction, as this part of Melbourne is in desperate need of good specialty cafe with the demised of Barrio.<br/><br/>After a few tries to visit, as they don't opened as per their opening hours, we've managed to have coffee there. Sadly their $4.50 Soy Latte did not impress us at all, it was poorly made, not smooth and probably not a freshly roasted beans too. <br/><br/>I'm sure we'll get around to try their Middle Eastern/Mediterranean inspired Menu soon.

Great breakfast!<br/>Had the Shakshuka - Definitely recommend it.<br/><br/>Thanks guys.<br/>Looking forward to returning to try out the lunch!

Wanted to try something new a as our standard place is: Nandos, TGI Friday, Hogs breath & La Porchetta.So this was a real stretch for us but it was recommended by our family, so we thought we would give it a go. I must say we were really happy with both the service & food. The food was well presented and extremely tasty, even the kids loved it.So well done to all the staff at  "The Coal Pit".You can count on the fact that we will be return customers.

Love this trendy little gem of a restaurant, been here a few times for breakfast, lunch and dinner and the food and service is outstanding. Always promptly seated and attended to by the gorgeous owners - coffee is fabulous as well. Highly recommend! :)

Tried it The Coal Pit for the first time today with my little sister. Thickshake was good but wished it was actually thick instead of being a regular milkshake. Food wise I liked the menek sausage starter, very juicy and the sauces they came with had a pleasant flavour. For my main i had the chicken, was flavourful and had crispy skin with plenty of moisture in the meat, rice was fluffy and salad was nothing special...sister had the burger and she said it was delicious. Overall good food, great staff and hope to dine there again<br/><br/><br/>Back again for the 3rd time and love this place, they will be introducing a new menu in a few weeks so will be back again soon

Lovely food. Had the dips and cauliflower. Friendly, helpful staff. Very patient with my naughty toddler. Nice al fresco area with fake grass, dog tether, and water bowl.

To start you expect The Coal Pit to be open at 5:50pm on a Thursday afternoon, especially when they advertise they are open from 8am not to mention happy hour from 5-6pm everyday. So we had to wait until 6pm to go inside. When we did go inside the man serving was amazing, he would be the only reason I would go back but I'm not willing to waste my time and money just for good service. <br/>We were given a small menu and we asked if that was the only menu as it was not like the one on Zomato. They said that they are currently working on a new menu and this menu is what they have got at the moment. I had only rang the day before to book a table and I should have been informed that there was a reduced menu, we would not have came if we knew that. There wasn't a lot to choose from and the servings were small for the price.<br/> The food itself was ok, nothing to rave about. <br/><br/>*Special <br/>$5 Happy Hour Everyday 5-6pm <br/>Valid from <br/>Sat, 26 Nov, 2016<br/> to <br/>Wed, 1 Feb, 2017*

Delicious . Very nice. Would recommend it . ................................................................................................

Nice little Middle eastern food place. Inside is done up very nice, unfortunately we are outside people and that is severely lacking. Large weeds in pots, the fake grass was covered in leaves and mess and it's all very exposed with traffic on the road not making it very enjoyable. The burger I had was good but the "thickshake" was really just a plain milkshake. Worth a visit if you like sitting indoors.

food was on point. (had the habibi - recommend!). staff were friendly. coffee was delicious. sat outside in the sun. just divine.

What a find! Really enjoyed our first visit to this cute establishment. We were quickly seated by the friendly waiter (owner), promptly given menus and water. Food selection is excellent. We ordered the kebabs which had delicious rice and authentic labne. BBQd chicken, fattouch salad and the most amazing corn we've ever tasted. Enjoyed every morsel of food. The staff are really friendly and chatty. I can vouch for the authenticity of the middle eastern cuisine yet with some surprising and very welcomed twists. Will definitely be back and be telling people about this place. Can't wait to be back.

Had a double patty burger with chips and my wife had the falafel burger, and we were not disappointed! The patty had a great flavour and the servings were generous. The service was attentive and polite. Can't wait to come back and try the breakfast menu!

"The cheese" was delicious, "The burger" pattie had great flavour.. Nice strong coffee.. I would come here again!! Great ambiance, clean, and good service!!

Enjoyable, tasty, dinner at this new restaurant The menu had something for all of us in a good blend of middle Eastern fusion. Highly recommend the kebabs (lamb), vegetable tangier, and calamari. Unassuming and casual, the restaurant provides excellent value for money, good size servings, and an atmosphere also suitable for families. Will definitely be back. PS. Coffee also good!

Nice little local place. Great food, comfortable decor and attentive staff. Lamb Kebab was lovely and Mum approved of the burger. Will be back to try other menu items.

Went with my parents. We all really enjoyed our very tasty meals, service was excellent and we were seated well (I have a trainee Seeing Eye Dog who needs a bit of space). Sadly the coffee machine was out of action. All round a great night out!

Honestly 3.1 on avg ? That is too low ! Please give them a chance and try something difference ! I like their food ! Boss and waiters are friendly and i believe that will be a good local drinking place (after they improve their drink menu)! They open till 11pm

First visit today and was so impressed. The menu is interesting and varied and everything was delicious. Great to see a kids menu with interesting options and a salad option instead of chips. Decor is simple and beautiful and the staff very friendly. I will definitely be back!

We have been there twice, Love the new slightly menu, We both had the salmon tonight with a side of veggies, it was delicious, lovely flavours, friendly staff. We will definitely be back again.

Just had dinner. It was delicious with very generous servings. Middle Eastern take on modern casual cuisine. Friendly service. Recommended as a great place for a casual dinner.

I've been waiting for a funky restaurant to open up locally and I've finally found it with The Coal Pit. It's a beautifully decked out restaurant with a modern rustic feel. Staff is friendly and accommodating with my dietary requirements. I am a repeat customer and have tried both the breakfast and lunch/dinner menu. I love the middle eastern inspired menu & the portion sizes are generous. I'm looking forward to hosting my Christmas function there.

Had breakfast with my Fiancé today at The Coal Pit. We ordered The Atlantic Salmon and The Calamari both were exquisite. The calamari was full of flavour and had a delicious side of salad. The Atlantic salmon was served on a crunchy english muffin with eggs poached to perfection. 👌 Beautiful outside area was very relaxing to sit in, especially in this amazing weather. Will definitely be coming back.

Excellent new restaurant i liked everything there the decoration, the food and all the atmosphere the staff very friendly.<br/>And about the food i tried three main dishes as i went three times the prawns very very delicious with the the tasty rice i decided the second time to try the steak with the vegetables it was yum and really great value and last night i tried the burger and it was the best burger for me i have had <br/>everything else there is good coffee and middle eastern dessert very nice and the place is very very clean

A nice new local. Delicious middle eastern food at very reasonable prices, with excellent service and an interesting decor.<br/>Recommend the kebabs. Hot and juicy. And the corn on the cob is a great accompaniment.

What a gem! Decided to try the Coal Pit on a Sturday night for dinner and was very impressed! Modern decor, friendly and attentive staff and the food was some of the best mediterrean i've had in Melbourne! <br/><br/>Looking forward to coming back for the veggie tagine and stuffed peppers!

First try here & will be back to try more . Enjoyed the food but not sure about the sour dough bread I got served with my dish. Didn't taste like a true sour dough & slice was way too thin. Overall flavours of dishes was great & presentation has love too. The coffee has a good strong but not burnt flavour. All the food coming out & served on other tables looked fantastic too so I will be back to try more. <br/>I would love to see some unusual Egyptian desserts on offer. They could do much better than the cake display cabinet they had on display. Didn't say eat me at all. Many people love a sweet treat to finish a meal or have with a coffee & I hope they make improvements here . Thanks for reading my review :)

Excellent Burger and Chips<br/>They use high quality Proud Mary beans, make it thr best coffee in the area. <br/>They have provide excellent customer service!!

Wonderful looking interior, went here for dinner a few nights ago and was very impressed. Food was flavoursome. The only negative was the menu was a little limited but sometimes people actually prefer that so not all that much of an issue.<br/><br/>EDIT 26/12/2016 Menu has been expanded upon since initial review.

Great new place in the Eastern Suburbs, providing breaky, lunch and dinner with a Lebanese / Mediterranean twist. The restaurant itself is beautiful and the decor interestingly unique. I went for breakfast and tried the smashed avo, it was full of flavour and was at a reasonable price. My friend tried the big breakfast, the serving was generous and had many different things on the plate to try from! Unfortunately the coffee was below average (cold and taste was not there), so I probably won't be stopping in for coffee any time soon but will be back to try some of their lunch and dinner dishes. Very polite and friendly staff. I really hope this place picks up because it was lacking ambience. It is quite a large restaurant so I can imagine the vibe will be much better once it fills up a bit.

stuffed pepper was amazing. burger was nice. cool decor & attentive service. admittedly could do with a few more items on the menu, but it isn't a major issue. thickshake needs improvement. will dine again, recommended.

We were on my way home from the 1000 steps and stopped by this café restaurant along the way. We had Proud Mary coffee in Nunawading - A gem find in the east! For lunch we had the prawn, the burger and the kebab. The garlic lemon chili based prawns was super delicious, the burger was juicy and the chicken kebab was succulent. The dish portions was generous and the staff was friendly and attentive. We couldn't fault the experience. Highly recommend to try out this new trendy café and we will be back for sure!

Went here for breakfast and it wasnt worth the price. We both got the baked eggs and felt that it was such a small portion size. My friends eggs were still transparent, they weren't cooked very well. The breakfast menu itself was lacking options. Very little add ons! Also our coffee came after our food and it was close to cold! Will give it another shot for their lunch sessions.<br/><br/>A.

Fantastic new café! Great customer service from the incredibly friendly and inviting owners and attentive wait staff. The fit out and music gave a very relaxing, funky and vibrant inner city vibe to Melbourne’s eastern suburbs, especially with the addition of specialty coffee from Proud Mary’s, something you don’t generally see outside the CBD. <br/><br/>The food was delicious! Had the burger which had amazing charcoal flavour and Middle Eastern spices with crispy chips. Can’t wait to come back and try the rest of the menu items, everything sounded and looked great!<br/><br/>The front patio was just the perfect way to relax and enjoy a drink while soaking up the sunshine on a Saturday afternoon. Definitely the new favourite local to bring all my friends, comes highly recommended!!

<br/>Great new place! Staff were extremely friendly and gave awesome service. Ordered breakfast and the Atlantic salmon was top notch. The place has a relaxed vibe with nice outdoor sitting area. Will be back

A friend took me to a new place to tryout in nunawading. Straight away your taken into a new experience, the music, the colours and most importantly the food. The kebab was amazing! Def worth a try!!

This restaurant has great food, a good vibe and really cheap prices. The Coal Pit wouldn't be out of place in a trendy inner suburb. We will be back.

Seeing a sign for The Coal Pit usually leads one to assume that it will be a furniture store if of some sort. <br/>I was rapt that it was in fact a new restaurant. <br/><br/>The food was fantastic, we had The Burger, The Kebab and The Tajine. Everything was on point, great flavours and beautifully presented. <br/><br/>Prices were more than reasonable and the servings were generous. <br/><br/>The venue has a great vibe to it, friendly staff, good tunes playing in the background and the decor is awesome (love the light fittings). <br/><br/>Really looking forward to popping in here again soon, especially when the weather warms up and the daylight hours are longer to take advantage of the cool outdoor area. <br/><br/>Welcome to the Neighbourhood folks.

Very welcoming of our family and attentive to our needs with 2 small children. The kids loved the big train painted on the wall. And to top it off, excellent food. Thanks Coal Pit!

Got told to the try the burgers here..<br/>What I got was exactly that awesome 'burger' you've been craving!<br/>Definitely will be back to try more of the menu:)

My gorgeous friend Catherine (visiting from the UK) and I stumbled across this little gem tonight & what a find it was!!! Truly an amazing find! Funky set up, absolutely incredible food (we indulged in the burgers - best I've EVER had, yes big call I know & the sticky date pudding - absolutely delish) The service was impeccable and we honestly both HIGHLY recommend it to EVERYONE!!! Do yourself a favour and visit it for yourself... You definitely will not be disappointed x

GREAT new place to eat in Nunawading. We couldn't believe our luck when we stopped at The Coal Pit for lunch and were surprised to hear they had only been open a few days. The Chicken with its perfectly spiced cous cous was exceptional. The Tagine delicate and incredibly tasty. The Burger juicy and served with super crunchy chips. Dessert didn't disappoint - who can go past sticky date pudding! The staff were terrific and service great. A relaxed vibe, great music and all up well worth visiting again and again. We will be back - possibly weekly!

The confluence of Melbourne and the Middle East. Amazing new restaurant in Melbourne's East you need to try. Service, food and atmosphere on tap. Lamb was succulent and wine was plentiful. Nanawading welcomes you.

Beautiful food, lovely atmosphere and friendly service. Food was amazing and i didnt wait long at all for it to be ready. I definitely go back there and recommend it.<br/>Good job

Went for an amazing meal at a new café in Nunawading called "The Coal Pit". The food was so great and the portions plentiful. The staff were very attentive. If you get the chance its well worth a visit.

A Cosy place to sit down and have a meal . There is only one and one kind of Burger . Please try it . A real good burger with good quality meat and nice bun to go with it . <br/>I only wish it was a lil bigger . Will definitely go back