Review Coonara Springs Restaurant - Olinda

Nice restaurant with good scenic view in Olinda area. lovely food, especially the entree on this special Valentines Day.

Amazing food, super friendly staff and delicious dessert in a peaceful environment with mountains view. What else do you need for a memorable experience?

Lovely gardens, nice food and friendly service. Great for couples and groups.

The food, the drinks, the view, the atmosphere, the staff - All spectacular. Highly recommended.

Came here to celebrate my partner's birthday. Made a last minute booking and was easily accommodated. The restaurant was easy enough to find and parking was ample infront or on the side of the building. The restaurant looked like a house from the outside and when we walked in it felt the same too. It had very nice decor and charm to it. Our table was at the back overlooking the sloping garden which provided an amazing view as we watched the sunset. The food tasted very nice and I had ordered the steak which was cooked perfectly. The waiter was very friendly and engaged us in friendly conversation. Can't wait to come back.

We had a most delightful and enjoyable experience at this wonderful restaurant today. From the warm greeting at the front door by the head waiter to the beautiful ambience of this old house attention to every detail by the head waiter and staff with explanation of the delicious menu. We decided on two entrees which were completely satisfying with delightful wine from an extensive wine list of local and other wines. Unfortunately it was raining so we couldn't walk in the beautiful gardens. We will be back and will bring our friends. Thank you for a lovely day.

Awesome dining experience. Perfectly matched wines were recommended by our lovely waitress. Beautifully renovated hills cottage with a terrific outside deck which we dined on whilst enjoying the gorgeous view across the hills towards Healesville. The gardens are well worth a walk through as well. Definitely a great destination for a romantic dinner or a night out with close friends. In addition, Coonara Springs can provide absolutely first class function hosting. We had the most perfect wedding with 30 guests, which was made completely stress free by the professional and friendly attitude of management, staff and the chef. The menu is fantastic. Creative and original dishes displaying the finest of local produce in very tasty dishes. Highly recommended!

Great location, really well presented restaurant. The food was excellent, although more suited to an intimate meal than a family affair with older kids such as we had. Our departure through the garden in the early evening, where much of the produce is sourced, was a lovely way to finish off the experience.

Been waiting weeks for this place to open....Greeted warmly by Shian as soon as we entered and you could tell the place was going to be filled with warmth and ambience...Stunning views...gorgeous gardens..relaxed decor and environment...Stopped by for an unexpected lunch and left with a belly full of goodness...Entree a vegetarian paperdelle, mushroom, gorgonzola dish a marriage of beautiful flavours and a generous portion followed by Spatchcock in coq au vin style...paired with a lovely class of Sauvignon Blanc...In house, unlimited bread had to taste them all a classic sour dough, olive bread(yum)..there was a third but can't remember and you had a choice of smoked or sweet butter....no dessert this time..saviing for the next visit. Compliments to Chef Adrain for the marvellous friendship he has created between country and gourmet food...not too boring and plain and not prententious and complicated..thankyou for a perfectly balanced lunch that felt like a treat.

Absolutely sublime... the gardens are magical, the staff are so gracious and friendly, the food is divine!!! This is my new favourite place.. I recommend this place to everyone and I cannot say enough positive things about this fabulous place! You just visit!! 🍽👌 10/10✨

A group of 14 came for a special lunch in the private dining room. The room was beautifully presented and the table was laid and awaiting us. We were attentively but not overbearingly looked after. The service and the food were excellent. I could highly recommend the food, the warmth of our welcome and, of course, the wine. Thank you for making a difficult day a joy. We will return

We celebrated our wedding anniversary here last night and from the second we entered it felt as though we had been transported. The warmth in the new design made us feel immediately welcome and relaxed and the layout of the restaurant means that everyone gets their own little pocket of heaven without feeling distant from other diners - a huge achievement. Because it was our anniversary we were given complimentary bubbles and from this point on the service just got better and better. The complimentary bread with smoked butter was incredible (the olive especially) and our entree of smoked applewood salmon a highlight. The menu had something for everyone and we felt was very reasonably priced considering the quality, freshness as well as inventiveness. We would recommend Coonara Springs to anyone wanting a beautiful dinner out, or wanting to impress out of town guests. It is such a gem! And though it was just the two of us last night it is the perfect restaurant for a big family dinner with various areas to cater for large groups. Just perfect!

The best dining experience and meal we have ever had. The service was impeccable and the food was divine! So fresh and delicious, picked and served that day. Would highly recommend to anyone, especially those who enjoy food freshly harvested locally!

We had our first visit to Coonara this evening with friends. The service from the moment we arrived was exceptional. The staff were attentive and friendly through the night adding to our experience. The meals were beautifully presented and are one of the best we have had in a long time. Lovely decor, and elegant restaurant. We will definitely be back and won't hesitate to recommend Coonara Springs.

Wonderful food, atmosphere and place to escape the cold. Highly recommend

The restaurant is beautiful, the prix fixe menu is sophisticated and good value, the wine list is superb and the staff is warm and welcoming. Our new favourite place in the mountains.

We had lunch (booking for 1pm) and left at 3.30 or so. Felt extremely comfortable even though we were the last in the restaurant. Moved from our table to the fireplace to finish our wine. Food was the highest standard in flavour & presentation as was the service & staff. Can't wait for spring and the new concept of dining Al fresco in the beautiful grounds.

I went here for high tea with my daughter very expensive at $65 or $75 with champagne.I have been to 7 different venues for high tea and this one is not one of better ones. Had lovely décoré ,scenery and crockery.The range of teas is very good but unfortunately they kept forgetting to give us a teaspoon when they changed our cups when we tried different teas.The sandwich fillings were not very exciting- the best thing was the scones

We went there last night for our wedding anniversary and as usual the food was amazing!!! From the tender octopus to the beautiful, tasty steak and the lightest soufflé ever. Can't recommend this place enough, our favourite restaurant. And can't forget the excellent service, warm & friendly. Perfect for special occasions.

Just chanced upon this delightful restaurant while going for a drive . The staff were welcoming and so friendly , the meals delicious and the garden were akin to something from a European holiday . Totally recommend it.

We turned up on Father's Day without a bookingfor lunch and they quickly organized a table for us. Love the smell of burning fire wood when you first walk in. Food was amazing, especially the bread, butter and salmon entree!

Lovely setting and great food ! Nice place for a lazy Sunday lunch !

What a treat it is to eat here at Coonara Springs. We had the most divine night here on Australia Day celebrating. The food was absolutely outstanding, the service was excellent and the setting is no less than perfect.You must experience this wonderful hills venue that has been so lovingly restored. Can't wait to have another occasion to celebrate here and I don't think I will ever forget those scallops....

Lovely Sunday lunch.<br/>Great service and food.<br/>I used to frequently come here before they closed for renovations a couple of years back. I must say, that I preferred it before. The gardens have been cut right back and are a lot more manicured... I loved the way they were previously.<br/>The inside is a lot more modern and not like the original feel of the main house.<br/>Still highly recommend, but all the changes made were unnecessary and have taken away from the charm that I loved about the place.

This restaurant deserves better than the 3.9 rating it currently has. The staff were friendly, knowledgeable and engaging. The view from our table near the window was amazing. The food was presented beautifully. We skipped entrees and went for main meals and desert. Hubby had steak, I had the chicken. Both were really delicious. Our sides of potatoes and the squash were cooked to perfection. Dessert was fantastic too. Yes, it is not a cheap restaurant, but for a special night out it is worth the $.<br/>Cost for two mains, two sides (to share), two desserts, two cocktails and one wine $184.50.<br/>Ambiance- 5 stars<br/>Service- 5 stars<br/>Food presentation- 5 stars<br/>Decor- 5 stars<br/>Price - 4 stars<br/>Food quality and taste - 5 stars<br/>Highly recommended for a special occasion.

This was a great restaurant, they staff were friendly and knowledgeable. Really nice views sitting on the balcony watching the parrots fly buy. The food was A+++, definitely worth the drive to visit this one.

Firstly it probably deserves a better rating than 3.9 on Zomato. It was my first visit to the estate and the lush gardens and homely ambience (it's literally a home) made a great starting impression. The starters such as the beef carpaccio and blue swimmer crab were great and the mains being the fish, lamb, mussels, and ravioli were all spot on. We ordered all 3 deserts and they were all winners too. After lunch we took a walk in the garden grounds and it was spectacular.

We had a great experience here. The staff were super nice. The chef came out personally to discuss with us our dietary concerns. The setting was really beautiful. It looks like historical house that has been lovingly renovated. The food and wine were magnificent. I can recommend the spatchcock but also the the way they do vegetables was really superb. Was a great afternoon. Will definitely return.

Really enjoyed eating here. The restaurant is set in some beautiful gardens, the atmosphere inside relaxing, the open fire crackling. The food was of excellent quality, striking the balance I like between fine dining and not being too pretentious or fussy. It's not trying to be the next Fat Duck, it's just serving good produce and decent ideas, well presented and well cooked. The service was friendly, not stuffy, and added to the relaxed vibe. Recommended.Note: as of Sep 23, the menu on Zomato is old. They are running with a new and different menu at present.

Food: I particularly loved the pork belly for its perfect balance of soft and crunchy, and the soup because it was so creamy and the truffle really added to the flavour. The scallops were quite good, albeit a bit pricey since they are priced individually. The duck tasted nice but was a little boring in my opinion. <br/>Service: Good service, as expected from a good restaurant. They went out of their way to provide us with extra plates for us to share our food, which was nice. <br/>Ambience: Very nicely decorated inside with views of the garden. However, the large windows mean the sun might shine in your eyes if you sit facing them and the blinds are up.

Wonderful people at Coonara Springs. Looking very much forward to Comming back very soon ! Would have loved a booked tomorrow but they are closed Tuesdays !

We dined here with a group of friends who were visiting from Sydney, the service was fantastic, the drinks menu was great and I really enjoyed the Pimms, the food overall was great, although it took sometime to come out. The desserts were fantastic!! Overall a great experience I would highly recommend this place to anyone looking for a great dining experience in the area. We also walked around the property after lunch and it has a very nice setting.

We had such a lovely experience at this restaurant. Went to their bistro night and the food was incredibly good. Staff are so friendly and accommodating. Definitely recommend!

Booked here for our anniversary. The atmosphere is great for special occasions. Food was fantastic, including the vegetarian dishes. Staff were extremely friendly and professional.

Best and most romantic restaurant in the dandenongs. Service second to none. Fantastic gardens, amazing house and impeccable food. So happy we went there

Just delightful! We loved the gardens, the view and the ambience but were even more impressed by the friendly and hospitable service, the home grown/smoke/cured influences on the menu and the terrific drinks list.

I took old friends visiting from France for lunch, and we loved everything about the experience. As a local I have been watching the renovation of the building with great interest, and this visit was my opportunity to experience it. It's perfect, and the Edna Walling garden is six star. This is a major addition to the Dandenong ranges, and that is without mentioning the food.<br/><br/>We went on bistro day, Wednesday. The food was great, and the restaurant proved to be a highlight of my friends visit.

Visited Coonara Springs with my partner to celebrate our 5th anniversary. We often stay up on the Olinda area and have both agreed that it can be extremely difficult to find a decent restaurant. <br/>When we arrived, the restaurant itself was quite cute and the staff were all very friendly. The food here was quite disappointing (especially the salmon entree) and I think we expected a little more as far as taste. Their selection of drinks could expand, however, the waitresses were all very helpful and despite Coonara Sprigs not having some of the spirits we requested, made drinks as similar as they could with what they had. <br/>Coonara springs is one of the best restaurants we've visited in the Olinda area, however, there is still room for improvement in the way of food here. If you're celebrating a special event and would like to visit one of the nicer places in this area, I would recommend Coonara Springs. Despite the food not being outstanding, we still enjoyed our night and the staff went out of their way to keep the customers happy...good customer service is something that is really hard to find these days so we really appreciated their efforts.

On entry you are greeted with smiles from staff and chefs, shown sumptuous interiors,  find the warm and inviting fire place and lounge, at the well stocked bar get great cocktails,  treated like royalty by staff as they show you to your table, and the bread made by chef Adrian is delectable, and the menu with it well thought out dishes will have you salivating.

Beautiful locally sourced produce in gorgeous surrounds. The venue is under new management and they have really paid attention to detail throughout the homestead and garden. A must visit for that special occasion when in the hills.

Coonara Springs serves high quality food that is supported by high quality service. The waiters are very attentive and polite. We thoroughly enjoyed all the food that was served in the private dining room. The setting of the property is fantastic with stunning views.

Went to coonara springs and really enjoyed the experience. The service is spectacular, the ambiance is wonderful and the food is good but not great, perhaps a bit too prices for what is was. Happy to pay extra but it needs to be spectacular but it want. It was good though.

店裏設計超級有情調 壁爐 蠟燭 還有裝飾 都像電影裏面一樣 窗外景色美到不行！！<br/>在露台上還可以看到花園美景 還有遠處雨後藍色的Mt Dandenong<br/>食物也很好吃噢 服務員也很友善 如果是跟家人朋友度週末的話超級推薦 開車也不過1小時 就可以欣賞到這樣與世隔絕的美景 吃到美食 非常值得推薦！

Foodie heaven. The most beautiful dining experience in the Dandenongs. The food was sublime, the service impeccable and the ambience romantic and very welcoming.

From the moment you enter the big, beautiful, black door into Coonara Springs, you are immersed in the romance of a bygone era. <br/>The stunning chandelier dominates the hallway, the warmth of the open fires welcome you and you know you are in a very special place.  <br/>The commitment, attention to detail, professionalism and friendliness of the staff lead by Sian, is a true testament to a fine dining experience.<br/>As you make your way to the dining room, the anticipation of the menu heightens and you are not disappointed, the selection is sublime.  <br/>The Autumn menu is quite frankly, delicious!<br/>Roasted beetroot with black savourine, followed by mushroom pappardelle with gorgonzola and finishing off with mouthwatering, divine liquorice mousse with rhubarb and gingerbread and raspberry soufflé to share.  <br/>The wine list is amazing, extensive and local. <br/>Executive Chef Adrian Upward, is a master in the kitchen. <br/>His team of dedicated professionals must be commended on each work of art that is created.  <br/>Everything is made on site and either sourced locally or picked from the kitchen garden outside.<br/>Owners & hosts, Sally & Adam have created a destination restaurant. <br/>They have created a special place to share a special moment, a celebration or a dinner with friends and family.  <br/>Coonara Springs has been reborn and it is better than anything we could have expected and hoped for.  <br/>If you haven’t been there, hurry up, you won’t be disappointed.

When you arrive at the newly opened Coonara Springs Restaurant, the 'wow' factor begins as soon as you see the magnificent surrounding gardens. The new passionate, creative owners, Sally and Adam spent the last 3 years working with trades people and gardeners to renovate and rebuild the once dilapidated iconic restaurant and gardens. Once inside you are warmly welcomed and seated to admire the breathtaking scenery and peruse the creative wine and food menus. <br/><br/>The set menu consists of many mouth watering dishes. Once the hard decisions were made and ordered we enjoyed an entree of Salmon with crispy capers, followed by the mains slow cooked beef cheeks with potato puree served with a side salad and a fascinating dessert creation of Rhubarb with licorice mousse & jelly with accompanying refreshing licorice ice cream. <br/><br/>Silly me......I only took one photo which was the main dish! The rest of the pics are of the magnificent surrounding gardens. <br/><br/>Adrian, head chef, has been bestowing his incredible culinary talents upon the restaurant clientele for the past 3 weeks. His kitchen team work with him to create a mouthwatering experience you will not easily forget. The waitering staff are experienced, informative and friendly. The open fire creates an ambiance that we all love to experience on a cold autumn day.<br/><br/>There is sooooo much more to Coonara Springs Restaurant......with out a doubt I will be returning in the future. So do yourself a favour............

Restaurant reopened beautifully renovated and with an excellent prix fixe menu. The terrine and spatchcock were lovely, the wine list included the best of the local wines and the raspberry soufflé was the perfect finishing touch. The new place to go in the Dandenongs.

Coonara Springs holds many dear memories for me and is a childhood favourite – and thankfully they haven’t changed a thing! By why fix something unless it’s broke, right? So maybe it’s a little faded and wonky – but the absolute charm, pretty view and lovely gardens make up for it.. and the Devonshire tea is pretty damn good.

Our wonderful garden wedding. We had our wedding reception dinner at Coonara Springs. All our guests enjoyed themselves and we actually got to enjoy the day and the venue. The gardens are spectacular and we took some stunning wedding photos. The staff are extremely helpful, everyone liked the food and wine, and the setting indoors and outdoors was perfect for our 35 or so guests - intimate, welcoming and romantic. My only regret is that I didn't review Coonara springs sooner and thank them for making our wedding day an unforgettable experience and fabulous event for all our family and friends. Yasmine & Agostino<br/><br/><br/>-----08 Aug, 2014-----<br/><br/>Our beautiful garden wedding reception at Coonara Springs. We had our wedding reception here and were very pleasantly surprised at how wonderful the whole day was. The staff were very helpful and attentive, the food was enjoyed by everyone, and the venue was perfect for the 35 or so guests we had. We were able to take photos in the stunning gardens and the views impressed all of our guests. It was an intimate wedding reception with family and friends. We ate, drank, danced and celebrated in this homely, welcoming, relaxing setting. I'm only sorry it took me this long to write a review, Yasmine.

Disappointing..... We were looking forward to the last night of our mini-break and we had heard great things about Coonara Springs so we chose to have our last evening meal there......<br/><br/>Firstly we were pretty disappointed in our table. We were looking forward to a romantic evening and desppite there being many free tables in the restaurant, we were seated at a table next to a large group having their Christmas Party. They were very loud and we could not even have a conversation - so much for a romantic meal together. I understand that restaurants acn't control the noise level of a large group, but why seat a couple right next to them when there were plenty of other tables available?<br/><br/>Second, it was the worst gin and tonic my partner had even had. Undrinkable.<br/><br/>Third, the main meals had lovely flavours and the vegetables were beautifully cooked. However, the lamb dish was very small in terms of actual lamb (about 4 bites), although beautifully presented and lovely taste. I had the special of King Eye fillet with garlic prawns, and at $40 I was expecting a beautifully cooked piece of meat. I ordered it medium and it was at minimum well done, if not very well done. It was tough and overcooked. The vegetables and prawns were very nice.<br/><br/>The service was friendly but had the waitress bothered to come and check on our meals a few minutes after delivering them we would have been able to show her the overcooked steak. No-one asked how our meals were, and it just didn't feel right to compalin at the end. Had my meat been undercooked I would have asked it to go back, but being overcooked I wasn't prepared for the long wait for a new meal to be cooked - expecially as the large group were waiting in their meals......<br/><br/>We declined dessert but were not asked if we would like coffee, and no noone came near us for another 10-15minutes to ask for the bill either.....<br/><br/>So, overall the expereince was very disappointing. I would however, perhaps try it again one more time as I imagine that it could be quite lovely if the large group wasn't there and if I ordered my steak rare - in the hope I got it mediium!<br/><br/>Verdict is still out on this one..... and with other vieweres - bathrooms do need updating - and please check before opening for tradde - no toilet paper or hand toweles in the ladies!!!!

Coonara Springs gone downhill. I've been to Coonara springs a number of times. Always thought it was a great restaurant until our last visit. Went with the whole family and out of 6 dishes, 5 of us were unhappy. The duck was so dry it was tasteless! Steak was way too overcooked as well. Lamb was so -so. Also on the menu it stated that roasted garlic potatoes would be served with all dishes, unfotunately a very tasteless mash was served (I was actually looking forward to the potatoes as they had always been so delicious in the past). Would not surprise me if they have had a change in chef, because the food at coonara springs was very poor quality. At around $35 a main you expect this restaurant to produce very nicely done food, but instead this time our food was overdone and tasteless. Being a loyal customer we sent an email to Kim just offering some constructive criticism as we did not want to have to write a bad review on here. No response. She is obviously too proud to take on any suggestions. Will definitely not be returning. Either improve the quality of the food or charge half the price! And I agree with the review below - might be time to update the bathroom, it's in pretty feral condition. Used to be so much nicer when it was actually maintained. So very disappointed in you Coonara Springs, you've lost a very loyal customer.

Had lunch there, very disappointing. Service friendly but very slow with <br/>serving food. Chips were cold and salty. Meals tasteless.Ladies room needs work. Expensive and overall very disappointing.

Very slow, cold chips, tasteless ravioli, fish was good - may be. ok for coffee or something light, disappointing

Great views, beautiful Edna Wallings Gardens, well presented but appalling coffee- either stale or very poor quality

Wonderful. We are so glad we stumbled onto this gem. Cozy place with warm friendly service and wonderful food. The atmosphere is great if you are looking for a laid back lunch or dinner. Walking around in the garden after your meal with a coffee is highly recommended. Can't wait to be back in summer. Love it!

Most of the food was ok steak over cooked salad did not have parmasen as advertised service slow but the worst was the slanting table that hurts your back and makes you feel like leaving. Going to the toilet proved a challenge obviously the homestead needs restumping and a general fix up ie an obvious fire which had left burn marks up the walls was still evident . To add insult to injury we asked for the bill didn't get it then got overcharged $50. Won't be back

Lovely. I recently took my mum there for dinner. It was great. NO complaints. A bit pricey but worth every cent. Definately going back again. A big thumbs uo from me.

11/10 for service, atmosphere, value, and most importantly food. Exceptional.

Stunning venue & location, with good food!. In daytime, try & get a table at the rear to enjoy the view!<br/>Have had some good breakfasts and devonshire tea here.<br/>Main meals for lunch & dinner look great. But you will pay for the quality & location.<br/>Beautiful 1890's house with many rooms, cosy in Winter!<br/>Would be terrific for a party or function!<br/>Check ahead for open times, as they vary.<br/>Take time to walk around the amazing garden after you eat!<br/>Probably my favourite place in The Dandenongs!

Wow!! This place has got to be one of the best restaurants in this region. Highly recommend booking a table. Best Devonshire tea!! Great food and wine! Warm friendly service, lovely old home converted into a restaurant set amongst picturesque gardens-Beautiful!! Can't believe this place was not on Urbanspoon-Enjoy!