Best restaurants Melbourne’s east: Tabla, Tin Pan Alley Foodsmiths, Bear Bagels and Baked Goods
There’s no shortage of amazing venues in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs from amazing bagels in Coldstream, pizza in Upwey and the return of two icons in Kew and Healesville.
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There’s no shortage of amazing venues in Melbourne’s east, including small businesses winning over foodies with their outstanding products.
This month also marks the return of two iconic venues – the Studley Park Boathouse and Healesville Hotel, which are both reopening after renovations.
If you’re looking for a dinner option or after an amazing sweet treat or coffee, we’ve got you covered.
Check out the venues below.
Tabla
141 Springvale Rd, Nunawading
Delicious modern Middle Eastern food in a cozy, intimate setting is on offer at Nunawading restaurant Tabla.
Opening just after Covid, manager Yasmin Misa said their menu featured many family recipes inspired by the Middle East, with Egyptian, Lebanese, Persian and Moroccan influences.
“We’re very passionate about what we do,” Ms Misa said.
Dishes are cooked over fire using a Josper oven, one of only a handful in Melbourne.
Ms Misa said the restaurant was popular for dinner dates, friend catch-ups, birthdays and work events.
Popular dishes include the Moroccan firebird – coal roasted half chicken, with Moroccan spices, hot chips and garlic toum, a famous Lebanese sauce; the Kofta Sheesh – a coal grilled lamb mince skewer, jewelled basmati rice, salad and yoghurt sauce; and lamb ribs – coal roasted full rack of lamb, pomegranate BBQ glaze, fries, house pickles, harissa mayo.
The house made trio of dips and baba ganoush are also popular.
The restaurant is fully licenced and also offers a range of Middle Eastern inspired cocktails, including the Forbidden sour, with whiskey, pomegranate liqueur, lemon juice, simple syrup, and Lychee Martini, with vodka, lychee liqueur, cointreau and lemon juice.
The restaurant is open from Thursday to Sunday.
Tin Pan Alley Foodsmiths
60 Main St, Upwey
Since opening in 2016, Tin Pan Alley Foodsmiths has become known for its signature pizzas, winning rave reviews from locals in the hills.
Along with all the classic favourites, the Greek Lamb – featuring marinated lamb backstrap, red onion, green capsicum, kalamata olives, topped with tzatziki and fetta, and the Pulled Pork (Bahn Mi) -Vietnamese style BBQ pulled pork pizza on a garlic base with spinach, cheese, chilli, red onion, topped with pickled vegetables, ginger, fried shallots and fresh coriander are among the most popular.
Owner Mark Filgate said the business had been backed by great community support through trying times, including Covid and a major flood event last October, that forced the venue to shut its doors for six months.
“(Since opening) in 2016 it’s been a whirlwind but we have been well accepted by the community – somewhere to go and eat locally was probably lacking in the area,” he said.
“We’re a small family business and we like to excel at what we do
“We take a lot of pride in our products (including our pizzas).”
Mr Filgate said as well as developing and maturing their dough, they also used clean, fresh ingredients and roasted their own vegies for their pizzas.
“People have said it’s the best pizza they’ve ever had,” Mr Filgate said.
He said after the floods caused major damage he was forced to strip the venue and start again.
During the closure he reconfigured the back half of the restaurant and put more focus on drinks, making a bigger bar, putting more beers on tap, and creating more of a relaxed atmosphere.
He said everyone was welcome at the venue, from families, to those looking to enjoy a drink while watching sport on various TVs.
There is also a little alley where people can walk through and enjoy a drink.
“The space has just got a special feel to it with the texture, design and layout it gives us flexibility,” Mr Filgate said.
Tin Pan Alley is open from Wednesday to Sunday.
YOMG Rowville
Pad Site 3, 1101 Stud Road
Stud Park Shopping Centre
Popular burger chain YOMG has opened a new restaurant at Stud Park Shopping Centre in Rowville.
YOMG social media and marketing manager Jayde Viccars said the team was excited to welcome the community to its newest burger pad.
Ms Viccars said the company had so much demand to open in Rowville.
“And with so many families, and teens we knew it would be the perfect fit for YOMG,” she said.
Popular burgers include the signature YOMG, the Yo My with Cheese – made with 100 per cent Aussie Angus beef, double cheese, lettuce, tomato, ketchup and secret sauce.
Another crowd favourite is the southern fried chicken burger, The Bergerk – made with southern fried chicken, cheese, lettuce, tomato and chipotle mayo.
“You also cannot go past our iconic Kingsway Burger, a double beef burger with double cheese, lettuce, tomato, caramelised onion, ketchup and secret sauce,” Ms Viccars said.
Bear Bagels and Baked Goods
Shop 5/4 North Gateway, Coldstream
The delicious bagels from this Coldstream business are so good they often sell out.
Baker Erik Koel, originally from Canada, started Bear Bagels and Baked Goods during the first Covid lockdown in 2020.
He started supplying hot cross buns, then bagels, to a cafe in Mitcham, baking out of his home kitchen in Healesville until December 2021.
Now the business has a shopfront in Coldstream, open on Fridays and Saturdays, and also travels to various markets, including the Healesville Farmers Market every Saturday, the Eltham Farmers Market, the Yarra Valley Farmers Market and Punt Road Wines, and Alphington Market.
Customers can’t get enough of the bagels, including sesame seed, rosemary and caramelised onion and jalapeño and cheddar varieties.
“There would be very few occasions that we don’t sell out,” Mr Koel said.
“(The secret) is focusing on technique, trying to get good quality ingredients and not taking any short cuts.
“They are all hand rolled and boiled in honey water solution as is the traditional Montreal-style bagel way.
“Basically not taking short cuts (is the key) – near enough is not good enough, it’s all about taking care of the quality.”
He described the bagels as “dense and chewy”, sweet from the honey, with a nice crust on the outside that gives way to a chewy interior.
“They just taste delicious,” Mr Koel said.
Growing up in Toronto, he said bagels were a constant presence, and enjoying them with a pot of cream cheese was almost a weekly ritual.
Bear Bagels and Baked Goods also sells German style pretzels, baguettes and other sweet treats including cinnamon buns.
The store is open from 8.30am every Friday and Saturday until sold out. Customers are encouraged to order online so they don’t miss out.
Studley Park Boathouse
1 Boathouse Rd
The iconic Studley Park Boathouse will reopen its doors on August 31 after a $5.8m transformation.
Guests will be able to enjoy exploring the newly renovated space with some exciting new additions, including activities for kids.
As the weather warms up, enjoying a drink and listening to live music on the banks of the Yarra will also be on offer at the historic venue, which first opened in 1863.
And couples can also now say ‘I do’ at the property, which can now host weddings.
Manager Alison Lever said they were so excited to welcome guests back to the beautiful space.
She said there were now three tiers of decking from the kiosk area down to the boat jetty.
The upstairs area that used to be a cafe has been transformed into a beautiful restaurant with great views, while the cafe, now known as The Perch space, has also been renovated.
“The renovation was really about making the space even more beautiful and showcasing what the area has to offer,” Ms Lever said.
“Just being in nature (is what makes the venue so special).
“The other day the sun had caught the river and was reflecting off the gum trees and I thought ‘How beautiful is this space’.
“It also has a rich cultural history which is really important.”
All areas of the boathouse will be open for the public to enjoy.
The light-filled Conservatory dining room offers Yarra River and parkland views through floor-to-ceiling windows while downstairs, the former kiosk is now the Pavilion bar, which opens onto a large outdoor dining area.
A new spacious waterfront deck flows on from the Pavilion dining space and offers riverside dining. A new pizzeria will serve eight wood-fired pizzas and the refreshed cafe, The Perch, will open every weekend for brunch. There is also a new kids play area and Mini Explorers educational program.
Boat hire is also back, with row boats, canoes or kayaks available.
The boathouse will also host a line-up of pop-up events and entertainment including live music on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Campos Coffee
572 Chapel St, South Yarra
An award-winning Sydney speciality coffee roaster has opened in Chapel St.
2022 AICA Champion Australian Roaster winner Campos opened its flagship Melbourne store at the Toorak Rd end of the shopping strip at the start of the year.
The new store coincides with Campos Coffee reaching its milestone 21st year in 2023 and cements the company’s desire to introduce more people to great coffee.
“Our vision for the Chapel Street flagship is to not only serve an exceptional coffee experience in a beautiful setting, but also to connect with and support the community” Rafael Lopes, Campos Coffee’s Chapel Street flagship manager, said.
Healesville Hotel
256 Maroondah Highway Healesville
Beloved Yarra Valley pub the Healesville Hotel reopens its doors this week under new ownership.
A local icon with more than 100 years of history, the hotel returns with a fresh interior and menu after two months of restorations.
Behind the recent takeover are mates and publicans Matt Vero (Marquis of Lorne, Union House, Mt Erica Hotel) and Scott Connolly (Moore St Tavern) – who are also co-owners of Armadale’s Orrong Hotel.
Chef Ella Stevens has reimagined two entirely new bistro and pub menus, bringing an elevated Italian take on classic pub fare.
Benny’s Burgers
560 Chapel St, South Yarra
A popular South Australian burger chain has opened in Chapel St.
The Benny’s Burgers team said they were thrilled to open their first store in Melbourne.
“Our team has put a lot of effort into creating a menu that’s packed with flavour and offers something for everyone. So, if you’re a burger lover, a food enthusiast, or just someone looking for a fantastic meal, we’d love to have you join us at our new location.”
The team said they were honoured to have earned the reputation of being South Australia’s favorite burger place.
“Building this reputation has been a journey of passion, dedication, and a commitment to delivering an exceptional dining experience.”
The team uses quality ingredients to ensure the best tasting burgers.
“We believe that the foundation of a great burger lies in its ingredients. We’ve sourced the finest, locally-sourced produce to ensure that every bite is bursting with fresh, high-quality flavours.”
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