Cafe in Oakleigh

“We wanted to try out Lebanese food and Balila was close enough to not go. We also noticed all the good reviews and decided to visit for a late lunch. We didn't make a mistake! This family run restaurant and take away joint is a small gem. The owners welcomed us to their restaurant and it was clear that they are proud to cook for us. The quality as well as the quality of the food is very good. All dishes were presented well and seemed freshly cooked. The lamb shank is a must try. The meat on the bone was super soft and the tangy sauce on top made the overall taste go up another notch. The open plate of shwarma weigh lamb looked great and tasted great too. I've again the meat was well cooked and the combination of pickle, chips, and salad and the lemony taste that tickles your taste buds. Yum! We also took vegetarian Makbeh (veritable stew) for our vegetarian family member. The verdict was that the dish was good, but the tomato base of the stew was too strong and overpowered the whole dish, which made it taste more like passata. Maybe something needs to change. An additional cold item was the Okra dish, which we all enjoyed. I never thought that I could enjoy a cold okra dish. And here we are. We liked the Lebanese bread, which we tried with almost all dishes. The trick is to fill the meat, pickles, chips and sauce on the bread to eat it as a roll. Loved it! Balila is great, and we'll definitely return.”

“Wow! What a great first experience here. The food was delicious and fresh. The coffee was great. The staff were so accommodating, friendly, and really went out of their way to make sure we had a fantastic experience. I feel like I always use the term friendly when describing a positive experience with staff, but these guys went beyond expectations and hopes. They even brought a dog water bowl for my pup without even me asking! Can't wait to come back and try some of their other goodies. Great food, great people, and great location. What more could you ask for?”

“My girlfriend and I absolutely love this place! A hidden gem in Oakleigh! Such a cute, cozy atmosphere filled with authenticity and traditional Italian culture which we love. Staff members are extremely friendly and very chatty, even in Italian! The food and coffee is incredible, and made with such care and sophistication. On top of this, you're able to buy the pasta, their sauces and other ingredients they use and use it in your own cooking at home. If you want to avoid the other places in the area that are much more expensive and of lesser quality, this is the place to go. One of the best Italian spots in the south-east!”

“This is a great little cafe in a quiet neighbourhood. The food is yummy and coffees are good. I enjoyed the mushroom sourdough toast and my friend said the chilli omelette croissant there was exceptionally tasty.”

“Excellent Banh Mi ($7-8), the very best potato cakes also.”

“Even the older end of kids can have a fun filled couple of hours here. There’s so much to do, so many inflatables to conquer! Great staff, clean, well run and supervised.”

“nice creek lady and soup.”

“When I visit the venue staff named Cecile always greeted me with a smile and very helpful offer me to join Monty's as a member so I can have discount on drinks and food plus earned points. She a good person and overall asset to the company. Job well done Cecile.”

“Fantastic roast duck, BBQ pork (char siew) and crispy pork. The salt and pepper deep fried chicken winglet is another delight. Lovely people too. We go there at least once every fortnight :)”

“Excellent”

“Great coffee shop with a strong purpose of sustainability. Friendly staff and very eco friendly. They are non-profit and don’t serve disposable cups, but they let you take a ceramic cup instead (best to return them after drinking - honesty system). Will return for sure.”

“We completed the Clockworks room last night - it was really well paced and had some very challenging (yet doable) clues thrown in the mix! Nathan was very welcoming and knowledgeable, and did a great job setting the scene for us. Looking forward to coming back and attempting the other rooms :)”

“Awesome coffee, just perfect. I had come to grab lunch from here. The Lenny's burger was outstanding, really enjoyed it. Also would like to highlight the customer service of this cafe, exceptional.”

“You know when a place is on point when the attention to detail is obvious. Good food, great service, clean facilities and great coffee. Well done. I’ll be coming back again for sure”

“Coffee is great.. perfect temperature, great taste.. Food is above average.. bacon & egg rolls are amazing.. Staff who's just a lady is excellent.. Cosy place... Chai Latté is nice too.. the rates are reasonable.. I'm a regular here..”

“Nice cafe, friendly staff, good coffee Good brisket burger! Everyone enjoyed their meals. And staff were helpful holding onto our birthday cake for us. I used to live close to here but never went until recently such a great cafe in Oakleigh. Definitely recommend going.”

“I had a cappuccino and croisant here. The coffee is nice, tastes just right and the croisant is not really good but ok. Wait staff is friendly and welcoming. Location is easy to find as well. Good for a weekend chillout or a getaway moment.”

“Lovely little local cafe serving delicious food and amazing coffee! Must visit this place if you are in the area. The owners and very friendly and the service is always the best. I love the breakfast menu over here!”

“Custom cake purchased for our son's baptism/birthday. Great design, and delicious high quality cake. Staff member Vicki was fantastic to deal with, excellent service and helped us every step of the way. Thanks team - will definitely continue to recommend.”

“Andria and Michelle went over and beyond to make sure my birthday celebration was perfect. The food was delicious and served hot and all together. No one was left waiting for their meal. This restaurant has a great atmosphere and the hosts are warm and make sure we are being looked after throughout the time spent there. A big thanks to Andria for her efforts and for being so attentive and making us feel we were dining with extended family. A great restaurant. Highly recommended. Cheers, Mark.”

“Great Greek Authentic restaurant, the open souvlaki and lamb cutlets are a taste of authentic Greece. Simply unmatched. Highly recommended! Booking is recommended as fills up very fast, one of the best Greek restaurants. They have 2 locations opposite the strip from each other, one with a bar.”

“If you ever stay at this great facility, make sure to speak to Adam in the evening! Very friendly and always happy to help out 10/10 customer service”

“Loved it. Felt like I was in food heaven. Everything was perfect. Service was top-notch. Had saganaki, mixed gyro plate, calamari, and mixed dips. Meat was so tender and flavourful. The dips were amazing and had so much flavor. Saganaki was like heaven on a plate. We will be back.”

“The food is delicious but the price is very high for a container, $30 for this container of mixed meat.”

“Exceptional, would rate at 10 stars. I had the mixed grill plenty of high quality meat. The young fellow had the risk burger, he described as sensational. My wife and daughters meals equally good. staff were delightful, and great $ value for an evening out.”

“I have been to Organica Nails twice now and think they are great. As a late bloomer in the nail arena...I only had them done for my wedding 15 years ago - I decided to get them them done for my cousins wedding. I prefer understated and simple and loved the result and couldnt stop taking photos of my hands afterwards! lol The salon is super clean and modern and the girls really friendly. Now I cant go back to my normal nails! lol. Highly recommend them.”

“Friendly staff every time, great variety of push machines that pay and who can go past the “bull rush” feature! Stop by for a Kahlua and milk if your in the area.”

“Very friendly staff and amazing service! I really loved the coffee, it's so delicious! Highly recommend!!!”

“A gem in the suburbs. Great menu and always a good variety of weekly specials. We've tried most of the menu and are yet to be disappointed. Recent addition of sharing platters are great for 2-3 people.”