Ballard’s — Restaurant in Melbourne

Personally, I recommend dining early or the first sitting of the evening. I found the experience pleasant and lively, but not overwhelmed by busy patronage.

Now, onto faults or misgivings noted in previous reviews. I couldn't find any. Music was played at the same level you would find at many other venues.

Staff were not rude or insolent, in fact quite the opposite, courteous and warm without being overbearing. Service was at that level where it was nicely involved, without staff hovering around the tables. service is on point, and staff did not miss a beat the entire evening.

The food is immaculate, with impressive presentation, delivered freshly and without long wait times. Often at times delivered by the chef himself, which is not only a commendable touch, but a thoroughly welcomed one.

The space inside is quite limited, as the foot print of the business is small. I think this works to it's appeal though. Cosy and intimate inside, it almost feels like dining at a friend's fancy home. The interior is warmly decked out with appealing furnishings and wall decor.

Cocktails are bloody excellent, even though I only had the one. Nothing feels rushed, forced, or pressured here. There were three staff on duty on the night of my visit, and all worked harmoniously, at kept the place running on an even keel.

It is noisy inside, but not due to aforementioned mentioned loud music. Rather, you'll find it stems from a cacophony of the manyc onversations that take place within these walls. Largely due to the venue being a social drawcard.

Food: excellent gnocchi. The Foccacia is sublime, and amongst the best I've ever had. Garlic bread is excellent, and I'd also recommend the fries. Way to load up on the carbs, but hey, it works. The arancini is ace too. Lastly, the smoked eggplant dip is a must try to share amongst the table as well as fellow dining companions.

Overall, a homely welcoming environment, delivered at a calm pace and in a timely manner. Well decked out inside, great food, music and drinks selection.

I would recommend a small but concise buisness website, which displays a seasonal menu and drinks menu. Nothing elaborate, just a tidy two page website, displaying menus. Keep it simple would be the key...

Menu items are not what they seem.

Arrived at 7:30 was told by the waitress that the heaters were on out the back so it would be warm, there was one heater and it was freezing.

We were sat at a table in the middle that was bowed from the rain and very unstable. Tbh it needed to be thrown out as the plastic was removed from the chalk board

We spoke to our waitress about the meals, she said that the roasted potatoes were very filling so we would be ok with croquettes and aranchini as well. That the plates were designed to share.

After an hour, and struggling to get the waitresses attention we asked if our food was ok because 3 people had been seated after us and were eating things we ordered. She went to check the kitchen.

When she came back she said everything we had ordered besides the roasted potatoes has run out. She didn’t state it but she forgot to put our order through.

We re ordered some mushroom ribs and figured that would be ok.

another 20 minutes pass the chef brings out our food. Presenting us with 5 potato SKINS (hollowed out potatoes) and mushrooms with heaps of coriander on them. No where on the menu did it say coriander or potato skins. And the chef did not apologise for the wait.

We ate the food and tried to pick round the coriander (both can’t eat it).

After finishing we went to pay and the server put the eftpos in front of me for a tip. I let them know that the food came over an hour late. Their response was, I wasn’t serving out the back and we had 100 people come through.

We left spending 48 dollars to be cold, hungry and a little pissed off.

Honestly the thing that got me was the descriptions on the menu, when the potatoes came I said to my friend, they’re empty. And we had a laugh. They really need to update their menu with what they actually serve,...

Just amazing. We've lived up this way for three years and are still scratching the surface of Thornbury’s food scene - but Ballard’s has cemented itself as an absolute favourite.

First things first: I still can’t believe how affordable it is. We did the $65 banquet and couldn't even finish it. That kind of price usually gets you a pile of rushed rice and some half-hearted tofu, but not here. Every dish was plated with care, full of flavour, and clearly made by people who love what they do. This isn’t mass-produced -it’s thoughtful, creative cooking that just happens to be vegan.

In fact, if no one told you it was a vegan restaurant, you might not notice. This isn’t one of those places that leans too hard into faux-meat territory. Sure, a couple of dishes leaned that way (not my personal favourites) but most of the menu was just incredible food, full stop. The corned turnip croquette and lasagna topper were knockouts - inventive, comforting, and packed with flavour.

The venue itself is moody and romantic - dim lighting, the walls lined with artwork, but the short sitting time does make things feel a little rushed. It’s clearly popular for date nights, but honestly, it's worth the trip even if you're coming from the other side of the city. This is the kind of place that can win over even the most sceptical carnivore.

The staff wer warm, welcoming, and seemed genuinely happy to be there, which always makes a difference. The wine list is surprisingly extensive for such a small venue. The bottles we tried didn’t knock our socks off, but there’s clearly more to explore there — I’ve no doubt we’ll hit gold with a few more visits.

Ballard’s is a rare find: thoughtful food, intimate atmosphere, and an experience that feels special without the...