Levantine Hill Estate — Restaurant in Melbourne

So...I have been here a few times and have always enjoyed the service, especially since they have been very welcoming of our dogs. This is the very reason why I brought my friends, all six of them - to come.

HOWEVER, yesterday was a huge disappointment and something that will make us not only stop coming here but will also tell people of the bad service we received!

At around 3:30, we walked in and waited to be seated. It took some time to get acknowledged but we thought to give the staff at the bar some grace, despite the place not being half full. There were plenty of tables visible. Finally, the blond, older aged service staff (will describe so the establishment knows who it is) came over and greeted us so I said, table for 7 - we are just coming for dessert given it was after 3.

This server then left us for a bit then came back saying: "We are fully booked."

To say "fully booked" IF the place is packed is one thing but the place was not even a quarter full, there were no "reserved" signs on the tables AND IF YOU WERE FULLY BOOKED, WHY DIDNT YOU SAY SO IN THE FIRST PLACE? WHY NOT PUT A SIGN TO SAY YOU ARE FULLY BOOKED so people DO NOT WASTE TIME waiting to be seated? AND WHY NOT SAY YOU ARE FULLY BOOKED INSTEAD OF FIRST ASKING WHAT WE ARE COMING FOR?

So you are fully booked for dessert but not lunch? Or perhaps we got a racist staff who only catered to a certain demographic? Because this is certainly what it looked like and I am not one to dangle the race card needlessly.

Perhaps you need to reconsider the service you provide because dessert could mean anything and given there were seven of us, we were looking to do some wine tasting and planned to spend some money for bottles of wine to take home.

We ended up going nextdoor. Chandon provided great service overall...and was more deserving of the money we spent.

We will never visit Levantine ever again and will tell everyone about the atrocious service we experienced. I know this may not reflect the values of the business and that I hope not everyone in your team is like this but it only takes one to ruin your reputation and on this day - that woman staff at the bar represented your establishment in the worst way possible....

This was one of those family experiences I won't forget. Our whole family are foodies. There were 6 of us. We arrived a little early but the staff were friendly and welcoming and showed us to our table (we were in one of the enclosed "tunnels")

I had actually researched the wine list and knew what I wanted to try. The initial staff member, who stayed with us the whole lunch, was just ok. Service quite honestly was slow and didn't meet the outstanding wine quality nor food presentation. It was just hit and miss - and judging by the amount of staff, there didn't seem to be a shortage of people.

The restaurant was busy but it wasn't heaving.

The grounds, the atmosphere, the restaurant itself are amazing.

In terms of wine, the 2020 Optume Chardonnay is quite possibly the best Chardonnay I have ever tasted and by far the best Chardonnay produced in Australia today. Simply outstanding.

Their 2018 Pinot was so good we had 2 bottles and the 2018 Cab Sav was also excellent. We started with a Billecart-Salmon Rosé and finished with a 2018 Levantine Hill Estate Mélange Botrytis.

I dont think I have had a better selection of wine at any meal. One of the wait staff suggested he would ask the Sommelier to come over, but we never got the opportunity to meet.

Yes it was an expensive lunch. But it was worth it. The restaurant does add a 10% surcharge on weekends, which I have no problem with.

Maybe its because I have lived in the US for too long, but the thing is, if you're going to charge premium prices and if you have quite possibly the very best selection of wine in the Valley and in greater Melbourne, make sure the service delivery can keep up.

Levantine Hill is a true gem. But it can do better...

Edited because of 2nd Visit on Jul 9

Wow. What a difference. Menu changed, and we actually called and pre ordered the wine. Spoke to a friendly staff member called Katrina.

Staff were exceptional this time around - especially Katrina. Made this visit a completely different experience.

Amazing service. Amazing wines (again) and one of the most professional hospitality team members I have ever come across.

Well done LH and more so for hiring an ambassador like...

6/11/21 - Today's lunch was something I have been soooo looking forward to but alas it was a fizzer and a disappointment 😔. The service, the food and the lack of attention to details do not befit the prices charged and the reputation earned. Maybe they are still finding their stride after being closed for three months but it really is no excuse for a restaurant of this calibre. Teage Ezard's absence is definitely felt. Wish we had come when he was still there. The lamb was so dry that I had to send it back. The pork belly was the stand out dish with melt in the mouth meat and crackling rendered to perfection. Everything else looked much prettier than they actually taste. The young man who brought every dish out was very clearly uncomfortable around other humans and when asked if he has tasted the dishes, his answer was no. Once again, that took me by complete surprise because letting the staff taste every dish is usually compulsory for this calibre restaurants so they in turn can explain every detail of the dish when questioned by their customers. The FOH staff was a mixed bag. Started with a rather unfriendly and unhelpful waitress who pretty much threw the menus at us and mumbling out the dining format and walked off before we could ask any questions. We then had Emily, who was a lot more pleasant and really knew her stuff. However, the attention to detail just doesn't exist. A dollop of hommus that was dropped on the table from the very first dish was not wiped off throughout our entire meal even though dishes were cleared and served the whole time. Maybe I am nit-picking here but for close to $500, I expected...