Namaste Haifa — Restaurant in Melbourne

I visited this place for the first time yesterday after seeing it pop up on Google reviews for a while, and now I completely understand why it's so highly rated.

This is a modest vegetarian restaurant — there's no elaborate lighting concept, the tables aren’t dressed up, and the daily specials are simply written on a whiteboard. I mention this not as a criticism but to set the scene and help you know what to expect.

Not knowing what to order, I asked for a recommendation, and the staff suggested a mixed curry thali, which came with three different curries, a raita, rice, and two naan breads. At only $16 with an extra naan, it was really good value.

The first thing that struck me were the naans — despite being on the thinner side, they were incredibly fluffy, perfectly cooked, and had just the right amount of ghee. Honestly, they were some of the best naan breads I've had.

As for the curries, I’m not entirely sure which ones I received, but every single one had a distinct, delicious flavor. The eggplant curry in particular had a beautiful smokiness to it, as if it had been lightly smoked — it really stood out. Everything, including the raita, worked together so harmoniously.

If this place had a more upscale fit-out, they could easily charge prices on par with more premium restaurants. But clearly, that's not their focus — and it doesn't need to be. What they do, they do extremely well, and it’s clearly appreciated by the community. The restaurant was full by 6pm, and I noticed a diverse mix of people coming through the door, which speaks volumes.

I'm so glad I finally tried this spot. I’ll definitely be going back —...

Before I write anything, I have to say that food is good but customer service from receptionist is very PATHETIC . I have ordered two times from this restaurant and today I ordered full thali meal from doordash and then called restaurant that which curries are available today and a girl on call replied with all list and I asked for Kaju Ganthiya and Dal makhani. When I got my order, instead of Kaju Ganthiya there was Shahee Paneer which I am not eating. When I called them, that same girl replied me that we ran out of curry so we sent this and I should ask them about availability of food before placing order. What type of answer is this ? Despite their mistake, she was blaming me that I should call first before placing order. I said I called immediately after placing my order for my selected curries and she also noted down and at that time she didn't mention that they ran out of kaju ganthiya but later on when I got different thing, she was replying that she was not in premise when I called. If we call on restaurant number and if someone is picking up then how is this possible that she was not in premise. On top of that, these all replies were also rude and not in professional manner at all. She should first learn how to talk with customer. I urge to management that please train your staff to be a little polite with customers because it can impact a lot.

Customer service I am giving review of 0/5....

I recently visited this restaurant, drawn by its reputation as a pure vegetarian establishment. I was quite satisfied with the quality and taste of the food, which met my expectations.

However, I was disappointed with the overall service experience. Upon arrival, I had to wait an extended period—approximately 40 minutes—for my order to be prepared. More notably, the behaviour of the reception staff was concerning. While I was standing in line to place my order, the receptionist bypassed me and attended to the person behind me. When I inquired about the tiffin service, I was abruptly asked whether I had already placed an order. After responding that I had not, the staff member simply walked away without offering any further assistance. I remained waiting until another staff member eventually took my order.

This experience left a negative impression, despite the quality of the food. I kindly urge the management to provide customer service training to ensure staff are courteous, attentive, and professional. A welcoming attitude and respectful interaction can significantly enhance the overall dining experience.

I hope to see improvements in this area, as I would be glad to return for the food—provided the service is more consistent with the standards expected in a...