Best bites in Carnegie: Top 10 eateries to add to your list
With a focus on community, comfort and cuisine, it’s no surprise that this southeast Melbourne gem is rising in popularity amongst home buyers and renters. Especially for those with a taste for diverse dishes.
In fact, one of Carnegie’s main attractions is the internationally inspired eat street, Koornang Road. Featuring a wide variety of cuisines, this place is a foodie’s paradise.
Speaking of foodies, director of our Carnegie office, Leor Samuel, and his team share their go-to spots for sustenance during a typical day in the neighbourhood.
1. Left Field
To start the working day with a caffeinated bang, this buzzing café and our Carnegie team are the perfect blend.
Every morning, coffee cravers from Carnegie and beyond migrate here for their daily caffeine fix – and it’s easy to see why. With a warm welcome, speedy service and delicious food and drinks, you won’t want to leave!
What to order?
If you fancy an old reliable, grab the Smashed Avocado on Quinoa Toast. Served with goat’s cheese, pickled cabbage, pomegranate, almond crumble, beetroot hummus, fresh herbs and sumac dukkah, it’s certainly not your ‘typical’ avo on toast!
But before you go green with food envy, eat your greens – because Left Field serves up plenty for vegetarians.
We suggest trying the sauteed greens. Served with asparagus, beans, broccolini, kale and peas – plus poached eggs, beetroot tahini, and more – this dish gets the green light from us.
2. Grouse
Raise your hand if you feel too busy to be healthy. Us, too!
Enter Grouse – a fresh little café serving up on-the-go meals for active people.
From acai bowls and juices to toasties and smoothies, this quaint café will have you spoilt for choice.
What to order?
Veggies can be fun – particularly when they come in the form of Grouse’s Jackfruit Toastie. Nutritious and delicious, the combination of flavours is sure to have you coming back for more!
3. Tailored
In the mood for some adventure? Stop by Tailored Café for a feed. Perfectly situated on the corner of Koornang Road – right outside Carnegie Station – grab a bite before jumping on the train.
With a massive menu filled with yummy options, Tailored has something for everyone – and every journey!
What to order?
Boasting a litany of rave reviews, try Tailored’s Chickie Caesar Burger. Stuffed with grilled free-range chicken, creamy Caesar sauce and a toasted brioche bun, your taste buds are in for a treat.
4. Major Mitchell
They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and the team at Gary Peer & Associates Carnegie couldn’t agree more.
That’s why we love Major Mitchell – brekkie with a side of charm.
Showcasing a fabulous flower arch, pretty-in-pink interiors and a mouth-watering menu, this former post office will satisfy all your brunch goals.
What to order?
See what all the fuss is about with the crowd favourite – Zucchini Fritters. With a crispy crunch, fluffy middle and side of fresh salad, this meal is a textural delight.
Visit Major Mitchell’s website.
5. Saul’s Sandwiches
Hey, I’m eatin’ here!
Experience a taste of New York with this sandwich palace.
As one of the most popular eateries in Carnegie, this place definitely lives up to the hype. Packed with delicious ingredients, the amount of filling in these paninis is without parallel.
So, if you’re running into those lunchtime hunger pangs, rest assured that Saul’s Sandwiches has you covered.
What to order?
If you’re into melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness, we recommend the Smoked Pastrami sandwich. Appetising and authentic, it’s the star of the show.
6. The Hot Bird
We don’t know about you, but when we hear ‘Southern Charm’, we think ‘Southeast Melbourne’.
In particular, The Hot Bird Carnegie!
Showcasing southern fried chicken, roast meat and veg and fresh salads with a Texan twist, The Hot Bird will give your tastebuds wings.
What to order?
Paul Kelly, this one’s for you. With gravy made directly from the chicken – not from a packet – any meal featuring The Hot Bird’s magnificently meaty sauce is an immediate winner.
7. Saigon Mamma
Looking for your new go-to local restaurant? Look no further than Carnegie’s authentically Pho-bulous Vietnamese hub.
Not only do they serve up some delicious food – seriously, the pho is phenomenal – Saigon Mamma has its aesthetic down pat.
With modern and sleek interiors, feast your eyes – and stomachs – on Saigon Mamma.
What to order?
With a taste as pleasing as the name, the Eggplant Mamma doesn’t disappoint. The perfect pair of caramelised eggplant and tamarind sauce-soaked veggies – served with a side of jasmine rice – this flavour bomb will unite meat lovers and vegetarians alike.
8. @ The Catch
There are plenty of fish in the sea, and they’re all equally delicious at The Catch.
This family-run business uses fresh and local products to ensure that you receive only the highest quality dishes.
With a close connection to its owners’ Hellenic roots, you can feel the Greek culture in all the restaurant’s fine flourishes – from the menu to the decor.
What to order?
With some of the best seafood in Carnegie, it’d be rude not to sample the fish tacos. Coated in a fresh, light batter and complemented with a crisp salad, this crowd pleaser doesn’t disappoint.
9. Sibling Spice
Located near where roads Rosstown and Koornang meet, Sibling Spice pairs fresh, affordable Thai food with a warm, welcoming atmosphere.
A stone’s throw from Carnegie station, Sibling Spice is the perfect place to stop for a takeaway en route home. But, with a beautiful decor, brilliant service, and a bustling energy that reflects the best of Carnegies’ culinary culture, these dishes are best enjoyed in.
What to order?
There’s no shortage of deliciousness on the menu here, but we recommend grabbing a Grapao Moo Krob. If a roasted pork wok doesn’t already have your tastebuds tingling, consider that it’s fried with bamboo, beans, basil and broccoli – with a fiery lash of chilli for good measure!
Visit Sibling Spice’s website.
10. Rosstown Hotel
After a long week of inspections and auctions, where can you find the Gary Peer & Associates team? Well, at the Rossy of course!
With an AHA State’s Best Sports Bar award under its belt, this humble local pub doubles as the perfect place to watch a ball game – making it fun for all ages.
Meet your mates for a drink and some tapas at the bar or enjoy a full meal – emphasis on full – at the bistro. Otherwise, pop down on the weekend to watch your favourite sport (live and loud!) with the Carnegie community.
What to order?
Tuck into the Rossy’s classic ‘parma’ to enjoy some nostalgia with your meal. And while you’re at it, feed your mind – as well as your stomach – with some healthy table debate surrounding the age-old dilemma; parma or parmi?
Here at Gary Peer & Associates, we’re team parma. Please don’t hold it against us!
Visit Rosstown Hotel’s website.
Chomping at the bit to dig into the suburb’s most succulent meals? Round up the troops and let them know – it’s time to experience the cuisines of Carnegie.