What to eat

With Koornang Road drawing foodies from across Melbourne, Carnegie’s reputation as a delicious destination is well-earned.

Let’s find out why!

 

SOWL Restaurant

Tucked amidst the culinary chaos of Koornang Road, SOWL Restaurant is an oasis of calm, class, cocktails – and quality cuisine.

Serving up Mediterranean food with wine from Europe and Australia, the name SOWL (pronounced sole) has a dual meaning. Intended to represent both the spirituality of the soul and the wisdom of the owl, SOWL promises you’ll ‘meet people who care and love what they do.’

So – what to order?

We suggest starting with an order of fig and olive tapenade, and moving on to the slow-baked beef cheeks. For dessert, it’s hard to look past the espresso martini tiramisu – perhaps with a side of the cocktail it’s named after!

 

 

The Bank Carnegie

Located only minutes walk away from SOWL Restaurant, The Bank Carnegie is a pub that provides for the whole family.

So named because it’s located at the site of an old bank, this pub offers plenty of deals to make each weeknight a special occasion.

There’s trivia and $25 steak on Wednesday, $20 parma on Thursday, and a $30 curry of the day on Sunday. (Not to mention $25 for a burger and a pint between Friday and Sunday.)

Plus, The Bank Carnegie has recently partnered with Caulfield Bears Football Club to offer a free kid’s meal with every adult meal purchased on a Sunday. A free post-footy feed? Sign us up!

 

 

Huff Bagelry

Wander back up Koornang Road, but be careful – Huff Bagelry boasts a gravitational pull too powerful for most food lovers to resist.

Don’t fret, though. This is one (bagel) hole you’ll be more than happy to fall into!

Inspired by New York’s thriving bagel scene, Huff Bagelry is a no-nonsense, no-frills place to grab a satisfying bite and – to paraphrase our American friends – a hot cup of ‘joe’.

Our top pick? The garlic salt and rosemary bagel served with smoked salmon, cream cheese, and capers.

With so many savoury and sweet options to choose from, Huff Bagelry serves up something for all tastes. And the café’s aesthetics – especially its minimalist, stripped-back, timber-clad interior – will get you in the mood for a magnificent munch.

 

 

Coco’s Patisserie

Whether you’re craving croissants or leaning more towards a lamington, Coco’s Patisserie has you covered.

Situated at 88 Koornang Road, the Coco’s team prepares all its baked goods from scratch every morning. Better still, it uses only the finest ingredients – and from local suppliers, too.

From pies to pastries to picture-perfect piccolos, this patisserie has it all. And it’s open 362 days a year – only closing its doors for Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and New Year’s Day.

We’d recommend what to eat there, but the truth is that there’s just too much to choose from. Pre-order online, or simply roll up in person with an open mind – and an empty stomach!

 

 

Dumpling Workshop

A mere scone’s throw from Coco’s, you’ll find Dumpling Workshop – Koornang Road’s very own taste of China. Ideal for eating in or taking away, you’ll be spoilt not only for choice – but for flavour, too.

Our suggestion? Kick things off with a serving of chicken and chive dumplings (boiled or pan-fried, your choice; it’s the former for us!) and a plate of satay chicken skewers.

With your appetite whetted, proceed to the Mongolian Beef – it’s served on a sizzling plate that’s almost as hot as the chilli-laden meat itself.

For the traditionalists, the Peking Duck is worth a try; while the vegetarians out there should make the Chinese Broccoli (slathered liberally in oyster sauce) their first port of call.

Our only advice? Dumpling Workshop is almost always packed out – so be sure to book in!

 

 

Shyun (and Shyun Ramen Bar)

You’ve sampled Carnegie’s ode to China – how about its twin tributes to Japan?

For a sense of how committed 126 Koornang Road’s Shyun is to freshness and quality, look no further than the name. ‘Shyun’, which means ‘season’ in Japanese, is a testament to the ingredients – only the most seasonal and nutritious – the restaurant uses.

Open for eating in or taking away, we recommend either the Kaarage Chicken (crispy and more-ish) or the Sukiyaki Beef (tender and texture-rich, served with egg and onion).

Shyun is popular. So popular, in fact, that its owners had to open another similarly named location – just down the road! So at 73 Koornang, you’ll find Shyun Ramen Bar – a restaurant channelling all the same vibes as its near namesake, but with a soupier flavour to savour.

Umming and ahhing about your choice of ramen? We suggest Shyun Ramen Bar’s Chicken Tori-Gara Soup, its homemade creamy chicken broth is rich in flavour.

They say good things come to those who wait, of course – so the fact this soup is simmered for over 10 hours only makes us want it more!

 

 

Lukumades

Lukumades – a store selling Greek doughnuts it claims are ‘the world’s most unique’ – is an Aussie franchise with locations in the US, the UAE, Malaysia, Indonesia, and…Carnegie!

That said, Carnegie’s branch doesn’t feel like a chain.

Stepping into its 3/89 Koornang Road shop, you get the sense of a profoundly local business. And, taking a bite out of one of its renowned ‘Lukumades’ (the recipe of which comes from founder ‘Mr Ex’s’ friends, relatives, and shop owners in Greece) you’ll find it tastes local, too.

Lukumades caters to all sweet tooths. But, if we had to choose (and don’t make us!), we’re opting for the Twix Fix: melted milk chocolate, crushed biscuits, and drizzled caramel sauce.

Not a doughnut fan? Doughn’t worry. With gelato available in an assortment of flavours and sizes – plus coffee, juices, and shakes to quench your thirst – you won’t want to leave!

 

 

The Carnegie Commons

Our only Carnegie food and drink hotspot not located on Koornang Road, The Carnegie Commons – tucked away on Morton Avenue – is one of the suburb’s best-kept secrets.

Serving up tapas, cocktails, and wine, this establishment oozes class. But that’s not to say it’s exclusive – or expensive.

On Wednesdays, all house pints and wines ordered with food are half-price. ‘Throwback Thursdays’ promise 20% off all ‘classic’ cocktails. As for ‘$6 Shot Sundays’, well… we’ll let you figure that one out for yourself!

If you’re there to indulge your taste for food, rather than drink, we suggest ordering some chorizo bomba and mushroom arancini for the table. The baked jalapeno is delicious, too – albeit not for the faint-hearted!

 

 

Places to go

With your appetites satiated and those Sunday shots down the hatch, it’s time for some fun – for the whole family!

From pools and parks to karaoke and toy libraries, let’s explore the best of Carnegie’s attractions.

 

City Cave

The first thing you need to know about City Cave? It’s not an actual cave. It’s a wellness centre offering float therapy, massages, and infrared saunas.

Forget your troubles with a float in a pool filled with 400kg of Epsom salts, with water heated to the exact temperatures of your body. Meditate in an infrared sauna to boost your mood and help your muscles recover. And unwind with your choice of a range of massages – including remedial, deep tissue, relaxation, or pregnancy.

 

 

Packer Park

There’s nothing like a walk in the park to stretch the legs, get the dog off the leash, and set the world to rights with a good friend. And Packer Park ticks all the boxes.

Marked by Oakleigh Road to the north and Leila Road to the south, Packer Park is an oasis of green space amidst Carnegie’s trademark hustle and bustle. It boasts walking routes, toilets, ample seating, BBQ facilities, and a rotunda that doubles as a picnic shelter.

That’s not to say it’s all about relaxation, though. With a basketball ring, lawn bowls, a fitness station, a multi-purpose hit-up wall, lawn bowls, and a birdie golf cage, there’s plenty to get you up and moving.

Plus, with on- and off-leash spaces for dogs and a playground for your youngsters, Packer Pack offers plenty for kids – and canines. And, if you fancy a cycle – particularly if you’re training for an event, like a triathlon – a few laps of the Packer Park Velodrome are a must.

Used as a training venue during the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games (and for Aussie athletes ahead of the 1960 and 1964 Games) the 367-metre-long track is history-rich and open to the public. (Except on race days, and when the Caulfield Cycling Club are training there.)

 

 

Princes Pool & Karaoke

‘What’s in a name?’ Shakespeare once wrote.

Well, with Princes Pool & Karaoke, everything – and we love it!

There’s pool. Karaoke. And a bar to slake your thirst while you shout into a microphone – or sink the black! Karaoke is open every Friday and Saturday from 6:30pm to 3am, and between 2pm and 8pm for a Sunday session. You can also book private rooms to rock your next function.

As for pool, you can pick your time. A regular table will cost you $20 per hour, while larger, VIP-sized and snooker tables have an hourly rate of $25. If it’s a Thursday though, we hope you’re feeling competitive – there’s a weekly round-robin pool tournament that costs just $10 to enter.

 

 

Carnegie Toy Library

Guess what? Fun has an address – and it’s 12 Munro Avenue in Carnegie.

The Carnegie Toy Library empowers local families not to buy new toys all the time, but to borrow them. It’s a win-win situation: the parents save money, the kids get to play with fresh, exciting toys every week, and the environment benefits from the lack of plastic cluttering up our planet.

With over 2,500 educational, high-quality toys to choose from – and annual memberships starting at just $90 – this is one location both you and your little one will love.

 

 

Carnegie Children’s Multipurpose Centre

With some sustainable toys tucked under their arm, your kid can head to the Carnegie Children’s Multipurpose Centre to complete the fun.

The Centre, located on Shepparson Avenue, offers indoor and outdoor spaces for children to play. There’s a sandpit, enclosed play areas with soft rubber ground, and plenty of space for you to watch your children frolic in a safe environment.

Ideal for children’s birthday parties or playgroups of up to 20 children, the Centre is open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 8 am until 10 pm. The Centre also has a kitchenette, tables, chairs, and ample toilet facilities, with off-street parking and access for people with disabilities.

 

 

Carnegie Memorial Swimming Pool

A staple of the Glen Eira community for over 50 years, it was sad to see the Carnegie Memorial Swimming Pool in disarray. But great news! This much-loved icon is getting a facelift.

So what can we expect from the revamp? Plenty of brand-new facilities, sprinkled with some refurbished original elements the locals have come to know – and love.

Outside will boast a sparkling new eight-lane, 50-metre pool, built within the old pool’s footprint. And to maintain the old centre’s look and feel, it will again be surrounded by loads of open spaces and native landscaping. Perfect for sunbathing and watching the kids play.

And to make sure you really don’t have to leave, there will be a concourse spa, a diving pool and plenty of shaded barbeque areas. So you can swim, eat and repeat.

Inside will house a 25-metre indoor pool, a sauna and stream room, and plenty of easy-access changerooms. And when all this sweating and swimming inevitably makes your tummy grumble, you can head on over to the café to ease those hunger pains.

So as you can see, this redevelopment is certainly no small feat. But we’ll be back sunning ourselves, Carnegie style, by the summer of 2024.

 

 

Want to unlock even more insights into the best food, drinks, and attractions in your local suburbs?

Explore our Suburb Spy series on The Peer Blog, or fill up on more of the best bites in Carnegie.