Literally run by a husband and wife team only, Champagne Charlize is a local gem in East Bentleigh…read moreand watching him greet his regular clients shows. You can see there were many people at the restaurant that he seemed to know personally, and that's something you don't see often these days. When you walk in, it smells like home cooking and gets you salivating before you've even sat down. The menu is on an easel and he brings it around to each table and puts it back between orders. For one cook and one wait staff, the time between placing your order and receiving your food is reasonable. I must say, it's probably due to this that they cut a few corners, and some things were definitely microwaved, but for the most part, things tasted good, except for the few things that tasted like they'd been in the freezer a long while. There were some things that had an element of not being so fresh, which was a bit disappointing. There were also quite a few items off the menu last night, due to the fact they're closing in a few weeks, and apparently the new owner didn't want stock left (which DEFINITELY makes me think some foods aren't fresh). That part was very disappointing. He'd go and cross things off the menu throughout the night as people ordered the last of it. With that said ... if you get a chance before they close soon to eat here, there's a nice selection of European style food that most of us really enjoyed. The service was friendly and prices reasonable and the decor homely and comforting. They do a great job for only two people. I hope they enjoy retirement when the time comes.

What a wonderful addition to Bentleigh's eateries. It's about time we got a decent restaurant that…read moreserves authentic European cuisine at reasonable prices. Champagne Charlize might sound like it's a wine bar but it's a fantastic restaurant with the tastiest food I've had in ages. To make it even better, they're fully licensed with a great wine list and plenty of beers. You can also BYO (bottled wine). If you try the Wiener Schnitzel or the Rack of Lamb you'll think you're in heaven. There's soup for $7 and lunches for under $10. I am finding it's cheaper to eat here than to go to a nearby supermarket and buy the ingredients to cook the same dish at home!

Damn. Missed out on a quick blow dry at the hugely funky hair salon next door so needed food and a…read morecocktail instead. Menu was closed but I had an awesome brownie and a cocktail. I loved the service, cool hip woman who understands that it's always the right time for a cocktail if I want one. Also the toilets are clean and close. Food Republic is Beside a busy road but it's sunny and quiet on a piazza/garden, mixture of guests including hot mums and cute fairy/elf children with attitude. The staff are really lovely with the mums and kid and it's a friendly chatty place. Perfect end to a sort of cerebral day discussing my thesis proposal.

Excellent food, very nice cocktails. A bit on the expensive…read moreside, but attracts a more mature audience. My favourite is Japanese omelette, the choice is pretty static. Great coffee and location / setup. You can take away and just sit a bit further, in the square in shade. Great for those cases when our ordinary choices get boring.

The food was amazing as was both the service and the ambiance. Highly recommended if you are at the…read moreState Library Victoria.

3.7 A cold Monday…read morenight in Melbourne but it was lovely and warm inside The Moat. The decor was warm and inviting too. It's predominantly a sharing menu here. We had the beef ribs then roast chat potatoes with rosemary and aioli. Then we had a serve of chicken and feta meatballs served on a crunchy coleslaw. All dishes were tasty and exactly as described on the menu. Nice wine list too. I had a Chain of Ponds rose which went down well. While the restaurant wasn't well patronized on a Monday night, the staff remained impressively upbeat. Our server was both pleasant and stylish. This is a lovely warm space for a meal before or after seeing a movie as we did at Melbourne Central. It's a nice restaurant.

Perfection! This was our second trip to copper pot to try the new season menu and it was just as…read moreamazing as our first trip. We literally licked the plates clean! (Not kidding.......) Let's start with the service. The staff really need to be commended. Attentive but not annoying, knowledgeable, friendly and made you feel comfortable. Now on to the food! We started with the schmaltz. Literally lard with delicious bits added. So decadent! We've decided this is a once a year treat so we don't have heart attacks, but it's a treat worth dying for! We used the extra bread to mop up the white wine sauce on the oh so soft mussels. I could of had a second plate of these! Just for me. Next was the main - pork belly with cabbage and blood pudding served with sides of heirloom carrots and spetzel (sp?). German Mac and cheese! Perfect combinations! The pork was melt in your mouth amazing! To finish we couldn't go past the creme brûlée. Seriously. SERIOUSLY! This thing is incredible. The softest, silkiest and most creamy creme brûlée ever. A must! Before we stop! The wine list is very carefully curated. You'd be hard pressed to find something not amazing. We went for the Tempranillo and Rose by the glass and couldn't fault their delicious European choices. Ask for recommendations if you're unsure. Can't wait for next season and the next menu!!

And here we have a fine establishment thats broken me out of my short yelp rut…read more WOW. Just excellent - the food, the people, the place. Come here for date night or come here for a quick bite i don't care! You will want to come back a second or more times. We decided against the road trip (chefs surprise picks off the menu) and picked what we wanted to eat for the same price. We were not disappointed. Every dish was a delight and i cant even think which one i liked the most. Special mention to the sea snail - awesome! And the creme brulee - best one out! Impeccable service, our assigned waitress is indeed knowledgable on both the drinks and food and very attentive. Try to book the seat by the bar and get lost in watching the kitchen staff do their thing and see how much dallops of butter they chuck in everything om nom! Will be back :)

I wasn't really too sure about the service, at least at first, but after a bit it did get better…read more Yeah, it's a hole in the wall bar, and the verandah actually has some pretty awesome murals, and some creepy ones as well. They also do food, though I just grabbed some chips. It was pretty nice though, and had a rather decent atmosphere.

Had a meal here on a Monday night. Great atmosphere, fantastic service and the food was first…read moreclass. Highly recommended!

Ryne is the perfect spot for a spot of French. The four course menu offered plenty choice and was…read moredeliciously rustic, true French provincial in style. The roast pork was particularly delicate and topped with a crunchy caramelised skin. The Cosmo cocktail was definitely a winner too. I think I had more of these delights at lunch than I did back in 2003. The restaurant styling is modern, simple and elegant. The dining room is spacious and well set out, there is plenty of room sit back and relax and enjoy a long lunch or dinner.

Great cocktails, delicious food and sassy/great service. The flatbreads are a must-have and so are…read morethe fritters of various kinds. You cannot go wrong with any of the cocktails and bartender recommendations are great. The entry way is rather hidden, it's in a alley way. The décor is cool, with chairs hanging on racks, just in case, you know. They also have an outdoor balcony overlooking Swanston road where you can observe the hustle-bustle while sipping your cocktail.

Cocktails Cocktails Cocktails! Namely Espresso Martini :D…read moreCabinet is quite a small venue with an excellent location, a great cocktail menu & delicious food to go with it. I like this place to meet friends before we go out to see a show for a few drinks and a lovely appetiser. I love the sizzling prawns & the eggplant chips. The staff are oh so friendly and I really rate that factor, this is what makes me go back.

I visited here last night for only the second time, and it was a very good experience overall. The…read moreonly two "complaints" I have are minor and one isn't really even the restaurant's fault ... After booking here for my birthday dinner, I suddenly realised that of course it's upstairs and my mother has a bad knee and I couldn't remember if there was a lift/elevator. I sent an email to restaurant and was replied to promptly and courteously saying that yes, they have a lift. Great. We go to use it to get upstairs, and some kids were playing in it going up and down and not letting us in. Their parents were oblivious to the bratty behaviour, and so she had to climb up a steep staircase. That almost set the tone for the night, but what made up for it, was the great service. Everyone was friendly and attentive. We were told of the specials for the night (which was seafood and not everyone can eat seafood - a fact not every restaurant realises), and given our menus in reasonable time. Food came out promptly and everything was delicious. Before the entrees came out, there was hot bread given to the table and it was sooooooo yum. I ordered the Fish 'n Chips for main, and fish was so incredibly white, fresh and moist; just perfect. The batter was crisp and tasty. The chips though, were less than a handful of thick wedges and we felt this may not be enough so we ordered a side bowl of shoestring fries (a way to make you fork out more money and possibly the only disappointing "fault"). Everyone enjoyed the meal they had. Desserts all sounded tempting, and the presentation when it came out was beautiful. I had asked for a component to be left out since I don't like coffee flavoured foods, and they accommodated and even came back out with a substitute suggestion. It was scrumptious. Throughout the night we were treated to a magnificent view of Melbourne city and the bay. It's a stunning location for a great celebratory meal. I know it would be even better in summer, but then again it would probably be stifling hot too. I loved going there in winter, and with the food and service being as excellent as it was, I'll definitely be going back again. They do apparently do breakfasts (and lunch?) and would love to try a breakfast there while the area isn't yet too busy. If you're looking for a great place to have a wonderful night or day out, then this is it. I highly recommend it.

setting is so beautiful, but red wine we were served had gone bad, and drinks were very average -…read morewhat a shame as this used to be a great spot!