The best Middle Eastern restaurants in Melbourne

What's the story? Owner Ahmad Al Alaea started Wazzup after he couldn’t find equivalent falafels to what he’d enjoyed growing up in Jordan as a Palestinian refugee. Falafels are unsurprisingly the name of the game here, but you get to decide how they’re served up to you – in a box alongside a medley of other ingredients, threaded on to a stick, atop piping hot chips in the self-fashioned ‘FSP’, slotted into wraps or swallowed by the folds of baked pita pockets. 

Why we love it: You’d be hard-pressed to find someone in Melbourne who hasn’t ever tasted a falafel, but Wazzup’s are distinct from the manifold Levantine iterations. Small crisp oblongs of pillowy ground chickpeas (no fava beans to be found here) mixed in with fresh parsley and 21 different herbs that’ve made the journey from Palestine to Melbourne via Jordan, Wazzup’s falafels are light, fresh and multilayered. Because they’re so small, you also can’t stop eating them. 

Time Out tip: Don’t go past the stuffed falafels and be sure to order one per person – you won’t want to share. Larger than the average falafel at Wazzup, it features layers of ground, soaked chickpeas sandwiched by sesame, red onion, red chilli flakes and sumac subsequently deep-fried into a flavour-filled ball of ingredients that work in perfect harmony with one another.  

Address: 343 High St, Northcote, 3070

Opening hours: Tue-Thu 11am-9pm, Fri 4-9pm, Sat 11am-9pm, Sun 11am-6pm

Expect to pay: Snacks to go $5-12, falafel boxes $17, extras $1 each, wraps $12-15

What's the story? When young Abla Amad arrived in Melbourne in 1954 she brought the love of cooking developed while watching her mother in their north Lebanese village – then came the restaurant. Abla’s opened in 1979 in the same location it’s in today and upon entry you experience a pleasant time warp. The hospitality is instant: a warm welcome, olives and pita crisps already on your table. This is one of those places where it's worth considering the banquet. 

Why we love it: It’s easy to see why this has been a Carlton institution for 40 years. There’s no pomp or pretence here – it's so authentic it should come with a certificate. Places like Abla’s are not just about a good feed. They are part of the fabric of our city, and in these days of hyped new openings it's important to celebrate this rare breed of restaurant.

Time Out tip: On Thursdays, bring a spesh bottle of wine (it’s BYO on Thursdays for $15 corkage per bottle).

Address: 109 Elgin St, Carlton, 3053

Opening hours: Mon-Sat 6-10pm

Expect to pay: Dips and bread $5-23, entrées $16-21, vegetarian dishes and salads $15-28, signature mains $34-49, mixed grill for two to three people $65, desserts $9-15, set menus available throughout the week for $60-75

What's the story? Half Moon's falafel are Egyptian-style and made from fava beans, crunchy on the outside and with soft green middles. Eat one on its own or stuff a trio of them in a simple warm pocket of pickles, garlic sauce, tomato and hummus, but however you do it, anticipate a falafel experience you'll remember. 

Why we love it: It's hard to identify precisely why this stalwart lunchtime spot on Victoria Street gets it so right every time, but we're not complaining. The herbaceous falafels are made fresh, fried in small batches and prepped right in front of this family-owned shopfront's window. While you dig in, the communal courtyard outside is the perfect spot for people watching and appreciating Coburg's diverse and multicultural population.

Time Out tip: Opt for the traditional falafel wrap, which will only cost you $10

Address: 13 Victoria St, Coburg, 3058

Opening hours: Daily noon-11pm

Expect to pay: Most dishes around the $10-15 mark

What's the story? Discover the Turkish nation’s edible vitality from a smart, narrow Carlisle Street shopfront made classy with wall sconces, greenery and turquoise Moorish tiles. Turkish food may have been reduced to cliché in the Australian imagination, but this is a kitchen bringing the kind you’d find in Istanbul’s thumpingly vigorous restaurant scene to Balaclava, with a program of pickling, preserving, fermenting and hanging (yoghurt, that is). 

Why we love it: It's not just us who love Tulum (it won our Best Casual Dining Award in 2017, after all), our readers do, too – it was crowned a People's Choice winner in our inaugural Time Out Australia Recommends list in 2024. Over the years, our editors have appreciated Tulum especially for its creativity, its warm and inviting atmosphere, and its attentive service.

Time Out tip: Tulum's Instagram is the place to look to get a sense of how the dishes are presented here; this is definitely one for special occasions.

Address: 217 Carlisle St, Balaclava, 3183

Opening hours: Daily noon-11pm

Expect to pay: Express lunch $65 a head (wine pairing $40), signature soufra dinner $135 a head (pairings $75 to $275), midweek two-course dinner $85 a head, snacks $10-12, a la carte mains $30-36, desserts $18

What's the story? Fans of Ottolenghi would do well to take note. In his cookbook Jerusalem, the renowned chef hailed the mastermind behind global Israeli pita empire Miznon, Eyal Shani, as “the voice of modern Israeli cuisine”. And that voice is now getting global reach. Melbourne’s Hardware Lane outpost has become Shani’s sixth Miznon, and it's where people queue to get their hands on the famous cauliflower.

Why we love it: Delicious, affordable and friendly, Miznon has been one of our fave cheap eats for nearly a decade. Accommodating for both intimate twosomes and large groups (as long as you book), it promises great bang for your buck and one of the best takes on Middle Eastern street food you can get in the CBD. 

Time Out tip: It may be the cauli that gets everyone talking –but we also love the bag of golden meat. Yes, that's exactly what it's called on the menu and it's brisket fried with onions and black pepper. So addictive.

Address: 59 Hardware Ln, Melbourne, 3000

Opening hours: Tue-Sat noon-3pm and 5.30-9pm

Expect to pay: Pita wraps $15-23, assorted share plates from $9 (mezze of pita and dips) to $34 (potato-stuffed chicken schnitzel), sweets around $15

What's the story? At a time when Brunswick’s Levantine dining scene was largely defined by traditional, family-style eateries along Sydney Road, Joseph Abboud broke new ground with Rumi, his modern interpretation of the region’s cuisine. Drawing deeply from his Lebanese heritage, Abboud’s concept reimagines the experience for a contemporary audience. 

Why we love it: Rumi has retained several signature dishes that have become integral to its identity – too iconic and painstakingly refined to remove from the menu. One such dish is the Persian meatballs, made from tender minced lamb flecked with grains of rice. Then there are the verjus and grape molasses-marinated quail kebabs, legendary in their own right, having won over none other than Anthony Bourdain when he visited in 2009.

Time Out tip: Longtime Rumi fan? Then you'll probably love its new hip wine bar Rocket Society, also situated in the East Brunswick Village precinct. 

Address: 2 Village Ave, Brunswick East, 3057

Opening hours: Daily 5.30pm-9.30pm

Expect to pay: Small plates from $12 (pickled olives) to $22 (cheese cigars), medium plates from $19 (baharat prawns) to $26 (quail kebabs), larger dishes up to $42, sides around $16-18, banquet feasts from $70 to $85 a head

What's the story? This family-run restaurant is one of the best places to enjoy authentic, soul-warming Lebanese food in Melbourne. Sip from a hot pot of freshly brewed cinnamon tea and tuck into ghannouge and pita breads in an atmosphere that feels as cosy as a grandmother's living room. 

Why we love it: The food here has that unbeatable homemade taste that's rare to come across in most restaurants. Highlights on the menu include boiled cabbage rolls, kibbeh labanieh (fried oval-shaped shells of a bulgur wheat mixture, filled with ground beef and pine nuts), traditional fattoush salad and shish barak (fried beef dumplings) in a tart yogurt stew.

Time Out tip: Try Taita's riz bi haleeb for dessert, a homemade rice pudding with orange blossom water, full cream, milk and rice, topped with shredded coconut and sultanas.

Address: 73 Clarendon St, Thornbury, 3071

Opening hours: Wed-Sat 5-9.30pm

Expect to pay: Signature share dishes around $35-40, date night combo $55 (includes grilled chicken and kafta platters, rice, dip fatoush salad and dessert), wrap and a free soft drink $18-20

What's the story? A1 Bakery is a Northside institution, famous for its authentic (and wonderfully affordable) wraps, Lebanese pizzas, pies and falafel platters. Opening its doors in 1992 as a humble family business, the hybrid Lebanese bakery, eatery and Middle Eastern grocer has since become a beloved local gem. 

Why we love it: Feast on zaatar pizza, kibbe, traditional dips and pita or the garlicky chicken tawouk wrap (secret tip: ask for extra halloumi and tomato – altogether, it's an epic flavour bomb). The shanklish pie is also popular with regulars, a vegetarian boat-shaped pastry filled with yoghurt-based cheese, tomato, onion and dried herbs. Everything is prepared fresh on a daily basis in the kitchen's large gas oven. 

Time Out tip: Peruse the shelves of the eatery's small in-house grocer for some rare-to-find Middle Eastern pickles, sauces and other ingredients to take home with you.

Address: 643-645 Sydney Rd, Brunswick, 3056

Opening hours: Daily 7am-5pm

Expect to pay: Pies and pizzas $2-12.50, most platters around $15-20, wraps around $12-14, sides $2-8

What's the story? Iranian chef and restaurateur Hamed Allahyar opened Café Sunshine and Salamatea, a social enterprise restaurant designed to employ, train and mentor asylum seekers and refugees facing similar paths to him. It’s been a beloved local gathering place ever since – not just for its friendly, community focus but for its approachable Persian fare, which is hard to come by in Melbourne.

Why we love it: Iranian food is not well represented here and when it does appear, skewered meats are often the focus. This is no doubt a core component of the cuisine but overshadows the fact that it's vegetarian-friendly and characterised by its use of floral, sweet and sour flavours, adding complexity and balance to each dish. (For context, Samin Nosrat, author of Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat, is also Persian.) Salamatea, however, brings this back into focus. It’s like a best-of list of dishes and ingredients from the region, presented in a familiar Melbourne café format. 

Time Out tip: The owners are currently transitioning between two concepts in the same space: Salamatea by day, and Kababi by night, which focuses on a Persian charcoal barbecue menu.

Address: 18a Market Rd, Sunshine, 3020

Opening hours: Mon-Sat 11am-10pm

Expect to pay: Wrap $13; sides, dips and salads $11-15; most mains from the day menu around $18-22

What's the story? Tawooq is a family-run business that sprung up on the Brunswick East end of Lygon Street in mid-2024. The casual, buzzy spot is now a popular go-to destination for affordable, Beirut-inspired street food snacks. Think tasty two-hander eats like chicken tawooq wraps, makanek and soujouk baguettes, plus fully loaded shawarma and falafel plates. 

Why we love it: If you order anything, please for the love of all things holy, get the chicken tawooq wrap. The impeccably balanced bread parcel of tart pickles, garlicky white sauce, herbaecous, salt-dusted fries and impossible tender chicken breast is just... everything.

Time Out tip: True, you can order delivery – but I found it tasted so much better when I dined in. So if you don't mind making the trip to Brunswick Street, I highly recommend eating in (and grabbing a housemade lemonade while you wait!)

Address: 109 Lygon Street, Brunswick East, 3057

Opening hours: Thu-Sun 11am-midnight, Mon-Wed 11am-11pm

Expect to pay: wrap or baguette $14-16, meal $21-23 (includes chips and a soft drink – but I suggest paying an extra $2 for the traditional ayran yoghurt drink instead)

What's the story? This stylish Middle Eastern fine diner from celeb chef Shane Delia gives traditional Levant flavours an exciting contemporary twist.

Why we love it: Maha’s signature slow-roasted lamb shoulder is the stuff of reveries for many carnivores who have crossed its path since the early days (also see: crab meat with the lilting heat of harissa mayo nestled under brik pastry). Maha offers an old-fashioned Middle Eastern approach to hospitality that has ensured its admission to the club of restaurants that aren’t just places to grab a bite, but part of the fabric of a city. 

Time Out tip: If you want to dip a toe into the Maha world without forking out at the CBD stalwart, we recommend trying out Delia's relatively more easygoing sister restaurants Maha North or Maha East.

Address: 21 Bond St, Melbourne, 3000

Opening hours: Daily noon-11pm

Expect to pay: Express lunch $65 a head (wine pairing $40), signature soufra dinner $135 a head (pairings $75 to $275), midweek two-course dinner $85 a head, snacks $10-12, a la carte mains $30-36, desserts $18

What's the story? At Tiba's you won't break the bank for platters of hummus, tabouleh, yoghurt, rice, pickled turnip and the fresh falafel that are crisp on the outside and silky soft on the inside. Drop another couple of dollars for a skewer of halal lamb or a plate of dolmades and you're set.

Why we love it: Not only is the food great but portions are huge! The set menus are super generous so only opt for this if you're in a group and have big appettites. From the shawarma meat and dips to the traditional Lebanese desserts, it's simple, fuss-free stuff but it hits the spot. 

Time Out tip: This restaurant's alcohol-free and family-friendly so go early if you’ve got brats, or skip the first sitting if you're not a little-person person. 

Address: 504 Sydney Rd, Brunswick 3056

Opening hours: Fri-Sat noon-11pm, Sun-Mon and Wed-Thu noon-10pm

Expect to pay: Snacks from $2.80 (fried kebbeh) to $10 (fried cauliflower), $7-10 for dips and salads, shawarma $10-16, main courses $20-27, mixed grill $37 or vegetarian platter $28

What's the story? Friends Louisa Allan and Shuki Rosenboim had been cultivating quite the following for their falafels at farmer’s markets around Melbourne before they opened Very Good Falafel on Sydney Road. Now, the permanent home where the menu works mainly because it’s so simple. Sticking to the traditional Israeli take on the Middle Eastern pita wrap and platter, options are limited to the falafel, sabih (fried eggplant) and ktzitzot (meat patties). 

Why we love it: It's just a very good falafel, like it says on the tin, and you'll never be disappointed. But we also love the freshly made salads, the personality of the place (and their grid) and the beautiful Hebrew and Lebanese cookbooks on display at the Sydney Road eatery.

Time Out tip: Gift a vego someone this pretty salad recipe book the duo have created.

Address: 629 Sydney Rd, Brunswick, 3056

Opening hours: Mon-Fri 11am-8.30pm, Sat 11am-5pm

Expect to pay: Pitas, plates and salads around $13-16

What's the story? Yes, there's another restaurant from Shane Delia's Maha mothership on this list. And no, we're not sorry because take it from us: the food here genuinely delights. Expect the same vibrant and produce-driven Middle Eastern fare Delia is known for, cleverly adapted to fit this moody brasserie's Northside setting.

Why we love it: With snacks like zucchini flowers with anchovy and almond tarator; and fresh Lebanese dumplings with poached leeks, spiced chicken and pine nuts on the menu; you'll be spoilt for choice in complementing your wine.

Time Out tip: Looking for a Maha experience south of the river? Try Maha East instead – and then check out a film at one of the world's most beautiful cinemas. Hertitage Art Deco theatre The Astor is a one-minute walk away. 

Address: 86 Smith St, Collingwood, 3066

Opening hours: Tue-Fri 5-11pm, Sat-Sun noon-11pm

Expect to pay: Snacks $9-12, small plates $12-26, larger dishes $35-48, sides $12-16, sweets around $18

What's the story? This is a boho-chic all-day restaurant where brothers Antoine and Bechara Taouk are serving simple Lebanese with plenty of pickles and very little fuss. 

Why we love it: This is everything a neighbourhood restaurant should be – it's loud, and it’s BYO, with service that's personal if a little bit shambolic during peak times. It’s all fresh and wholesome stuff, from pan-fried fillets of snapper dressed up with chilli, walnuts and squiggles of tahini right through to the baklava. 

Time Out tip: They make the pastry dessert with agave nectar, chia seeds and coconut oil rather than butter and sugar but it still has a perfect balance of crispness, chew and nutty crunch. That’s a win for all eaters great and small.

Address: 100A Lygon St, Brunswick East, 3057

Opening hours: Sun-Thu 5.30-10pm, Fri-Sat 5.30-10:30pm

Expect to pay: Share banquet $54-64 a head (includes assorted starters, mezza around $14-22, mains $29-36, housemade non-alcoholic refreshments $5

What's the story? Oasis Bakery, a three-in-one bakery, café and supermarket deep in suburban Murrumbeena, has become a bit of cult foodie destination. 

Why we love it: It's a one-stop-shop modern Middle Eastern marketplaces, complete with a dessert bar, crepe station and a deep fryer pumping out fresh Lebanese doughnuts. Next to the dessert bar, the deli offers piles of cured meats and cheeses you can take home for later. 

Time Out tip: You can’t go wrong with the lamb shawarma. 

Address: Lot 9, 993 North Rd, Murrumbeena, 3163

Opening hours: Sat-Thu 8am-7pm, Fri 8am-8pm

Expect to pay: Check here for the most recent menu and pricing

What's the story? This family-run Brunswick favourite utilises farm-fresh Aussie produce to churn out delicious home-style Middle Eastern recipes – from Iran to Morocco. The Choucair family – Jad, Hady and Gisele – arrived from Beirut nearly a decade ago, with a passion to bring the joys of Middle Eastern culture to Australia's shores. 

Why we love it: All ingredients are sourced locally, from the spices to the fresh produce – and the quality reflects in the taste. Fruits and veggies are handpicked from the Coburg market, and the kitchen also champions organic Victorian free-range chicken and eggs, ethical meat cuts and seafood.

Time Out tip: Don't spend time wondering which delightful dish you should order; just go the whole banquet instead. At $60 a head ($70 if you get dessert, too), it's great value and the perfect way to sample a wide breadth of Mankoushe's offerings.

Address: 323 Lygon St, Brunswick East, 3057

Opening hours: Wed-Fri 5-10pm, Sat 11am-10pm, Sun 11am-9pm

Expect to pay: Signature banquet $60, traditional woodfire oven-baked pita $4-10, Middle Eastern pizzas $22-26, other dishes $16-27, bottle of Lebanese wine $55-70 

What's the story? This restaurant brings traditional Egyptian dishes to Lygon Street, such as molokheya (a distinctly textured soup of finely chopped jute leaves and garlic) and freekeh-stuffed squab, plus an assortment of dips, platters and authentic desserts.

Why we love it: It was the om ali, a classic Egyptian-style bread-and-butter pudding, that stole this writer's heart. Served in a tagine, the famous dessert is made of puff pastry with crushed nuts and milk and it's one of the most soul-warming treats you can try on Lygon Street. But there are other reasons to like Leyalina – the owners' random card tricks, the interesting soups and the Egyptian music, for starters.

Time Out tip: Long wait times can be a thing here and everything tends to tick along at its own languid pace. Get some starters to enjoy while you wait for your main.

Address: 191 Lygon St, Carlton, 3053

Opening hours: Sun 5-11pm, Mon-Tue and Thu 5-11.30pm, Fri-Sat 5.30pm-1.30am

Expect to pay: Mezze $6-18, salads $12-21, most tagines around $29, banquet options $48-68