Charcoal Lane

We came here about a month ago and had such a wonderful lunch! The inside looks very nice. Since we came on a weekday, they had some $ 15 express lunch options. We ordered:
1. Barramundi topped with pepperleaf, with green beans and potatoes (15)
2. Lamb with bacon, with green beans and potatoes (31)
My dish was sooo good! The skin was crispy and the pepperleaf was unexpected — I thought it would be like basil leaves, but they were like tiny little fried hollow chickpeas. The fish was super tender and the potatoes drenched in the oils/​sauce were so delicious. My boyfriend also enjoyed his lamb very much, and even though my dish was half the price, they were pretty much the same size (and arguable mine was better!). What a steal!
We found this place just by walking past on the street, and were pulled in by the traditional Australian theme (it was my first time in the country). But now I’m looking online and found out they also train homeless and unemployed kids as trainees in the hospitality industry — how awesome! Even better.
Improvements:
1. Wifi — they have a really complicated wifi system where they have to generate a code off a machine for you, instead of just giving you a password. We tried multiple times and it didn’t work.
2. Long wait for food — we went during off hours but it still took a while to get our food. Luckily we weren’t in a hurry!
If I’m in the area again I’ll definitely come back!

Absolutely fantastic.
Wonderful staff.
Yes, some are training but you can tell they really care and are trying really hard which is more than can be said of sine if Melbourne’s «better» restaurants.
Great food.
The presentation and taste of the food was exceptional. Again the effort was obvious.
Cheap!
Considering that the menu includes exotic items like Kangaroo, Wallaby or Emu I was pleasantly surprised by the pricing. The prices are about half of what you would expect elsewhere but that does not sacrifice the quality.
Will be back.

I shall overlook the somewhat lax (albeit friendly) service and put this down to the fact that this restaurant also serves as a training facility for homeless and unemployed kids… But the rest of the experience was off the charts… The building feels steeped in history, the food is incredible… We had the wallaby loin and the emu but the highlight was the saltbush lamb which not only was the best lamb we’ve ever had but pretty close to the best meat ever had, it was so tender I could have used a spoon. The wine list, whilst not extensive, carried a nice mix of choices at most price points. This sort of experience is difficult to find and I would highly recommend it. Great concept, wonderful delivery!

I went for lunch and, unfortunately, i couldn’t enjoy the full a la carte menu; however the two lunch menus at 35 AUD (2 courses) or 45 AUD (three) plus a glass of wine was ok. I had a warm salad with gnocchi and rocket, forest berries and gongorzola absolutely superb. The kangaroo burger was ok, I’m a foreigner and I had to indulge in it. Finally some cheese for desert… very good ones. The waiter was extremely kind and the ambience is cosy and clean. A Must in Melbourne

Have friends from overseas visiting wanting ‘Aussie’ food? This is a close as I could get with native ingredients. We tried a lot of items from the menu as there were a few of us. Entrée — try the sashimi and ‘bolognaise’ Mains — the kangaroo and barramundi is recommended. Beautifully plated and though the portions are on the smaller side. meals are still filling.

Amazing place. Brilliant concept. Giving back to the community in a big way. The kangaroo and pork loin are truly special.
Amazing place. Brilliant concept. Giving back to the community in a big way. The kangaroo and pork loin are truly special.

Hell yeah. After three years in Melbourne Frenchy Pants and I were beginning to despair: We hadn’t yet had an exceptional and well priced «gourmet» meal in Melbourne and were longing to go back to Paris on holiday and indulge in a bit of affordable gastronomy.
What we really missed about Paris was this little bistro in the 13^th called L’avant gout. For 32 euro (or around 45 Australian) we would enjoy three pretty marvellous courses and a glass of excellent wine. Try as we might, we couldn’t find anything comparable in Melbourne. Until Charcoal Lane that is.
At 35 dollars, the lunch menu is an absolute steal: Two courses and a glass of wine. I ordered the leek and pancetta tart which was served with a dollop of creamy chevre beside it and a teeny tiny salad of micro herbs drizzled with pomegranate gems. It was unbelievably good; the pastry was delicate and crispy, and the pancetta and creamy leeks melded together perfectly. Frenchy Pants had oysters served rather stylishly on a bed of snowy salt crystals. They were dressed in a fruity rosella dressing and were fresh as fresh can be.
For our main we both had the kangaroo loin with a buttery potato purée and and roasted winter vegetables. I’ve been a slow convert to kangaroo as it’s usually a bit gamey for me but this was a revelation: Tender, savoury, and absolutely perfect. The whole artful «stack» of deliciousness was surrounded by a lovely espresso cherry sauce.
We split a desert of rhubarb crumble, vanilla bean ice cream, and pistachio crème anglais and had tears in our eyes when we got to the last mouthful. My dining companion looked at me as he put down the spoon and said, «i think we’ve found our Melbourne L’avant gout». I heartily agreed with him.
As if being affordable and delicious wasn’t enough, Charcoal Lane trains Aboriginal youths for jobs in the hospitality industry so you can enjoy a great meal and help support a deserving cause. This place, has brains, heart, and soul. Highly recommended.

What’s better than an amazing dinner in a beautifully restored heritage building in the heart of Fitzroy? All that while giving back to the community!
Charcoal Lane, unbeknownst to me the first time I went in, is an admirable business in this city. They bring in underprivileged and Aboriginal youths and teach them the necessary skills to flourish and excel in food service. But through this help, the people that find opportunity at Charcoal Lane can learn a much bigger message of social responsibility. Thanks for that!
On top of this, the food is amazing. It’s not just some thrown together place. I’ve never been for lunch, but their dinner menu is creative and very well executed. Though a bit expensive, it’s beautiful for a splurge night. I loved the main dish of mixed mushrooms with egg, truffle and asparagus. So rich. Also split a tuna sashimi starter and its spicy citrus accompaniment really made it stand out.
Great food and giving back to the community just seems like a no brainer!