Half Moon is up there with my favourite businesses in Coburg. I first ventured here to try the…read morefelafel and have been a regular ever since. The felafel are made fresh to order and you can have three of these plump, hot, gently spiced babies stuffed in a pita bread with a combination of vegetarian items. There's six options to choose from, but why you'd get anything other than the "Half Moon" with chilli sauce I don't know. Think crispy felafels, salad, olives, pickles, hummus... wrapped in a warm pita and weighing almost the size of a small child. This whole thing will set you back a mere $8. Other than the fact that the food here is delicious and cheap, the owners and staff are really what make this a worthy experience worth crossing town for. Run by a family for the last 12 years, they're super lovely and really care about their customers. The "father" is so kind and will make a point of walking around the tables outside to check that his customers are happy, that they have enough napkins and that they're looked after. I love chatting to him and if I time my lunch break right I might be able to sit with him while he has his lunch break in the late afternoon. Customer service doesn't cost anything, yet there's not many places that get it right or enjoy it as this family does. 5 stars.

I was left a little underwhelmed by the Half Moon Cafe. Maybe it was the glowing reviews, or maybe…read moreI was expecting something more authentic because it's Coburg. We arrived one busy lunchtime, and joined the line of people ordering kebabs. I went for the eponymous Half Moon sandwich, which was with falafels and salad. The woman taking our order at the counter asked us to take a table outside and the other would be brought out to us. I thought she was clever to be able to remember which order went where without any table numbers or tickets. It turned out she didn't have a clue, and our order was bounced around between 4 different tables before it was given to me. At one point, she even gave the order to me, then took it away, and then returned to hand it to me again! The sandwich itself was good value at $8, but no where near as large as others have suggested. I finished it without a problem, and I wouldn't consider myself to have a bigger appetite than most guys. The salad and sauce was nice, but the falafels were ordinary. I'd have preferred them to be crunchier on the outside and soft inside. The other disappointment was that they used packet pita bread rather than baking their own, as any proper restaurant in the middle east would do. Even so, if I were in Coburg again, I would return to Half Moon Cafe for lunch.

Very underwhelming meal . $17 gets you loads Of rice - a very small poor salad -2 ok tasting dips…read moremini amount - and abut 14 pieces of chicken or lamb - over cooked and just can't compare to their neighbours - The Kebab Station - different cultures .. but let's face it .. you either got it and love to serve amazing food - or you just do it with half a heart and get this type of review

I like falafel rolls and so I thought I try this is the self-styled Vegetarian Falafel King at…read moreCoburg for lunch. It is all vegetarian Middle Eastern food - which might be important if you are fanatical vegetarian. And it does make a distinct difference along Coburg's kebab strip of Sydney Road. It is such a narrow little shop that it is hard to find space for the tables, there is even a mezzanine dinning floor. The menu is limited basically, dolmades, dips, bread and falafels. The bread and dips and bowels of pickles that people at the other table were ordering looked well presented, if only there was a little more space to enjoy the food in. The drinks fridge does have an interesting selection of lemonades and other Middle Eastern style soft drinks; the Muslim prohibition on alcohol does mean a better quality of soft drinks. There are none of the ubiquitous brands. I had a pomegranate-flavoured soft drink called Linda. I had a falafel roll. The falafels roll had four falafels in it and salad, complete with the bright pink pickles and with just the right amount of chili sauce. The roll doesn't hold together brilliantly and the salad is a tiny bit limp but these are minor quibbles, as it tastes great.

The best bakery ... always busy which is a good sign of good food , great variety of Lebanese…read morepitas, zaatar & great prices . Love this place always make the effort to go past Kids love their haloumi pitas !!!

Conviennent dips to buy. Love them for quick dips! Pita bread. Close to home! Lots of customers!read more

Great food, good price and the best Falafels I've had to date. I'm not a massive Falafel eater but…read morethese little bad boys do the business. I have taken many Falafel fans here and they all say there the best; light& crunchy, soft inside and a tiny hint of garlic. For those that aren't into everything Falafel fear not, my favourite there is the Hummus & Mince Meat. Not sure how to describe it except for the best Hummus with some awesome mince and pine nuts. There is also a Mince meat, chickpea, yoghurt, fried bread dish that is awesome. There are proper names for these, so no offence to anyone who is in the know. If you like middle eastern food this place is a must. If you get there early enough get the home made bread that comes out warm.

The service wasn't good. The ladies didn't make me and my two friends, feel welcomed. The staff…read moredidn't bother to look at us and tried avoiding eye contact. The food was neither great or terrible, it was average. The food was kind of bland and pink pickles too sour. I've had much better Lebonese food than this. Could do with improvement. Orders were slow to come. Got fed up with poor customer service, stopped ordering and then left. If the service was better and staff nicer, I would give a higher rating. Won't be coming back again.

Tahini is like the Ketchup of the Middle East and I found a bounty of my spirit confinement at the…read moredelicious Tahini Lebanese Diner! First the seducing aroma of freshly made felafel and zesty hummus hits your senses. The menu covers wraps, salads, taste boards, Lebanese breakfasts and grilled meats - most things come accented with fresh herbs, lemon, garlic, spices and pomegranate. If you've never tried tahini, you must! It's a zesty savoury sesame seed sauce that tastes like a muted down peanut butter with a lemon kick (I use it on everything from avocado and eggs on toast to ice cream) The service was sensational - our waitress enthusiastically talked us through the menu and excitedly dropped off dishes as they were ready. The chefs were chatting to people at the food pass, and I appreciated the thoughtful touches like coconut sugar, salt and olive oil on tables. Standout dishes were the fig and walnut hummus, smoky baba ganoush, felafel with homemade tahini and crispy potato bravas with garlic oil and chilli. Basically - over order to avoid food regrets! I was impressed that gluten free bread offered as an alternative to the pita wrap, and most of the menu is allergy friendly. The drinks menu is extensive and I'll save you a sonnet about the refreshing Lebanese iced tea with pomegranate, mint and ...pine nuts! Try it to believe it. Then tell your friends. And the best part? I left (okay, I may have squealed) grinning with a jar of impossible-to-find authentic Lebanese tahini from the providore pantry shop to recreate tahini dreams at home.

Sometimes I get stupidly excited about food. It would be an understatement if I said that I was…read moreexcited about Tahini. My friend and I basically ran into the restaurant. We found a table, almost clapping with joy when the menu arrived, although that was nothing compared to when the food arrived. We ordered hummus with fig and walnuts, baba ganoush, flat bread, gluten free bread, falafel, a salad plate, potatoes and chilli, seared prawns and house made sodas. A and I were, no joke, squealing (We're pathetic, I know). I didn't know where to begin. Dips. Dips is where you begin. Hot damn. Figs and walnuts are the best things to put in hummus. Apart from bread, anyway. Baba ganoush is one of the best things I've ever put in my mouth. The bread was warm and light. YUM. (also, kudos for having a GF bread option, guys) The potatoes were the perfect mix of crunchy and fluffy and the added chilli was balanced like a dream. The prawns blew my mind. They came with this chilli mayo that was to die for. The salad was fresh and crisp and I was basically in food heaven. The falafel was covered in the most amazing tahini. I was getting the biggest food envy watching the food come out of the kitchen. I wanted to order everything. And the staff were so lovely. I'm sure they were laughing at how excited A and I were, but I did not care. I was happy. I was full. Everythig was perfect. I'm pretty sure that I'm not explaining how actually incredible this meal was. In fact, I know I'm not. My advice? Go to this restaurant. Don't live in Melbourne? Go to Melbourne and go to this restaurant.

My friend Laura took me to this place for dinner tonight and it was a very good decision on her…read morepart! I had the haloumi plate which my awful photo really did not do justice, and it was definitely value for money! $15 and I couldn't finish the lot! The felafel was the best I have had in Australia and everything else was fresh and yum as well - if I wanted to nitpick, the added chili didn't add any extra spice at all but that could just be my ridonk tolerance for hotness and it still tasted good anyway. We also got some chips to share and they were chockers with garlicky rosemary goodness! Go check it out one time y'all

Delicious, but BRUTALLY slow. But like any good ol abusive relationship, I find myself coming back…read moreagain, hoping they'll change, remembering the good bits and forgetting the bad - only to be frustrated and let down. Surely this is my fault!! On average, one pita sandwich takes around 15 minutes. Today, I waited 25 minutes for one takeaway plate and pre-made salad. It's almost like the staff are moving in slow motion as they move in circles, picking things up, pausing, putting them down, looking a bit lost. They have mounting orders but only focus on making one at a time, with multiple fry baskets sitting empty, waiting for their chance to shine - pick me pick me! No no, single file only, we must honour each order by making them from start to finish before we begin the next. If I do go back, I'll be ordering in advance for pick up. Seriously, expect to wait 15 minutes minimum. If it's between 5-8pm on a weeknight, 20-30 minutes. I would love to see this place pick up its pace and train their staff to multitask. I would come back again and again, never feeling like I'm repeating the same mistake and hoping for better results. Somebody please save this relationship.

Allahhu Akbar This…read moremeans "God is Great." I'm compelled to evoke this exaltation because the kebabs are so good here, God's hand must be acknowledged in their making. Alhumdullilah This means "Thanks be to God" and it is appropriate to say this after you've eaten their dips. Mashallah This means "by God's Grace" and you can say this about the expertise of Tiba's chefs for their method of grilling over charcoal. Now you have learned a little Arabic, a little about Islamic phrases, and exactly the right amount of knowledge to find great Lebanese food in Melbourne.

So authentic!!! Delicious and full of flavor. If you are…read morelooking for Lebanese food while in Melbourne AU, I highly recommend this restaurant.

I've just started reviewing my locals, this place is a must! These people are the real deal! They…read moreare clearly passionate about food and culture and it shows in the service and quality. I have been coming here forever and have never had a bad experience. The space feels welcoming and the atmosphere is chill.

I really enjoyed this healthy meal in a quaint restaurant with ample seating out back. Order at the…read morecounter then sit and wait for a delicious meal! I highly recommend the Shashuka dish as it comes with pita bread, hummus, and a selection of three side salads. You can choose from red, white or green. This is a hearty meal which will satisfy you. I had to try the falafels, both red which is spicy and green, which is not. Tender and tasty! The strawberry smoothie I had was also delicious. I didn't know going vegetarian could taste so good! They have vegan options as well. Huge portions and a wide selection meant everyone went home happy. Cheers to that!

I went in here for lunch because they were advertising a $5 special of a falafel roll and a can a…read moredrink. There is stiff competition for the lunchtime crowd amongst the many kebab joints along Sydney Road and Tarabish is new. I think that there was an Italian pizza restaurant there before. Inside there were plenty of seats, tables and booths with a wood floor and tasteful décor, unlike so many of the other kebab joints. There are two tables of people eating lunch but it was far from full. As I wait for my falafel to be made I notice that Tarabish has a full menu of Lebanese food to eat in or take away. And the food is all Halal. I asked for a falafel roll with the lot, yes, the pink pickles and even a bit of chili sauce. The selection of soft drink can was not inspiring - just the regular assortment. But the falafel roll tasted so good; the salad was so springing and fresh, the falafel balls crunched and then were soft and delicious. The whole thing tasted amazing. I'm going to do this again while it is still new and before everyone else discovers this little restaurant.

Mankoushe is named after the main food source here - mankoushe. It might be best described as…read moreLebanese pizza, but really, it is its very own thing and it very good indeed. This teeny, tiny take-away is run by two brothers with a little help from their mama, which is kind of adorable, no? Tables are limited but there is space if you can find it. Otherwise, the wait is never too long for your take-away treat (unless it's mega busy, which it can be at times) and you get to jig along to whatever rocking tune is blasting out whilst you are there. Then it's just a short walk home or to the closest bench, curb, car bonnet, wherever is convenient to park your arse, and chomp! Thus far I have tried the haloumi, the spicy feta, the rocket cheese and the ton. For $2 extra you can have your dough made of organic spelt too. I'm not going to stop till I've tried each and every different mankoushe on the menu. There are 26 different kinds, or 52 if I try each one made with organic spelt as well. I've got some eating to do.

The odd hours of operation may leave you high and dry, but this Lebanese bakery is a newbie to…read moreLygon St. Opening in 2011, it has much of what those found on Sydney can offer - cheese pie, spinach and cheese pie is a winner - but is located closer to the East Brunswick Club than any other of it's kind. Nice people and you're served quickly, and while eating in is possible most choose the takeaway option. A good after lunch bite or late night pick up.