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Restaurant

Abla's

109 Elgin St, Carlton VIC 3053, Australia

Recommended by 51 people

Updated

Find Abla's

109 Elgin St, Carlton VIC 3053, Australia

Directions ↗
+61 3 9347 0006
HoursMonday: 6:00 – 10:00 PM Tuesday: 6:00 – 10:00 PM Wednesday: 6:00 – 10:00 PM Thursday: 6:00 – 10:00 PM Friday: 6:00 – 10:00 PM Saturday: 6:00 – 10:00 PM Sunday: Closed

*Opening hours may differ during holidays.

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About Abla's

Carlton regulars treat this terrace as the benchmark for Lebanese home cooking. No sleek minimalism—just two floors humming with family warmth and four decades of heritage recipes. The move is the communal banquet: tables pile up with mixed dips, crunchy fattoush, spiced chicken rice, and charred lamb kafta. Upstairs offers a quieter escape, where dinner winds down over flaky baklava and mint tea steeped with cinnamon—sahteyn.

  • Generous Multi-Course Banquets: Diners back the communal tasting feasts packed with house dips, crisp fattoush, and charred skewers.
  • Four Decades of Family Recipes: Patrons return for generational staples like spiced chicken rice pilaf and hand-rolled cabbage rolls.
  • Intimate Upstairs Dining: The heritage Carlton townhouse features a quieter upper floor ideal for unhurried conversation.
  • Homestyle Sweets & Hospitality: Visits wind down with sweet finishes of baklava, halva, and cinnamon-infused mint tea.
RestaurantLebaneseRestaurant

What's On at Abla's

Upcoming events, special menus and other reasons to plan a visit.

No events or specials listed right now.

Why Diners Choose Abla's

Discover why Carlton diners return to Abla's for matriarchal warmth, generational recipes, and abundant banquets. Reserve your table early.

  • Abundant Banquet Spreads

    Generous multi-course banquet spreads take the guesswork out of ordering, offering groaning tables of dips, skewers, and traditional Lebanese specialities for groups.

    Had the banquet meal here for a party of 10 and it was fantastic. The food was very delicious and authentic.

    Nady Obeid

  • Effortless Communal Hosting

    Communal family-style dining makes accommodating diverse dietary preferences straightforward, with extensive vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free mezze options.

    We shared our meal family style and ate like queens. From the dips, right through to the dessert, the food could not be faulted.

    Jenine Ellis

  • Soul-Warming Family Comfort

    Soulful Lebanese cooking prepared with genuine care evokes the heartfelt comfort and deep familiarity of a traditional family kitchen.

    ablas is good for the soul and by far the best lebanese restaurant in melbourne, maybe even australia.

    Haley Seikaly

  • Decades of Heritage Recipes

    Four decades of generational heritage bring genuine authenticity to heirloom recipes, where every dip, pilaf, and skewer carries honest homemade flavour.

    By far the best Lebanese food in Melbourne, every dish feels homemade with authentic flavours.

    Kimia Saadat

  • A Quieter Upstairs Retreat

    Housed in a heritage Carlton townhouse, the upper dining room offers a relaxed, quieter enclave separated from the lively ground-floor bustle.

    We ate in upstairs dining room, much quieter than downstairs

    Brian Brain

  • Intimate, Relaxed Dining

    Warm lighting and cozy, unpretentious dining rooms provide a gentle, relaxed backdrop suited for meaningful conversation and date nights.

    super love the place and the ambiance - quiet and relaxed. Perfect place for an intimate date night.

    N P

Generational Lebanese staples and banquet favourites at Abla's

  • Mixed Dips

    Shoutouts are for the mixed dips with its refreshing olive oil and its generous pita servings which you can request for more once it runs out!

    Jasmine (Jas.eats)

  • Lamb Kafta

    The mjadra and the lamb kafta were definitely the highlights of the night.

    Patricia Mamede

  • Chicken and Rice

    My must-have was the flavourful Chicken and Rice.

    Hannah Thean

  • Fattoush

    The lebanese fried bread within the fattoush salad was crunchy and adds incredible addictive texture.

    Jasmine (Jas.eats)

Other favorites

Traditional spiced drinks, homestyle sides, and classic sweets to round out the table.

  • Mint Tea with Cinnamon

    it was a perfect match w their mint tea w cinnamon.

    Piggy Eatalot

  • Limonda

    with a jug of limonda refreshing to have with our food.

    Jasmine (Jas.eats)

  • Baklava and Halawa

    Every dish was great and baklava and halawa desserts too.

    Jamila S

  • Batata Harra

    the crispy lebanese potatoes which isn't shy with its spices

    Jasmine (Jas.eats)

Before you head over

Practical guidance on reservations, dining room navigation, and communal banquets to make the most of your visit. Book your table early to guarantee a spot.

  • Reserve Well in Advance, Even Midweek

    Dining rooms fill up quickly regardless of the day. Diners consistently recommend booking well in advance—even for a Tuesday or midweek dinner—to secure a table.

  • Request Downstairs for Accessibility

    The upstairs dining room offers a quieter, more intimate atmosphere away from the busier ground floor. However, the stairs are narrow and steep, so request a downstairs table if anyone in your party has mobility considerations.

  • Prepare for Generous Banquets and Easy Dietary Sharing

    Banquet spreads and shared dishes are exceptionally hearty, frequently leaving diners with leftovers to take home. The kitchen comfortably accommodates vegan and gluten-free diners without separating them from the shared table experience.

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