Correction (4 October 2026): an earlier version of this page listed places and details we could not stand behind. It has been rewritten from scratch: every place below was confirmed at two independent sources on 4 October 2026, and every price was copied from the page it was published on.
A sit-down dinner for two is easier to pick when you sort by stage: something low-pressure for a first date, something with a bit more ceremony for an anniversary. This page lines up six restaurants in and around Carnegie: four on Koornang Road in Carnegie, one in Glen Huntly and one in Malvern East.
Each place was checked against at least two sources, mostly the venue’s own site plus the Australian Good Food Guide, and every hours line, price and tag below says whose listing it comes from. We did not find accessibility details on the pages we checked, so ring ahead if step-free entry matters.
Every entry ends with a one-line plan for the night, because plans have a habit of changing.
The quick picks
| If you’re after | Head to | Order this | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shared BBQ set for two | Mrs Kim’s Grill | All-you-can-eat Classic adults | $45 Mon–Thu / $49 Fri–Sun |
| Crepes and galettes, lighter dinner | Roule Galette | see below | not printed here |
| Mexican with a back courtyard | Hecho En Mexico | see below | not printed here |
| Pizza, pasta and dessert to share | La Bottega Trattoria | MARGHERITA V | $23 |
| Japanese, walk-ins only | Katsumo | see below | not printed here |
| Nepalese small plates to share | Nepal Dining Room | Hot Bamboo Shoots Soup cooked with black eye beans in a chicken broth. | $9.90 |
Mrs Kim’s Grill — 136 Koornang Road, Carnegie VIC 3163
A shared BBQ set is a sit-down dinner with a built-in activity, which helps when conversation needs a second gear. Its site lists a BBQ Set for Two with meats, sides, rice and kimchi, and its menu prints All-you-can-eat Classic adults at $45 Mon–Thu / $49 Fri–Sun. The site says it is fully licensed and BYO wine, and it also notes a 10% surcharge on Saturday and Sunday.
On the menu (copied from mrskimsgrill.com.au and mrskimsgrill.com.au/menu.html on 4 October 2026):
- All-you-can-eat Classic adults: $45 Mon–Thu / $49 Fri–Sun
- Kimchi Pancake Crispy savoury pancake: $16
- Seafood Pancake Crispy savoury pancake with seafood: $18
- Japchae Noodle V Sweet potato glass noodles with vegetables: $14
Exit plan: Its site says Carnegie station is about a 4-minute walk away, and its listed hours run to 10:00pm on Friday.
Roule Galette — 104 Koornang Road, Carnegie VIC 3163
Crepes and galettes make a lighter sit-down option for a first meeting or an afternoon date. Its site lists the Carnegie shop as closed Monday, open 9am to 9pm Tuesday to Thursday and Sunday, and open 9am to 10pm on Friday and Saturday. AGFG tags it Alfresco Dining, Child Friendly, Vegan Options and Vegetarian Options, and its site mentions a 10% surcharge on weekends.
Stage: An early date or a daytime one, since its site lists opening from 9am Tuesday to Sunday; if the weather turns, AGFG tags Alfresco Dining, so check which seats are covered.
Hecho En Mexico — 94 Koornang Road, Carnegie VIC 3163
Its Carnegie page describes ample indoor seating and an amazing back courtyard area. It also lists two bottomless brunch options for Saturday and Sunday: the Lite, with unlimited drinks and one main meal for 70 minutes, and the Original, with unlimited drinks and unlimited tacos, excluding birria and pastor, for 90 minutes. Treat those as extras rather than the plan, since a table in the courtyard works without them. Per the site, it is open 11.30am to 9.30pm from Sunday through Thursday, and 11.30am to 10:00pm on Fridays and Saturdays.
Talk-ability: The site describes a back courtyard as well as indoor seating, so ask which area you will get when you ring.
La Bottega Trattoria — 120 Koornang Road, Carnegie VIC 3163
Pizza and pasta suit a third date or an anniversary because sharing is the default. Its menu prints MARGHERITA V at $23, DIAVOLA at $29 and WOODFIRED SORRENTINA V VGO GF at $27, plus an AFFOGATO at $12 for a short, sweet finish. Its site describes Italian-inspired dishes for vegan and non-vegan guests alike, and says every pizza is available on a homemade gluten-free base for an extra charge. Its home page lists a break between 16:00 and 17:00 each day, while the menu page says the regular menu runs 11 am to 10 pm everyday, so ring to confirm.
On the menu (copied from labottegacarnegie.com.au on 4 October 2026):
- MARGHERITA V: $23
- MARINARA VG: $19
- DIAVOLA: $29
- WOODFIRED SORRENTINA V VGO GF: $27
Say this: ‘Pizza each, or one to share and an affogato after?’
Katsumo — 1103 Glen Huntly Road, Glen Huntly VIC 3163
Katsumo’s site calls it a specialty Japanese tonkatsu restaurant, but we could not read its menu, so check before you set your heart on a dish. Its site says walk-ins only, so there is no booking to organise. It lists dinner Tuesday to Sunday from 5:30 to 9, lunch on Saturday and Sunday from 12:00 to 3, and closed Monday. AGFG tags it Child Friendly.
Exit plan: Because it is walk-ins only, arrive near the listed 5:30 start and keep a second place in mind in case there is no free table.
Nepal Dining Room — 156 Waverley Road, Malvern East VIC 3145
This one is in Malvern East, outside Carnegie, but its listed dinner hours make it useful for a later start. Its site lists dinner Tuesday to Sunday 5:30 to 10:30PM and lunch Thursday and Friday 11:00AM to 3:00PM. The menu prints a Tapas Platter for two at $22.00, a selection of popular small bites, and Sticky Date Pudding served with vanilla ice cream at $12.90. AGFG tags it Vegan Options, Vegetarian Options and Gluten Free Options.
On the menu (copied from nepaldiningroom.com.au on 4 October 2026):
- Hot Bamboo Shoots Soup cooked with black eye beans in a chicken broth.: $9.90
- Sticky Date Pudding Served with vanilla ice cream: $12.90
- Tapas Platter: $22.00
Split or splurge: Split the Tapas Platter, which the menu describes as a selection of popular small bites, and add the Sticky Date Pudding if you are still going.
Quick answers
Where can I go for a first date dinner in Carnegie?
Roule Galette’s site lists opening from 9am Tuesday to Sunday, so it suits a lighter, earlier meet. Katsumo in Glen Huntly says walk-ins only, so there is no booking to organise. Hecho En Mexico’s site describes a back courtyard as well as indoor seating, so ask which area is free when you ring ahead.
Which date night restaurants near Carnegie have vegan options?
AGFG tags Mrs Kim’s Grill, Roule Galette and Nepal Dining Room with Vegan Options. Hecho En Mexico’s sample menu marks a VGO - Vegan friendly option, though it says items vary by location. La Bottega Trattoria’s site describes Italian-inspired dishes for vegan and non-vegan guests alike. We did not find a vegan listing for Katsumo, so ask there.
Which of these restaurants are open on a Sunday night?
Mrs Kim’s Grill lists Saturday and Sunday as dinner only. Hecho En Mexico’s site lists Sunday to Thursday until 9.30pm. La Bottega Trattoria’s site lists a Sunday evening session from 17:00 to 21:00. Katsumo’s site lists dinner Tuesday to Sunday, and Nepal Dining Room’s site lists dinner Tuesday to Sunday until 10:30PM. Roule Galette’s site lists Sunday from 9am to 9pm.
Which of these places take bookings and which are walk-ins only?
La Bottega Trattoria’s site shows a Book a Table option. Katsumo’s site says walk-ins only. For the other four we could not find a booking policy in the sources we checked, so ring ahead, especially for a weekend.
How we checked
We checked every place on this page against at least two independent sources on 4 October 2026: OpenStreetMap, the places’ own websites and the Australian Good Food Guide. Every price is copied exactly as printed on the page linked under Sources, on 4 October 2026. Menus, prices and opening hours change, so check with the venue before you go. The cover photo is illustrative, from Unsplash, and does not show any place on this page.
Seen something out of date? Email [email protected] with the page link and what has changed, and we will check it again.
Sources
- Mrs Kim’s Grill: openstreetmap.org/631561660, mrskimsgrill.com.au, agfg.com.au/mrs-kims-grill-41177, mrskimsgrill.com.au/menu.html
- Roule Galette: openstreetmap.org/631561700, roulegalette.com.au/crepe-and-galette-contact, agfg.com.au/roule-galette-carnegie-62157, roulegalette.com.au/crepe-and-galette-menu, roulegalette.com.au
- Hecho En Mexico: openstreetmap.org/631561712, hechoenmexico.com.au/carnegie, agfg.com.au/hecho-en-mexico-carnegie-117364, hechoenmexico.com.au/SAMPLE-MENU-2025.pdf
- La Bottega Trattoria: labottegacarnegie.com.au, agfg.com.au/la-bottega-trattoria-140227, labottegacarnegie.com.au/whats-on, labottegacarnegie.com.au/menu
- Katsumo: katsumo.com.au, agfg.com.au/katsumo-146546
- Nepal Dining Room: nepaldiningroom.com.au, agfg.com.au/nepal-dining-room-59627, nepaldiningroom.com.au/dine-in-menu
