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 date is easier to plan by stage than by cuisine: a first meet wants low stakes and an easy exit, a later one can handle a longer menu. This page sorts six places by what each one publishes, from tasting menus to a walk-in falafel bar.
All six are on High Street in Northcote, not in Fairfield itself. Each was checked against two independent sources, and every price is the one printed on the venue’s own menu.
We could not find accessibility details on the pages we read, so ring ahead if that matters. Plan B is the same for all six: look at the hours line before you set out.
The quick picks
| If you’re after | Head to | Order this | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| A set menu dinner for two | Estelle | Three-course choice menu | $98pp |
| European bistro plates to share | Zsa’s Bar & Bistroteca | Basque cheesecake, pecan & bourbon | $15 |
| Greek mains and cocktails | Danté | Slow-cooked Lamb Shank | $38 |
| Ethiopian platters, shared | Mesob | see below | not printed here |
| A cheap, walk-in first date | Tahina Bar Northcote | GREEN FALAFEL (pita pocket) | $15.50 |
| French bistro with a front bar | Ruckers Hill | Gnocchi Wednesday: house-made gnocchi | $20 |
Estelle — 243-245 High Street, Northcote VIC 3070
Estelle’s own site says a bar menu is available in the wine bar. The menu prints a Three-course choice menu at $98pp, and a Five-course chef’s selection tasting menu at $125pp.
Single dishes printed include Hand rolled gnocchi, wild mushrooms, pecorino at $40, and Market fish, smoked dashi velouté, asparagus at $49. A Sunday service charge is printed on the menu.
AGFG lists Thursday and Friday hours of 4:30 PM - 11:00 PM and Sunday 12:00 PM - 4:30 PM, but that is an owner-maintained directory and may be out of date.
On the menu (copied from theestelle.com.au on 4 October 2026):
- Three-course choice menu: $98pp
- Five-course chef’s selection tasting menu: $125pp
- Hand rolled gnocchi, wild mushrooms, pecorino: $40
- Market fish, smoked dashi velouté, asparagus: $49
Split or splurge: the menu prints the Five-course chef’s selection tasting menu at $125pp for a big night, or a lighter order such as the Scone, cheddar custard, onion jam at $8.
Zsa’s Bar & Bistroteca — 202 High Street, Northcote VIC 3070
Zsa’s own site lists a European-leaning menu, and AGFG tags it Alfresco Dining, Gluten Free Options, Vegan Options and Vegetarian Options. The menu prints steak frites – porterhouse, cafe de Paris butter, fries at $52, and a Chef’s Selection Menu is listed too.
A cheaper plan is pappardelle, Guinness shortrib ragù, shortcrust, pecorino at $38, or French fries, dill aioli at $15, and the Basque cheesecake, pecan & bourbon is $15. The menu prints bare numbers without a dollar sign.
Its site lists Wednesday 3pm - 9pm and Friday and Saturday 12pm - 10pm.
On the menu (copied from zsas.com.au on 4 October 2026):
- Basque cheesecake, pecan & bourbon: $15
- steak frites – porterhouse, cafe de Paris butter, fries: $52
- pappardelle, Guinness shortrib ragù, shortcrust, pecorino: $38
- French fries, dill aioli: $15
Talk-ability: the alfresco tag from AGFG means outdoor seating, so ask about it if you want to hear each other.
Danté — 308-310 High Street, Northcote VIC 3070
Danté’s own site lists Greek dishes, and the menu is easy to decode: soutzoukakia are Greek herby minced beef rissoles, and loukoumades are Greek donuts with honey and cinnamon. The menu prints Soutzoukakia at $32, Slow-cooked Lamb Shank at $38 and Grilled Octopus at $28.
Vegetarian dishes are marked too, such as the cabbage rolls. AGFG tags the place for Free Wifi, Gluten Free Options and Vegetarian Options.
The site lists Wednesday and Thursday 4.30 PM - 9 PM, Friday and Saturday 4.30 PM - 10 PM.
On the menu (copied from dantecocktail.com on 4 October 2026):
- Slow-cooked Lamb Shank: $38
- Soutzoukakia: $32
- Grilled Octopus: $28
- Saganaki Kefalografiera: $17
Say this: order a Saganaki Kefalografiera at $17 to start, then share the Loukoumades at $13 for dessert.
Mesob — 213 High Street, Northcote VIC 3070
Mesob’s own site describes eating there as a time to catch up and connect around the table, whether it is date night or a big group celebration. It also says half the menu is vegan, and that its injera is made with organic teff flour, a whole, gluten-free grain.
AGFG tags it Alfresco Dining, Child Friendly, Delivery, Takeaway and Vegetarian Options, and lists platters, herbivore and omnivore mixed plates, as what it is best known for. We could not read prices because the menu is on a separate page.
Stage: a third date, going by the shared platters, and its site lists Tuesday - Saturday 5:30pm till late, so confirm hours before you rely on them.
Tahina Bar Northcote — 223 High Street, Northcote VIC 3070
Tahina Bar’s own site lists a menu of falafel, pita pockets and salads, and prints a DATE NIGHT FOR 2 (GFO, V) at $49. Items are marked for vegetarian and gluten-free options, including an option to enjoy any pita pocket in a gluten free wrap.
The site prints GREEN FALAFEL (pita pocket) at $15.50 and SABICH (pita pocket) at $16.50. It also says there is no booking available, walk-in only, from 11am - 9pm, and AGFG tags it Alfresco Dining and Takeaway.
On the menu (copied from tahinabar.com on 4 October 2026):
- GREEN FALAFEL (pita pocket): $15.50
- SABICH (pita pocket): $16.50
- FALAFEL BURGER (VO): $17.50
- FALAFEL SALAD (GF, V): $18.50
Exit plan: it is walk-in only, so if there is no table, try the BAKLAVA (V) at $5 as a takeaway sweet and walk on.
Ruckers Hill — 83 High Street, Northcote VIC 3070
Ruckers Hill’s own site says the front bar is for walk-ins and wine. Its home page lists a Five-course tasting menu at $89, and weekly specials, such as Gnocchi Wednesday: house-made gnocchi at $20.
The site lists Wednesday to Thursday 5pm – 11pm, and Friday & Saturday 4:30pm – 11pm. An Oyster Happy Hour of $2 oysters is listed for Friday & Saturday from 4:30pm.
On the menu (copied from ruckershillnorthcote.com.au on 4 October 2026):
- Gnocchi Wednesday: house-made gnocchi: $20
- Steak Thursday: 220g porterhouse, sauce + fries: $35
- Oyster Happy Hour: $2 oysters
- Sunday Roast: chef’s roast: $30
Stage: a first date on the front bar, since the site says it is for walk-ins, with the Sunday Roast: chef’s roast at $30 as a later option.
Quick answers
Where can I take someone for dinner near Fairfield?
Six places on High Street in Northcote are listed here: Estelle, Zsa’s Bar & Bistroteca, Danté, Mesob, Tahina Bar Northcote and Ruckers Hill. Estelle and Ruckers Hill publish tasting menus, Danté is Greek, Mesob is Ethiopian and Tahina Bar is a walk-in falafel bar.
Is there a date night deal in Northcote?
Tahina Bar Northcote’s own site prints a DATE NIGHT FOR 2 (GFO, V) at $49. The site says no booking is available and it is walk-in only.
Which Northcote restaurants take walk-ins?
Tahina Bar’s site says it is walk-in only, with no booking available. Ruckers Hill’s site says its front bar is for walk-ins and wine. For the others, check with the venue about bookings.
Where can I find a tasting menu near Fairfield?
Estelle’s menu prints a Five-course chef’s selection tasting menu at $125pp. Ruckers Hill’s site lists a Five-course tasting menu at $89. Zsa’s menu lists a Chef’s Selection Menu, with the price printed as a bare number.
How we checked
We checked every place on this page against at least two independent sources on 4 October 2026: the places’ own websites, the Australian Good Food Guide and OpenStreetMap. 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
- Estelle: theestelle.com.au/menu, agfg.com.au/the-estelle-45422
- Zsa’s Bar & Bistroteca: zsas.com.au/menu-new, agfg.com.au/zsas-bistro-88981
- Danté: dantecocktail.com/menus, agfg.com.au/dante-119227
- Mesob: mesob.com.au, agfg.com.au/mesob-58092
- Tahina Bar Northcote: tahinabar.com/menu, agfg.com.au/tahina-bar-northcote-53266, tahinabar.com/contact-1
- Ruckers Hill: openstreetmap.org/7192604597, ruckershillnorthcote.com.au
