Correction (5 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 5 October 2026, and every price was copied from the page it was published on.
A date night needs a table that is easy to get, a price you can see before you leave home, and a plan B if the night goes sideways. This page covers four places in and around Kalkallo: one in Kalkallo itself and three in Craigieburn.
Most of the sit-down options sit a short drive away in Craigieburn. Each place was checked against at least two sources, and every fact below says whose listing it comes from. Where a place does not publish a price or an hour, we say so rather than guess.
The quick picks
| If you’re after | Head to | Order this | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steak and pasta in Kalkallo | Kalkallo Hotel (Steak House and Pizzeria) | Spaghetti Bolognese | $26.90 |
| Fine dining with online booking | Thaali Craigieburn | see below | not printed here |
| Halal menu, listed late hours | Al-Sayed Restaurant & Cafe Craigieburn | see below | not printed here |
| All-you-can-eat buffet date | Highlands Hotel (International Buffet) | Buffet lunch Monday to Friday, Adults | $36.90 |
Kalkallo Hotel (Steak House and Pizzeria) — 1324 Hume Highway, Kalkallo VIC 3064
Kalkallo Hotel is the only place on this page inside Kalkallo itself. Its site describes a steak house specialising in 100% Pure Angus Beef, and says pizzas are available from 5pm onwards. The site lists opening hours as Monday - Sunday 11.30am til late. Its booking prompt is about groups of more than 20 people, so for a table for two, check with the venue how it takes bookings.
On the menu (copied from kalkallohotel.com.au/food on 5 October 2026):
- Spaghetti Bolognese: $26.90
- Fettucini Carbonara: $26.90
- Gorgonzola Gnocchi: $28.90
- Kids Menu: $15
Split or splurge: The menu prints Spaghetti Bolognese at $26.90 and Gorgonzola Gnocchi at $28.90, so two pasta mains are easy to price before you leave home.
Thaali Craigieburn — Central Park Square, Shop 2, Unit 1/9 Mareeba Way, Craigieburn VIC 3064
Thaali is in Craigieburn, in Central Park Square, and its site title calls it Luxury Indian Fine Dining. The site carries a Book Your Table button, the clearest booking prompt we found among the four places here. Its site lists Sunday to Thursday as 5:00 PM to 11:00 PM and Friday and Saturday as 5:00 PM to 12:00 AM. We could not find menu prices on the page, because the menu is a download, so check it before you commit.
Stage: Booking is built into the site, which suits a planned anniversary better than a spur-of-the-moment first date, and Al-Sayed in the same plaza is a ready plan B.
Al-Sayed Restaurant & Cafe Craigieburn — Shop 1, 1-9 Mareeba Way, Craigieburn VIC 3064
Al-Sayed is in Craigieburn, in the same plaza as Thaali. Its site says all its dishes are prepared using halal ingredients and lists a variety of vegetarian dishes, including falafel, hummus and baba ghanoush. It also describes itself as a Family Restaurant, so expect a mixed room rather than a date-only one. AGFG lists it open 8:00 AM to 12:00 AM every day. We could not find published menu prices, as its menu page is images only.
Exit plan: AGFG lists a 12:00 AM close daily, so there is room to linger, and Thaali across the plaza is the fallback if you want a table with a booking button.
Highlands Hotel (International Buffet) — 301 Grand Boulevard (cnr Aitken & Grand Blvds), Craigieburn VIC 3064
Highlands Hotel is in Craigieburn and its site describes all you can eat buffet dining with an internationally inspired seasonal menu. It also lists an indoor and alfresco seating area. The site prints session prices, and Buffet dinner Monday to Thursday, Adults is $41.90. We could not find dining hours we trust for this venue, so check the sessions page before you go.
On the menu (copied from highlandshotel.com.au/sessions-prices on 5 October 2026):
- Buffet lunch Monday to Friday, Adults: $36.90
- Buffet lunch Monday to Friday, Children 3-6 Years: $12.90
- Buffet lunch Monday to Friday, Seniors: $27.90
- Buffet dinner Monday to Thursday, Adults: $41.90
Talk-ability: Its site lists a band live from 8:00pm every second Friday, so ask which room it plays in, or pick another night, if you want to hear each other over dessert.
Quick answers
Where can you book a table for a date night near Kalkallo?
Thaali Craigieburn has a Book Your Table prompt on its site. Kalkallo Hotel’s site has a booking prompt aimed at groups of more than 20 people, so check how it takes a table for two. Al-Sayed and Highlands Hotel are in Craigieburn too, and it is worth contacting them directly to confirm how bookings work.
Is there a date night restaurant in Kalkallo itself?
Kalkallo Hotel is the only place on this page inside Kalkallo, and its site describes a steak house and says pizzas are available from 5pm onwards. The other three places, Thaali, Al-Sayed and Highlands Hotel, are in Craigieburn.
Which date night places near Kalkallo are open late?
Kalkallo Hotel’s site lists Monday - Sunday 11.30am til late. Thaali’s site lists Friday and Saturday as 5:00 PM to 12:00 AM, and AGFG lists Al-Sayed as open 8:00 AM to 12:00 AM daily. We could not confirm dining hours for Highlands Hotel.
What does a buffet date near Kalkallo cost?
Highlands Hotel in Craigieburn prints its session prices on its site. Buffet dinner Monday to Thursday, Adults is $41.90 there, and Buffet lunch Monday to Friday, Adults is $36.90. Each price applies only to the session printed beside it, and the venue says prices can change, so check before you book.
How we checked
We checked every place on this page against at least two independent sources on 5 October 2026: the places’ own websites, OpenStreetMap and the Australian Good Food Guide. Every price is copied exactly as printed on the page linked under Sources, on 5 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
- Kalkallo Hotel (Steak House and Pizzeria): kalkallohotel.com.au, openstreetmap.org/313245877, kalkallohotel.com.au/food
- Thaali Craigieburn: thaali.com.au, agfg.com.au/thaali-130012
- Al-Sayed Restaurant & Cafe Craigieburn: alsayed.com.au, agfg.com.au/alsayed-restaurant-cafe-craigieburn
- Highlands Hotel (International Buffet): highlandshotel.com.au/contact-us, agfg.com.au/highlands-hotel-37270, highlandshotel.com.au/sessions-prices, highlandshotel.com.au/international-buffet, highlandshotel.com.au/cafe-lounge
