Correction (10 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 9 October 2026, and every price was copied from the page it was published on.
A good date dinner starts with a place that is actually open in the evening. This page lists five restaurants in and around Malvern East: three in Malvern East, one in Glen Iris and one in Carnegie.
We checked each against its own website and either AGFG or OpenStreetMap. Where a listing is owner-maintained or the site is undated, we say so. None of the listings we read covered accessibility, so ask each venue before you book.
The quick picks
| If you’re after | Head to | Order this | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mediterranean sit-down, BYO listed | L’Olivo | see below | not printed here |
| Walk-in evening dinner | Bill & Ellie’s | see below | not printed here |
| Pasta mains with a printed menu | Via Fratelli | Spaghetti Bolognese- tradition spaghetti Bolognese | $28 |
| Japanese izakaya dinner | Izakaya Chouchou | see below | not printed here |
| French crepes and galettes | Roule Galette | see below | not printed here |
L’Olivo — 171 Waverley Road, Malvern East VIC 3145
AGFG’s listing shows L’Olivo open Tuesday to Sunday, 11:30 AM - 9:00 PM, and closed Monday. AGFG also lists BYO, Alfresco Dining, Takeaway and Child Friendly. That listing is owner-maintained, so it may be out of date.
Its listed hours run through the day, so an early dinner suits it better than a late one.
Stage: A third-date table, with AGFG’s BYO listing meaning you can decide the drinks question together.
Bill & Ellie’s — 85 Chadstone Rd, Malvern East VIC 3145
Bill & Ellie’s site lists trading hours of Wednesday to Thursday 5pm - 9.00pm, Friday to Saturday 4.30pm - 9.30pm, and Sunday 5pm - 9.00pm. The site says walk-ins only, so there is no booking to make.
That is an easy fit for a first date with low stakes.
Exit plan: Walk-ins only means no booking to cancel, and if the weather puts you off, move on to the next place on this list.
Via Fratelli — 151 Waverley Road, Malvern East VIC 3145
Via Fratelli’s menu prints Spaghetti Bolognese- tradition spaghetti Bolognese at $28. AGFG lists Child Friendly, Vegan Options, Takeaway and Alfresco Dining for the restaurant.
We could not find hours we would stand behind, and the site is undated, so confirm before you go.
On the menu (copied from viafratelli.com.au/Menu.pdf on 9 October 2026):
- Spaghetti Bolognese- tradition spaghetti Bolognese: $28
- Lasagna della Nonna- homemade beef lasagna: $28
- Gnocchi Napolitana- gnocchi tossed with tomato sugo: $28
Split or splurge: Via Fratelli’s menu prints Gnocchi Napolitana- gnocchi tossed with tomato sugo at $28, so a pasta each is a simple, known cost.
Izakaya Chouchou — 31 High Street, Glen Iris VIC 3146
AGFG’s listing shows Izakaya Chouchou open Tuesday to Sunday, 5:30 PM - 9:00 PM, and closed Monday. That is a dinner-only window. The listing is owner-maintained and the site is undated, so confirm before you go.
AGFG also lists Takeaway. It is in Glen Iris, just outside Malvern East.
Talk-ability: We found no mention of live music in the listings we read, but ask when you book if conversation matters.
Roule Galette — 104 Koornang Road, Carnegie VIC 3163
Roule Galette’s site lists Tuesday to Thursday and Sunday 9am – 9pm, Friday and Saturday 9am – 10pm, and Monday closed. That makes Friday and Saturday the later nights. It is in Carnegie, a different suburb from Malvern East, so plan the trip.
The site is undated, so check the hours before you set out.
Say this: Ask for a table for a late-ish Friday or Saturday sitting, since those are the nights the site lists the longest hours.
Quick answers
Which Malvern East date night restaurants are closed on Monday?
L’Olivo, Izakaya Chouchou and Roule Galette all list Monday as closed. Bill & Ellie’s site lists trading from Wednesday, and we could not find Monday trading for Via Fratelli, so plan a Monday date elsewhere.
Is there a BYO restaurant for a date in Malvern East?
AGFG lists BYO for L’Olivo on Waverley Road. It is a listing, so check the venue’s current BYO policy before you bring anything.
How much is a pasta main at Via Fratelli?
Via Fratelli’s menu prints Spaghetti Bolognese- tradition spaghetti Bolognese at $28. Check the menu for anything else.
Which Malvern East restaurants take walk-ins for dinner?
Bill & Ellie’s site says walk-ins only, and lists evening trading from Wednesday to Sunday. We could not find a walk-in or booking policy for the other four places, so ask them directly.
How we checked
We checked every place on this page against at least two independent sources on 9 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 9 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
- L’Olivo: lolivo.com.au, agfg.com.au/lolivo-21208
- Bill & Ellie’s: billandellies.com.au, agfg.com.au/bill-ellies-136773
- Via Fratelli: openstreetmap.org/10733530065, viafratelli.com.au, agfg.com.au/via-fratelli-woodfire-pizza-restaurant, viafratelli.com.au/Menu.pdf
- Izakaya Chouchou: izakayachouchou.com.au, agfg.com.au/izakaya-chouchou-90175
- Roule Galette: openstreetmap.org/631561700, roulegalette.com.au/crepe-and-galette-contact
