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 between 2 October 2026 and 4 October 2026, and every price was copied from the page it was published on.
A good date dinner wants a table, a menu you can read in advance and a place where you can actually hear each other. This page lists six sit-down restaurants in and around Thornbury: one on High Street in Thornbury and five on High Street in Northcote, just down the road.
We read each venue’s own website, plus the Australian Good Food Guide or Broadsheet where they cover it, and we quote what they publish. Where a place has no hours or prices we could read, we say so instead of guessing. None of the sources we captured described step-free access, so ring ahead if that matters.
Each entry has a label for the stage it suits or what to watch, and a plan B, because first dates, anniversaries and everything between all want something slightly different.
The quick picks
| If you’re after | Head to | Order this | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sourdough pizza and fresh pasta | Farro (Thornbury) | see below | not printed here |
| Tasting menu or wine bar | Estelle | Scone, cheddar custard, onion jam | $8 |
| Sri Lankan with private dining | Zircon Restaurant & Bar | see below | not printed here |
| Shared platters, half vegan | Mesob Ethiopian Restaurant | Herbivore combination platter | 26pp |
| A fully vegan dinner | Brother Bon | see below | not printed here |
| Soba noodles, gluten-free options | Shimbashi Soba & Sake Bar (Northcote) | Kake Soba | A$17.90 |
Farro (Thornbury) — 608 High Street, Thornbury VIC 3071
Farro is the only Thornbury venue on this page. Its site describes slow-fermented sourdough pizza and fresh pasta made exclusively with sustainable spelt flour (spelt is an older relative of modern wheat), and AGFG tags it Romantic alongside gluten free and vegan options. Its own site lists Monday to Friday from 5PM to late, and Saturday and Sunday from 12PM to late. We could not read item prices because ordering runs through an app, so check the menu before you book.
Stage: A relaxed second or third date, since the menu is built around pizza and pasta you can share and the plan B is simply a walk back up High Street.
Estelle — 243-245 High Street, Northcote VIC 3070
Estelle sits on High Street in Northcote. Its site mentions a bar menu available in the wine bar, and a five-course chef’s selection tasting menu for a bigger night. The menu prints a scone with cheddar custard and onion jam at $8, and hand rolled gnocchi with wild mushrooms and pecorino at $40. The menu also notes a service charge on Sundays, and we could not find published hours, so confirm when it is open.
On the menu (copied from theestelle.com.au on 2 October 2026):
- Scone, cheddar custard, onion jam: $8
- Jerusalem artichoke, goat’s curd, nashi pear, sage: $27
- Hand rolled gnocchi, wild mushrooms, pecorino: $40
- Market fish, smoked dashi velouté, asparagus: $49
Split or splurge: Share the Jerusalem artichoke, goat’s curd, nashi pear, sage at $27 to start, then decide whether the three-course choice menu at $98pp is your anniversary move.
Zircon Restaurant & Bar — 240 High Street, Northcote VIC 3070
Zircon serves Sri Lankan food at 240 High Street, Northcote. AGFG lists Private Dining and tags it Romantic, and also lists Live Music, Alfresco Dining and Fully Licensed. We could not settle its opening hours from what we captured, so check the site or call before you go. We could not find menu prices, and its site banner says online orders are not currently being accepted, so call before you plan the night.
Talk-ability: AGFG lists Live Music here, so expect it could be louder than a quiet corner; ask when booking whether a music night is on.
Mesob Ethiopian Restaurant — 213 High Street, Northcote VIC 3070
Mesob’s own site says: whether it is date night or a big group celebration, eating there is a time to catch up and connect around the table. Its site lists Tuesday to Saturday from 5:30pm till late, though that page is dated 2024 and Broadsheet also lists Sunday 5:30pm to 10pm, so confirm Sunday before you book; Broadsheet adds live jazz on weekends. The menu prints the Herbivore combination platter at 26pp and the Omnivore combination platter at 29pp, with minimum numbers of people applying per the menu. Its site also says its injera is made with organic teff flour, a gluten-free grain.
On the menu (copied from mesob.com.au on 4 October 2026):
- Herbivore combination platter: 26pp
- Omnivore combination platter: 29pp
- Negus platter: 40pp
Say this: Ask which platter suits two people, since the menu notes minimum numbers apply and half of the menu is vegan by the site’s own account.
Brother Bon — 377-379 High Street, Northcote VIC 3070
Brother Bon’s site says it serves 100% vegan meals made with fresh ingredients, care and creativity, and AGFG tags it Romantic with Raw Food Options. Its site lists dinner Tuesday to Saturday from 5:30 to 9:30pm and Sunday from 5:30 to 9pm, plus weekend lunch from 11:30am to 3:30pm, and says it is closed on public holidays. The menus are PDFs we could not read reliably, so we have no prices to quote.
Exit plan: Its site has dinner finishing at 9:30pm Tuesday to Saturday, a tidy window if you want a walk or a drink elsewhere afterwards.
Shimbashi Soba & Sake Bar (Northcote) — 257 High Street, Northcote VIC 3070
Shimbashi’s Northcote site bills itself as the ultimate Japanese gluten-free soba experience, and AGFG lists it as Pet Friendly, Romantic and Alfresco Dining. Its site lists daily sessions from 11.30am to 3.30pm and 5.30pm to 9.30pm, with last orders at 8.30pm for the evening. Its pickup ordering page prints Kake Soba at A$17.90 and Chicken Soba at A$32.90.
On the menu (copied from shimbashi-kounta.deliverectdirect.com on 4 October 2026):
- Kake Soba: A$17.90
- Chicken Soba: A$32.90
- Roasted Duck Soba: A$34.90
- Vegan Kake Soba: A$17.90
Split or splurge: Keep it low-key with the Kake Soba at A$17.90, or go for the Roasted Duck Soba at A$34.90 if the night calls for it.
Quick answers
Where is a date night restaurant in Thornbury itself?
Farro at 608 High Street is the one place on this page inside Thornbury, and AGFG tags it Romantic. The other five, Estelle, Zircon, Mesob, Brother Bon and Shimbashi, are on High Street in Northcote, close by.
Which date night restaurants near Thornbury suit vegans?
Brother Bon’s site says its meals are 100% vegan. Mesob’s site says half its menu is vegan, and Shimbashi lists a Vegan Kake Soba on its pickup menu. AGFG also lists Vegan Options for Farro and Zircon.
How much does dinner for two cost at these Thornbury and Northcote restaurants?
Estelle’s menu prints a three-course choice menu at $98pp. Mesob’s menu prints the Herbivore combination platter at 26pp. Shimbashi’s pickup page prints Kake Soba at A$17.90. We could not read prices for Farro, Zircon or Brother Bon.
Which Northcote date spots have live music?
Broadsheet says Mesob has live jazz on weekends, and AGFG lists Live Music for Zircon. If you want to hear each other properly, ring ahead and ask which nights music is on.
How we checked
We checked every place on this page against at least two independent sources between 2 October 2026 and 4 October 2026: OpenStreetMap, the places’ own websites, the Australian Good Food Guide and Broadsheet. Every price is copied exactly as printed on the page linked under Sources, between 2 October 2026 and 4 October 2026, the date given beside each menu. 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
- Farro (Thornbury): openstreetmap.org/617289787, farro.com.au/thornbury, agfg.com.au/pizza-farro-thornbury-45000
- Estelle: openstreetmap.org/4840359922, theestelle.com.au/contact, theestelle.com.au/menu
- Zircon Restaurant & Bar: zirconrestaurant.com.au, agfg.com.au/zircon-restaurant-bar-140170
- Mesob Ethiopian Restaurant: mesob.com.au, broadsheet.com.au/mesob-ethiopian-restaurant, mesob.com.au menu PDF
- Brother Bon: openstreetmap.org/2365435372, agfg.com.au/brother-bon-80509, brotherbon.com.au, brotherbon.com.au/menu
- Shimbashi Soba & Sake Bar (Northcote): openstreetmap.org/12245827601, shimbashisobamelbourne.com.au/locations, agfg.com.au/shimbashi-soba-sake-bar-northcote-97918, shimbashi-kounta.deliverectdirect.com/shimbashi-soba-sake-bar-northcote, shimbashisobamelbourne.com.au
